‘Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie’ Delivers Nostalgia and Closure for Nickelodeon’s Favorite Football Head

Just after Thanksgiving Nickelodeon released a TV movie that brought us all back to our younger years, but in the age of woketivism, it may not have been as enjoyable as remembered. The 90s were a time to feel free – all new genres of entertainment were created, we were past some of the transgressions of the 80s and moved on from the age of the bellbottom 70s for sure. It was a time where we could say anything, do anything, it was all so new and even today we can keep rebooting and rehashing the 90s it’s like no one will ever get tired of it! We just keep making the 90s better and better. But hindsight 20/20 there was a lot wrong with 90s entertainment as well, from the foundational homophobia and sexism, to institutional racism ingrained in storylines and more. Not a surprise from a nation built on the morals from back when – you know “America was Great…”

There were some characters in Hey Arnold! that probably would make some people feel a little uneasy today. And why didn’t I notice as a kid that Arnold’s parents were white savior-ing a bunch of native peoples around the world when they disappeared? We are taken down nostalgia boulevard in the first 15 minutes – strolling through the boarding house, Grandpa as quirky and bathroom ridden as ever, Grandma as kooky as ever and the lovable eccentric tenants, Mr. Hyunh, Ernie, and Abner the pig. That house was meant to be the melting pot of New York wrapped into one tenement, and the first few scenes really meant to hurl you ba…