Like millions of others, Nickelodeon was a huge part of my childhood. I grew up obsessed with live-action shows like Hey Dude, Salute Your Shorts, and Are You Afraid of the Dark? I still reference animated classics like Rugrats and Doug. And You Can’t Do That on Television might be responsible for shaping my entire idea of what’s funny. But what I never truly understood about my favorite network, either as a kid or now, is that it’s rise to become every child’s favorite station was an amazing adventure, too. And now the network’s unlikely path to the top will be told in a new documentary, The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story.
“For millions of children and adults, the Nickelodeon Network is synonymous with growing up. In just a few years, the channel grew from a small local channel to an international phenomenon that helped shape a generation. Led by trailblazing visionary Geraldine Laybourne and her commitment to putting kids first, a group of unconventional heroes turned an underdog channel into an $8 billion dollar juggernaut as the golden standard for children’s programming.”
The Orange Years, from Gravitas Ventures, will explore how Nickelodeon became the standard for kid’s entertainment, by speaking with the actors, writers, and creators from all the heyday of the network’s golden age. “It’s wild. It’s crazy. It changed the world.”
It also changed my idea of what “fun” means forever. I don’t care how old I get. I still want to be slimed while being hit with a pie on What Would You Do?
Gravitas Ventures
The doc will feature interviews with some of the most famous faces from some of the most beloved Nick shows. That includes hearing from Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell, Drake Bell, Melissa Joan Hart, Christine Taylor, Tom Kenny, and more.
Directed by Scott Barber and Adam Sweeney, the film premieres later this fall on November 17.
Featured Image Gravitas Ventures