As Told By Ginger - Everything All Grown Up Wasn't

As Told By Ginger ran so that All Grown Up could... walk???
PATREON LINK:
Patreon.com/camhennings
SOCIAL MEDIA:
/ camhennings
/ cam_hennings
/ camhennings
Links to Featured Artists Socials:
Isaiah Stephens: / _isaiahdraws_
www.isaiahdraws.com/
PolarArts: / polararts
/ yaboypolar
polararts.bigcartel.com/
(Was not able to get into contact with the third artist, CelesteDoodles, but will post relevant links to feature their links here as well if anything changes)
Other Links:
Eric Molinsky's Article: theworld.org/stories/2018/03/...
Avril Lavigne Ginger Promo: archive.org/details/nickelode... (Commercial airs at the 20m40s mark)
Chapters:
00:00 Preface
02:41 Essay Intro
12:47 Theme Song
17:19 The Setup
21:40 Dodie
25:53 Macie
29:57 Courtney
33:52 Miranda
38:32 Darren
42:49 Carl
47:26 Hoodsey
51:39 Blake
55:17 Noelle
57:28 Brandon
58:39 Lois
01:02:18 Jonas
01:05:20 Season 1
01:13:03 Season 2
01:30:24 Season 3: Part 1
01:43:09 Season 3: Part 2
01:54:16 Season 3: Part 3
02:06:46 The Series Finale
02:16:30 Conclusion
#astoldbyginger #allgrownup #videoessay

[@CamHennings]

EDIT: Thank you all for 50,000 views already! I put my heart and soul into this video, and I'm glad that it's being enjoyed by so many! Also, *step-daughter/father/son and *doesn't pull its punches. Apologies for the typos, folks. I only had myself as an editor, and there were 25,000+ words in this long boy. 🥲

[@unripetheberrby6283]

'Daughter-in-law' he says. 😒 😂

[@CamHennings]

​@@unripetheberrby6283I feel like it's not a true long-ass video essay if there isn't at least ONE random mistake, right. ........RIGHT?!?!! 😅

[@unripetheberrby6283]

@@CamHennings Haha Definitely

[@codymerrell5387]

As Told By Ginger Was Awesome All Grown Up was Cool yet needed Slightly more effort

[@austinallemand1882]

Tin foil hat moment cuz I have no proof if this ever happened, but I wonder if there was any reject ideas or scripts that was intended to be for ginger's show but ultimately made its way over to all grown up.

[@asdax8311]

Growing up is realizing Courtney was the BFF while Dodie was the mean girl.

[@WobblesandBean]

I KNOW RIGHT? Dodie and Miranda were two peas in a pod.

[@timothypierce2186]

Dodie was annoying asf

[@AeliaReadsBooks]

Dodie's mom was a Narc which is where she learned that behavior. Court ruled.

[@a.c.b.v.7088]

Yep. If Miranda disappeared Courtney would have been free to spend more time with Ginger.

[@morbidsearch]

This show was before my time and online I always heard good things about Courtney and bad things about Dodie. But then I watched the show... Dodie does some genuinely shitty things throughout the show but nowhere as often as I expected. The majority of the time she is a good friend to Ginger and is supportive of her getting attention from Courtney without constantly trying to weasel her way in. Courtney on the other hand... she's definitely a likeable and entertaining character, but she's very wishy washy when it comes to her motives. By season 2 she's well aware that Miranda is a bad person but continues to be friends with her because she can't let go of the superficialty. I much prefer Miranda as a character because at least her actions have clear goals.

[@livthenekomancer]

Courtney deserved better in the end. She was a much better friend to Ginger than Dodie was

[@CamHennings]

100%. Courtney got done so dirty by the time they all went into high school. Like it's sad to think she peaked in middle school of all places. Would have been nice to have her at Ginger's book reading as well, she deserves a seat.

[@adamisajoker]

​@CamHennings ATBG is nearly a perfect show, the only knocks against it are 1. Not enough Courtney, with her becoming an official friend and being at the book reading, and 2. The bombshell episode that sets up Dodie being unfriended just being completely ignored in the next episode. THAT is a sin as far as I'm concerned, practically ruins the entire show.

[@WobblesandBean]

​@@CamHennings Yeah, that really upset me. It makes no sense that Courtney wasn't there.

[@WobblesandBean]

​​​@@adamisajoker That one made me angry. I know that with serialized cartoons the unspoken law was "the status quo is king", but that episode had no resolution, and then the audience is expected to just forget it and move on, like they didn't just erase any remaining shreds of good faith we had for Dodie. The way she acted about Ginger and Darren made me so mad. If I had a face like hers, I couldn't afford to be such a See You Next Toosday. Although I'm mad at Darren and Macie for that episode, too.

[@a.c.b.v.7088]

Completely agree! I felt bad for what happened to her family and I hope they didn't struggle. I know people would say "boohoo, they can't live in a mansion anymore" when it's further from that.

[@otakusamsay1953]

I knew As Told By Ginger was cut from a different cloth the moment I saw that the characters change clothes. I was a kid as this show premiered and seeing them change clothes was such a new thing to me, it literally never happened. I was around 10-11. Perfect age range to process this show.

[@tully6648]

Same here. What I was used to was either cartoon characters who never changed clothes, or live action characters who never wore the same outfit twice. Seeing the characters in ATBG having repeating outfits, or changing pieces or even wearing their hair slightly differently in episodes were all chef's kiss touches.

[@southchild_]

Another fantastic show that did this was The Weekenders! That show was my first exposure to this, and it also happened to come out the same year as As Told By Ginger

[@alexis-marie_9920]

​@@southchild_ i own the Weekenders on DVD lololol

[@grutsthefoodman3645]

It's weird that all grown up tried pushing 10 years old as some life bench mark, really it's the halfway point of childhood

[@CamHennings]

I think they wanted to backtrack from the specific age as much as possible after the first season. But they also continued to emphasize Angelica being more independent now that she's 13. I think the funniest aspects of it are when they have them doing activities that even most adults can't do like unsupervised cliff rappelling. 😂

[@charliepuppy.]

10 years old is definitely a benchmark, youve offically lived for a decade!

[@Jane-oz7pp]

The big one oh, nothing major

[@misteryA555]

Before this video I thought they were at least 13 in this show and Angelica was like 15 or 16. 10 is crazy. Or maybe they just live in the pokémon world

[@sherbear6625]

@@misteryA555Same! I thought they were at least in middle school & Angelica & Suzy were in high school

[@KrisRN23935]

My only gripe is that Courtney wasn't at Ginger's reading in the future (but Dodie was). Also, Dodie not having positive character development.

[@Naldito15]

Seems a bit more realistic though.

[@seniormoros_rose6402]

She didn't even visit Ginger in the hospital

[@RLane-xz5cj]

I like that Carl is not portrayed as in the wrong for not wanting a relationship with Jonas, even though Jonas is trying now. The nuance of Ginger accepting him while Carl doesn't, and both of those things just being what's right for them, isn't something I see often.

[@queltonelhipster]

There's a thing goin on with Carl that he feels the need to be the man of the house, it was made explicit when Loise is marrying Dave but you can tell it was something that had for the whole show. It seems that Carl sees Jonas as having failed on his role as a man and for Carl that's a huge deal

[@ilonashumiha]

@@queltonelhipster I'm a little like Carl, because I also have an ambiguous character and I’m just as prickly. And in terms of my parents’ divorce, I see myself in Carl. But I was 12 years old when my parents divorced

[@princelandrycrusher]

Ginger: What kind of parents forget their kid's birthday? >.> Macie: Turns out...mine. :'( Cameron: Aw man.... :/ It should've happened to Dodie. >.> Me: *stifles laugh* (ATBG was such a great show. o: )

[@CamHennings]

I mean....... It's true. Lmao

[@cristinab2263]

​@@CamHenningsi loved that joke so much. She's the worst

[@nostalgiamostalgia0319]

As Told by Ginger was almost perfect, by having age-appropriate humor, realistic dialogue and outcomes, and relatable problems; the writers wanted to make compelling animation for the teens and succeeded. AGU lacked this because the people there were just overly complacent. I understand why they were very reluctant to air each show’s last season but those 2006 KZbin leaks are what really started each show’s strong fandom, especially Ginger’s because they grew with her! Thank god we got all 60 episodes on our hands after well over a decade.

[@CamHennings]

Seriously though, I was baffled to learn that they didn't even finish airing the series in the US. Idk why Nick has such a bad track record of doing this to shows over the years. Reminds me of the final season of Korra, but somehow worse given where the Internet was at the time of Ginger's conclusion.

[@nostalgiamostalgia0319]

@@CamHennings Point very well taken, but I wish I had been there to see those early leaks let alone know people who made them because they could share how dedicated they were to archiving this stuff. I even enjoyed/agreed with your opinion on the "ugly" style due to the uglier aspects of life.

[@loafbreed7246]

@@CamHennings da boom crew getting cancelled literally the episode 2nd to last was so disrespectful

[@Bird-wz7nx]

I feel like Macie as a character concept was so ahead of its time. They basically called the current trend of this show's featured generation going on to cope with reality's woes through revisiting childish topics- and subsequently coming to profound and mature resolutions because of such nostalgia trips. I mean, The Little Seal Girl moment could so easily be switched out with any brony stuff- with Dodie and Ginger being totally right to fearing for their friend. And just look at what happened when Steve and Elmo checked up on us- the Internet just collectively broke. They had such incredible insight when making AtbG, and Macie should get way more love, because she's kinda us, and they actually treated her like a person.

[@nostalgiamostalgia0319]

I suspect she’s neurodivergent (as is Noelle).

[@Hwarming]

Regression in psychology has been a thing for a long time. It feels like it's more common nowadays though

[@Knight0fbl00d]

​@@nostalgiamostalgia0319Ginger and Dodie are too.

[@dcornect53]

Highschool is a dark, depressing, terrible place for most people. A place where dreams are shattered and you are never good enough for life, yet no one there ever tries to prepare you for life after highschool (or even during highschool).

[@Lauren_210]

For me, the experience between middle school and high school was a complete reverse. I hated my middle school years and they were by far my least favorite academic years I experienced while I loved my high school years. I didn't really like most/didn't really form meaningful connections with my middle school teachers and I was bullied during those years. I liked my high school teachers a lot more, enjoyed their classes, formed connections with them, and didn't really have to deal with bullying during my time there.

[@brittanyscott3809]

Yes. High school is especially a dark place when you’re attending an inner city school that has been plagued by drug use and violence. It happened to me. All the kids cared about was fighting, getting pregnant, and smoking weed and talking crazy at the high school I went to in north St. Louis, MO. They had no respect for the teachers or each other. Stealing from other students was the norm. One girl’s purse disappeared. My umbrella, calculator, and M&M’s themed pencil pouch disappeared. Another girl’s flip phone disappeared. So I was going to school with Thieves.

[@The-UltimateSillyGoober]

As someone who didn’t grow up with shows like As Told By Ginger. I feel like modern tv shows treat kids as though they can’t handle dark topics, which really infuriates me. I think we need more shows like this and shows like Bluey is a step in the right direction.

[@marveler8994]

Clasky Csupo has this weird "so ugly its kinda cute" style to me and idk why

[@Klymenthis]

I’m sorry but Jonas rarely has a job and definitely does not pay child support, which might be a big part of why he feels ashamed to see his kids. Lois is extremely generous to him and works hard not to bad mouth him to Ginger or Carl but what she says in Hello Stranger that Carl and Ginger would have to decide for themselves how much they want to know Jonas I think makes it pretty clear that she has decided how much SHE wants Jonas in her life and it’s not at all. I always got the impression that Jonas was an out of work actor - someone who didn’t let go of a dream when he maybe should have and as a result Lois had to be the one responsible for everything both domestically and as the one earning a wage. It really shows in Lois that she is always prepared to look after herself, she works as the lice nurse at Gingers school, she starts cleaning houses when she’s on strike. Lois works really hard because there isn’t anyone for her to rely for most of the show as she doesn’t seem to have any family other than her kids. I think her being kind to Jonas is more about allowing Ginger to express her feelings about him than about Lois having positive ones.

[@Santoryu90]

I don’t think All Grown Up was trying or needed to be like As Told by Ginger this show was just a different breed, not just compared to other Nicktoons but probably most cartoons at the time.

[@CamHennings]

I agree, I think Ginger just cast a shadow over it. It was trying to be different yet it was essentially about the same time in kids life. But it also kinda wasn't. It's an anomaly for sure.

[@Freezient]

@@CamHenningsAGU got a huge Rugrats shadow to cast over Ginger, not saying either shows are bad or anything but they’re just different and unique in their own way, that said, i’m really glad Ginger is popular now than it is in the past. AGU basically is like Rugrats but them as preteens

[@lulu_9000]

​@@CamHennings So, what I hear you saying is... It seemed different Yet exactly the same 😏 ... I'll see myself out.

[@JustDeichan]

If i remember correctly, they didnt really wanted to do All grown up and just slacked off most of the time and thats why it was kinda meh.

[@princembat]

if you _really_ wanna cope with that ending between ginger and darren, you can imagine that he was sitting next to her husband and the husband had to step away to go to the bathroom, and darren being the good friend he is held the baby for the guy lol

[@Johnny2Cellos]

A LONG BOY

[@CamHennings]

And now I must rest...

[@carlactln09]

⁠Cam and Johnny are both in the comments… what is this a crossover episode?

[@daniapfel2825]

​@@carlactln09 Bojack Horseman reference. And Mr Peanutbutter said that

[@carlactln09]

@@daniapfel2825 yes

[@GiulianaBruna]

I think the "grass is greener" theme changing is so relatable. Ginger struggles and search for dirección reflects her age at every stage. Even though her preoccupations are childish from the distance, she is standing there, at every moment of the walk. And when you are in the middle of a situation is hard to see the whole picture

[@Comedyteamz]

As told by ginger was an animated drama for kids. Very glad all grown up wasn’t that. The core of Ginger was to tell a story, not jokes. Rug eats is and always was a comedy.

[@charliepuppy.]

the first series was really nice because of that. it was funny but was grounded sometimes

[@BrianaLynn7]

Rugrats has some good story telling and deep meanings though.

[@windego999]

Might just be a me thing but I wish they'd shown Courtney in the finale panning shot of the cast as at least a background character. Would've been nice if she and Ginger kept in touch after all that time.

[@SilentWingsStudio]

Haven't seen the series in -years- but my pitch for why Darren and Ginger got together in the end is that somehow it comes out that Darren doesn't actually like playing football and just liked the praise and good-attention he got from others. He says in passing "maybe you're right" when saying how Ginger thinks football is dumb, so that could be the way to make it make sense. Either that or maybe they just meet later on after maturing, their kid -is- younger looking than Dodie's. All things aside, love the video!

[@CamHennings]

Honestly, I love that reasoning and it makes a ton of sense given who he was prior. Like he was forced into football due to being associated with his brother and Dad. It makes sense that he'd just roll with it and then reflect on it later as losing himself for a while. Still wish we could have gotten to see that happen though, even if it was alluded to at the end

[@Unquestionable]

This interpretation is a lot more enjoyable than what was shown. I wasn't as bothered by the drama around them in the last season but after all the various showings of growth to have them end up together after a fast forward feels unfulfilling. I very much do agree with the concept of Ginger being married to someone we've never seen, it fits better with the overall theme of life changing and moving on. Instead it kind of makes it look like all the characters just kind of hit their stride in early high school and despite some waves stayed in the same places and acted the same ways. Still love the show but the final scene, which I think had a great concept, just sort of rings hollow. But yeah also could just be a time issue and they could only show so much.

[@lyndsaybrown8471]

Yeah, after watching this a second time, I was thinking maybe, if the show could have gone on, Darren would have come back. Like, in the first season, Ginger gets confused about her feelings due to Miranda and then in the third season, Darren gets confused about his feelings due to Dodie and Macie. Maybe, in their senior year, they would get back together and it would be a question of whether they could maintain the long distance relationship and then you'd get that ending showing that they made it.

[@DrWhack]

Finally finished this video… 1) Your Dodie hate is very much appreciated 😁😁😁 2) Love the way your alternative ending when you include “Ginger’s friends”, you don’t include Dodie 😂😂😂 3) Your appreciation for Cree Summer’s performance as Miranda over Susie in AGU was 🤩😁 By far one of Cree’s best performances 😄

[@CamHennings]

I'm glad someone noticed the lack of Dodie. 😂 I truly was so done with her by that point. And yes, you could tell that she was enjoying the hell out of playing Miranda. That cackle is unparalleled.

[@DrWhack]

⁠@@CamHennings Hahaha details like that are very much appreciated 😄 Oh yeah definitely! Miranda had the best comebacks 😂 also loved your point on how she wouldn’t give Angelica the validation of her existence 🤣 that had me rolling 🤣💯

[@nostalgiamostalgia0319]

@@DrWhack How ironic that Cree sung the song about Ginger due how much her character actively dislikes her.

[@alejandrocervantes3624]

34:54 ALLEGEDLY Emily Kapnek based Miranda of off her experiences with a teenage Jennifer Aniston who she went to High school with 👀

[@CamHennings]

Jennifer, how could you do this?!

[@ayindestevens6152]

☕️

[@Lasagna_Garfield_]

I knew that woman was rancid somehow

[@gretagoogames]

coming from a percussionist- yes, the giant triangle is real. there’s so many different sizes (and shapes surprisingly) of triangles, and they are all very fun and a magical adventure to auxiliary percussionists. my personal favorite is the triangle that is three separate triangles that are all connected, aka, the 3D triangle. (it’s the treeworks chime triangle if you wanna look it up)

[@ReptarKingOfMeat]

Carl being related to Dodie is pretty believable, actually. Siblings turn out very different despite growing up in the same house. My sibling and I aren't 1-1 clones of hoodsie and Dodie but I see similarities.

[@CamHennings]

I know that me and my sibling are VERY similar, in the way that we both have a lot of common interests, but we have a lot of differences too. I think Hoodsey and Dodie just make me laugh because their likability differs so drastically and never fluctuates.

[@Zanoab]

I think the Bishop children turn out different because the Bishop parents were exact opposites. Dodie learned to desire power and control from her controlling mother. The father gave his children a lot of freedom to make their choices (likely because he accepted he can’t do much about his Karen wife.) Hoodsie learned to not be a people pleaser and to do whatever he felt was right.

[@timpike5834]

I’m an OG Ginger fan lol, I was pissed when they took it off, then they aired it out of order on that secondary Nick channel

[@CamHennings]

I could imagine! Such disrespect. I feel especially bad for the crew that worked on it, but I'm glad it's still getting praise even today

[@timpike5834]

@@CamHennings oh yes, it’s an underrated gem

[@timpike5834]

@@CamHennings I just realized that Macy’s dad is voiced by Michael McKean…. For Better Call Saul fans, it’s Chuck McGill

[@dcornect53]

The little seal girl episode is a real "be yourself and you'll be a winner in the end" kind of episode.

[@queltonelhipster]

At this point I just wanna watch The Little Seal Girl, but I don't know even know what it is. I know it has an Icce Show but that was made later

[@ilonashumiha]

@@queltonelhipster The song Tean Seal Girl was featured in the episode "Next Question" (but there was a different one). There, Carl and Hoodsey tried to make money by selling knitted scarves and for this they decided to free the groundhog Pete and thereby make money on "Bring Back Pete" scarves. But in order to get to Pete's place, Carl and Hoodsey decided to spend the evening at Brandon's house. They were watching Tean Seal Girl on TV, then the song came on and Brandon sang terribly. Neverthless, to avert suspicion, Carl joins Brandon and sings with him, but Hoodsey couldn't stand it. Later, when Brandon's monkey, Mr.Licorice, began to create chaos at the celebration (by that time Pete's disappearance had been discovered), in order to calm himdown, Carl sings to monkey, precisely an excerpt of the song Tean Seal Girl and it helps. The monkey really calmed down

[@queltonelhipster]

@@ilonashumiha Yes, but I think is implied that the Teen Seal Girl is an Ice Show made long after the original Little Seal Girl, and what's the original version? Is also an Ice Show, is a play, a movie, an animated movie? I wanna know, I think is kinda like a parody of The Little Mermaid, so is it an animated movie as well?

[@ilonashumiha]

@@queltonelhipster I'm saying this because I remembered that in the episode "Next Question" there was also a Tean Seal Girl, but the song was different. By the way, do you also think that Brandon sang terribly?

[@queltonelhipster]

@@ilonashumiha I don't really know, I watched this show with the venezuelan dub

[@pacperson]

This made me really sad that I didn’t respect this show as a kid…I had no idea where this show went and how deep it was. Thanks for opening my eyes a bit man

[@gypsywoman9140]

I feel the same. For me, I was put off by the animation. I think Rugrats/All Grown Up were the only Klasky Csupo shows I liked; the messy animation worked for a show from the perspective of infants and it's spin-off was more clean compared to other Klasky Csupo creations. Ofc Klasky Csupo weren't the only ones with an off-putting visual style. Two words: Angela Anaconda. Wtf was that nightmare? Or that Dr Katz show with the wavy lines like every character has moving mumps. There were so many cartoons I had zero interest in just for their appearance alone. I know I'm not alone in this "my eyes can't handle it" mentality; my friend loves the OG Shera but couldn't get into the new one because she doesn't like the Teen Titans Go-esque animation. Plus Family Guy also called out that Katz show because seriously wtf was that with the wavy lines ish? Random side note regarding Shera: It's kinda hilarious how the "new" one has all these LGBT characters but the OG was far more gay. Just look at 80's Bow, for example, looking like he's cruising for D. Even the owl creature in the 80s one had rainbows inside his ears! Visually, 80s Shera was gay af. Everyone looking like they were about to film a workout tutorial or cruising the gay bars....ofc that pretty much sums up the 80s in general...

[@shelcizadlo1186]

“isn’t there something else ive seen macy gray in…? oh shit, she was in spiderman!” she was also a neopet in the early days LMFAO

[@CamHennings]

The way I had to Google that immediately. 😭 That's incredible actually.

[@julesrules7297]

I forgot she was a neopet!

[@WobblesandBean]

I forgot about the Neopet thing. That was.... yeeeaaahhh... Not good.

[@YourWaywardDestiny]

To this day, sometimes "I'm a little Seal Girl" will randomly pop into my head.

[@cutestuffs971]

And after all this time, it just came to me, in my mind when seeing this mention 😂

[@ilonashumiha]

@@cutestuffs971 The song Tean Seal Girl was featured in the episode "Next Question" (but there was a different one). There, Carl and Hoodsey tried to make money by selling knitted scarves and for this they decided to free the groundhog Pete and thereby make money on "Bring Back Pete" scarves. But in order to get to Pete's place, Carl and Hoodsey decided to spend the evening at Brandon's house. They were watching Tean Seal Girl on TV, then the song came on and Brandon sang terribly. Neverthless, to avert suspicion, Carl joins Brandon and sings with him, but Hoodsey couldn't stand it. Later, when Brandon's monkey, Mr.Licorice, began to create chaos at the celebration (by that time Pete's disappearance had been discovered), in order to calm himdown, Carl sings to monkey, precisely an excerpt of the song Tean Seal Girl and it helps. The monkey really calmed down

[@skootergirl22]

Surprised ginger didn't tackle periods, i mean, there were episodes where pads and tampons were shown, but not the cramps you get

[@calebmiller7173]

When I was a kid as told by ginger was my favorite show, me and my mom will watch it together. One of a few times. I can actually think of my mom wanting to watch a cartoon with me. Then, at school we had to write about our favorite show and I remember writing about Ginger, and then we had to present every single boy In the class laughed when I said what my favorite show was leading to me bursting out in tears and running to the bathroom. The next time ginger was on my mom commented and asked if I wanted to watch and I remember telling her “no I hate that show now.” Fast forward to adulthood and I saw it screaming on Paramount+ when I was home for a schooling break and we ended up binging the entire show together. I love the show so much. Thank you for doing such a good Job in this review

[@Jane-oz7pp]

idkw but this made me cry

[@GiulianaBruna]

I agree with you about the ending, having all her relationships unchanged feels like her growing stopped there and she peaked in high school. After most of the show being about how things change it is unnatural.

[@Ctrl_alt_drcrys]

I will say, I honestly loved Ginger’s and Darren’s relationship (as frustrating as it could be as a viewer). My now husband and I dated in high school, and a few years into college we found ourselves to be growing incompatible and broke up/got back together a couple of times before we stayed apart for a period, then came back together sometime later. We’re now married and you would never know we had that period where we just couldn’t connect. Sometimes couples drift apart and come back together stronger, so Ginger and Darren having this honestly feels pretty validating when my own experience was not so linear haha. I know it doesn’t make for a compelling story in a show like this, so it definitely would have been nice to see how they got back to this point since this was one of my favorite shows, and I agree with that completely.

[@cristinab2263]

As someone who married their high school sweetheart (despite a time apart where we broke up and I dated someone else), I love seeing that with Ginger and Darren. It's not uncommon when you're young to not know what you want or not be mature enough to make a relationship really work. Prince William had a moment like that too. People are allowed to change, change their mind, and come back... or not. Also, dude, kudos on making this long video. I loved every moment, especially the Dodie hatred. But it's such a believable and relatable frenemy relationship.

[@Jane-oz7pp]

47:26 Carl being a secondary character really allowed them to hit some heavy story beats without it being a directly emotionally impactful to us. He was one step further removed, but just close enough for us to feel a bond with

[@DUELISTKlNGDOM]

you're so eloquent about carl and david's relationship. *i* on the other hand am screaming, crying, throwing up blood over how sweet their relationship is

[@sinceresims9743]

I used to really stan Darren and Ginger but now-I really do believe they should’ve just been best friends. Saying “get over it already” to her heartbreak feels like missing the point, she’s a teenage girl going through her first heartbreak, with her BEST FRIEND. It shook her to her core, it even changed how she viewed relationships. She really is a great representation of a young girl going through puberty and first loves.

[@xxJoeDog93xx]

At around an hour and 45 minutes into the video. Dude, you don't know how much I needed to hear that high school isn't always the high point of life. I am Chronically ill and was home-schooled from sophomore to senior year. I recently turned 31 and have been reflecting a lot lately and right now watching my younger family members grow up I can't help but feel a little melancholy, thinking maybe I missed out on the best part of my life!

[@CamHennings]

For some, high school is definitely the best part of their lives, but it's most certainly not the case for a lot of people. I wasn't a big fan of even college, but my life vastly improved once I began studying subjects and meeting people that I shared common interests with. And you don't even need higher education to find that nowadays. There are always going to be experiences we feel like we miss out on, but high school isn't the most important thing. 😁

[@DrWhack]

Huh… never noticed that Blake might have had a thing for Carl… seems Blake shares something with his sister, since some people also felt she had a thing for Ginger.

[@gabrielabencoado4477]

What? Are you suggesting that they were gay?

[@losingmymind611]

​@@gabrielabencoado4477 what an inconceivable idea huh.

[@thehevandragon]

​ @gabrielabencoado4477 No it’s conceivable, the “sin” part is mainly pursuing same sex relationships.

[@gabrielabencoado4477]

@@thehevandragon please read the bible

[@fireemblemaddict128]

I remember there was an episode where Courtney and her brother were fighting over an almond in their car because they were trapped. I thought that was pretty funny. Also ATBG is a great example of giving a show about elementary/middle schoolers getting the experiences of high schoolers.

[@Unquestionable]

I'm hella old (still remember watching the first Nicktoon premier with Doug, Rugrats, Ren and Stimpy) and when Ginger came out I was in the middle of a very depressing high school career. I would catch episodes during the weekend marathons and always felt like it was a wonderful look at that stage of life. Yeah I was far from the target audience but it resonated with me pretty strongly even over twenty years later. It has this beautiful mixture of success and sadness in it's stories that isn't easily captured when writing for the age group it was marketed towards.

[@smaco6633]

I love when people talk about this show, its definitely an underrated classic. Havent finished the video yet, still half way but if you havent, tou should totally check out the "we are in-between" podcast, they go through each episode and have people who worked on the show on the regular, including the voice actors, they share a lot of personal stories about the show's development (if you mention the podcast later on, my apologies, lmao) That thing you speculated early on about Ginger's version of the theme song its actually correct. Melissa (a trained singer) had to not only sing with Ginger's voice, but she also had to sing badly in purpose, which was, according to her, the hardest bit of the whole thing.

[@CamHennings]

Yeah, I had a feeling. It's a very unique direction to take with it and I think for the first season it could have worked to keep. But if they kept Melissa's rendition the entire time... Ehh. Maybe if they had her get better each season that would have been unique! But I am very attached to Macy Gray's version.

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

I absolutely love the theme song too as told by ginger it is one of best tv show themes of all time in my opinion 😍💜

[@snbsixteen6stars201]

Am still pining for a as told by ginger reunion special or a final season taking place in adulthood

[@Allwayspsychic]

Macy Gray was most likely chosen bc she was super popular at that time. Her 1st album was in 1999. Her follow-up was coming out in 2001. This premiered in 2000. It gave the show cred to have an award winning artist sing the theme 🤔🤷‍♀️ Macy's voice is the best of the 3 versions. Smooth, heart fealt & it has a great back beat. I love it 😀

[@CamHennings]

I had no idea how popular she was back in the day, but she was such a good choice for singing the theme song! Someone else in the comments mentioned that she was a neopet at some point too? That broke my brain. Haha

[@Allwayspsychic]

@CamHennings I had to look that up (neopet thing). Just blew my mind, too 🤔🤭 That sophomore album got her 2 Grammys.

[@swirlystrawstudios5465]

"Fonzworth" "The usual sir" 📼 🎶 Someone once told me, the grass is much greener..." 🎶

[@CamHennings]

Thank you for calling back to my favorite gag from the previous video. 😂

[@swirlystrawstudios5465]

Yes, that gag always stayed w me ​@CamHennings

[@chrissyf25]

Nice video. I think Derick and Ginger getting back together in the end was pretty good and realistic. As a teen it’s hard to regulate your emotions and go through a relationship everything is always bigger than it seems. It’s not that they were compatible I just think they didn’t know how to properly transition from friends to lovers. But they always loved each other and as they matured they were able to better come together

[@bebespeaks7827]

Darren. Not derick.

[@Jane-oz7pp]

40:50 That, and the way their relationship changes over the series is so real, though. I've been everything but officially dating with my best friend in the past, and now calling us friends feels insufficient, but we're certainly not lovers or anything. Growing up watching a show where that kind of fluidity in relationships was demonstrated really helped me be healthy about it all, I think.

[@Dez861]

Minor nitpick, your father-in-law is the father of your spouse. Your daughter-in-law is the woman your child is married to. Dave and Ginger are step-father and step-daughter to each other, not in-laws. Otherwise, brilliant essay.

[@briaroyal]

SO TRUE re:Carl. His storylines were so complex that I found them really hard to follow as a child. His b plots felt like a whole separate show ripped from late-night adult swim or something. Would love to revisit

[@H.P.93]

As Told by Ginger played such a big role in my childhood and will always hold a special place in my heart. 20 years later and it still randomly pops into my head.

[@dcornect53]

I had an opposite experience to the suicide poem in my real life. My experience was real, and it was a paper about overcoming my experience, but everyone around me paid attention to the paper, just in the wrong way. They didn't want to help me with the underlying problems, just the surface level stuff, as if they didn't actually care. Any therapy I got fed into the problems I had, and so did all the reactions from teachers. It made me shut down, and confirmed my feelings that I couldn't trust anyone with how I really felt or what I really experienced. It took me over a decade to really get over my experience because of that, after literally a decade of therapy that targeted the symptoms and consequences instead of the underlying problems.

[@meghanobrien3045]

father-in-law is used to refer to the father of your spouse dave would be her step father

[@juliojuli]

When I was still a kid, I always saw all grown up for everybody, Rocket Power for the boys and As Told by Ginger for the girls. I have to admit that I never gave As Told by Ginger a try because I found the character design a bit weird, but now I've seen a lot of KZbinrs praising it.

[@Animelover_212]

Ginger's poem really helped me out as a teen. I was really sad all the time, my mind felt cloudy and when I seen that episode it really put my emotions in perspective. It was hard growing up during that time because mental health was only seen as a crazy person thing at that time within my culture demographic. So seeking help wasn't an option, instead I just journaled my feelings and wrote a lot to help me figure out my emotions. I also daydreamed a lot trying to astroproject (which was an episode I saw on, "Are you afraid of the dark?"...lol) either way this show was the best show to help me through those emotional times. Thank you for this 🙂

[@annaadams9706]

i always headcanoned that courtney, no longer having to uphold a certain status due to her family’s money, finally came out as gay in high school

[@WobblesandBean]

She'd have been a much better partner to Ginger than that philandering conkwocket Darren.

[@mitchfletcher2386]

​@@WobblesandBean Pffft....Conkwocket.

[@ReleaseTheBatz]

@@WobblesandBeanI agree. I disliked their relationship. I know they were teens and things can get messy since they’re still figuring things out at such a young age. But I felt the only time he felt love for her was when he took her for granted. It didn’t feel genuine. She liked him first, the feelings weren’t reciprocated. Then she moved away and all of a sudden he was madly in love with her over night. THENNNN he cheated and conveniently he falls back in love with her once she almost passes away. Like comeeee on bro. 😆

[@PeaTea64]

There were so many emotional ups and downs in this show. But that moment with Carl and David outside of Ginger's hospital room? Oh man bring on the waterworks... Amazing job with this video series. This show felt so different and special to me growing up, so thank you for such an all-encompassing recap of it with an adult lens. Your music choices are spot on too!

[@bettername1973]

As a younger fan of As Told By Ginger who was born after the ending of the show, I LOVED this review. You take everything so openly and I love this type of content

[@queenchristabella]

As a kid I was obsessed with Ginger I'm so happy seeing people fall in love with the show..

[@ragingraichu219]

I loved ATBG as a kid. I wasn't obsessed with it like I was with other shows at the time, but I always caught it when it aired. It didn't take me long to realize that Nick stopped airing it at one point, and my disappointment was immeasurable. I knew there had to be more episodes, but I couldn't find them anywhere online at the time. I'm so glad Paramount+ has it, I binged the entire show a few weeks ago and was happy to finally watch the missing episodes.

[@KnapfordMaster98]

Thank for not just making a drawn out episode recap and instead making a genuinely wonderful analysis of this show, which I slept on for exactly the same reasons as you.

[@crazypokefan123]

I love hearing people talk about this show; I only watched a few episodes growing up but it really does seem like a solid series....but I cannot lie, I think the plot thread with Carl and Dr Dave, and him coming to see Dave as a father figure sounds like the most compelling plot thread. In fact, Carl really seems like the best character. Loved the touch in the epilouge of him as Gingers Agent/Manager, or at least having a hand in helping her get that particular event together

[@JustinW332]

My step sisters watched it and I enjoyed the B plots with the brother and his friend. But I didn't see the whole thing because my parents stopped paying for cable at some point. But yeah I liked that they aged the characters and didn't just keep them the same forever like Arthur.

[@Celestialplane945]

Thanks so much for choosing to review ATBG and for making the choice to say it wasn’t just a “girl’s show” I was 5 in 2001 and this show meant a lot to me even back then. The early 2000’s were a great time for media and driving complex messages across new generations. I’m glad you discovered it and love it just as much. That really means a lot.

[@theotherther1]

I was the target demographic when this show came out, but didn't want to see it because it was about Girl Feelings (autism gave me a limited ability to sympathize with my peers). Years later I started looking into it. It is well-written, realistic, and humanistic, but it still isn't my thing, because I was nothing like anyone in the show. I have an assload of very serious genetic problems and my parents made it clear from the start I wasn't going to have a normal childhood. There is no green grass on a hospital floor. Some of it is relatable here and there (the hospital scene from A Lesson in Tightropes, Carl's mad scientist experiments). There's a feeling of "let kids be kids and enjoy their childhood" the show is meant to convey, which doesn't make sense to me since I didn't know how to be a kid in the first place. It's like a bitter reminder of what I never got to have, or even pretend that I could. That said, it was really kind of them to put a fan in the show as per the Make-A-Wish Foundation's request.

[@chibiktsn3]

I was a huge ATBG fan as a kid. It came out at just the right time for me, a girl who was a few years away from middle school. Your review reminded me of just how great the show was, and how many lyrics to "I'm a Little Seal Girl" I remember after all these years! 💖

[@kimirs16]

I hate she kept in touch with Dodie & not Courtney in the end...

[@pendafen7405]

That's life, though, sometimes folks choose or end up with the wrong people, even platonically.

[@CoolxBreese]

"I'm already a Hunter x Hunter fan; I wouldn't have been able to handle another series that has no conclusion." If you ever find yourself in my hood, your next drink is on me, friend.

[@CamHennings]

Will gladly drink my sorrows away with another HxH fan.

[@Houndsman92]

Real talk, Courtney was a better friend to Ginger than Dodie or Macie.

[@obie-1309]

I think the idea behind Darren and Ginger's reunion isn't so much a lesson about reconciliation or change, but about being yourself and accepting yourself. When you look at them closely, you have to ask yourself: Is high school football jock Darren, the real Darren? No, that's why Ginger immediately felt the spark dying, because she wasn't dating her best friend Darren, she was dating high school jock Darren. Darren never actually showed a love or interest in sports, but he was shown to envy his brother's lifestyle because it's the stereotypical high school life. He was just being exactly what he was, a dumb kid that doesn't yet fully understand what love is and how you approach it. Much like Ginger's mother mentioned at the end of her vows, David made her feel like she could be herself. She doesn't have to pretend to be anyone else for acceptance. As teenagers, we don't fully understand this yet. Sure, Darren got the cheerleader girlfriend, he got to be the heartthrob football star. But none of that was him. It never was him. It was just an image that he thought was cool, the life, where the grass was greener. Love is about loving and accepting someone because of who they are deep down. Darren was not being his real self in high school, but an image. So of course, their relationship was going to fail at that point in time. As adults, we tend to be more honest with ourselves, so we have a far better idea in what to look for in a partner. They were not appropriate for each other in their youth, but once they grew up, they likely remembered that being themselves around each other is what made them best friends in the first place. It's just a shame we didn't get to see it develop though.

[@JauntyCrepe]

As told by ginger was an amazing series. My sister and I still have inside jokes about it

[@dudeist_priest]

Like you, I let this show slip by when I was younger. It seems like a really great show, even if the ending loses some satisfaction with the relationships.

[@julesrules7297]

I love your editing! The comedic timing with the clips you put in was making me cackle every time!

[@mathieuleader8601]

All Grownup would have worked better if it was a prequel to the Rugrats with the bachelor lifestyles of the parents from Rugrats.

[@pendafen7405]

Now imagining a teenaged or 20-something HBIC Charlotte and laughing my head off

[@jeffhough7460]

Even as a 12 year old boy when this show came out I liked it because Carl and hoodsie but I couldn't forget gingers part of the story such a great show it will forever be loved by me

[@PlaynJayne]

My thing is....idk who wasnt watching As Told By Ginger.... Literally revisited during my roughest year in college, like a security blanket

[@NextEntry]

LETS GOO! WE CALLING OFF WORK AND CLEARING OUT THE NEXT TWO HOURS!

[@CamHennings]

Capitalism can wait. New video is priority. 😎

[@carloscordova7873]

Im not even halfway through, and this is one of the greatest videos on one of my favorite shows growing up. You showed sentiments i had and ones i didnt know i had. Congrats sir! Youve earned my subscription with just one video.

[@sergiobautista3955]

twice i've had to dry my eyes laughing, the part where Courtney's (spelling?idk) mom was at the hospital, and you put '*muffled rich person noises*' LMFAO!

[@PurpleLaundry]

Ive so been waiting for this video! Ginger is such a comfy show, I have great memories of watching it before bed on school nights and Camp Caprice was 100% the only reason I ever wanted to go to summer camp as a kid. Thank you for a great video.

[@AgentCupcake]

I also have to say, this was great to listen to while laying down, as it kept me sane and entertained when dealing with a migraine. I love finding videos like this one to listen to when I'm pretty much bedridden in chronic pain. I've had chronic migraines since I was a kid, and one of the best things that help me deal with them are videos like yours. & I'll definitely be taking a look at the All Grown Up centered one next! You've also earned another subscriber and a video like! Keep up the great work! :)

[@TimothyRobert93]

I like Dodie, because I think she depicts a very realistic view of a teenager, she's young and has obviously been highly influenced by her mother. I have sympathy for her. It's very easy to look back and hate her for all the selfish things she does, but when you're 14, you kind of act that way. I was a brat at 14 because I was a teenager. I don't blame her for how she acts, and the hate she gets is extremely unnecessary

[@CamHennings]

I can understand that perspective. Like I said, she's bad in an accurate way and serves a purpose by existing in the story. It just got very hard for me to keep watching her be selfish, especially at the end, because we get like 3 back-to-back episodes that focus on her being mad at Ginger. Kids can definitely be brats, but Dodie just continued to do the same bad behaviors instead of even doing different ones. Haha

[@juliacondensada]

I discovered you by your All Grown Up video and now you are one of my favorites channel to listen to while working. Looking forward for more!

[@CamHennings]

That means a lot to hear! Thank you. 🥹

[@timpancakes2011]

Just found your channel with this video and immediately subscribed. Excited to see future videos and binge watch your others. Thanks for the hard work you put in!

[@CamHennings]

Thank you! Definitely more on the way this year.

[@sophiabbrady]

I’m almost annoyed at how great your closing remarks were in this, so well said and universally true. Great video!

[@ipromiseimclean]

Wow, this video was an incredible encapsulation of not only nostalgia, but a healthy recollection on what it truly meant to love this show when I was middle school / high school age. I didn’t realize it then but this show helped me in so many ways. I too had to grow up faster than I “should” have due to life altering circumstances and this review was outstanding. What a refreshing reminder of the true meaning of growth. Thank you for this!

[@CamHennings]

Thank you for saying all this. I wish I had given this show the chance it deserved at the time, but it still managed to transport me back to my junior high and high school days. I think especially when you go through life-changing events at that age, your perspective of the time alters in some ways that you won't even perceive until much later, and this show REALLY made me look at things differently. Especially in the moments with Ginger and Lois.

[@Mglay556]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who really was disappointed that Ginger and Darin got together

[@WeeLassReacts]

What a passion project of a video this is! Took me a couple of days to watch the whole thing, but really enjoyed it. I loved As Told by Ginger growing up, and never understood why I didn't like All Grown Up despite Rugrats being one of my all time favourite childhood cartoons. Now I understand entirely! Excellent video, and great editing! Must have taken ages to do! You've got yourself a new sub!

[@CamHennings]

I have had this video idea stuck in my head since at least late 2021 and didn't have the time to get around to it since this year, so I appreciate you recognizing my efforts. I'm tired but very thankful. 😅

[@lyndsaybrown8471]

Macy will accept you for who you are. Dodie will forever try to fit you into what she thinks you should be in her life.

[@somewhatmesmerized]

Carl wasn't necessarily neurodivergent - just, simply, different, or weird (weird is a good thing). Weird or different does not equal neurodivergent. I don't mind Ginger & Darren being together in the end, but personally I always wished she'd just stayed single and/or got out of Sheltered Shrubs and saw more of the world. Though romance plays a role in Ginger's life, it doesn't play an equal role to creativity and self-discovery as a whole. Side note, really wish Courtney had gotten a better ending and become closer friends with Ginger. Courtney was such an interesting character.

[@noctap0d]

Neurodivergent or not, characters like Carl, Noelle and even Maude resonate a lot with neurodivergent folks, which I think it’s the important part 😅

[@itsapplepai]

Beautiful, insightful essay! You've got me wanting to rewatch the series too, after having not seen it since it aired.

[@TwiggysDollHospital]

Watched all of it. Such a good video. Really appreciated the look back on my childhood. I loved this show so so so much. Thank you for all the effort in this video!!! 💖💜

[@isaiahedmonson5832]

Absolutely amazing video Cameron i was a fan of both all grown up & as told by ginger thanks for making videos about to of my absolutely favorite shows you rock dude ☺💜

[@bluedreamer6564]

OMG, thank you so much for mentioning at 52:12 that Blake might have a crush on Carl. Ship them so hard.

[@WonderSparkPuppets1]

Thank you for this video! I was not into this show when it premiered, but now as an adult I appreciate it! That's all thanks to your awesome video.

[@courajess]

1:21:31 literally choked on my water when you said, “This should’ve happened to Dodie.” 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@mathieuleader8601]

Dodie is passive-aggression personified

[@tickyj45]

Loved watching this!! Great job!

[@eila2635]

I'm a trans individual and I have two things to say about Nicholas 1: figures, I wouldn't expect much from... Well Nicktoons. 2: Nicholas is a trope very deeply entrenched in transphobia, it's mostly the idea that trans people, specifically trans women, are just cis gay men who transitioned solely to prey on straight men, there's a lot more to it stemming from both misogyny and homophobia, but I don't feel like going into it too hard, just know that Nicholas, while not technically being trans, and likely not made with any animosity towards trans people, is still a derivative of that idea that Trans Women are just evil gay men

[@AliciaNyblade]

As someone who watched the show at the time it aired, the buildup to Ginger and Darren having their first kiss was HUGE. And, while I was into it at the time, I agree with you now: Ginger and Darren being made a couple felt forced and I don't like it. I think Ginger either should've ultimately remained single or have her end up with Courtney. A lot of fans have speculated that Courtney's draw to Ginger is not only because she wants to experience a life her upbringing hasn't allowed, but also because she has a crush on Ginger she can't put into words. And I'm here for Ginger/Courtney, and I think it would've been amazing for a 2000s kids' show to acknowledge that LGBTQ people exist. The backlash from conservative Christian parents would've been insane, but it would've been worth it. And if the show was revived (gods, please, let that be a thing someday), I think Ginger and Courtney as a couple would definitely be a thing.