Cities are Hell

Hey Arnold: It's hard to live in the city.
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You probably fondly remember Hey Arnold as that Nickelodeon show about a lovable do-gooder. But what if we told you there's a secret darkness at play when Arnold explores his city of Hillwood? We'll explain in this Wisecrack Edition on Hey Arnold: Will City Life Destroy You?
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=== Watch More Episodes! ===
Why Courage Haunts Your Dreams ► wscrk.com/3mqO4Wp
Rugrats: How Boomers Scarred a Generation ► wscrk.com/3mAWf2E
How SPONGEBOB Raised a Generation ► wscrk.com/3jnXVLh
Written by: Myles McDonough
Hosted by: Greg Edwards
Directed by: Elizabeth Yarwood
Video Title Card by: Amanda Murphy
Motion Graphics by: Riley A
Editing by: Mark Potts
Produced by: Evan Yee
#heyarnold #nickelodeon #wisecrack
© 2020 Wisecrack / Omnia Media, Inc.

[@mbanerjee5889]

The older I get, the more I appreciate how brilliant Hey Arnold is.

[@ejsese]

truly ahead of its time

[@TerranPersoid725]

I only ever saw the movie...

[@artyfarty87]

@@TerranPersoid725 if you can, I recommend watching the series, it was superior the the movie. xoxo

[@kenn_k]

I was just thinking the same thing! This show was a blessing

[@TPrice919]

I haven't watched it in years but this video kind of makes me want to change that.

[@NoMoreCrumbs]

As an adult I've found it interesting that Hey Arnold portrayed complicated, nuanced adults. They're mostly working class, but some of them are very happy

[@henny925]

No matter how poor the neighborhood is, Arnold's bedroom was goal lmao

[@LiveLoveSour]

Facts lmaoo

[@evdawg9258]

Yes

[@rubeneverts7191]

Arnold's room must cost a lot. Iv'e seen expensive apartments with less things

[@lordblazer]

@@rubeneverts7191 Naw it was the 90s.. I mean now yes, but in a neighborhood like his in the 90s no, no one cared until the 2010s to start gentrifying us urban folks

[@GodComplex100]

Must have been a pain the ass to clean the bird shit from that glass roof

[@captindo]

Hey Arnold spoke to me as a kid, but, I grew up in a trailer park in the middle of the woods in rural Canada. I think its more about class then environment, both play their part but, if you're poor, it's an uphill battle regardless, cheers from Canada.

[@wuestion9473]

Exactly. I lived in a city for the first few years of my life, then we moved away and ended up in a trailer with no heat or clean water and life got much worse.

[@Leotv19]

The average person (regardless of nation) can relate to these struggles and pains (in different forms) and I think that speaks volumes.

[@Hakajin]

There is honestly so much going on with these characters; the writers obviously took all kinds of factors into consideration. There's a lot of nuance and subtle implication that went over my head as a kid. I do think the city plays some role in character development, but I think a lot of it is just how independent the kids are. They go off on their own all the time, have their own world separate from the adults. I think that contributes to the characters' maturity, and... It's especially prominent with Arnold and Helga, who are dealing with weightier issues than their peers and who do have dysfunctional home lives. But with both of them, you're right, those issues are not limited to the city. I've spoken to many people who saw their own families reflected in Helga's situation.

[@timaa3684]

@john wesson wow y’all really jealous over the fact that we have free healthcare and a prime minister that doesn’t suck

[@timaa3684]

@john wesson also I really can’t tell if you’re joking or not, those stereotypes are hilarious

[@vincevvn]

Producers: let’s make a dumb basic kids cartoon. Hey Arnold: we don’t do that here.

[@capivara6094]

Avatar: The Last Airbender Hey Arnold Spongebob Squarepants Nickelodeon has some awesome stuff

[@PatoGuzmanAd]

Nickelodeon 90-2008: "we don't do that here." Nickelodeon 2008-now: absolutely yes!!!!

[@csweezey18]

@@capivara6094 *had FTFY

[@michaelbolcato192]

Y’all guys remember Ren and Stimpy? It was a basically an adult cartoon on a kids channel and help paved the way for other adult cartoons, the other Nicktoons, the Cartoon Network shows, the Adult Swim shows and Animaniacs.

[@ixiahj]

Maybe the 90's stuff. Angy Beavers, Rugrats, Invader Zim, and probably a few more. Rocko Modern Life had to walk so that Spongebob could run. Modern day cartoons don't draw from deep learning experiences any more. All they do now is sell ideological agendas.

[@clouddavis]

Greg?! Hey Arnold?!!!! Ok I’m sold for the next half hour

[@rustecohle591]

It’s always good to see this guy’s face again. We missed you man keep the content coming 🙏🏽🎄

[@lekaine6017]

Facts

[@ishumishra7472]

@INACTIO Great One

[@robynsegg]

I know right? I can't be the only one who wants more Thug Notes! 🤣👍

[@damianarvizu1095]

definitely

[@Mister.Queen.]

Such a fun voice to listen to as well!

[@lamecasuelas2]

Hey Arnold has aged so well

[@oooh19]

Agreed! Love the football 🏈 head! Such great morals and stories!

[@doughjoe1023]

I’ll never get over how before it’s time this show was. That Christmas episode was an emotional gut punch that I’m still reeling from over a decade later.

[@kenn_k]

That special and the Rugrats Mother's Day episode are the only things I can remember making me cry as a kid and can still manage to get me choked up to this day.

[@lavieenrose7925]

Why was the show “before it’s time”?

[@crashfactory]

@@lavieenrose7925 right. Not "ahead of its time" but rather "timelessly relevant"

[@lavieenrose7925]

(@@frostyjones8685 ) Get lost.

[@maxjohansen9475]

I’ll never understand how any person who saw Mr Hyunh’s Christmas can look on the faces of refugees without a lick of compassion.

[@PatoGuzmanAd]

Everybody do yourself a favor and watch Hey Arnold again from season one to five, it's one of the most solid and consistent series, realistic and pure. In the first seasons we deal with themes like urban neighborhood, Arnold being mugged, post-war stories (Christmas with Arnold), agoraphobia (Stoop Kid), but in last seasons they still have so well written themes, addiction (Chocolate Boy episode), Parents Day, gender stereotypes (Harold vs Patty), and much more, even the light episodes are so fun to watch.

[@PatoGuzmanAd]

@@frostyjones8685 Personally I don't like the episode, I skip it because it's surprisingly bad written (in a season of excellent episodes and experimentation with the characters), I think it's the only BAD episode of the series, but I like the ending, because it shows how even Arnold has it's limits, it's human, and I can't blame him for not forgiving Iggy, I personally like how they handled that last minutes, the rest it's really bad.

[@floatingdisembodiedhead8975]

@@PatoGuzmanAd where do you watch the series? I'm pretty sure Nickelodeon takes down old shows if it's up to KZbin. Have any recommendations?

[@MistDemon]

I live in a high crime and somewhat run down city, San Bernardino. I always look back at hey Arnold for helping influence my friendly and good natured philosophy when it comes to traveling around my town. Always giving the homeless change and chatting with them a bit, being friendly to all people I meet no matter how strange they may seem, and being emphatic to people’s plight. I can say at the very least it has helped me not get mugged or targeted in my town. Often helping me meet new and interesting people that end up helping me to a degree. Hey Arnold is the best kids show that deals with real world problems in a mature way. I am so glad you covered the meaning/philosophy of the show.

[@kasuraga]

I am the same way now that I'm older. Looking back on a lot of the lessons Hey Arnold taught, they seemed to really stick with me as an adult. The idea that it doesn't matter what background someone is from, we're all human and all deserve the same respect.

[@jeremyzehr5481]

I was “Arnold’s Christmas” every year, including yesterday. A timeless episode I will gladly show my kids one day.

[@michaelbolcato192]

You should also show your The Super Mario Bros Super Show with Captain Lou Albano.

[@StephySon]

Took me years to realize this was a Christmas special that involved the Vietnam war

[@marvel096]

man, this cartoon was such a masterpiece. i didn't even grow up in a city or even in the U.S. (i'm from latin america) but this show always made me feel warm but kinda melancholy too. it was a weird feeling as a child and i couldn't exactly pinpoint the reason.

[@johnindigo5477]

Reminds me of batman the animated series

[@saininj]

Helga Pataki, the original tsundere.

[@BenHopkins1000]

American Tsundere…

[@sordcooper2]

I remember growing up with this show in a neighborhood in midtown Manhattan not too dissimilar from the one in the show, though you were more at risk of getting propositioned by a prostitute or offered a free trial of heroine than getting mugged. Hell, I can still remember the moment when i realized the show took place in Brooklyn. I don't think I consciously learned anything from the show, since it was basically set in my day to day reality, but looking back i learned a lot from it, and it probably made growing up in the big city a little less intimidating. also, more Greg please, I came to this channel in the first place for Thug Notes and i miss seeing this charismatic bastard on a semi regular basis.

[@Karlalovescandy18]

heyarnold.fandom.com/wiki/Hey_Arnold! "Hey Arnold! takes place in a realistic urban setting; the fictional American city of Hillwood (though the city is never verbally named). Contrary to popular belief, the city is not or does not represent New York City. Craig Bartlett has officially stated that the city the show takes place in is somewhere in the Pacific Northwest"

[@TRUEROOTS2022]

Ain’t no hood in midtown goofy where Yu from Hell’s Kitchen 😂

[@SpyralStormTeacup]

@יעקב ייגר I'm from Philly, but grew up with this Nicktoon as a favorite and always thought it was a concept of Philly and Chicago mixed =-p But older I got it made me think maybe it was always solely based on Philly, it's so relatable

[@sordcooper2]

@@TRUEROOTS2022 Bruh i grew up in the late 80's shit wasnt on fire as often but shit was still rough.... and yes

[@matthiasnagorski8411]

@@Karlalovescandy18 I can believe it's Seattle. Or Portland. But with subways being a feature of the show, and the Statue of Liberty stand-in that Eugene kept getting stuck on, I figured it was Manhatten or one of the burroughs.

[@rachelconsoli8428]

Hey Arnold is not only a genius kids show but just a genius show in general. It covers tough topics so deftly and really shows a wide range of flawed but beautifully relatable characters. I genuinely have never seen it’s equal and it’s just so well done. I feel so lucky to have grown up with this beautiful show and optimistic football headed do-gooder to look up to.

[@RatedX29]

I've never heard of Psychogeography, it seems really interesting, at least this video is. I will look more into it - thank you

[@camelopardalis84]

Am maybe a minute into this video and seeing your comment. "Psychogeography" rang a "that's an interesting thing" bell for me, but I think I mistake it for "Psychohistory", a topic I've seen an interesting video on here on KZbin. No idea on what channel, what its title was, or what it was about exactly. But the topic is worth looking up in general.

[@notmurd0c]

Read 'The Life and Death of Great American Cities' by Jane Jacobs

[@maxungar516]

@@camelopardalis84 psychohistory is from asimov's foundation series. what an awesome concept!

[@camelopardalis84]

@@maxungar516 Thanks! This might also help me find the video I've seen on the topic.

[@Shinkajo]

It's related to Psychopharmacology, but with less animals

[@macburton4903]

Helga is one of the best cartoon characters ever. So dynamic and her love for Arnold and why she loves him is so sweet.

[@MartyD]

It’s crazy how much you notice watching these cartoons again as an adult.

[@Cloverfr]

As a kid my diehard favorites to this day are Hey Arnold, Courage the coward dog and Zim, with a special mention of Avatar, I hold all of them dear in my heart.

[@helterskelter9670]

I've always felt that everything in Hey Arnold just represents the urban life so well. The visuals and the music are so good and I love that they chose Jazz for the soundtrack as it feels so much as a suburban style that is still able to bring happiness into the desolation of modern life in the big cities.

[@Viviantoga]

Hey Arnold may not have had quite the explosive popularity as other cartoons from that time period like Ren & Stimpy or Rugrats, but dang did that show have a hell of a lot more staying power in retrospect. It's an incredibly heartwarming and relevant cartoon to return to 25 years later.

[@josephjennings3146]

90s man....they made some pretty deep stuff that flew over our heads as kids at the time. I guess, i need to learn these more.

[@cheeseonyomama]

That's exactly my thoughts watching this. And I'm reevaluating how much who I am today is a result of watching shows like Hey! Arnold and embedding those themes and lessons in my brain. We lucked out with nickelodeon in the 90s as kids for sure

[@trevorjonathan4405]

It enters your mind subconsciously. It’s more powerful than you think... advertising, marketing, pr (public relations) & propaganda manufacturing your consent

[@thehorseformerlywithoutana2522]

Like it wasn't until just now that I realized there wasn't a single time we saw Helga's mom when she wasn't drunk. Back then I just assumed she was always sleepy.

[@cheeseonyomama]

@@thehorseformerlywithoutana2522 it was a total mind fuck for me to learn what she meant by "smoothies".

[@Polymathically]

This was my favorite Nicktoon when I was a kid, because it seemed so much realistic and relatable than the others. It felt more real; a world that was actually lived in, as opposed to the sterility of Doug's Bluffington or the suburban sprawl of Rugrats. I'm Filipino American, so seeing characters like Mr. Hyunh and Phoebe blew my mind; you _never_ saw Asian characters just being regular people on shows back then. Same goes with Mr. Simmons in retrospect; I knew I was non-binary when I was young, so seeing another LGBTQ person on a cartoon back then was really something. I related to Helga a lot, because I was a bright kid with neglectful and abusive parents. Helga on the Couch took what could've been a very simple character and made her so compelling to watch. And to answer your question: Yes, city life can absolutely destroy you. Look up pollution and their effects on the health of people living in inner cities, or the effects of urban heat islands. Not to mention how much crime there can be depending on your neighborhood, and what that does to your psyche. I used to live in one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. Seriously, it's a regular on Forbes's annual Most Miserable Cities list. Gun shots and police sirens were common. We kept all our gates and outer doors barricaded, because there were prowlers every once in a while. One time, someone managed to get it. He thought I'd left for work, but I was sick in bed with the flu. I grabbed the axe I kept in my room just in case and charged straight at him... while buck naked. The dude nope'd out very fast. I ended up going back into therapy after that, because I was seriously ready to kill him. So yeah, city life can destroy you. But it depends on the individual, and those (if any) that they can get support from.

[@TylerFitzgerald22]

Yes, city life can destroy you. But I’ve seen rural life destroy people through absolute lack of resources and alienation. Then there’s the suburbs that seem to magnify some of issues of both city life and rural life.

[@Hakajin]

Wow, that's really cool! You know, I think Helga was always complex; that episode just explicated it. I think her narrative is also incredibly Queer. Sure, she's not LGBTQ+, but she's learned her feelings for Arnold aren't socially acceptable, so she has to keep them hidden and hide behind a front. She's in the closet both figuratively and literally, lol.

[@melrama6759]

this was moving. Thank you for sharing.

[@newyorkfan16]

People in Big cities ALWAYS vote Democrat.

[@eavyeavy2864]

In the internet the ONLY people saying character are believeable/real in ANY show are always suburban people who had shit life. It says more about their life in slum rather than other part of demographic Or does people having better life than you is that unreal?

[@helterskelter9670]

One of the things that I think make this show great is the fact that, while other cartoons revolve around it's protagonist making mistakes and facing the troubles that are brought by said mistakes, Hey Arnold shows us a protagonist that constantly tries to do the right thing but has to overcome many obstacles in order to do so. I feel this to be very realistic as often doing what we believe to be right isn't as easy or instantly rewarding as it's often portrayed to be, specially when citylife appears to be designed to bring the worst out of us. I guess we can all be a little more like Arnold and learn to overcome all the pushbacks that we may get in order to fullfill our ideals and personal beliefs.

[@K1ng1995]

I hoenstly think Arnold and Da Mayor from Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" would get along

[@rahcollier7006]

Ring that bell like it's time for Recess? Do I detect a future episode?

[@delightheaded6556]

I really miss Thug Notes. They did an amazing job explaining so many amazing books and using really well-researched philosophy

[@darkside907]

Being from New York, I always felt like Arnold was from brooklyn/queens, still technically a city but is a strange hodgepodge of suburban and urban life

[@schris3]

Jungle movie really felt like a shipping fanfic between Arnold and Helga. Personally I wouldn't have minded if it had more of what make me fell in love with the show in the first place.

[@BrunDawgie]

I never saw it as so bleak. A lot of it just seemed very similar to my own childhood.

[@sit-insforsithis1568]

WoW you must have had a rough time growing up

[@JCasR3]

90’s cartoons were built differently. They set their stories in reality with crazy adventures.

[@nbac26]

Same. Not particularly similar to my childhood but I always thought the city was very realistic and I liked that a lot.

[@tonyoliver2330]

I grew up in New York and I honestly thought the show was set there because of how much it felt like my upbringing (multicultural, walking everywhere, seeing all types of people) I never remember hearing the actual name of the city

[@BrunDawgie]

@@sit-insforsithis1568 At the time, I never thought anything was wrong. To a kid, it’s just life. Looking back though, I don’t want my child to go through a lot of what I went though. Still, I wouldn’t change my childhood. It made me who I am.

[@schris3]

This guy could easily voice act an adult Gerald, I feel he also has Gerald's spirit.

[@Disobayish17708]

Because he’s black?

[@pepito2847]

Yeah Hey Arnold is definitely one of Nickelodeon’s finest shows Arnold is also one of the finest protagonists in cartoons honestly

[@senister14]

No matter who you are, Arnold would of always had your back. That's what made him a great character.

[@floatingdisembodiedhead8975]

He was a good kid too.

[@kimsim8750]

I grew up in Englewood on the South Side of Chicago. In the 70s and 80s it was not perfect, but it was nicer, cleaner and safer than it is now. I absolutely loved my neighborhood and neighbors. I look back on it with happiness and wished my children could have experienced childhood as I did. Living on a block with a lot of other kids and near my classmates when I was young, and learning how to navigate public transportation when I was older, helped me grow into an independent and confident person. I know it is not like it used to be and urban decay and violence have become all too real, but I am thankful for the community that raised me.

[@AJZLand]

Nobody: Wisecrack: Hey Arnold advocates for Jeffersonian Agrarianism

[@Shinkajo]

Ah yes, Jefferson, one of the greatest agrarians

[@anselmenator]

Does it though? Not all communitarians are agrarians.

[@easye4329]

This well read baller is branching out into visual media... i dig it.

[@Hakajin]

You know I've long considered cartoons and movies literature.

[@Peecamarke]

What I miss about the hood: Bean pies, chilling on the stoop, making graffiti murals What can miss ME from the hood: Bangers, drug dealers, and stray dogs that chase you every day after school! 😤 EDIT: ALSO Chicken Spots! 👍🏿 Selling a chicken box, wedges, and drink for like 8 dollas

[@michelerodrigez6735]

What is a banger?

[@greenman394]

@@michelerodrigez6735 Gang banger i.e gangs

[@michelerodrigez6735]

Ohhhhh... I thought they might have been referring to the sausages.

[@Leotv19]

@@michelerodrigez6735 both can mess you up, but In very different ways 😂

[@artypyrec4186]

Same, a black and white pit use to chase me and my friends almost every other day, use to hop a tree to hop a wall to get to the alleys. Still, have some good memories though.

[@ThatFetcherFargoth]

Hey, Arnold is a masterpiece of a cartoon and one of my all-time favorites. I was lucky enough to watch the premiere of the pilot episode on Nick back in the 90s, and I still love it today. This video was incredible Wisecrack, thank you very much.

[@RomanNardone]

Aa Sartre once said, "hell is other people"

[@marvel096]

and as dostoevsky wrote "hell is the inability to love other people"

[@Shinkajo]

Or as I say it, hell is my life

[@NP-zt6hy]

The creator of Hey Arnold, Craig Bartlett, went to the same college I went to, evergreen State in Olympia, WA, and grew up in Portland, OR. Those are atypical locales in America, but I’m sure if I watched the show again I’d see parallels.

[@FabulousKilljoy917]

By far one of my FAVORITE shows as a kid and now.

[@RareGel]

Unashamedly putting this kids cartoon in such a serious philosophical light to show that it is one of the most wholesome beautiful peices of artwork for modern society is the exact kind of thing to make me say I love wisecrack.

[@Coolhigh6000]

When you said “Arnold stubbornly believes there is still good in people under layers of hurt.” I was happy to be stubborn lol

[@BloodManticore24]

Hey Arnold was the perfect equilibrium of wholesome and awesome cartoon. I still envy his awesome room.

[@Hakajin]

This is an interesting take that I haven't seen before! Which is saying something: I've watched a lot of videos on Hey Arnold!. It's my favorite show, period, and when something is my favorite... I obsess. And while I agree that living in the city has had some effect on who the characters are, I think it may be over-stated. For example, Gerald may have selfish tendencies, but so do most kids, right? Not to mention, he comes from a household where he's the middle child, bullied by his older brother, and not getting as much attention as his younger sister. So he kind of has to fight for what he has. Not to mention, he takes after his dad's practical side. And with Helga? Sure, a lot of her personality is due to parental neglect, but is that really an effect of city-living? You could have a narcissistic father and an alcoholic mother anywhere. One interesting thing about Helga is, I get the impression that a large part of her creativity and dramatism comes from being neglected. That is, no one reflects her back at herself, so she has to tell herself who she is, and act it out to make it real. As opposed to Olga, who has little sense of identity beyond the perfection pushed onto her by her parents (which, the whole golden child/scapegoat dynamic they've got going on there is pretty realistic: golden children tend to struggle later in life because they don't know who they are or what they want). Honestly, I think one reason Arnold gets Helga is that... Well, he's seen her do good things, even if she makes excuses, and they're both similarly lonely. That is, he doesn't have parents, and he knows about her terrible home life... I think Arnold understands better than any of the others what kind of impact that has on her, because of his own experience. That experience is probably also one reason why found family and helping others is important for Arnold: he doesn't want to end up on his own, and he wants to feel needed. Also there's probably some genetic influence there, given that his parents are humanitarians. One thing I will say, though: I think one reason the characters are so mature is that they're very independent, go off on their own all the time. They develop complex relationships apart from the adults and have to solve their own interpersonal problems. Note that the most mature characters are Arnold and Helga, who are dealing with feelings of abandonment and isolation, and just generally a more intense emotional experience than their peers.

[@springsnature7037]

You really seem to understand these characters so well; this was a beautiful analysis. I have loved this show since I was a child and still go to rewatch it from time to time. The portrayal of the kids as just kids who are learning and growing from their experiences with each other, their environments, and their families is so well done that you can't help but feel a connection to all of them. When people watch this show, I feel like they focus only on the bad aspects of the kids, their environment, and the people around them. But if you've been in a situation like theirs, you get such a better understanding, like you, of what this show was really trying to portray: humans aren't inherently good or bad, and they can learn to adapt and make the best out of just about whatever environment you put them in.

[@alexcarter8807]

This is excellent and far more scholarly than I expected a video about *Hey Arnold* to be.

[@DualFury]

Not drawing on Lila’s character and a whole host of others. This needs to be a series, not just a one-shot. Great job!

[@tonythetigersmuggler8770]

This show was so ahead of its time .

[@kawonewilliams1949]

Living in the suburbs keeps folks isolated. Living in a walkable community feels good to me and allows me to interact with people I may have never sought out.

[@TylerFitzgerald22]

Exactly. I am much happier living in a city, even when I lived in a rougher neighborhood, than I was growing up isolated in the country.

[@KacyJones]

This was rad! I keep coming back to Hey Arnold over the years and this makes me love it all the more.

[@stefanandreipopa6681]

It's good to see Greg again, loved the thug notes series.

[@chewy564]

Man, I'm getting emotional just thinking about how much that show means to me. Thanks Greg and everyone at Wisecrack for bringing me back!

[@thebeakershow]

Wonderful breakdown of what made this show so amazing, and a stand-out among every other kids show I grew up with. City living is tough, and it can make a person feel alone often. The truth is, there's always someone else a few steps away. Be well, everyone

[@bluehealer6202]

Great analysis. The episode "Mugged" still sticks with me two decades later. Useful advice like "the frog does not seek the fly', exemplified in attacking the guy asking where the bus stop was.

[@khalbrucie]

That little flash of King of the Hill at 11:12 makes me really crave a Wisecrack video about it. One of my favorite shows of all time

[@Matter-Dark]

I’m surprised they’ve never done a video on it.

[@Alex-sh2nd]

I'm so happy that Greg is still doing his thing.

[@ThrottleKitty]

All my favorite shows I liked as a kid for being "real" were treated so dirty by the big cartoon companies I relied on for entertainment. Adding another layer to the life lessons shows like Hey Arnold! taught me.

[@thewatcherofawesomecontent]

They don’t like art that’s smart...

[@rfar21]

For me, favorite cartoon I ever watched. Period.

[@catalist69]

I wish wisecrack would bring back Thug Notes.

[@razieldumas]

They'll put it on sweatshirts, but not won't make new episodes? Wack.

[@AliciaNyblade]

Me, too! I subscribed to this channel when it was called "Thug Notes" and then it became "Wisecrack" and added a bunch of other shows. And sure, they're nice, but let's face it, we're all here for Thug Notes and it needs to come back.

[@copypaste3526]

I prefer this.

[@josecipriano3048]

@@AliciaNyblade wisecrack has become a tv shows' critique channel. Seems like they can't do a book video anymore.

[@AliciaNyblade]

@@josecipriano3048 Which is dumb. I mean, the show everyone loved them for was "Thug Notes". It was creative, entertaining, original. TV review channels/shows are a dime a dozen here on KZbin, no matter how good they are. Ones that go over classic literature, by comparison, seem to be few and far between.

[@sapphic.flower]

I want more feel good cartoons like Hey Arnold. I love the adventurous cartoons we get now but down to earth shows are needed.

[@AliciaNyblade]

From when I was about three to twelve, we were constantly on the move because of my dad's job (soccer player). A childhood spent in the same place, building fond memories with all the local haunts, knowing all your neighbors and their kids to the point where some would become like extended family, was something I always wanted to experience. But, at the same time, I had some great adventures I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. "Hey Arnold" helped me cope with things when moving wasn't so fun, when I was sad about leaving a certain place, losing a friend, or when I felt like my feelings of sadness and loneliness weren't being heard. The show taught me how to accept change even if its setting often stayed the same.

[@ThePerro]

I got the complete series box set a couple weeks ago and I've been binging it like crazy lol I've seen the episodes hundreds of times as a kid, but they never get old

[@Daniel-dn2ot]

I moved this year from the city to a village,have a farm and im part of a meaningfull comunity.Im not depressed anymore and have actual friends with whom i don't have to get drunk and do drugs to have fun.I learned new USEFUL skills and there is not one good reason for me to go back.City life either suits you or it will eat you alive.

[@Zenith_269]

I’ve moved to a city this year for school and I can’t stand it. Can’t wait to move back when I’m done university

[@papl20]

I grew in a place not too dissimilar from Arnold's and thanks to this video I now realize why I loved this show so much back when I was a kid. It calmed me down it gave me hope. Even now this show makes me feel at home and reminds me of really important life lessons. Also... Greg,your thug notes are the one thing I need to be fully happy.

[@mathieuleader8601]

Greg used to be thug notes

[@AliciaNyblade]

I miss that series so much. Hell, I've been watching/subscribed to this channel since it was called "Thug Notes". Then it became "Wisecrack" and everything changed.

[@talideon]

@@AliciaNyblade Nah, that's not the way it went. The channel's been called Wisecrack since the beginning. Thug Notes, Alien Cinema, &c, were shows on it, and at some point they tried splitting of the shows to their own channels. That was a terrible idea but it is what it is.

[@Nightman221k]

Thug Notes was my only reason to watch Wisecracked.

[@josecipriano3048]

@@Nightman221k 8-bit philosophy was great too, but now we've got tv and disney's shows every week on wisecrack, which is great if you're under 8 yo. It's been a constant dumbing down of content.

[@lainiwakura1776]

@@Nightman221k No Alien Cinema was, but feel free to be wrong.

[@vickylikesthis]

Greg! How exciting!

[@lordgeneralmilitantdeezy7550]

let’s not forget when sid had his boots ran

[@Khranok]

Hey Arnold was one of those shows I watched as a kid but never thought too much about but as an adult it sticks in my head when I look back at the shows I watched. I guess the emotions it made you feel stick with you a lot longer than the action packed shows that were made to sell you toys.

[@TylerFitzgerald22]

I grew up in the country without many people (and other children) close by. I loved Hey Arnold because it showed a life completely different from my own.

[@RJ_Ehlert]

Psychologists find that even for people who self report preferring city life, when exposed to city stimuli, there is a dramatic increase in the stress hormone cortisol in their blood.

[@AssasinZorro]

First of all, thank you for releasing videos with subtitles - it's so much easier to recommend them to my friends. The environment I grew up in has really affected me, there's no way around it. Khrushovka is a typical building people lived in, it looks like a brick that is laying on one side. Imagine going to school and seeing lots of boring bricks that are similar to each other. Not much to feast your eyes upon. I feel like this is one of the reasons escapism in a form of computer games got so popular - there's not much nature outside, not much to look at, nothing fascinating to see, and therefore nothing to anticipate. All of that had to be fought against. Some people got into punk culture (which has surprisingly died out, so we cannot have cyber_punk_ now), some have retreated into their homes, some gathered into communities based on their escapist interests. I tried lots of different creative fields, but games are still my most important fascination, so I wanted to be a programmer since I was 7 years old. Order and predictability were all around me so it was easy to internalize, the only thing left to do was inject it with a pinch of creativity that I have also learned. And after living under a government that tries to get one over you at every turn, you learn to be crafty, which is helpful in programming as well. So I was shaped by my environment like that.

[@ian7064]

Loved Hey Arnold back in the day. It's half part iconic and half part still underappreciated

[@DoctorGames101a]

The 1990s and earlier were a crazy moment in our history as city dwellers. Hey Arnold showed the surface of these problems and dynamics of city life. Good video, Wisecrack.

[@firefly1674]

Hey! I missed your voice lol And thug notes of course! I love Hey Arnold.. Great vid 👍🏾

[@orisetsune2398]

I grew up on Hey Arnold and in the streets of Chambersburg (Trenton) -- I moved to the burbs after my grandparents passed away, where I felt isolated and alone. I adored being in the city, even the "bad" parts. Loved playing in the street and dodging cars or making trouble for said cars with my friend. Exploring abandoned lots was like going on an expedition. We had no idea what we "didn't have" because kids didn't see it as what they didn't have but what we could create. To this day I am most comfortable in cities, I can't stand the isolation of the suburbs or country.

[@myopinionarchive7121]

Hi Wisecrack hope all of you have had a great christmas

[@TkNjLove]

Hey Arnold continues to be one of the biggest influences on my life. Whenever I’ve had a crummy day I flip on an episode and instantly smile

[@theirishpotato6588]

Damn bro. This video almost made me cry.

[@generalpeeps]

This is the first video I've seen with Greg in and I gotta say he's actually great. A lot of the time it's hard to hear a new voice do something you're familiar with but he fits very well, hope for more from him in the future

[@ItsJustMe0585]

Pfft, I live in Canada. My community is chill, low crime, socialized healthcare, and only major issue is the anger I feel surrounded by shit drivers, and aggressive hockey fans. :)

[@lordblazer]

wow, you said Hey Arnold made city life seem bleak. When I was growing up watching this show. I 100% related to this show in a lot of ways and when I look back on it am glad a show like this came out during my childhood. Having grew up in cities. I appreciate the fact that there was a show willing to be marketed towards kids that depicted urban life and growing up in an urban environment.

[@generalnawaki]

Arnolds gonna grow up to have such a savior complex

[@TheBloodswordsman]

Hey Arnold, was and is one of my favourite shows. I find it ironic that I a misanthrope, absolutely adore a show about a young boy who works hard to aid humanity in bettering its life.

[@cuchulainn5604]

Wow thug notes has evolved. Missed the voice.

[@CommonSenseless1993]

The Cartoon Network/Nickelodeon era from about 1996-2004 (Hey Arnold, Ahh Real Monsters, Dexter’s Lab, Powerpuff Girls, Rocko’s Modern Life, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Angry Beavers, Samurai Jack, Ed Edd and Eddy, Grim and Mandy, Ren and Stimpy, Johnny Bravo, CatDog, the first 3 seasons of Spongebob, etc) has aged masterfully. And I can honestly say that it’s not just the nostalgia talking. These cartoons were brilliantly written by some of the most influential writers and animators of our time. There’s a reason why people are making videos and case studies on them to this day.

[@stormbreak13]

I just had to rewatch "words words words" (bo burnham) because I'd known the name "helga pataki" rang a bell, but could never put it together.. This was a great video, and helped make sense of lyrics in another song too

[@Hakajin]

I don't think I know that one, I'll have to look it up!

[@anilbalram7768]

Revisiting this I see that Hey Arnold is the projection of children trying to make the best of what they have and seeing adults try and fail or succeed at different times as a learning experience.

[@garrettvandenberg2031]

Really great breakdown, and it makes me miss content that promotes messages like this. I wish we still had a Hey Arnold advocating for traditional communitarian values on popular media avenues these days.

[@nefwaenre]

Hey Arnold is my all time favourite show. Hands down. i had such a crush on him and even as an early teen, all i wanted was to save him. Never thought that i actually wanted to be saved myself and saw Arnold as my saviour, "favourite person" as they say. You know the Pigeon man... to this day his story haunts me.

[@BlackVulcan22]

Im about 30 seconds in, but someone tell me: did this man address the issue of stoop-kid, and his fear of leaving his stoop? edit: 17:41 *Ladies and gentlemen.......we got'em!

[@juliacoves5873]

As a someone who got to enjoy hey arnold with a degree in philosophy and a second degree in urban planning I really enjoyed this video. Thank you

[@pinnedcomment8614]

Random fact: There’s a village in Nebraska with a population of 1. She acts as mayor and also pays taxes to herself.

[@johnbash-on-ger]

What's the name of the village?

[@warrenphilips8441]

I didn't even watch this cartoon as a kid but videos like this feel like WIsecrack is returning to its roots/strengths, and that is something I can support.

[@stevea4747]

Sparky Sweets!

[@toxicstarcandy]

This was helpful for me. I have been in a really jaded and unhappy state for a while now and I miss just enjoying some people,even if I don't like them, and helping them with theor problems. Lately I've been in a selfish state of do for myself amd lecture others about what they do wrong. This gave me some peace and a realization to let people be people and just enjoy the ride even with the state of the world today. So thanks for this

[@Rocketman1292]

I got another cartoon you can break down, one of the best animated shows of last year and this year, Genndy Tartarkovsky's Primal. They say the show has no dialogue, but I argue it's dialogue with no language.

[@mikeweezy13231]

This was an amazing video. At a young age I knew Hey Arnold was different than most kids shows and as an adult it keeps making more and more sense.

[@lillywho]

This video comes as I've literally just fifteen minutes ago heard from outside the third of three sets of noises that might have been gun shots, semi automatic, six rapid. Will city life destroy you? You bet your scared arse it does!

[@GeronFletcher]

I feel you. But we love the people

[@lillywho]

@@GeronFletcher What people? The blokes from next door who have nothing better to do than _wooohh_ to their mates about my bum when I go past them just wanting to go home in peace?

[@lindseystein9676]

I loved this show when I was in elementary school. I just bought the first two seasons and my six year old loves it, too. Such a good show.

[@angryguy67]

Yaaaaay! Greg!

[@Felicat82]

Loved this show as a kid, still live it at almost 40. I only just saw that iconic Christmas episode this year, or at least, was reminded by rewatching it. Legit made me cry, it was so full of good lessons and warm hearted generosity and people overcoming their personal shortcomings to make something really special happen for someone else. I grew up in a neighborhood not unlike Arnold's, though sadly it was not nearly so full of decent people just trying to get by. Gang violence was a staple of the street outside my house, though I was too young to understand it for a long time. Yet there was also beauty. I couldn't count the number of hours I spent playing in my own vacant lot, though in my case, it was given over largely to nature. The grass and plants were often taller than me, and it was no doubt full of small wildlife beating the urban sprawl. I even saw them from time to time. As much as anything else, Hey Arnold! is a testament to the ability of children to see the good in the bad, the beauty in the horrible. Looking back now, I can recognize just how much it influenced me. There's even a brand new vacant lot right next door just begging to be transformed into something special.