The first three seasons of Rugrats were very popular. The early episodes boasted effective but subtle references to popular culture and occasionally but rarely then-current events. There were also references to Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill, Saddam Hussein (Angelica worries about him breaking into her secret clubhouse in "Tommy and the Secret Club"), Sidney Poitier, Ecoterrorists (In the episode "Mommy's Little Assets", it is revealed that Angelica's mom Charlotte was once kidnapped by a group of Ecoterrorists ), and George H.W. Bush. Despite the occasional potty humor, the early episodes were more reliant on amusing dialogue and imagery than juvenile jokes. This was different in the later seasons which used more "gross out"/potty humor than the original. Also commonly criticized by fans of the first series, was that when the show was revived the plots became redundant and the theme of the babies misunderstanding the adults' words or concepts was overused.
60's 70's and 90's ruled
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