The first Nicktoon to ever air on Nickelodeon was none other than Doug. It was followed by Rugrats and The Ren & Stimpy Show on the same night, but it was Doug that aired first, ushering in the age of the Nicktoon. This makes it an important part of the network’s history even if they did eventually sell the property to Disney. It’s also an important animated series in general.

Part of what makes it such an important kids’ TV series is that it encourages creativity. Throughout the show, the titular protagonist, Doug Funnie, writes and doodles in his journal and often daydreams. As he daydreams, the audience sees his active imagination as he envisions himself as a superhero, a secret agent, an explorer, and exciting roles. In reality, he’s just an ordinary kid who hangs out with his friends, listens to his favorite band, and tries his best in school. By showing young audiences a main character in a series using their creativity in such a way, it teaches them that they can embrace their own creativity.

Since Doug is mostly seen living his everyday life rather than in his fantastical daydreams, it shows kids something they can find familiar. They also go to school, hang out with their friends, and live an ordinary life, just like Doug. They can see themselves in the show and relate to the characters. There weren’t tons of cartoons that did something like this before the premier of Doug in 1991. Series like Transformers, G.I. Joe, or DuckTales had characters battling evil or going on grand adventures. While they were endlessly entertaining and even had relatable themes at times, they didn’t showcase characters living relatable lives like Doug did. There’s something quite powerful about a piece of media that succeeds in doing so.

Doug also encourages kindness. Before Doug released, many children’s cartoons, like Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes, focused on violence or mean-spirited humor. While this is far from a bad thing and has proved to be quite entertaining, it is rather interesting to see a cartoon take such a different stance. Doug was never depicted as some macho guy like what’s seen in Masters of the Universe or Batman the Animated Series. Nor was he ever seen belittling others. This show wasn’t about fighting or poking fun at anything. Instead, it focused on using kindness to overcome the obstacles of everyday life, helping those around you, and reaching out for help when in need. It really stood out by focusing on these positive messages while still being entertaining.

Looking back at Doug, it really was a unique series for its time. It used a more laid-back tone than other cartoons while encouraging kindness and creativity and providing a popular show that kids could actually relate to. Nickelodeon kicked off their Nicktoons with an absolute gem that was truly an important one.

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