Rocko's Modern Life

In October 1993, something magical happened: an unassuming little cartoon called "Rocko's Modern Life" debuted on Nickelodeon. Sure, the premise might have sounded a little bizarre; I mean, how many programs do you know that center around an immigrant Australian wallaby trying to live his modern life with the help of his best friends, the gluttonous steer (NOT a cow, mind you) Heffer and the perpetually nervous turtle, Filburt? Throw in his toad neighbors, the Bigheads, his job as a clerk at Kind-of-a-Lot-O-Comics, and a cast of zany secondary characters, you've got yourself a downright offbeat cartoon. But you can't take "Rocko" at face value. You have to look deeper, watch an episode, and really laugh at the clever-yet-simple jokes that pepper the action.

And don't, under any circumstances, write this off as a kids' show. As you might know, "Rocko" came under fire for its "mature" content; in other words, the series harbors many, many, many inside jokes and innuendoes just below the surface. Just take a look at some episode titles ("Schnit-Heads," "Who Gives a Buck?"), some character/establishment names (Doctor Bendova, the Chokey Chicken fast-food restaurants), and countless other little occurrences throughout every episode.

A stark, unique animation style, one that presents everything at a slight angle, provides a great backdrop for Rocko's adventures, and paints a truly different world that sets the cartoon apart from all others.

And through it all, a surreal sense of humor reigns supreme. On what other cartoon could you find a Museum of Pointy Objects, police activities that include arts-and-crafts, a vacuum with a neutering device, or a family of wolves that adopted a steer?

It certainly didn't deserve to be canceled after only three seasons, but in the fickle world of children's programming (especially on Nickelodeon, a network infamous for canning innovative series and renewing the dreck year after year), it just wasn't prepackaged, marketable, and mainstream enough to work out. But that's what I like best about "Rocko"; it's truly different from anything else you could ever find on television, a little outpost of originality in a TV world full of copycats and clones. Rest assured, you can still enjoy Rocko, Heffer, and the whole gang, provided you have digital cable, on Nickelodeon's all-cartoon outlet Nicktoons TV.

Overall, a ten out of ten, but shave a few points off if you don't automatically crack up when you hear this classic "Rocko" line, courtesy of Heffer: "Hey, Rock, do that funny face you make when you're buying eggs."

Rocko is without a doubt one of the best Nick Toons that ever existed. It had a creativity that few Nick Toons could ever match. This show is violent and sometime a little rude, and that is exactly why it is so funny. It's a funny series and is one of my personal favorites.

Rocko's Modern Life was one of my other favorite Nickelodeon cartoons! Rocko's Modern Life was a hilarious cartoon about a wallaby named Rocko who went to America from Australia. He lives in a place called O-Town and tries to get through life but, of course, comes across a multitude of dilemmas and misadventures he must get through. Along with his two good friends Heffer, a steer that was raised my wolves and a easily upset turtle named, Filbert. Rocko also has two next door neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Bighead, Mr. Bighead really detests Rocko and hates having him as a next door neighbor! Why did Nickelodeon cancel this show and other good classic Nickelodeon cartoons like this one, The Ren and Stimpy Show, Ahhh! Real Monsters, Invader Zim, CatDog, Kablam and especially Angry Beavers and just leave some of the bad shows on the air like Rugrats, Rocket Power and The Wild Thornberrys? WHY? WHY? But I am glad that SpongeBob Squarepants and The Fairly Oddparents are still on. Those two are the only good ones on now!

User Rating: 7/10

BOTTOM LINE: THIS IS ONE OF MY NICKELODEON CLASSIC CARTOON FAVORITES! IT'S TOO BAD NICKELODEON KEEPS HAVING SOME OF THE CRAPPY SHOWS ON LIKE RUGRATS AND ROCKET POWER!

I remember watching this as a kid with the other great Nicktoons-Ren and Stimpy, Rugrats, etc. I loved this show and am going to be getting that Nicktoons channel now, so I can watch the old episodes again. I completely missed the adult humor in the show, Chokey Chicken??!

My favorite episode of all time is the one where they have to fly somewhere, and in the first class section of the plane there is a piano player, someone carving a ham, and it just looks like the inside of a mansion. Then when Rocko gets to the back of the plane, where he has to sit, its like a barn and there's chickens running around in the aisles. And he cuts his one peanut for dinner with a knife and fork!!! HHA!!! Anyone who flies Delta can relate. BRING IT OUT ON DVD!

"Rocko's Modern Life", the product of Joe Murray Studios and Games Productions, was a winner of a show. The first two seasons were jam-packed with innuendo that can be quite shocking when viewed later in life. The animation (especially the angular background drawings) was unique and stylistic. Filburt was a model for Jewish turtles everywhere!

Unfortunately, around mid-Season 3 or so, it started to decline. The series was gussied up- examples are "Chunky Chicken", scenes were censored, a new (inferior) theme song added, etc. This might be attributed to Joe Murray's departure after the first season or so.

My favorite episodes were "Driver's Ed", "Abuse-ment Park", the one where Bev seduces Rocko, the one where where Rocko is filmed naked...Well, there's just too many to name! Great show while it lasted!!