Ren and Stimpy broke new ground with its excessive use of dark humor—or borderline inappropriate humor, rather—and its rejection of the notion that children's shows should teach moral lessons. Nickelodeon's Beavis and Butthead, along with other animated series aimed at older audiences, reached a new level of popularity during this era. The show itself was hilariously absurd, crude, and occasionally disturbing. Due to the bleak nature of the show, its cult following has come up with a number of theories that cast Ren and Stimpy in a different light. This article explores the theories about Ren and Stimpy that could destroy your childhood. These won't spoil anything because you already know the show is insane. However, there may be some ideas here that you have never thought of before.
1. Hints of abuse
To begin, for those of you who are unfamiliar, The Ren and Stimpy Show follows the adventures of Ren, a "psychotic" Chihuahua, and Stimpy, a good-natured and dimwitted cat, as they daydream about being astronauts, cowboys, and other explorers. Fan theories claim that Ren and Stimpy were victims of animal cruelty, much like the disturbing theories behind Doug, The Angry Beavers, and CatDog. Many viewers think that this is just their real nature as characters in a silly show, but theories explain that this erratic behavior is coming from them being victims of animal abuse. If this is true, this would explain why the show is so absurd and off-the-wall; it's a commentary on the reality of what happens to animals that are treated cruelly.
We would hate to think of our favorite Nickelodeon characters as victims of abuse. However, unless we attempt to explain their behavior based on their actions rather than their character, it's not particularly far-fetched. What do you think about this theory?
2. PTM is JC?
The Powdered Toast Man's origins are pretty apparent for such a bizarre character. Since both superheroes and advertisements for breakfast cereal have long been staples of animated children's TV shows, it only made sense to combine the two in this way. However, Joe Blevins of the Dead 2 Rights blogs speculated that PTM could simply be a characterization of someone who is omnipresent and has a name that starts with a big J and C. In his article, he elaborates on the parallels between the two. To give you guys an example of the many parallels he pointed out, in "Powdered Toast Man" (Season 2, Episode 2) from 1992, his catchphrase has been "Leave everything to me," which resembles a modernized rendition of the old maxim, "Let go and let God." Head out on his page to read more about this theory, do you guys think it's pretty far-fetched? Well then, let the man enjoy his Powdered Toast!
3. The Brain Room
Fact: In the 1930s, lobotomies, a form of brain surgery, gained popularity as a means of treating mental illness. This procedure involves cutting off communication between the prefrontal cortex and the rest of the brain. Because it is such a horrible method of treatment, this practice has been outlawed in most of the world's nations as of today.
Okay, so the theory is that Ren underwent this horrible procedure in Season 4, Episode 12 entitled “Ren Needs Help.” What happened was that Stimpy unintentionally destroyed all of Ren’s beloved possessions, sending him into a deep psychotic depression wherein he tries to unalive himself—so, Stimpy called the Shady Brain Farm to help Ren. He finds himself cooperating with the institution until he finds out that they only serve cream corn (which he absolutely hates). He then convinces the other patients to escape because they aren’t crazy; they are just weird and stupid—in his words, "dumb freaks." After this, Ren was taken away to the Brain Room and was later seen dressed in a suit to give a speech. As if that isn’t weird at all.
4. Crossing the boundaries—intentionally?
The final theory for this show was that it was actually created as a social experiment. Thinking about it, this might explain the amount of "inappropriate" stuff that was on the show. Many fans believed that the show was just John Kricfalusi’s social experiment involving the consumers (a.k.a. the impressionable kids) and the network executives. That the show intends to test the bounds of children's cartoon shows. While some other dark themes like violence are present in other cartoon classics, The Ren and Stimpy Show actually crossed the line many times, which is probably why the show was canceled. I mean, let’s be honest, there’s no chance that it would even air on any network today, especially on a kid’s channel.
The Ren and Stimpy Show was devoid of any morals, but it is surrounded by many dark theories and controversies. Yet, this is the same reason why it has developed a cult following or a devoted fan base even now. This, of course, doesn’t account for the fact that its creator was problematic. The fans liked the show for one reason alone—aside from nostalgia—it crossed lines, and some even considered it a lost art. Nonetheless, the show was created as a subversive piece of art, challenging values and taking risks in order to move the medium of children's television forward that no other show would dare to take. The Ren & Stimpy Show is just one of the few things that brings back a good sense of childhood nostalgia, and for that it will forever be relevant to its fans three decades later.
Despite all of this, the show remains relatable and is still loved, making it a timeless classic that still holds a special place in the hearts of its fans. We don't think it's necessary to shut the door in the past if it's only good memories that come flooding back when you open it. However, there are boundaries that should not be crossed again. The show brought us many fond memories, and we can celebrate that with a wide variety of ways. The fact remains, though, that there are some things better left in the past.