Nickelodeon could get dark. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the unexpectedly bleak stories on this kids’ network that filled us with dread or took us by surprise.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00What's going on Tommy? I'm not Tommy!
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the unexpectedly bleak stories
00:10on this kid's network that filled us with dread or took us by surprise.
00:14What's the point of going on? I'll just be tortured for the rest of my life by that whale.
00:21Number 20. Josh is done. Drake and Josh. No matter how many times Drake and Josh argue,
00:27they always make it up in the end. But after Drake causes Josh to miss an exam,
00:32Josh has had enough. He basically cuts Drake out of his life and moves on without him.
00:37So what, are you gonna move out? No. This is a house where I live,
00:41and I guess we'll be roommates until the day I leave for college, but that's all we'll be,
00:44is roommates. I'm done with you. Drake is sure that Josh is nothing without him,
00:49but boy is he proven wrong. Josh's life improves while Drake's falls apart without his stepbrother.
00:55After an intense apology scene, Josh forgives Drake, and the dynamic duo is reunited.
01:01I'm sorry, I'm probably the worst brother in the world, and, you know,
01:03you're way better off without me, you know? I just, I just need you to understand that...
01:09I just... Sorry, Josh, I'm sorry. Usually we get a laugh out of the
01:13brothers' fights, but seeing the dramatic tone shift was unnerving.
01:17We can't help but wonder if Josh really should have forgiven Drake.
01:21Number 19. Original Sin, Mr. Meaty
01:24In a grim flashback episode, we see Josh and Parker's first day at Mr. Meaty.
01:29It's revealed that their boss, Wink, was once a cheerful manager, but everything changes when the
01:34two teens find the frozen body of the company's founder, Edward R. Carney, and wake him up.
01:39Mr. Carney!
01:46The deranged fast-food tycoon wastes no time taking back his company and reveals a contract
01:51stating that Wink is now his property. He can shock and torture his employee at will using
01:57a chip in his head, transforming Wink into the bitter, broken man he is in the present-day show.
02:02When you do something I don't like, I get to do this.
02:08Hmm. What now?
02:10While fans might remember the infamous tapeworm episode more,
02:14seeing Wink's tragic origin left us chilled to the bone.
02:17Number 18. Requiem, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
02:21Your weakness is that you care about others. I have torn all weaknesses away and become all
02:28powerful.
02:29The 2012 Ninja Turtles series balanced its comedic tone with some sinister moments,
02:34from spine-tingling horror movie tribute episodes to facing gruesome enemies.
02:38But nothing made us shiver in fright more than the penultimate episode of Season 4,
02:43Requiem. Splinter and Super Shredder face off in a dramatic duel,
02:46but just when it feels like the turtles have won, Shredder impales their adoptive father
02:51with his claws. While Splinter has cheated death before, this time there's no coming back.
02:56The great Hamato Yoshi is no more.
02:58Father. Father.
03:04I have claimed my victory.
03:07Our hearts instantly shatter seeing the turtles mourn for their master,
03:10and knowing they'll have to carry on in his honor.
03:13Number 17. It's a Wishful Life, The Fairly Odd Parents
03:18For once in my 10-year-old life, I decide to do some good deeds and nobody even appreciates them.
03:23The popular story of It's a Wonderful Life is pretty dark, even if it all wraps up with
03:28sentimental holiday cheer. But what if a kid's show took the concept and gave it a bleak twist?
03:33Timmy angrily wishes he was never born when nobody appreciates his attempts at good deeds.
03:38He's certain that everyone will be miserable without him,
03:41but Jorgen shows him how much better life is without him.
03:44Without you mucking up his childhood, Crocker became Harvard's most valuable professor.
03:49And without you dragging A.J. down, he was able to graduate high school at the age of five.
03:54It turns out that this was all a test to teach Timmy a lesson about not doing good
03:58deeds just to be recognized for them. The episode paints a pretty harsh picture of
04:02Timmy's character, even if he learns an okay lesson at the end.
04:06Number 16. The Tale of the Dead Man's Float. Are You Afraid of the Dark?
04:10Are you afraid of going in the water? This episode is almost guaranteed to make it worse.
04:15A local pool is haunted by an angry creature that pulls unsuspecting victims to their watery deaths.
04:20Do you smell that?
04:23Yeah, what is it?
04:25I don't know, it smells like... like acid.
04:31Outside of a horrific smell, the ghoul is hard to spot,
04:34but its true form is that of a blood-red corpse. We liked it better when we couldn't see it.
04:38The horror anthology series was never afraid to terrify its audience,
04:42but the idea of this mangled ghoul drowning innocents is a new level of horrifying.
04:47Thankfully, the episode has a happy ending,
04:49which is more than we can say for episodes like The Tale of the Dark Music.
04:53Are they gone for good? I don't think they'll be bothering you anymore.
05:01Number 15. The Return of Raggedy Android. My Life as a Teenage Robot.
05:06When a cool teen spot kicks her out for being a robot, Jenny is desperate to try and fit in.
05:11She starts wearing an exosuit to look like a human girl, but that's not all it does.
05:16The suit is alive and starts brainwashing Jenny,
05:19slowly erasing everything that makes her special.
05:22Beauty is a 24-hour job. We can't just look like a normal girl.
05:26We have to behave like a normal girl, believe we're a normal girl.
05:31A normal girl can do anything.
05:34She doesn't even try to fight crime when the club is under attack.
05:37Fortunately, the real Jenny breaks through and manages to free herself from the parasite.
05:41Personally, we'll take the butt-kicking, abnormal Jenny any day,
05:45especially if the alternative has her being possessed by a symbiotic menace.
05:49Wow, Jenny, a built-in boombox. Impressive.
05:53It's just one of my normal features.
05:54Number 14. Angelica's Worst Nightmare. Rugrats.
05:58The scariest part about this episode? It made us feel sorry for the bratty Angelica.
06:03When her parents announce they're having another baby,
06:06Angelica worries they won't love her anymore.
06:08Well, I was thinking that when the new baby comes, I might, I mean,
06:11my friend might not get the same attention she usually gets.
06:14Everybody will be fussing over the new baby too much.
06:17This fear culminates into a disturbing nightmare.
06:20The new baby has arrived,
06:22and her parents quickly cast her aside and dump her in the laundry room.
06:25Worst of all, the new baby is absolutely terrifying and keen to finish Angelica off for good.
06:31I warned you to get out, but you wouldn't listen.
06:33Now I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson.
06:35Get out! Get away from me!
06:37You had your chance.
06:38The sequence ends with Angelica being eaten by the monstrous infant.
06:42While Angelica has nothing to worry about in the end,
06:44the audience may never recover from watching a villainous baby terrorize her.
06:49Number 13.
06:50Plankton Paranoia
06:51SpongeBob SquarePants
06:53When Plankton makes no attempt to steal the Krabby Patty secret recipe,
06:57Mr. Krabs becomes increasingly suspicious of everyone around him
07:01and slowly descends into madness.
07:05Maybe he doesn't want me formula anymore.
07:09He took the bait!
07:10We're going to Red Alert!
07:19He even goes so far as to ban paying customers from the restaurant
07:23and filling patties with dangerous objects.
07:28Trying to sneak a Krabby Patty to play today?
07:31But Eugene, it's just a to-go order.
07:34Oh, but this is just a to-go order.
07:36Well, from now on, all patties are to be eaten on the premises!
07:42The episode ends in good fun,
07:44with a party to celebrate the one-year anniversary
07:46of when Plankton first attempted to steal the secret recipe.
07:50Oh, I shouldn't have suspected you, SpongeBob.
07:54Won't need these anymore.
07:58However, watching Mr. Krabs' mental state erode to the point
08:01where his every thought is of Plankton is pretty concerning,
08:05and it reminds viewers of the mentally consuming nature
08:08of perpetual competition.
08:14Based on the classic Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life,
08:17this episode delves into Chucky's mind
08:20as a guardian angel shows him what the world would be like
08:23had he not been born.
08:25Hi!
08:27Who are you?
08:28I'm your guardian angel.
08:30I was sent here to make sure you don't do anything dumb.
08:32Really?
08:33Yeah!
08:33Then what was it the time I got my tongue stuck on that ice cube?
08:36Uh, well.
08:37Chucky, who initially believes that he's unwelcome at home,
08:41soon realizes how disastrous his family would be without him,
08:44and how much his family really treasures him.
08:48Stop!
08:49Stop, you guys!
08:50Hello?
08:51Anybody home?
08:53I can't hear you, remember?
08:55This episode has wholesome undertones,
08:57but Chucky's initial feelings of worthlessness and dejection
09:01indicate a sad truth that many do not know they're loved
09:04and appreciated by those around them.
09:06Thankfully, Chucky is ultimately reunited with his family.
09:09Aw, you guys didn't have to.
09:12We wanted to, Chucky.
09:14You're our friend.
09:18Nothing good can come from wandering around a cemetery late at night,
09:22but things get exceptionally spooky when Gerald tells his friends
09:25the tale of the murderous ghost bride.
09:29It all started 80 years ago, back in the Middle Ages.
09:33A beautiful young woman who was very, very much in love with her fiancé
09:36was counting the days until they were to be married.
09:39Her fondest dream was that they would always love each other
09:42and live happily ever after.
09:44The gang uses this story to prank each other,
09:47first with Helga pretending to be the ghost bride,
09:49and then with Curly pretending to be her.
09:56Ha, ha, ha. Who's scared now?
10:00However, the darkest part of this episode occurs near the end,
10:03when everyone decides to cruelly get back at Curly
10:06by locking him in a tomb and leaving him in the cemetery.
10:09I say we lock him in the crypt and leave him here!
10:14They aren't. How'd you know it was Curly?
10:16The thought of being trapped alone in a cemetery at night
10:19is enough to make anyone scared,
10:21but imagine being trapped there by your own friends.
10:25iPSYCHO iCarly
10:28For the most part, iCarly focused on the fun and shenanigans
10:31associated with running a web show with your best friends,
10:34but iPSYCHO was a rare foray into the dangers
10:37of putting yourself out there on the internet.
10:39iCarly is my life.
10:42I see a girlfriend for Freddy!
10:46My name is Nora Dershlet.
10:50Dershlet.
10:52That's not funny.
10:53When Carly, Sam, and Freddy meet a lonely fan
10:56named Nora Dershlet during her 16th birthday party,
10:59all seems to be normal until she locks them in a basement.
11:02I'm sorry, Carly. I couldn't hear you again, please.
11:07I said, why'd you close the door?
11:08While they eventually manage to escape with Gibby's help,
11:11the episode touches on the dangers of parasocial relationships
11:15and the difficulties associated with online popularity.
11:19This is not how friends behave!
11:21Ah!
11:23Oh!
11:24Getting...sleepy...feeling.
11:28With the rise of influencer culture and YouTube fandom,
11:32this issue is more relevant than ever.
11:35Number 9.
11:36Cora Alone.
11:37The Legend of Cora.
11:39What's wrong with her?
11:40Young lady, are you all right?
11:42Can I take you to a doctor?
11:45No, I don't need any help.
11:47Oh!
11:48The Red Lotus was defeated in a Season 3 finale
11:51that could probably make this list as well,
11:53but in the episode Cora Alone,
11:55we see how she recovers physically from the events of that episode,
11:58but still suffers mentally.
12:00Haunted by flashbacks and hallucinations of that fateful battle,
12:03she distances herself from her friends and loved ones.
12:06Cora's fighting a losing battle against herself.
12:09Seeing the young, passionate avatar at her lowest point is terrifying,
12:12but the episode is a grim but realistic portrayal
12:15of those who have gone through traumatic experiences.
12:17You're not sleeping, you're barely eating.
12:20We don't want to push you, but it's been three weeks.
12:23Will you please go see Katara?
12:26It's not something that can be magically cured overnight.
12:29Number 8.
12:30Stimpy's Fan Club.
12:31The Ren and Stimpy Show.
12:33Jealousy and resentment are never a good combination,
12:36which is why when Stimpy shoots to stardom
12:38and Ren gets left in the dust,
12:40their relationship becomes increasingly strained.
12:43Wow!
12:44Another one for me!
12:47Another one for you!
12:50Me, me, me.
12:54For you, you, you!
12:57What's worse is that Ren gets appointed the president of Stimpy's Fan Club
13:01and is forced to read and reply to Stimpy's fan letters.
13:04And you're the nicest too.
13:07You are nice to everybody.
13:09Even that ugly thing who yells at you.
13:15What is he anyway?
13:17A mosquito?
13:20This is psychological torture for Ren as he develops insomnia
13:23and goes so far as to consider murdering Stimpy.
13:26He only refrains from doing so
13:28when he imagines burning in hell for his actions.
13:31How easily I could end a farce with these hands.
13:39This episode is bound to make viewers shudder
13:41from hellish imagery to destroyed friendships
13:44to envy-induced madness.
13:52Difficult themes don't always constitute a dark episode,
13:55but this episode certainly made viewers do some serious thinking.
14:07When Heifer chokes on a chicken bone,
14:09he falls down to heck where he's greeted by a reaper-like figure named Peaches.
14:14While this episode isn't fused with humor,
14:16it depicts the importance of reflecting on one's behavior.
14:30Heifer only realizes how gluttonous he is
14:32once he's forced to confront the repercussions of his habits in heck,
14:36where it feels as though it's too late for him to change his behavior.
14:40Thankfully, Heifer realizes that heck was just a dream
14:43and that he still has time to rectify his gluttony.
14:58For most of the series,
15:00Chocolate Boy was a minor character known for an obsession with a certain treat.
15:03It's usually played for laughs,
15:05but once he gets his very own episode,
15:07we see the horrifying side of his sweet tooth.
15:09He's willing to degrade and humiliate himself to get his chocolate fix.
15:22Worst of all, his obsession stems from a broken heart
15:24after losing his beloved nanny.
15:26Thankfully, Chocolate Boy has a friend like Arnold
15:28to help him overcome his dependence.
15:30The whole episode speaks to the realities of other substance use disorders,
15:34but handles the subject matter delicately enough to still be safe for the network.
15:51Ginger writes a poem for a school contest,
15:53but unfortunately, it doesn't get the attention she expected.
15:57The rest of the school becomes convinced that Ginger is depressed,
16:00and this poem is a cry for help.
16:02Ginger's poem tells of a sad girl who feels trapped in the world
16:05and longs to disappear from it all.
16:18It's a brilliant poem that highlights her writing talent,
16:20but it's easy to see why it raised so many red flags for everyone else.
16:24Mental health is a tricky subject to tackle in a kids' cartoon,
16:28but the more mature tone of As Told by Ginger and the artistic imagery
16:32ensured that it was handled with dignity and sincerity.
16:47When you think of your worst enemy, who do you think of?
16:58Sam and Tucker. It's been a while. Ten years, to be accurate.
17:03In this episode, Danny discovers that he may be both his own and society's greatest enemy
17:08when he sees a glimpse into his future.
17:11It doesn't matter if I go back in time or not. I'll never turn into you. Never!
17:16Of course you will. It's only a matter of time.
17:21Danny learns that his future self is a menace who not only wreaks havoc on strangers,
17:26but also on his loved ones.
17:28This episode taps into a fear that many of us have,
17:31in which we worry about what we may become,
17:34and whether or not succumbing to the worst version of ourselves is inevitable.
17:38I can't go ghost! No!
17:52Stay back, whale! I'm privy to what you do to organisms like me!
17:56I've seen those documentaries!
17:58It's surreal to think of how many dark episodes SpongeBob has surprised us with.
18:02Episodes like Nasty Patty and Are You Happy Now? go to some unexpected places.
18:07But one of the most infamous episodes was One Coarse Meal.
18:10In this bleak tale, Mr. Krabs uses Plankton's fear of whales to torment the villainous pipsqueak.
18:16Things get uncomfortable fast as Plankton's fear overwhelms him.
18:19He eventually reaches a low point and wants to be put out of his misery.
18:23That's it, I'm done. The 415 bus should be along any time now.
18:28Meanwhile, Mr. Krabs revels in his rival's self-destruction,
18:31and SpongeBob only barely tries to help.
18:33Many fans found the episode tasteless in how it handled sensitive topics.
18:37We're floored that the show would tackle the subject at all.
18:44How far would you go to fit in?
18:46In this harrowing episode,
18:47Zim proves that he's willing to go to extreme lengths to hide his alien nature.
18:52Say, you're full of organs, aren't you?
18:55Why, yes. Yes, I am.
18:57And you wouldn't notice if you were, say, missing a finger?
19:01Probably not.
19:12He does so by harvesting his classmates' organs and replacing them with various objects
19:17in order to appear more human.
19:19The act of harvesting children's organs is horrifying enough,
19:23but the casual manner in which Zim steals his classmates' organs
19:26makes the whole ordeal even more upsetting.
19:42This show was definitely meant for older kids,
19:44but even so, people of any age would find this episode disturbing.
19:48Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
19:51and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
19:55You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
19:59If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
20:09If thinking about blood makes you squeamish,
20:11you might find it difficult to get through this episode of Avatar The Last Airbender.
20:16Katara meets Hama,
20:17an old innkeeper who has mastered the art of waterbending.
20:20When you're a waterbender in a strange land,
20:23you do what you must to survive.
20:26Tonight I'll teach you the ultimate technique of waterbending.
20:29However, Katara soon learns that water is everywhere,
20:33including the human body,
20:34and that Hama is performing bloodbending on civilians.
20:38She seems like a normal old woman,
20:41but she controls people like some dark puppet master.
20:46Hama!
20:47Yes, the innkeeper!
20:48Katara is eventually forced to use bloodbending herself,
20:52as it's the only way to defeat Hama and save her friends.
21:05While the bloodbending aspect is horrifying in and of itself,
21:08Katara's psychological distress as a result of the dark side of her powers
21:12makes this episode truly gut-wrenching.
21:15Congratulations, Katara.
21:18You're a bloodbender.
21:29What Nickelodeon episode gave you the willies?
21:31Let us know in the comments.
21:33Look at you!
21:34You've gone too far!
21:36You're a hideous blob of stolen organs!
21:39I've been working out.
21:43Do you agree with our picks?
21:44Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
21:47And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.