Who here remembers the days when Nickelodeon pioneered new shows and put sketch comedies to the forefront? Many memorable shows were airing during this time, and it’s a safe bet that many of these shows have influenced the Network in a multitude of ways. The late ’90s and early ’00s were full of unique comedy shows, including All That, Kenan & Kel, and Oh Yeah! Cartoons. That brings us to one highly quirky show that ran from 1996 to 2000, Kablam! Also written as KaBLaM!, this animated sketch comedy show was full of heart and fun oddities. It’s safe to say that it left a mark on our generation.
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Kablam! was created by Robert Mittenthal, Will McRobb, and Chris Viscardi and premiered through Nickelodeon’s Friday Night slot, “More Nick”. Essentially, it was a prime-time show from the start, allowing it to experiment with a shorter storytelling format. The show itself was divided into different segments, so there was something for almost every viewer, which was a significant benefit for kids. Kablam! ran for four seasons, plus four specials.
Henry and June
At the helm of Kablam! were Henry and June, the show’s animated hosts. They had a distinct comic book look, giving off an air of nostalgia even when the show was new. Voiced by Noah Segan and Julia McIlvaine, Henry and June were more than bland hosts. They had their own jokes and gimmicks, not to mention a lot of lore centered around their specific stories.
Fun fact: Henry and June shorts would survive Kablam!‘s ending, as they would go on to live in MAD, a Warner Bros. Animation cartoon. What a strange journey these two characters had!
Action League Now!
While Kablam! experimented with a lot of different ideas and segments, it also had several recurring shorts and characters. One of the most popular had to be Action League Now! Action League Now! is famous for its combination of live-action stop motion and the pioneering of “chuckimation” (stop frame animation and literally throwing figures to give the appearance of movement).
The cast of Action League Now! included The Flesh, Thundergirl, Stinky Diver, Meltman, The Chief, Justice, The Mayor, etc. It was an expansive cast with a pretty wild concept. Action League Now! was one of a couple of shows to get a spinoff series before Kablam! came to an end.
Angela Anaconda
Another recurring segment was Angela Anaconda. Angela Anaconda is the type of skirt that fans may have forgotten about, but the moment you see the visuals, it all comes flooding back. Angela Anaconda follows eight-year-old Angela as she navigates her small town, complete with daydreams, crushes that feel larger than life, and more than a few archenemies to contend with.
Angela Anaconda was created using cutout animation, the same style originally used to create the iconic South Park series. However, Angela Anaconda is somewhat different in that it utilizes largely grayscale photographs to give it that more unique feeling. Angela Anaconda also got a spin-off before Kablam! came to an end.
Prometheus and Bob
Prometheus and Bob is simultaneously one of the best and strangest things to come out of Kablam! The story followed Prometheus, an alien who bravely came to Earth to teach a caveman. If you guessed that the caveman was named Bon, you win a prize! Naturally, what seemed like a relatively simple task did not go well, especially once the third character, a playful monkey (dubbed The Monkey), got spun up.
Prometheus and Bob was created using stop-motion animation and has a mission log vibe to the storytelling format. The Narrator is the only character with speaking lines, providing voice-overs to the latest failed education attempt.
Kablam! Was Unafraid to Get Playful and Experimental
Since the show was largely experimental, there were dozens of shows and segments, some of which repeated more often than others. The ones listed above are just some of the more popular examples. Other segments that may tickle your memories include Life with Loopy, The Off-Beats, Sniz & Fondue, and Surprising Shorts.
At the end of the day, Kablam! was a brilliant and fun show that wasn’t afraid to experiment with different storytelling formats and themes. The show had a distinct DIY feel to the whole thing, which somehow made it even more charming. It’s the sort of thing that grabs onto your brain and makes for a solid trip down nostalgia lane. We love that Kablam! broke the mold and went against expectations of the time, as that opened the door to many wonderful (and admittedly chaotic) adventures.
Kablam! is available to stream on Paramount+.
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Image Courtesy of Ufotable
