‘Ren & Stimpy’ Reboot is Happening at Comedy Central

August 5, 2020

The Ren & Stimpy Show is coming back, as it has been reported that an updated reboot is now in the works at Comedy Central. The reboot will be a part of the network’s push towards more adult animation, as it will join South Park and similar animated programming.

“We are excited to reinvent this iconic franchise with a new creative team and our partners at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio,” said Chris McCarthy, President of ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group, in a statement published by Deadline. “Ren & Stimpy joins our rapidly expanding roster of adult animation including South Park, Beavis and Butt-Head and Clone High as we continue to reimagine our treasure chest of beloved IP for new generations.”

Created by John Kricfalusi, The Ren & Stimpy Show first debuted on Nickelodeon in 1991. Although it aired alongside shows like Rugrats and other classic Nick Toons, the series was considered to be much more adult than the others. This was partially due to its disgusting imagery, giving the cartoon somewhat of a Garbage Pail Kids vibe. Still, it was a hit with young viewers, lasting for five seasons on the network before ending its initial run.

In 2003, Kricfalusi revived the show with Ren & Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon on TNN. This time, the series embraced its adult content, delivering six new episodes that were very raunchy and violent. While entertaining in another way, the show didn’t click with viewers as well as the milder version on Nickelodeon, leading to a quick end for the revival. At that point, it probably looked like we’d never see Ren and Stimpy again.

It’s not clear exactly how Comedy Central will present their version of the dog-and-cat duo, but saying they’re going to “reinvent” the show with a “new creative team” suggests it will be quite different from both of the previous versions. Let’s just hope the second revival fares better than the Adult Party Cartoon.