The 25 most memorable Nicktoons characters

It's near impossible to pick your favorite characters from the wide world of Nicktoons, but EW's nostalgia-loving staff did our best to choose the 25 most memorable — those whom we're still wishing we could hang out with.

Did a children's show just find a way to talk about poverty and homelessness in a very real way that didn't mention either word? Yes, yes, Hey Arnold! did. Stoop Kid's legend lives on not just in the catchy chant that follows him ("Stoop kid's afraid to leave his stoop!"), but in the very idea that he represents far more than the bounds of his urban staircase. —Marc Snetiker

900,000 years ago, there was Prometheus and Bob: an alien and his caveman friend, trying to learn basic everyday tasks with their pal Monkey to often disastrous and hilarious results. —Adam Lujan and Allison Sadlier

Stinky though he may be, Krumm is absolutely one of the most memorable monsters of Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, given that he had to carry his eyeballs in his hands every day of his life (except when he plopped them in his mouth, of course). But good ol' Krumm kept things lighthearted, even juggling them from time to time! —Isabella Biedenharn

Norbert, a.k.a. Norb, was one half of the dynamic sibling relationship on Angry Beavers. With his quick wit and sarcastic streak, Norb could always be trusted to drive his younger brother Dag crazy. —A.L. & A.S.

That voice! Constance Shulman's unique and scratchy vocals brought the apple of Doug Funnie's eye to life and made her unforgettable. —Chancellor Agard

CatDog's existence (albeit an animated one) is unforgettable. The conjoined brothers have become the classic cartoon siblings of the '90s, reminding us that it's totally OK to go off the wall trying to live and love the same people FOREVER, like your eccentric aunts or impossible roommates. —Erin Kim

The animated athletics of Rocket Power were undoubtedly intended to inspire couch-bound kids to step outside for once, but, instead, we mostly stayed inside and listened to Tito. The Shore Shack's hamburger chef was full of philosophical sayings that were just as often goofy and nonsensical as they were deep or meaningful, and it made him the Yoda of Nicktoons.—Christian Holub

Zim is ambitious, passionate, and has undeniably incredible hair. Maybe it's his wide-eyed, unmatchable fervor to achieve his dark dreams, or his slick burgundy outfit suited for an international spy, but something about Zim makes him a total cartoon crush. —E.K.

As Arnold's scene-stealing, urban legend-telling best friend, Gerald is by far one of the coolest Nick sidekicks around. Just look at the fact that he stole Marge Simpson's hairstyle and made it his own!—I.B.

Before there were hipsters, there was Doug's weird older sister. Judy never wanted to be more than a thespian, free to explore her artistic creativity without bounds — a carefree wish that never could happen in the banal town of Bluffington, but likely thrived when she escaped the city limits. —M.S.

One can barely speak, and the other chooses not to. Wild child Donnie and pessimistic big sister Debbie served up some of Nicktoons' best comic humor in a chaotic partnership as their family traveled the world. Together, the mismatched sibling pair was the ultimate experiment in the triumph of family love over all else — like a horrifying, hilarious precursor to The Amazing Race. —M.S.

Tommy, Chuckie, and Angelica often got the attention, but the charming twins were a consistent, wickedly funny pair that brought most of the comic relief to Rugrats. Plus, their style is undoubtedly iconic, from their designer ducks down to their Macklemore haircuts. —M.S.

It was easy to relate to Ginger, the shy curly-haired redhead who faithfully records the ups and downs of her tween years in her diary. —Madeline Raynor

Unathletic — but never without effort — full of book smarts if not street smarts, and burdened by the worst nickname since Squidward (see next slide), Sammy "Squid" Dullard made it clear that friendship could still trump even the most opposite of interests. Some viewers may never relate to his clumsiness, while others see their entire livelihood in Squid — and it's that very polarization that makes us love him dearly. —M.S.

Is there anything better than a cantankerous and misanthropic octopus who loves to play the clarinet? No. He was the perfect counterpoint to SpongeBob and Patrick's antics. —C.A.

The misadventures of a short-tempered Chihuahua and bumbling cat sound innocent enough, but the cartoon pals' titular show was so bizarre that it's sometimes hard to believe this was for kids. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, it's likely that few who tuned in could ever forget the duo and their fellow absurd characters (like Powdered Toast Man), the jingle for Log, or the earwormy Stinky Wizzleteats hit "Happy Happy Joy Joy." —Jessica Derschowitz

Tommy Pickles always knows when to bust out the wisest words as the leader of the pack, like when your ball is stuck in the other yard, or when you've got to find out the Meanie of Chanukah. You never know what kind of epic speech Tommy will pull out from up his sleeve, er, diaper. —E.K.

Rocko is a little Australian wallaby living in a small American town. Working at Kind of a Lot O'Comics and hanging in Chewy Chicken with his pals Heffer and Filburt, Rocko proves that the struggles of adulthood extend to animals, too. —A.L. & A.S. 

Most Nickelodeon shows had a flailing, mediocre father figure to poke fun at; The Fairly OddParents actually had two, but only one of them was magical. As the chaos to wife Wanda's order, Cosmo's magical whims brought out the show's most surrealistic elements. —C.H.

Nigel Thornberry, the patriarch of the Thornberry family, has a giant nose along with a sometimes indiscernible English accent that makes you laugh every time he exclaims "Smashing!" or mutters about wildlife. —M.R.

She may be mean, she may be obsessed, and she may be entirely unwelcome in lighthearted social situations — but there's a refreshing honesty to Helga Pataki, the perennial bully and secret paramour of Arnold Shortman. Helga is an old soul who knows what she wants and can't help but be stilted by what society expects her to be. Her friendship tendencies aren't to be admired (poor Phoebe), but it's not Helga's fault that her notions of love have been unfairly amplified by great romances of the past — a discrepancy between fantasy and reality that should hit home for anyone who's ever seen a rom-com and expected more. —M.S.

Angelica is the meanest, spoiled brat bully since Veruca Salt, but also a fountain of self-confidence, which we'd argue is important for babies to learn! Plus, who can argue with lines like, "A cookie just tastes better when it's someone else's"? Preach, tiny devil! —I.B.

When so many cartoons are packed with talking animals, whizzbang explosions, and fantastical nonsense, Doug Funnie stood alone as one of the most down-to-earth, relatable protagonists to hit television. Whether he was pining after his crush Patty Mayonnaise, butting heads with his hip older sister Judy, or just killing time with his best friend Skeeter and his dog Porkchop, Doug captured what it's like to be a normal human kid (or, occasionally, a normal human kid pretending to be the invincible superhero Quailman). —Devan Coggan

SpongeBob is the pinnacle of happiness with his joyous grin, infectious giggle, pure heart, and playful shenanigans. —M.R.

The very heart of Nicktoons lies not in a hero, but a sidekick — although, there's no doubt that 'fraidy cat Chuckie Finster is a hero in his own right. In fact, the loyal pal of Tommy Pickles deserves far more credit for overcoming his fears on a constant basis (hey, slides are scary) as he keeps up with the more adventurous baby. —M.S.