FORGET the diapers and the baby talk – the Rugrats are “All Grown Up” in a new series of adventures launching on Nickelodeon.
Angelica, Tommy, Chuckie, Phil & Lil, Susie and the rest of the “Rugrats” crew are on the cusp of their teenage years in “All Grown Up,” which fast-forwards them from the playpen to the schoolyard in the spinoff series – launching with a two-hour premiere (8-10 p.m.) Nov. 29.
“All Grown Up” will air in prime time, while repeat episodes of “Rugrats” – featuring the characters in their original incarnations – will continue airing elsewhere on Nick’s schedule.
The new series is an outgrowth of “All Growed Up,” a 10th anniversary “Rugrats” special that aired in July 2001 and was seen by a whopping 70 percent of kids 2-11 (Nick’s target demo).
“It just seemed like the inevitable thing to do, especially after the 10-year anniversary, by aging the characters a little bit,” said “All Grown Up” co-producer Lora Lee.
“If [‘Rugrats’ co-creator Arlene Klasky] was here in the room, she would say that, years ago, she pitched a movie version with the [Rugrats] kids being older.
“So it’s an idea that’s bounced around for a while.”
So how different do the “All Grown Up” Rugrats look?
Well, for starters, bald-as-a-cueball Tommy now has a full head of black hair.
Chuckie’s hair is still carrot-red and he’s wearing braces – but is no longer wearing the same T-shirt he wears in every “Rugrats” episode.
“We think the characters are inherently true to themselves as they were when they were babies,” Lee said.
“They’re obviously changing – it’s a great time of discovery for them; they’re testing and moving against things.”
So what about Dil, Tommy’s baby brother who’s a relatively recent addition to the “Rugrats” family?
“He’s definitely one of the real breakout characters,” Lee said. “He has a really quirky take on the world – he believes in aliens . . . and just chooses the unusual.”
Lee said the “All Grown Up” team has just started on the show’s third season.
“We’ve produced 10 [episodes], wrote another 10 and we’re just starting on the next 10,” she said. “Obviously there’s such a huge fan base for these characters – it’s exciting for the kids and their parents.”