'The Orange Years' Trailer: Nickelodeon Creators And Stars Dig Into The Kids Cable Channel's History

During the 1990s, you were either a Disney Channel kid or a Nickelodeon kid. While Disney Channel may have had the roster of multi-talented stars who would become big names in film, TV and music, Nickelodeon is where risks were being taken and kids were mesmerized and obsessed with the more edgy line-up of programming that didn't feel like it was pandering to them just because they were young.

Soon you'll be able to find out how it all happened in the new documentary The Orange Years, and the first trailer features the many stars and creators who made Nickelodeon the definitive kids cable channel.

I feel like the history of Nickelodeon could fill an entire documentary series. After all, there was just recently an entire movie about Ren & Stimpy alone. But directors Scott Barber and Adam Sweeney are trying to pull it off in just over an hour and a half. That's quite the task, but hopefully they can make it happen with the help of Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell, Marc Summers, Tom Kenny, Larisa Oleynik and various other stars from Are You Afraid of the Dark, The Secret World of Alex Mack, All That, Salute Your Shorts, and the many Nicktoons such as Rugrats, Doug, Rocko's Modern Life and more.

As a Nickelodeon kid myself, this documentary is right up my alley. I can't tell you how many hours that I spent in front the television as a kid – my fascination with all their programming couldn't be squashed. Sure, I went out and rode my bike with friends, climbed trees, played baseball, and all that jazz. But there was something so magical about watching Nickelodeon as a kid. It was edgy and weird enough that you almost felt like you were getting away with something.

For millions of children and adults, the Nickelodeon Network is synonymous with growing up. In just a few years, the channel grew from a small local channel to an international phenomenon that helped shape a generation. Led by trailblazing visionary Geraldine Laybourne and her commitment to putting kids first, a group of unconventional heroes turned an underdog channel into an $8 billion dollar juggernaut as the golden standard for children's programming.The Orange Years chronicles the rise of Nickelodeon, with the actors, writers, and creators from all the golden age Nickelodeon shows that shaped your lives. It's wild. It's crazy. It changed the world.

The Orange Years will be available on VOD starting on November 17, 2020. Pre-order it at iTunes right here.