First off, let me get this out of the way…
Okay, now we can move on.
Ren & Stimpy was quite the cutting edge show of it’s time. It aired on Nickelodeon from 1991 to 1996. But why don’t I let Wikipedia tell the story (because they do it so much better than I).
“The Ren & Stimpy Show, often simply referred to as Ren & Stimpy, is an American animated television series, created by Canadian animator John Kricfalusi. The show premiered on August 11, 1991, on Nickelodeon as part of its Nicktoons block along with Rugrats and Doug. The series focuses on the titular characters: Ren Höek, an emotionally unstable chihuahua, and Stimpson J. Cat, a good-natured, dimwitted cat. The show ran for five seasons on the network. The show has received critical acclaim and developed a cult following during and after its run, while some critics credit it along with The Simpsons for leading the way for satirical animated shows like Beavis and Butt-head and South Park, and playing a significant role in television animation. Throughout its run, The Ren & Stimpy Show was controversial for its off-color humor, sexual innuendo, and violence which were rare for television animation of the time. This controversy contributed to the production staff’s altercations with Nickelodeon’s Standards and Practices department. A spin-off for adult audiences, Ren & Stimpy “Adult Party Cartoon”, aired in 2003 on Spike, but was cancelled soon after its debut.”
“Ren & Stimpy” really was quite an innovative show. But once they ousted it’s creator (John Kricfalusi was fired in September of 1992), it just wasn’t the same. Just think what happened to “Community” when they fired Dan Harmon. Okay, maybe it didn’t get that bad (or maybe it did – it’s been a while since I’ve seen “Ren & Stimpy”), but the show definitely lost something.
So for all of you animation fans, I’ve included the storyboard packet for the episode entitled “Space Madness.” It was first broadcast on August 25, 1991. It’s definitely interesting to see how these things are laid out in storyboard form before they eventually head on over to the animators.
I’ve also tossed in the actual episode below so have fun reading and comparing the storyboards to the broadcast version. But before we get there, just one more final…
Click HERE to see the Storyboards
Enjoy the Episode