“Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!” Ren & Stimpy revived at Comedy Central

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

It has been nearly 25 years since Ren & Stimpy wrapped up its run but the popular duo is returning to TV! It has been announced that Comedy Central has greenlit a "reimagined" take on Ren & Stimpy.

The former Nickelodeon and Spike adult animated series' revival marks the latest push into adult animation by the ViacomCBS-owned cable network. ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group president Chris McCarthy, also greenlit Daria spinoff Jodie, updates of Beavis & Butt-Head and Clone High. Both Jodie and Beavis & Butt-head are also headed to Comedy Central while Clone High doesn't have a network attached as of yet.

Details on the new Ren & Stimpy are few and far between at the moment but the plan is to hire a new creative team for the update which will be reimagined for a new generation of viewers. The animated effort comes from Nickelodeon Animation Studio while additional information, including writers, the episode count, and premiere date, have yet to be determined. McCarthy had this to say about the Ren & Stimpy revival:

"We are excited to reinvent this iconic franchise with a new creative team and our partners at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio. Ren & Stimpy joins our rapidly expanding roster of adult animation including South Park, Beavis & Butt-Head and Clone High as we continue to reimagine our treasure chest of beloved IP for new generations."

Nickelodeon, home to the original Ren & Stimpy, will be overseeing the new take with ViacomCBS' in-house production studios taking on producing duties. This is McCarthy's latest major programming acquisition for Comey Central since he began his tenure when he replaced former network president Kent Alterman as part of a larger ViacomCBS executive consolidation. 

Ren & Stimpy was originally created by John Kricfalusi and focused on the adventures of Ren, a temperamental Chihuahua, and his less than smart sidekick, Stimpy. The show began its run in 1991 as part of Nickelodeon's Nicktoons marketing push that also included Rugrats and Doug. The series went on to become a pop culture hit and cult favorite but Nickelodeon took a lot of heat for Ren & Stimpy's adult content and lack of educational value. During its run, many segments were edited to remove references to religion, politics, and alcohol. The show ran for five seasons and close to 100 episodes and eventually led to a more adult-oriented spinoff called Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon, which aired on Spike, now known as the Paramount Network. Six episodes were produced of the Adult Party Cartoon version of Ren & Stimpy but only three aired.

Will YOU be watching the new Ren & Stimpy?