TV Shows You Shouldn’t Have Watched As A Kid - Page 10

Have you ever had a moment of nostalgia that made you decide to watch one of your favorite shows from when you were a child?  Once you started watching it, was the feeling of nostalgia replaced by growing horror when you realized:  “I should not have been watching this as a child!”

You’re not alone!  Now, I’m not saying that they were bad shows, or that they were even targeting children to watch them.  Most of them featured on this list are extremely good shows… just too mature for some of the children that were watching them.

Here are 14 TV shows that you probably watched when you were younger that you definitely shouldn’t have.

Tales from the Crypt

This article is inspired by having a “Tales From the Crypt” marathon on Youtube, only to be horrified that I actually watched the show as a child!  Granted, I watched the Fox version (not the HBO version, which was filled with more nudity and profanity), but regardless… this was NOT a show for children!

Good memories, but if my daughter ever asked to watch it before the age of 35, we’re gonna have a problem.

Rocko’s Modern Life

Now, I loved “Rocko’s Modern Life,” and when it was on Netflix, I watched it constantly.  However, I realized just how many adult themes and jokes were going over my head.

Don’t be surprised, it was intentional.  The creator, Joe Murray, was alleged to say that it was his goal to see how much stuff he could get past the censors each episode.  Well, good sir, it was a lot of stuff that went past them.

Ren & Stimpy

“Ren and Stimpy” started off airing between “Doug” and “Rugrats.” However, Nickelodeon wanted to clean up due to it being too rude, crude and incredibly risque.

One of my favorite episodes (which definitely should not have been) was when Stimpy cultivated a following and put Ren in charge of answering his fan letters.  Ren contemplating KILLING Stimpy with his “dirty hands” should have been enough to have me change the channel, but it wasn’t.

Aeon Flux

“Aeon Flux” was when my mother started putting her foot down on what we were watching.  Once she realized not all cartoons were created for children, she was horrified when she saw us watching this program, and banned it and MTV for a few years.

But can you blame her?  The show featured an assassin that would get down when she could.  The violence and sexuality was not suited for children, but a lot of kids in my school watched the show.

The Maxx

“The Maxx” focused on a man who was a vagrant in the real world, but a protector in an alternate world.  In the alternate world he would protect the Jungle Queen, who was his case worker in the real world.

As both characters guided their way through life, both dealt with Julie’s (the social worker/Jungle Queen) back story of being raped when she was in college, and her rapist being in constant pursuit of her.  Too deep for children…

Beavis and Butt-head

After a few children began to imitate the titular character’s obsession with fire, “Beavis and Butt-head” came under fire in the 90s for being an animated show with adult themes.

Though the show first introduced audiences to Daria Morgendorffer, “Beavis and Butt-head” is mainly remembered due to the crude, adult friendly jokes.

The Simpsons

Though I’ve been DVR-ing all of my favorite “Simpsons” episodes from the marathon on FXX, and own a few of the seasons, I know that this show was not meant for children.

However, the imperfect family seemed to be a perfect pick for many people in the 90s and afterward.  But, it also received its fair share of criticism for adult themes in an animated forum.

Daria

Now, I know I waxed on poetically about how amazing “Daria” is, and it is!  However, I was in middle school when I fell in love with the show, and it might have been a little too mature for me at the time.

“Daria” focused on an intelligent teenager who was constantly trying to understand the vapid world around her.

As Daria got older, so did the issues she and the other characters faced, such as sex, drugs, drinking, and exploring your sexuality.

The X-Files

Yes, everyone is looking for the truth, and it was good to know that the “truth is out there.”  However, that truth wasn’t meant for children!

The critically acclaimed show that featured FBI agents Mulder and Scully who researched paranormal cases seemed popular to many of my classmates.

Married with Children

Al and Peggy Bundy were the protagonists on the show “Married with Children.”  The dueling couple faced issues of sobriety, happiness, and fidelity, while trying to raise their two out of control teens.

The show came under fire for their adult themes and early time slot, but it didn’t stop the show from airing for 11 seasons.

Seinfeld

“Seinfeld” was that show!  The characters, the themes, the adult situations that were tactfully approached, made the show the amazing thing that it still is now.

Amazing show!  Just not kid appropriate.

Unhappily Ever After

I always thought that “Unhappily” was too similar to “Married With Children,” which I found out it should have been.  It was created by the same guy who co-created “Married…”

The same themes that “Married With Children” faced, “Unhappily” did as well, but they brought it to the WB viewers.

Now, before we finish, I have a few honorable mentions:

“New York Undercover” – Great show, but could be violent.

“Matlock” – I still love this show, but was traumatized as a kid when on one episode a perpetrator tried to kill Matlock when he caught him in a lie.

“Mama’s Family” – I still love this show, but when I think about, it probably wasn’t appropriate for kids (especially how Vin and Naomi was so dedicated to getting down at any and all times).

“Unsolved Mysteries” – Children do not need to be scared, but we watched this and we were terrified!

Each show was great, but too involved for children.  But I’m dedicating this to the 90s and millennials out there who grew up watching:

 Family Guy

“Family Guy” focused on the dysfunctional Griffin family ran by the incredibly misguided Peter Griffin.  As the characters grow in popularity, so did their misdeeds.  Stewie, the baby, shows great signs of murderous intent, paired with his even greater intelligence.

One of the most logical characters is Brian, the dog, but even he gets it wrong sometimes.

Did I miss your favorites?  What shows did you watch as a child that you shouldn’t have?  Help me feel better about myself by sharing in the comment section.