This year will mark 25 years since Ren & Stimpy first traumatised us as children. Now, over two decades later, we're much older and, erm, stronger-stomached, so Digital Spy took a brave look back at one of the sickest, bleakest and most downright terrifying children's shows to ever grace our screens.
The show focused on chihuahua Ren, who looked more like a bald cat with strung-out, bloodshot eyes. Stimpy, his dimwitted cat sidekick, seemed more loveable - aside from the exhausted bags under his eyes and disproportionate blue nose. The show was OBSESSED with gross bodily fluids, as well as visceral close-ups showing disgusting levels of detail.
One episode named 'Man's Best Friend' was banned by Nickelodeon for being too violent and eventually debuted as the opening episode of Spike's adult spin-off show Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon", which was full of references to violence, booze and sex.
After so much time it's pretty easy to forget the twisted things that Ren & Stimpy subjected us to, so here are some of the most shocking things that made it so special:
1) That time Ren plucked bloody nerve-endings out of his toothless mouth
2) When Ren's face was mercilessly grated against sharp stubble
3) Or the time Ren climbed up a strand of Stimpy's nose hair, which looked like it might get ripped out of his face
4) Ren beats in his own skull with a claw hammer after using the 'happy machine'
5) Then when Ren pokes this guy in the eyeball repeatedly
6) And gives a vivid description of how he's going to mutilate his cousin and Stimpy
(Starts from 1.26)
7) Ren chews on soap in the bath as he loses his mind… again
8) Ren and Stimpy end up naked in the bath with a random family
9) Then the dad answers the door naked...
10) And their gangster babies restrain Ren while they beat him
11) The time Mr Horse is covered in 'rubber nipples' and has a Walrus held hostage
12) Ren brutally beats a man senseless with a paddle
BONUS!
13. Ren basically simulates sex while sawing wood behind Stimpy
Although, this was from the spin-off adult show, Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon".
So there you have it, 25 years later and Ren & Stimpy are still as messed up as ever - we're off to wash our eyes out with some soap.
Editor-in-Chief -Digital Spy
Laurence Mozafari (he/him) is a multi-award winning journalist, editor, and presenter, currently Editor-in-Chief at Digital Spy, the UK's biggest TV and movies website.
Before that, he held roles as Editor, Deputy Editor, and Associate Editor focusing on news, social, and video.Laurence hosted the BBC Sounds podcast Obsessed with Peaky Blinders in 2019, as well as his own podcast production, Time of My Life, where he interviews fascinating elders about their life lessons, including Only Fools and Horses' Sir David Jason, Star Trek’s George Takei and Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh.
He was previously at Bauer Media working as Digital Editor of Heat magazine’s website, Heatworld.com, and has worked at and written for Sky, NME, Q magazine, Grazia, Closer, FHM and dedicated careers website GoThinkBig.
He secured a first-class BA journalism degree at Staffordshire University, along with several NCTJ qualifications, and now has 14 years' experience in digital publishing covering TV, movies, music, gaming, tech, showbiz, and travel.
Laurence has been a broadcasting contributor on television and radio, including KISS, Heat Radio, BBC Radio London, Radio 5 Live, and BBC Breakfast. He is also a visiting lecturer at various universities teaching journalism, including City, University of London, Nottingham Trent, Staffordshire University and London Metropolitan.
Laurence has won numerous awards in his journalism career, including the BSME Talent Award’s Best Deputy Editor, the PPA's 30 Under 30, and the New Editor and Editor of the Year at the AOP and BSMEs. He led Digital Spy to win PPA's Digital Content Team of the Year twice, along with the British Media Awards’ Brand of the Year in 2021.
Laurence joined the committee for the British Society of Magazine Editors in 2022. He has since hosted panels with CEOs of Immediate Media and the Media Trust at the PPA Festival, as well as presenting his own radio show on Green Man Radio at Green Man Festival in 2022. Laurence is also a Brits voting academy member. Laurence has been lucky enough to interview numerous celebrities, actors, and musicians throughout his career. Arnold Schwarzenegger loved his hair, Jimmy Carr loved his coat and Antonio Banderas gave a shout-out to his mum. Laurence has covered set visits for The Witcher on Netflix and Marvel’s Inhumans, he got Daisy Ridley to do a Chewbacca impression and loves Marvel, PlayStation, Glastonbury and craft beer.
