'Rocket Power' remembered as rad, action-packed
Kelley Willis
Issue date: 9/30/09 Section: Entertainment
9/30/09 - "We are riders, on a mission, kids in play position, Rocket Power! Rocket Power! We are riders, on a mission, action kids in fun condition, prepare to countdown…. Rocket Power!"
This was the theme song that ran through every "Rocket Power" fan's head after watching this Nickelodeon favorite, full of street and water sports, long-lasting friendship and lessons about overcoming the ups and downs of pre-teen life.
"Rocket Power," which first aired in 1999, may have been the last Nicktoon of the 90s, but it certainly was not any less "gnarly" than the rest. It is obvious to our generation that 90s Nickelodeon was a privilege for us to experience as children and today's Nickelodeon just can't measure up to shows such as "Rocket Power."
Set in Ocean Shores, Calif. with the dynamic characters Otto, Reggie, Twister and Squid, this show was an unforgettable phenomenon. Not only was "Rocket Power," just so cool, but it also taught us lessons about making mistakes, learning the consequences and getting back up again with a little help from your friends.
Otto was the cool character that could always be found wearing his shades. He was the athletic, competitive, and cocky younger "bro" to Reggie, the cool, mature, "surfer girl" known for her unique and carefree attitude.
Reggie, also the leader of the group, showed girls that they too could be friends with the guys and dominate in sports. Reggie was also an aspiring publisher who had her own magazine called The Zine. Twister, Otto's best friend was the so-called "bad boy" of the show that could always be found with a video camera. He was not always the most intelligent of the group, to say the least.
Squid the nerdy, pasty white boy from Kansas was known for being the brains of the group. Although Squid was never the most athletic of the group, as the show went on, he found a niche in surfing.
And how could I forget, the famous Uncle Tito who could be found at the Shore Shack, proclaiming, "as the ancient Hawaiians used to say…"
Uncle Tito may have just seemed to be there to give the foursome a good laugh, but in reality the stories that Uncle Tito told all had important messages that the kids learned to listen to.
Other favorite phrases used in Rocket Power included "woogity, woogity, woogity"after a secret handshake that Twister and Otto often used as a sort of bonding technique. The terms "Bust!" and "Major beef!" were used to describe these characters' athletic failures.
"Rocket Power" was a show that avoided the boy/girl stereotypes that other children's shows commonly resort to. "Rocket Power" was so much more than just another Nicktoon; it was a 90s Nicktoon that avoided the shallowness of the majority of today's cartoons.
If only "Rocket Power" were still airing today, America's next generation would have the help from Reggie, Otto, Twister and Squid in making it through their pre-teen years just as we did.
This was the theme song that ran through every "Rocket Power" fan's head after watching this Nickelodeon favorite, full of street and water sports, long-lasting friendship and lessons about overcoming the ups and downs of pre-teen life.
"Rocket Power," which first aired in 1999, may have been the last Nicktoon of the 90s, but it certainly was not any less "gnarly" than the rest. It is obvious to our generation that 90s Nickelodeon was a privilege for us to experience as children and today's Nickelodeon just can't measure up to shows such as "Rocket Power."
Set in Ocean Shores, Calif. with the dynamic characters Otto, Reggie, Twister and Squid, this show was an unforgettable phenomenon. Not only was "Rocket Power," just so cool, but it also taught us lessons about making mistakes, learning the consequences and getting back up again with a little help from your friends.
Otto was the cool character that could always be found wearing his shades. He was the athletic, competitive, and cocky younger "bro" to Reggie, the cool, mature, "surfer girl" known for her unique and carefree attitude.
Reggie, also the leader of the group, showed girls that they too could be friends with the guys and dominate in sports. Reggie was also an aspiring publisher who had her own magazine called The Zine. Twister, Otto's best friend was the so-called "bad boy" of the show that could always be found with a video camera. He was not always the most intelligent of the group, to say the least.
Squid the nerdy, pasty white boy from Kansas was known for being the brains of the group. Although Squid was never the most athletic of the group, as the show went on, he found a niche in surfing.
And how could I forget, the famous Uncle Tito who could be found at the Shore Shack, proclaiming, "as the ancient Hawaiians used to say…"
Uncle Tito may have just seemed to be there to give the foursome a good laugh, but in reality the stories that Uncle Tito told all had important messages that the kids learned to listen to.
Other favorite phrases used in Rocket Power included "woogity, woogity, woogity"after a secret handshake that Twister and Otto often used as a sort of bonding technique. The terms "Bust!" and "Major beef!" were used to describe these characters' athletic failures.
"Rocket Power" was a show that avoided the boy/girl stereotypes that other children's shows commonly resort to. "Rocket Power" was so much more than just another Nicktoon; it was a 90s Nicktoon that avoided the shallowness of the majority of today's cartoons.
If only "Rocket Power" were still airing today, America's next generation would have the help from Reggie, Otto, Twister and Squid in making it through their pre-teen years just as we did.
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