While Nickelodeon might sometimes be overlooked when it comes to children's television, they have certainly proven themselves to be a reliable source of entertainment for kids of all ages. In fact, the channel was the first-ever cable channel dedicated solely to children.
Since its inception, Nickelodeon has consistently put out some of the best live-action and animated shows for children. From traditionally animated sitcoms to sketch comedy shows, there's nothing Nickelodeon hasn't done. And unlike Disney Channel and their 65 episode rule, Nickelodeon has never canceled a show for existing for too long.
iCarly - 97 Episodes
After getting her start on the Nickelodeon sitcom Drake and Josh, Miranda Cosgrove managed to land her own show: iCarly. The series centered around Carly Shay and her two best friends who run an internet show out of their apartment building.
iCarly premiered on Nickelodeon in September 2007 and wrapped up in November 2012 with 6 seasons and 97 episodes under its belt. The series even earned its own Nickelodeon original film: iGo to Japan and had an episode featuring the hit boyband One Direction.
The Thundermans - 98 Episodes
The Thundermans centers on the Thunderman family who appear to be an ordinary family but are actually superheroes in disguise. Each member of the family has a unique superpower except twins Phoebe and Max who share the same powers but manage to use them differently.
The Thundermans made its debut on Nickelodeon in October 2013 and aired for 4 seasons spanning 98 episodes before its run came to an end in May 2018.
Hey Arnold - 100 Episodes
Loosely inspired by a character on Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Hey Arnold centers on Arnold, a young boy who lives with his grandparents in a boarding house full of interesting tenants.
Hey Arnold aired for five seasons on Nickelodeon reaching the coveted 100 episode milestone before the series was canceled in 2004. The series was so successful it even earned two films during its tenure. One released theatrically in 2002 while the other released on television in March 2016, over ten years after the series ended.
The Loud House - 110 Episodes
The Loud House is an animated original show that centers on Lincoln Loud, the only boy of his family that consists of ten sisters. Each episode finds Lincoln up to a new antic alongside his best friend Clyde and of course, his hoard of sisters.
The Loud House premiered in May 2016 and has currently aired 110 episodes. The series was recently renewed for a 6th season setting it up to be one of Nickelodeon's longest-running shows in no time. In its short time, the series has managed to earn its own film that is set to release on Netflix in 2021 and a spin-off series.
Rugrats - 171 Episodes
Rugrats premiered in August 1991 and became Nickeldoen's second "Nicktoon" to hit the air. In fact, the animated series is one of the most popular "Nicktoons" of all time and helped Nickelodeon define its animated shows.
The series focused on Tommy Pickles, a young toddler, and his neighborhood best friends who regularly went on imaginary adventures while their parents weren't watching them. The series aired from 1991 to 2004, ending with 172 episodes and several movies. Rugrats is so popular, it is finally getting a reboot that is set to release in 2021.
The Fairly OddParents - 172 Episodes
Dethroning Rugrats for the title of second-longest animated Nickelodeon show is none other than The Fairly OddParents. The animated series centered on Timmy Turner, a young boy who earns a set of fairy godparents who hope to help him survive his absent parents and abusive babysitter.
The animated series premiered on the network in 2001 and briefly ended in 2006 before the series was once again picked up. This time The Fairly OddParents ran until 2011 ending with 172 episodes aired.
Henry Danger - 121 Episodes
If Disney Channel has a thing for singing shows, then Nickelodeon has a thing for superhero shows. Riding off the high of The Thundermans, Nickelodeon created Henry Danger which follows Henry Hart, a young teenager who takes a job as a sidekick-in-training to Captain Man.
Henry Danger premiered in July 2014 and finished its run with 121 episodes in march 2021. It currently holds the record for being Nickelodeon's longest-running live-action scripted television show of all time.
Legends Of The Hidden Temple - 120 Episodes
Back in the 1990s, reality competition shows weren't just for adults; in fact, Nickelodeon was at the forefront of creating competition shows for kids to compete in. One of their more popular competition shows was Legends of the Hidden Temple which saw teams compete in various obstacles in order to save the temple from an evil curse and win the show.
Legends of the Hidden Temple aired on Nickelodeon from September 1993 to November 1995. Though that doesn't seem very long, the series managed to air 120 episodes during that time.
All That - 205 Episodes
While variety shows like Saturday Night Live regularly catered to adult audiences, Nickelodeon decided to adapt the format for kids, and thus All That was born. The series featured an ensemble cast who would act in different sketches week to week.
The series originally aired from 1994 to 2005 before being revived in 2019. To date, All That has aired 205 episodes and has even helped kick start the careers of many young comedians. In fact, SNL's longest-running member Kenan Thompson got his start on All That.
SpongeBob Squarepants - 265 Episodes
It should come as no surprise that Nickelodeon's most successful show of all time is also their longest-running show of all time. SpongeBob SquarePants first premiered in May 1999 and since then he has been making audiences around the world laugh.
SpongeBob SquarePants centers on SpongeBob, a young sponge who lives in Bikini Bottom and works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab. To date, the series has aired over 265 episodes and it is currently in its seventeenth season. SpongeBob SquarePants has also earned the honor of being the fifth-longest running animated series in American history.