(AfroGamers.com) Most of us had our favourite shows that we grew up with. These shows became our favourites based on their genre being our favourite, the creators behind it who we can’t help but love or simply the channel the shows played on a lot of times giving what we wanted from a live action or animated series just right. Across the globe, there are a lot of kids channels, specifically those targeted at tweens and teens. But there were channels which a lot of people (young and old) can agree were recognised for their top-tier content. Among others, Disney XD and Nickelodeon were arguably in the top 5 best kids channels ever!
XD VS. Nick. Cartoons
Even though Disney XD and Nickelodeon can easily be put up there with other popular kids’ TV channels like Cartoon Network and Disney Channel, it begs the question, which one is actually better than the other? This may be a slightly controversial take, but… Disney XD appears to one up Nickelodeon – if only a little bit.
When it comes to each channel’s cartoons, there is a fifty-fifty impression on which one did them better. That is to say, there are a good number of great and memorable animated series from both Disney XD and Nickelodeon – and deciding which channel takes the crown in that regard is a little hard to say. However, what can be said is that XD had animated series that fell victim to being ‘background’ shows. Yes, these cartoons were good and interesting – especially when you look at Gravity Falls, Phineas and Ferb, and Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja – but there were others that only stayed as lingering memories at the back of our minds as shows we once watched. Cartoons like Wander Over Yonder and Star Wars Rebels come to mind.
In comparison, Nick cartoons gave off a ‘hit-or-miss’ vibe – the cartoons would either gain popularity or fail and end up as filler for the channel’s programmes schedule. Nickelodeon produced a lot of shows – cartoons, live action shows, game shows, award shows etc. – and to those tweens and teens who preferred other kids channels over Nick, they might have felt overwhelmed by that sheer number and choose to avoid the channel. But that didn’t deter Nick, because it still became one of the most popular channels ever – going as far as rivalling Disney. That is why cartoons like Spongebob Squarepants, The Fairly Odd Parents, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Danny Phantom, managed to stand out and make a name for themselves among even kids who didn’t watch the channel religiously.
XD VS. Nick. Live Action Shows
The real challenge in establishing the better live action shows from these two channels is the difference in target audience. XD explicitly made shows which mainly targeted towards teen boys between ages 10-14 whilst Nick targeted both boys and girls who ranged from 2-11 with other shows ranging from 12-17. Another challenge is how they both shaped the foundations of their live action series differently – XD went after action with Nick going after comedy, most of the times.
In terms of live action shows on XD, they fell under the action/adventure genre. As it catered more to male audiences, the main characters of all these shows were mainly men and/or teen boys. Shows like Pair of Kings, Kickin’ It and Lab Rats included a single girl character to form part of the ‘main squad’, to almost introduce viewers to a strong girl character. Nick also has shows like this such as Kid Danger with Charlotte being the ‘strong girl character’, but most of their other live action series consisted of a group of friends being the main cast with the essence of the show’s story being about their daily lives and shenanigans. For example, shows like iCarly, Game Shakers and Nicky, Ricky, Dicky and Dawn. Any action and adventure that took place was often times spontaneous and a part of an exaggerated form of comedy whereas XD live action shows made any fight scenes, and ‘thrill junky’ scenes meaningful to the story. Just like when the Davenport kids tried stopping a runaway train with their biologically engineered powers on Lab Rats.
It was only a matter of preference when it came to which channel to watch live action series on, but Disney XD was honestly better in decidedly staying consistent in their structured action-adventure storytelling. Unlike with Nickelodeon who, after releasing a new series, sometimes felt like they were experimenting with new concepts to see if their audiences would like it – such as with Fred: The Show.
Which was More Iconic?
Putting it simply, Disney XD and Nickelodeon – depending on your ideal era – are iconic. There are shows, episodes, characters and character moments that are so iconic in Disney XD that avid watchers of the channel can spend hours talking about them. One of the biggest examples of this is Gravity Falls. The animated series wasn’t just a show but it had its viewers solving in-show and real-world puzzles in order to uncover more lore and mysteries from the series. The Bill Cipher Hunt from 2016 and the Book of Bill from 2024 are the most popular and iconic eras fans have experienced.
In the case of Nickelodeon, they had their fair (and high) share of iconic shows and moments. Like SpongeBob and Aang, who have evolved into two of many iconic characters in cartoon history among the current and previous generations of Nick kids, and the iconic slime moments that have become a traditional part of the Kid’s Choice Award. For better or worse, it was because of these times and characters that maintained the popularity among teens whenever their other productions didn’t quite do as well.
Considering who created more of an iconic presence, XD does manage to beat out Nick. And that is because XD is still part of Disney. Although the channel distinguished itself as being for the ‘adventurous’ and ‘action-packed’ kids, they still dealt with and handled actors and actresses who made it big both in and out of the Disney brand – A.K.A, the Disney Stars. Unfortunately, for Nick, their stars iconically remained within the bounds of the channel and brand. Not a lot of old stars succeeded in remaining icons and amplifying their success and popularity even more – at least not as much as the live-action stars from XD, and by extension Disney.
Although, Disney XD and Nickelodeon have both advantages and disadvantages related to whether or not a kid should watch the channel, they still remain two of some of the most liked kids entertainment platforms in the world. Nickelodeon is innovative, creative and comedic in its shows’ executions, and Disney XD is exciting, imaginative and bold, but as someone who grew up with Disney XD, it, till this day, is better!
Staff Writer; Fadzai Nyamande
A South African who brings her love for fiction, manga, and storytelling into every piece she creates. Her writing is shaped by imagination, curiosity, and a true appreciation for the worlds stories can build.
Feel free to drop a note at; FadzaiN@AfroGamers.com.