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Happy 31st anniversary to one of the best 90s cartoons.

Started binging the Nightmare Ned TV series again for fun. Tag yourself, I’m the third one :3

Last week I binged the Nightmare Ned TV series for a second time and I decided to rank and review each episode!!

Episode 1A: Ned’s Life As A Dog

Plot: Bullies Conrad and Vernon make Ned unknowingly eat dog food, leading Ned to believe he's been "contaminated." Ned proceeds to have a nightmare about turning into a talking dog as a result of eating dog food.

Comments: Honestly one of my top favorite episodes. Ned's dog form looks so adorable, it caught my attention throughout the whole episode. The talking cat and fleas are quite funny as well, adding a bit of comic relief. Conrad and Vernon's consequences of unknowingly eating cat food is funny too, they deserved it for mistreating dog Ned and the cat.

Rating: 9/10

Episode 1B: A Doll’s House

Plot: Ned's cousins visit him and show him their dolls they play with. Ned takes a disliking to this, accidentally breaks a doll, and goes to bed early to avoid further interaction with his cousins. He then has a nightmare about what would happen if he was one of his cousins' dolls.

Comments: I find it hilarious that the cousins sound just like Phil and Lil from Rugrats (they're voiced by the same VA, Kath Soucie, so it's no wonder). I also found the part where Ned invites his cousins for tea to be hilarious as well, and when Ned takes a wild ride in the little car his cousins steer around.

Rating: 8/10

Episode 2A: Robot Ned

Plot: Ned's dad helps him build a robot named Samurai 7. He decides not to follow the instructions in the manual, much to Ned's dismay. Bedtime approaches, and Ned has a nightmare in which "Sammy 7" is finally finished, but he isn't what Ned expected.

Comments: I honestly thought Sammy 7 was a bit of a jerk, but then again, it's only a nightmare. The one "golden moment" of this episode in my opinion is when Ned turned off Sammy's boosters and acted all smug about it lol.

Rating: 7/10

Episode 2B: Dapper Dan

Plot: Ned forgets to put away his toys, resulting in his dad slipping and falling on the floor. Ned is then sent to his room so he can think about what he can do to "remember not to forget." "Remember not to forget what?" Ned wonders. He then has a nightmare about forgetting something even more important...

Comments: Not much I have to say about this except the part where Conrad and Vernon try to "help" Ned was humorous to me, and the ending wasn't what I expected but it's still funny, hehe.

Rating: 8/10

Episode 3A: Monster Ned

Plot: Ned gives a speech in school pertaining to the prompt "If I could be anyone in the world, I would be..." and he chooses TV monster Glorpulon, a parody of Godzilla. Everyone else in his class laughs at him, and he isn't too happy about it. He is then sent to a stool to reflect on his behavior. He has a nightmare about what it would be like if he was Glorpulon himself.

Comments: I really like Ned's monster form and I also like that he learns a lesson about not letting what others think of him get in the way of what he believes or what he wants to do or say. The ending reflects that, and I love it.

Rating: 7/10

Episode 3B: Ants

Plot: Ned is seen reading a comic book until his dad comes in with an ant farm and explains how ants work every day for their queen, which bores Ned (as well as myself, honestly.) Ned has a nightmare about him and his dad being inside the ant farm and trying to fit in with the colony.

Comments: Not to sound cold, but honestly, this is the most boring episode of the series in my opinion. Ant farms never interested me, and the part where the queen ant has a romantic interest (somewhat) in Ned's dad?? I found that part weird, and not in a good way.

Rating: 5/10

Episode 4A: Magic Bus

Plot: Ned doesn't want to ride the bus to school, so he has a nightmare about taking one. There's a catch though: he ends up meeting the girl of his dreams, and at the same time, he has to save the bus from heading to the sun, with the bus being controlled by a bossy ventriloquist dummy.

Comments: I ship Ned and Little Girl (that's what the girlfriend is referred to in the episode) :3 Also I originally wasn't expecting the puppet to be the main villain of this episode when I first saw this. He's also one of the few characters voiced by Jim Cummings in this series :3

Rating: 7/10

Episode 4B: Until Undeath Do Us Part

Plot: Ned goes to see a horror movie, and Joni (a classmate and possible admirer) follows him in. He becomes tired of Joni bothering him and ends up falling asleep, but not before he unknowingly hands her a ring, which she sees as him proposing to marry her. He has a nightmare in which a zombie woman picks up the same ring and plans to marry Ned.

Comments: Not as boring as "Ants," but it's not one of my favorites either. Also, I agree when Ned says it's strange that a zombie would want to marry a living person. I just found it to be weird in general and not all that interesting.

Rating: 6/10

Episode 5A: Headless Lester

Plot: Ned and a few other kids hear a scary story about "Headless Lester" at a summer camp. Nightmare then commences, in which Ned tries to convince the other kids that Lester doesn't exist. Hilarity ensues as Lester is indeed encountered.

Comments: Not one of my favorites either, but the concept of Headless Lester himself is quite funny. The part that led up to the ending got a laugh out of me too, Ned looked so silly :3

Rating: 7/10

Episode 5B: My, How You’ve Grown

Plot: Ned gets his height measured by his mom, while his dad makes fun of him somewhat because of his short height. Ned's disappointed to find out he didn't grow one bit since his last measurement and breaks down in tears. He then receives a package that has weighted leg bands, hopefully to help him grow taller. He tries them out for himself before falling asleep and dreaming about himself being taller (and what he'd be like as a teenager.)

Comments: This one got a kick out of me, especially with the voices of Brian Doyle-Murray (Norm) and Jason Marsden (teenage Ned) making an appearance. I couldn't help but chuckle at the "short" puns Ned's dad would make in the beginning of the episode too, Brad Garrett's just too funny.

Rating: 7/10

Episode 6A: Tooth Or Consequences

Plot: Ned loses his last baby tooth while he brushes his teeth and freaks out about it. His parents explain that it's a normal process and they encourage him to let the tooth fairy have his last baby tooth. He isn't eager about it and has a nightmare about meeting the tooth fairy and visiting her world.

Comments: This episode takes me back to the days when I lost my baby teeth, and like Ned, I was freaked out about losing teeth myself. The palace and arcade owned by the tooth fairy caught my attention too, I wondered where those quarters would come from lol. Old Wisdom Tooth? That took me back too, having wisdom teeth pulled is quite an experience.

Rating: 8/10

Episode 6B: Show Me The Infidel

Plot: Ned has been waiting his whole life to ride the House of Horror at the amusement park. Problem is, the line to get in is ridiculously long. He ends up falling asleep, dreaming about finally going on the ride. The catch? There's a hidden world in the attraction, and Ned must find his way out before it's too late.

Comments: The nerdy guy Ned sits next to in his nightmare (turned demon) made me chuckle, especially since he's voiced by Jim Cummings. Also if you pay attention to his voice as the demon, it sounds similar to his voice on the VHS ad for the Nightmare Ned video game ("Your home computer is about to swallow you alive..") :3 The fact that Ned was constantly bothered by all the changes and rhymes he hears in regards to how to escape is all too relatable to me too.

Rating: 8/10

Episode 7A: Willie Trout

Plot: Ned's dad takes the family fishing at Lake Pee Pee-No-No, home of the legendary Willie Trout. Ned would much prefer to catch up on his homework, but his dad suggests fishing instead and spending time with the family. He becomes bored and the nightmare ensues. His parents become pirates and they're on the hunt for Willie Trout, who has stolen his dad's head. It's now up to Ned to retrieve it.

Comments: Get ready to see references to Pinocchio in this episode. I didn't expect them the first time, but it added to the humor and plot. Also, Cicero's (the cat, parody of Figaro) behavior is an inspiration for my character Bandit Ricky. Slightly unrelated but I had to point that out :3

Rating: 8/10

Episode 7B: House of Games

Plot: Ned hears strange noises as he tries to sleep, and his dad explains that it's just the house reacting to the outside environment (expanding and contracting). With that in mind, Ned has a nightmare in which everything in the house, and the house itself, comes to life and throws a "party."

Comments: This was a rather trippy episode, and I was able to recognize Kath Soucie and Jim Cummings' voices almost instantly. I like to imagine if a similar situation were to occur in the Nightmare Ned video game. It would've been a fun nightmare to explore.

Rating: 8/10

Episode 8A: Girl Trouble

Plot: Ned is tricked into entering the girls' restroom at school by notorious bullies Conrad and Vernon. Two of the girls (one of them being Joni from "Until Undeath Do Us Part) try to calm him down but it fails and he leaves the school to retreat under a tree. He then has a nightmare about himself being a girl (called Nedra.)

Comments: As a trans man speaking, this episode was rather relatable, especially when Ned says "I'm not a girl" or any variation of it. I can see why people headcanon Ned as a trans boy, and I somewhat agree with it. My favorite part though? Conrad and Vernon being humiliated by Nedra. It cracks me up every time I watch.

Rating: 9/10

Episode 8B: Canadian Bacon

Plot: Ned brings home a piglet he calls "Butterflake." He then asks his parents at dinner if he could keep a pet. They say "no" to the idea of keeping a pet pig, which makes Ned disappointed. He then dreams about Butterflake taking Ned to his house in Canada to stay with him adn his family. Ned quickly fits in with Butterflake's family and they feed him, well, like a pig lol. This later proves to be a trap...

Comments: This was rather wholesome to see Ned interacting with a pet. Butterflake is so precious :3 Features Kath Soucie as Butterflake and Andrea Martin as mama pig.

Rating: 8/10

Episode 9A: Abduction

Plot: The news on TV talks about a strange phenomenon in which cows are seen with mustaches painted on them. Ned wears cow PJs to bed to stand in solidarity with the cows. He becomes abducted himself and encounters two aliens who are trying to study intelligent life forms. Hilarity ensues.

Comments: Another episode I don't find to be very interesting. Not much to say except there's a twist ending in this episode I didn't expect.

Rating: 7/10

Episode 9B: Bad Report Card

Plot: Ned receives his report card from school, but the grades are horrendous. He proceeds to rip up the card to shreds and goes to bed early to avoid possible confrontation. He has a nightmare in which he gets arrested for tearing up said report card and goes to jail, along with Conrad and Vernon, who give him trouble.

Comments: Conrad and Vernon are always funny to me. Yeah, they're quite mean, but they make for good comic relief. The last scene involving Conrad and his dad is a golden moment as well.

Rating: 8/10

Episode 10A: Testing… Testing…

Plot: Ned spends the night at school studying for an upcoming test so he can take home the class pet, Sparky the turtle. In his nightmare, Ms. Bundt, his teacher, hands him his test. The problem is that the test is blank!! He wants to solve this issue, but he then runs into the Answer Bird who tries to help him find his teacher.

Comments: The Answer Bird is not to be trusted. He looks so skrunkly though, I need to draw him someday. I do find him to be funny though, even if he can be annoying. Also, Ned in his frog PJs is unexpectedly adorable.

Rating: 8/10

Episode 10B: The Accordion Lesson

Plot: Ned's mom reminds him that his accordion lesson with Madame Olga is in a few minutes. He tries practicing "Red River Valley" but ends up falling asleep. In his nightmare, Madame Olga takes Ned to her domicile, where Ned discovers Boots, Olga's former partner. Olga then uses Ned for her personal gain and fame.

Comments: Madame Olga is also not to be trusted. Neither is Boots, for that matter. The ending's rather wholesome though, I love it so much :3

Rating: 8/10

Episode 11A: Steamed Vegetables

Plot: Ned is nervous about performing in a school play about food and nutrition. He also hates his corn cob costume (this is important later.) His teacher helps him relax, leading to him falling asleep. In his nightmare, his audience becomes a crowd of vegetables, rather than humans. His costume becomes a human ear instead of an ear of corn. He loudly blurts out that vegetables suck and the veggies are revolted. He tries to backpedal, but the veggies then seek revenge.

Comments: Again, not an interesting episode to me. Not much to say here.

Rating: 7/10

Episode 11B: Along For The Ride

Plot: Ned becomes bored after being in the car for several hours, on a road trip with his family. He falls asleep and has a nightmare about being trapped in a creepy roadside hotel with his family, who's captured by the hotel owner. It's up to Ned to save his family from captivity once again.

Comments: Tbh the parts that caught my attention most were the baby sister's ducky and Ned's parents singing in the car at the start. The hotel owner is creepy af and I can also see the hotel environment being an idea for what should've been in the Nightmare Ned game.

Rating: 8/10

Episode 12A: Lucky Abe

Plot: Ned rushes to his room and puts on his magician outfit, preparing to watch magician Frank Grimes on TV. He prepares to attempt a disappearing penny trick with Lucky Abe, a family heirloom. Unfortunately, he ends up swallowing the penny and faints upon realizing it. He has a nightmare about having a surgery to remove said penny.

Comments: Fun fact: this episode was originally called "One Cent Ned," according to the show's press kit. Ned's magician outfit's cool too. I made fanart of him in that outfit once :3 Also Penn Gillette of Penn and Teller voices Frank Grimes, so that's cool too :3

Rating: 9/10

Episode 12B: The Dentist

Plot: Ned prepares for his dentist appointment, but ends up falling asleep on the dentist chair. He has a nightmare about what happens when he doesn't brush his teeth regularly, with his dentist providing rhymes and explanations.

Comments: This reminds me of the medical nightmare from the Nightmare Ned video game, specifically the part where you enter someone's mouth. Again, not much to say here.

Rating: 9/10

Episode 12C: The Ballad of Conrad and Vernon

Plot: It starts out similarly to "Monster Ned," where the kids are sharing "If I could be anyone in the world, I could be..." reports. When Ned's turn comes up, he shares a poem he wrote about Conrad and Vernon, who we mentioned several times in this post. A clip show of moments from the previous episodes plays as Ned shares his poem.

Comments: Not much happens obviously, but the poem is quite funny. I don't think this is the best way to end a TV series, but then again, this show was prematurely cancelled so we can take what we can get. I enjoy this episode :3

Rating: 9/10

This show has its ups and downs and a few golden moments here and there. I prefer the game in all honesty but this show is worth watching as well. If only it wasn't prematurely cancelled and actually lived up to its full potential... us fans, fortunately, can come up with new ideas and characters! We can keep the franchise alive!!

Overall rating: 8/10

Episode ranking (best to worst):

Ned's Life as a Dog

2. Girl Trouble

3. The Ballad of Conrad and Vernon

4. The Dentist

5. Lucky Abe

6. Canadian Bacon

7. House of Games

8. A Doll’s House

9. Bad Report Card

10. Tooth Or Consequences

11. Show Me The Infidel

12. Along For the Ride

13. Dapper Dan

14. Testing... Testing...

15. Willie Trout

16. The Accordion Lesson

17. Robot Ned

18. Monster Ned

19. Magic Bus

20. My How You've Grown

21. Headless Lester

22. Abduction

23. Steamed Vegetables

24. Until Undeath Do Us Part

25. Ants