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A Rugrats Passover

November 12, 2023

"A Rugrats Passover" is the 23rd and final episode of the third season of the American animated television series Rugrats (and the 65th episode of the series overall). It first aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on April 13, 1995. The episode follows series regulars Grandpa Boris and the babies as they become trapped in the attic on Passover; to pass the time, Boris tells the Jewish story of the Exodus. During the episode, the babies themselves reenact the story, with Tommy portraying Moses, while his cousin Angelica represents the Pharaoh of Egypt.

"A Rugrats Passover"
Rugrats episode
The infant Moses (Tommy) in the Nile River
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 26
Directed byJim Duffy
Steve Socki
Jeff McGrath
Written byPeter Gaffney
Paul Germain
Rachel Lipman
Jonathon Greenberg
Production code062[1]
Original air dateApril 13, 1995 (1995-04-13)
Guest appearance
Episode chronology
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"Moving Away" 		Next →
"A Rugrats Chanukah"
List of episodes

"A Rugrats Passover" was directed by Jim Duffy, Steve Socki, and Jeff McGrath from a script by Peter Gaffney, Paul Germain, Rachel Lipman, and Jonathan Greenberg. The episode was conceived in 1992, when Germain responded to a Nickelodeon request for a Rugrats Hanukkah special by creating a Passover episode instead. The episode scored a 3.1 Nielsen Rating, making it the highest-rated show in Nickelodeon's history,[2] and received overwhelmingly positive reviews, including from Jewish community publications. It was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award, an Annie Award, and a CableACE Award.

The episode made Rugrats one of the first animated series to focus on a Jewish holiday; its success precipitated the creation of "A Rugrats Chanukah" in 1996, which also attracted critical acclaim. However, both episodes faced controversy when the Anti-Defamation League compared the artistic design of the older characters to anti-Semitic drawings from a 1930s Nazi newspaper. Despite this, in 2007, a novelization of the Passover episode was exhibited at the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Plot edit

As the episode opens, Tommy and Angelica Pickles and their parents are all gathering to celebrate the Passover Seder at the home of Didi's parents, Boris and Minka Kropotkin. Stu and Angelica, who are Christians, both find Passover boring, and Angelica argues why she and her parents should be at the Seder at all, especially considering Boris and Minka aren't actually related to them. Following an argument with Minka about what type of wine glasses they should use (either the glasses that belonged to Minka's mother or the ones that belonged to Boris' father), Boris storms out of the room; the two families arrive and Didi tries comforting her mom, who believes Boris has run away.

Boris hasn't reappeared by the time Tommy's best friend, Chuckie Finster, and his dad, Chas, arrives to join the celebration. When the Seder begins, Angelica releases the babies due to Tommy leaving his screwdriver behind. The children set off to search for toys, eventually finding Boris in the attic. Boris explains that he felt bad about yelling at Minka, and had gone to look for her mother's wine glasses, but had become locked inside when the door closed behind him (it can't open from the inside). Angelica tests the door and inadvertently locks them all in again, thus beginning a running gag throughout the episode.

Angelica tells Boris that he's not really missing anything and admits that she thinks that Passover's a dumb holiday. Boris tries convincing her otherwise by telling her and the boys the story of the Exodus, hoping to improve their understanding of Passover. As he talks, Angelica imagines herself as the Pharaoh of Egypt, who commands the Hebrew slaves (imagined as the other Rugrats and numerous other babies) to throw their newborn sons into the Nile River. One Hebrew slave defies the order by putting her infant son, Moses (imagined as Tommy), into a basket and setting the basket afloat in the river. The basket and baby are discovered by Pharaoh Angelica, who shows Moses around her palace and kingdom, and decides to make him her partner.

As Boris explains that the Pharaoh was oblivious that Moses himself was actually a Hebrew, Chas enters the attic, looking for the kids, and becomes locked in with the rest of them. He sits down and listens as Boris continues: years later, Boris says, Moses stood up for an abused Hebrew slave (imagined as Chuckie) and was outed as a Hebrew. The episode then pictures Tommy as Moses fleeing to the desert, where he becomes a shepherd and forgets about Egypt and the Pharaoh, until the voice of God calls to him from a burning bush, telling him that he must free the Hebrews from slavery.

Moses confronts the Pharaoh and demands that she free the Hebrews. She refuses and calls her guards (one of which is voiced by Dana Hill) to drag Moses away; he curses her kingdom with terrible plagues until she relents and allows Moses to leave with the enslaved Hebrews. As Boris is explaining how the Pharaoh deceived the Hebrews and prevented them from leaving because she said "well I changed my mind". Angelica's parents, Drew and Charlotte, then arrive and become locked in the room with the others.

Boris resumes the story: the Pharaoh's treachery causes Moses to curse her once more, this time with a plague on the first-born children of Egypt. The Pharaoh, after realizing that she herself is a first-born child, bargains with Moses: he can leave if he calls off this final plague. Moses hesitates at first but complies and leads the Hebrews out of Egypt. The Pharaoh reneges on her promise after realizing that she set "all" of the Hebrews free like the slave who gets the Reptar cereal, the slave who gets the goat milk, and the slave who prepares her bath. She leads her remaining army to pursue them.

Minka, Didi, and Stu arrive in the attic to find the group enthralled by the end of Boris' story: Moses, cornered, calls down the power of God to part the Red Sea, which the Hebrews are approaching. They pass through the parted waters, which then crash back together behind them, engulfing the Pharaoh and her army. Underwater, Pharaoh blames Cynthia for this mess they are in as Cynthia is snatched up by a shark.

With the story over, the family gets up to finish the Seder only to see the wind blow the door shut, locking them all in. Boris decides to tell them another story. At first, Chas thinks is about how the Hebrews wandered the desert for forty years before finally reaching the Promised Land. Boris actually explains that it's actually a story about how his aunt and uncle met at Passover Seder back in Russia.

Production edit

 
Melanie Chartoff voiced both Didi and Minka in the episode.[3]

The episode's inception in 1992 followed a call by Nickelodeon to the Rugrats production staff, pitching the concept of a special episode concerning Hanukkah.[4] The crew agreed instead that a Passover special would offer both "historical interest" and a "funny idea", so Paul Germain—founder of the series along with Arlene Klasky and Gábor Csupó—pitched the Passover idea instead.[4][5]

Germain wrote the episode's teleplay along with regular Rugrats writers Peter Gaffney, Rachel Lipman, and Jonathan Greenberg; animators Jim Duffy, Steve Socki, and Jeff McGrath directed.[6][7] While scripting the episode, now entitled "A Rugrats Passover", the writers were forced to audit many elements of the portrayal of plagues, particularly the third one, so it could still be accessible to children and not too frightening.[8] Though regular episodes of the series comprised two separate 15-minute segments, "A Rugrats Passover" had a special 22-minute format, occupying the show's full network Rugrats slot.[5] The show's voice actors each spent from fifteen minutes to four hours in recording sessions for the episode.[9][10]

Themes edit

"A Rugrats Passover" was unusual among contemporary animations in its attention to Jewish ritual and tradition.[6][7][11] Its portrayal of a Seder dinner received press attention as a rare occurrence in children's programming.[12] The episode was also unusual among animated series for discussing the characters' religious affiliations.[13] It revealed Boris, Minka, and Didi's adherence to Judaism, and compared it with the relative non-participation of Stu and his side of the family. Chuckie and his father Chas, meanwhile, were portrayed as nonreligious yet inclusive and enthused to learn about the customs of the holiday.[14]

As with other Rugrats episodes, "A Rugrats Passover" depicts "the innocence of a baby's perception of the world," emphasizing the young characters' intense, childlike reactions to their environment.[15] Creator Klasky identified the episode's depiction of the Pickles family as "very loving, [and] basically functional"[15] as strikingly different from the prevailing trends in contemporary television programming.[15] Another episode element common to the series' broader themes is its treatment of Angelica's mother Charlotte, who throughout the episode is glued to her cell phone and engrossed in her business life, despite her professed desire to provide Angelica with an educational environment.[16]

Reception edit

Ratings and accolades edit

"A Rugrats Passover" was initially broadcast on Nickelodeon in the United States on April 13, 1995.[7][14] Repeats of the episode began that Saturday at 7:30 p.m.[7] The episode received a Nielsen Rating of 3.1, with a 4.8% share of American audiences, making it the sixth most-watched cable telecast that week.[17] According to Catherine Mullally, then-Vice President and Executive Producer of Nickelodeon Video and Audio Works, the episode was the highest Nielsen-rated telecast in the network's history.[2][18][19] However, in 1998, it was supplanted by another Rugrats special, the Thanksgiving episode "The Turkey Who Came to Dinner", which attracted 3.7 million viewers (9.4/28).[20]

The episode was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour),[21][22] losing to The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Wedding".[23] At the 23rd Annual Annie Awards, it was nominated for Best Individual Achievement for Writing in the Field of Animation, losing to "The Tick vs. Arthur’s Bank Account" from Fox Kids' animated series The Tick.[24] In 1995, it was Rugrats' submission for a CableACE award, receiving a nomination but not winning.[25]

Home video and merchandise edit

The episode was released in several formats, including DVD and VHS. It appears on the video release A Rugrats Passover[2][11][26][27][18] alongside features "Toys in the Attic",[2][11] and Rugrats Passover: Let My Babies Go.[28] The cassette was reissued, alongside newer Rugrats videos Grandpa's Favorite Stories and Return of Reptar, in early 1997.[29] In 1998, publisher Simon Spotlight released a novelization of the episode, entitled Let My Babies Go! A Passover Story, written by Sarah Wilson and illustrated by Barry Goldberg.[30] A LaserDisc release was planned, titled "A Rugrats Chanukah/A Rugrats Passover", but was cancelled. One copy of the disc is known to exist.[31]

Critical response edit

"A Rugrats Passover" received overwhelmingly positive reviews, and became one of the series' most popular episodes.[32] John J. O'Connor of The New York Times wrote, "If not a first, it certainly is a rarity."[7] Ted Cox of the Daily Herald called the episode "among the best holiday TV specials ever produced."[33] Other reviews applauded the episode for its treatment of Judaism. Authors Michael Atkinson and Laurel Shifrin, in their book Flickipedia: Perfect Films for Every Occasion, Holiday, Mood, Ordeal, and Whim, praised the episode for celebrating "secular Jewishness in the wisest and most entertaining fashion [...] Grandpa Boris regales the kids with an epic, albeit abridged, Exodus story."[34] Halley Blair of Forward Magazine called the episode "a comical primer for getting children ready for upcoming seders,"[35] and Danny Goldberg, in How the Left Lost Teen Spirit, noted that the episode's Jewish themes were "clearly expressed in the context of a mass appeal entertainment."[36] Among many positive reviews in Jewish community publications, Gila Wertheimer of the Chicago Jewish Star said it "will entertain children of all ages – and their parents."[27]

In 2006, however, Joel Keller of AOL's TV Squad noted that he "always hated" the episode, and resented that it was one of only two Passover-themed television episodes he could find via a Google search.[37]

Anti-Defamation League controversy edit

"A Rugrats Passover," along with other Rugrats episodes featuring Boris and Minka, attracted controversy when the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) claimed that the two characters resembled anti-Semitic drawings that had appeared in a 1930s Nazi newspaper. Then-Nickelodeon president Albie Hecht, himself Jewish, stated he was dumbfounded by this criticism, which he deemed absurd.[36] The controversy resurfaced in 1998, when the ADL criticized another appearance of Boris, this time reciting the Mourner's Kaddish in a Rugrats comic strip published in newspapers during the Jewish New Year. Unlike Hecht, Nickelodeon's then-president Herb Scannell agreed with the criticism and apologized, promising never to run the character or the strip again.[38]

Legacy edit

"A Rugrats Passover" is Nickelodeon's first programming involving Passover;[39] the network went on to broadcast other episodes concerning Jewish traditions, including "Harold's Bar Mitzvah", a 1997 episode of Hey Arnold! in which the character Harold Berman prepares for his Bar Mitzvah.[40] Rugrats in turn produced a second Jewish holiday episode, this time to meet the network executives' original Hanukkah special pitch.[4] David N. Weiss (who had recently converted to Judaism)[41] and J. David Stem wrote the script, and Raymie Muzquiz directed the episode.[42] The special, entitled "A Rugrats Chanukah", was originally broadcast on December 4, 1996,[43] and received a Nielsen rating of 7.9 in the Kids 2–11 demographic.[44] Like "A Rugrats Passover", it was critically acclaimed and became one of the most popular episodes of the series.[32]

In 2007, the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma opened an exhibition of Biblical images in art and pop culture, including a poster for Let My Babies Go! A Passover Story, the picture book based on "A Rugrats Passover". Other items highlighted in the gallery included a promotional poster for The Simpsons episode "Simpsons Bible Stories" and a vintage Superman comic book entitled "The Red-Headed Beatle of 1000 B.C.", featuring the character Jimmy Olsen's time-traveling adventures in the Biblical age.[45][46]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ . Nick.com. Archived from the original on June 21, 2000. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d McCormick, Moira (October 14, 1995). "Nickelodeon on a roll; Learning Station's bright idea". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 41. p. 66.
  3. ^ Chartoff, Melanie (2007-09-01). "My Life as a Jewish Cartoon: Playing a Jewish cartoon character on "Rugrats" taught me about who I am in real life". Aish.com. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
  4. ^ a b c Swartz, Mimi (1998-10-30). "You Dumb Babies! How raising the Rugrats children became as difficult as the real thing". The New Yorker. p. 62.
  5. ^ a b Elkin, Michael (1995-04-14). "Four questions for creator of 'Rugrats': Cartoon series offers a Passover plot for the younger set". Jewish Exponent.
  6. ^ a b . Klasky Csupo. Archived from the original (Adobe Flash page) on 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  7. ^ a b c d e O'Connor, John J. (1995-04-13). "'Rugrats' Observes Passover". The New York Times. New York. p. 16.
  8. ^ Prescott, Jean (1995-04-13). "'Rugrats' holiday special is designed to entertain, inform". The Free Lance Star. p. 21.
  9. ^ Soucie, Kath (March 1998). "And I Get Paid!?!: The Life of a Voice Actor". Animation World Magazine. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  10. ^ Daily, E.G. . Official Site of E.G. Daily. Archived from the original on 2009-03-22. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  11. ^ a b c Dardashti, Danielle; Sarig, Roni; Katz, Avi (2008). The Jewish Family Fun Book: Holiday Projects, Everyday Activities, and Travel Ideas with Jewish Themes. Jewish Lights Publishing. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-58023-333-0.
  12. ^ Moore, Scott (1995-04-09). "A Rugrats Passover". The Washington Post.
  13. ^ Kloer, Phil (1995-04-10). "A Rugrats Passover". The Atlanta Journal/The Atlanta Constitution. p. A/3.
  14. ^ a b . Klasky Csupo. Archived from the original on 2009-06-09. Retrieved 2009-10-01.
  15. ^ a b c Loftus, Mary J. (November 26, 1996). "The Powerful Appeal of The Rugrats". The Ledger. p. D6. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  16. ^ "The Rugrats' Real Mom and Dad". BusinessWeek. 1995-10-16. pp. 143–144.
  17. ^ "Cable's top 25". Broadcasting & Cable. 1995-05-01.
  18. ^ a b Bassave, Roy (1998-04-09). "Holiday videos offer Easter, Passover themes". Albany Times Union. Albany, New York.
  19. ^ Bassave, Roy (1998-04-10). "Figures ranging from Peanuts gang to Jesus tell Easter, Passover stories in videos". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  20. ^ "Nickelodeon is cable's number one rated network for 1998 Record Setting Performances on Nickelodeon / Nick at Nite Drive Network To Total Day Cable Ratings Victory for Third Straight Year" (Press release). New York City, New York: Press release, Viacom. 1998-12-16.
  21. ^ . ToonZone. Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
  22. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (2006). Who's Who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Film & Television's Award Winning and Legendary Animators. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 54. ISBN 1-55783-671-X.
  23. ^ Mirkin, David (2005). The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's Wedding" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  24. ^ . Annie Awards. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2009-10-01.
  25. ^ Mindykowski, Steve (2003-05-26). . Unofficial Rugrats Online. Archived from the original on 2010-06-04. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  26. ^ Sonnheim, Moshe (2004). Welcome to the Club: The Art of Jewish Grandparenting. Devora Publishing. p. 135. ISBN 1-932687-12-2.
  27. ^ a b Wertheimer, Gila (1996-03-28). "A Rugrats Passover". Chicago Jewish Star.
  28. ^ Abramowitz, Yosef; Silverman, Susan (1998). Jewish Family and Life: Traditions, Holidays, and Values for Today's Parents and Children. Macmillan. p. 307. ISBN 0-307-44086-9.
  29. ^ "New Arrivals" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 8. February 22, 1997. p. 64.
  30. ^ "All Faiths Calendar Selected observances for April and May". Publishers Weekly. 1999-03-15.
  31. ^ LaserDisc Database - Rugrats: A Rugrats Chanukah/A Rugrats Passover [LV838323]
  32. ^ a b Klein, Daniel; Vuijst, Freke (2000). The half-Jewish book: a celebration. Villard. p. 36. ISBN 0-375-50385-4.
  33. ^ Cox, Ted (2005-12-01). "Seasonal all-stars The 12 top TV specials of Christmas – and other winter holidays". Daily Herald. Arlington Heights, Illinois.
  34. ^ Atkinson, Michael; Shifrin, Laurel (2007). Flickipedia: Perfect Films for Every Occasion, Holiday, Mood, Ordeal, and Whim. Chicago Review Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-55652-714-2.
  35. ^ Blair, Halley (1995-04-14). "Rugrats Animate 'The Greatest Holiday'". Forward Magazine.
  36. ^ a b Goldberg, Danny (2005). How The Left Lost Teen Spirit. Akashic Books. p. 216. ISBN 0-9719206-8-0.
  37. ^ Keller, Joel (April 12, 2006). . TV Squad (AOL). Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  38. ^ Jackson, Wendy; Amidi, Amid (December 1998). "Rugrats Offends Media Watchdogs". Animation World Magazine. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  39. ^ "Nickelodeon slates show on Passover". New York: Home Furnishing Network. 1995-03-27.
  40. ^ "Episode Detail: Hall Monitor; Harold's Bar Mitzvah – Hey Arnold!". TV Guide. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  41. ^ Brown, Hannah (2005-05-18). "Shrek's Orthodox author". The Jerusalem Post: 24.
  42. ^ . Klasky-Csupo. Archived from the original (Adobe Flash page) on 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  43. ^ Ribadeneira, Diego (1996-12-05). "Rites of Chanukah reach many". The Boston Globe.
  44. ^ "Nickelodeon drives kids TV marketplace in new season – Grows While Competition Declines; Outperforms Broadcasters In Key Dayparts" (Press release). Press release, Viacom. 1996-12-18.
  45. ^ Watts, James D. Jr. (2007-10-30). "By the book". Tulsa World.
  46. ^ McKnight, Nathaniel (2007-12-12). . Urban Tulsa Weekly. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2010-01-06.

External links edit

November 12, 2023
rugrats, passover, 23rd, final, episode, third, season, american, animated, television, series, rugrats, 65th, episode, series, overall, first, aired, nickelodeon, united, states, april, 1995, episode, follows, series, regulars, grandpa, boris, babies, they, b. A Rugrats Passover is the 23rd and final episode of the third season of the American animated television series Rugrats and the 65th episode of the series overall It first aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on April 13 1995 The episode follows series regulars Grandpa Boris and the babies as they become trapped in the attic on Passover to pass the time Boris tells the Jewish story of the Exodus During the episode the babies themselves reenact the story with Tommy portraying Moses while his cousin Angelica represents the Pharaoh of Egypt A Rugrats Passover Rugrats episodeThe infant Moses Tommy in the Nile RiverEpisode no Season 3Episode 26Directed byJim DuffySteve SockiJeff McGrathWritten byPeter GaffneyPaul GermainRachel LipmanJonathon GreenbergProduction code062 1 Original air dateApril 13 1995 1995 04 13 Guest appearanceDana Hill as Taskmaster BabyEpisode chronology Previous Moving Away Next A Rugrats Chanukah List of episodes A Rugrats Passover was directed by Jim Duffy Steve Socki and Jeff McGrath from a script by Peter Gaffney Paul Germain Rachel Lipman and Jonathan Greenberg The episode was conceived in 1992 when Germain responded to a Nickelodeon request for a Rugrats Hanukkah special by creating a Passover episode instead The episode scored a 3 1 Nielsen Rating making it the highest rated show in Nickelodeon s history 2 and received overwhelmingly positive reviews including from Jewish community publications It was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award an Annie Award and a CableACE Award The episode made Rugrats one of the first animated series to focus on a Jewish holiday its success precipitated the creation of A Rugrats Chanukah in 1996 which also attracted critical acclaim However both episodes faced controversy when the Anti Defamation League compared the artistic design of the older characters to anti Semitic drawings from a 1930s Nazi newspaper Despite this in 2007 a novelization of the Passover episode was exhibited at the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa Oklahoma Contents 1 Plot 2 Production 3 Themes 4 Reception 4 1 Ratings and accolades 4 2 Home video and merchandise 4 3 Critical response 4 4 Anti Defamation League controversy 4 5 Legacy 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksPlot editAs the episode opens Tommy and Angelica Pickles and their parents are all gathering to celebrate the Passover Seder at the home of Didi s parents Boris and Minka Kropotkin Stu and Angelica who are Christians both find Passover boring and Angelica argues why she and her parents should be at the Seder at all especially considering Boris and Minka aren t actually related to them Following an argument with Minka about what type of wine glasses they should use either the glasses that belonged to Minka s mother or the ones that belonged to Boris father Boris storms out of the room the two families arrive and Didi tries comforting her mom who believes Boris has run away Boris hasn t reappeared by the time Tommy s best friend Chuckie Finster and his dad Chas arrives to join the celebration When the Seder begins Angelica releases the babies due to Tommy leaving his screwdriver behind The children set off to search for toys eventually finding Boris in the attic Boris explains that he felt bad about yelling at Minka and had gone to look for her mother s wine glasses but had become locked inside when the door closed behind him it can t open from the inside Angelica tests the door and inadvertently locks them all in again thus beginning a running gag throughout the episode Angelica tells Boris that he s not really missing anything and admits that she thinks that Passover s a dumb holiday Boris tries convincing her otherwise by telling her and the boys the story of the Exodus hoping to improve their understanding of Passover As he talks Angelica imagines herself as the Pharaoh of Egypt who commands the Hebrew slaves imagined as the other Rugrats and numerous other babies to throw their newborn sons into the Nile River One Hebrew slave defies the order by putting her infant son Moses imagined as Tommy into a basket and setting the basket afloat in the river The basket and baby are discovered by Pharaoh Angelica who shows Moses around her palace and kingdom and decides to make him her partner As Boris explains that the Pharaoh was oblivious that Moses himself was actually a Hebrew Chas enters the attic looking for the kids and becomes locked in with the rest of them He sits down and listens as Boris continues years later Boris says Moses stood up for an abused Hebrew slave imagined as Chuckie and was outed as a Hebrew The episode then pictures Tommy as Moses fleeing to the desert where he becomes a shepherd and forgets about Egypt and the Pharaoh until the voice of God calls to him from a burning bush telling him that he must free the Hebrews from slavery Moses confronts the Pharaoh and demands that she free the Hebrews She refuses and calls her guards one of which is voiced by Dana Hill to drag Moses away he curses her kingdom with terrible plagues until she relents and allows Moses to leave with the enslaved Hebrews As Boris is explaining how the Pharaoh deceived the Hebrews and prevented them from leaving because she said well I changed my mind Angelica s parents Drew and Charlotte then arrive and become locked in the room with the others Boris resumes the story the Pharaoh s treachery causes Moses to curse her once more this time with a plague on the first born children of Egypt The Pharaoh after realizing that she herself is a first born child bargains with Moses he can leave if he calls off this final plague Moses hesitates at first but complies and leads the Hebrews out of Egypt The Pharaoh reneges on her promise after realizing that she set all of the Hebrews free like the slave who gets the Reptar cereal the slave who gets the goat milk and the slave who prepares her bath She leads her remaining army to pursue them Minka Didi and Stu arrive in the attic to find the group enthralled by the end of Boris story Moses cornered calls down the power of God to part the Red Sea which the Hebrews are approaching They pass through the parted waters which then crash back together behind them engulfing the Pharaoh and her army Underwater Pharaoh blames Cynthia for this mess they are in as Cynthia is snatched up by a shark With the story over the family gets up to finish the Seder only to see the wind blow the door shut locking them all in Boris decides to tell them another story At first Chas thinks is about how the Hebrews wandered the desert for forty years before finally reaching the Promised Land Boris actually explains that it s actually a story about how his aunt and uncle met at Passover Seder back in Russia Production edit nbsp Melanie Chartoff voiced both Didi and Minka in the episode 3 The episode s inception in 1992 followed a call by Nickelodeon to the Rugrats production staff pitching the concept of a special episode concerning Hanukkah 4 The crew agreed instead that a Passover special would offer both historical interest and a funny idea so Paul Germain founder of the series along with Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo pitched the Passover idea instead 4 5 Germain wrote the episode s teleplay along with regular Rugrats writers Peter Gaffney Rachel Lipman and Jonathan Greenberg animators Jim Duffy Steve Socki and Jeff McGrath directed 6 7 While scripting the episode now entitled A Rugrats Passover the writers were forced to audit many elements of the portrayal of plagues particularly the third one so it could still be accessible to children and not too frightening 8 Though regular episodes of the series comprised two separate 15 minute segments A Rugrats Passover had a special 22 minute format occupying the show s full network Rugrats slot 5 The show s voice actors each spent from fifteen minutes to four hours in recording sessions for the episode 9 10 Themes edit A Rugrats Passover was unusual among contemporary animations in its attention to Jewish ritual and tradition 6 7 11 Its portrayal of a Seder dinner received press attention as a rare occurrence in children s programming 12 The episode was also unusual among animated series for discussing the characters religious affiliations 13 It revealed Boris Minka and Didi s adherence to Judaism and compared it with the relative non participation of Stu and his side of the family Chuckie and his father Chas meanwhile were portrayed as nonreligious yet inclusive and enthused to learn about the customs of the holiday 14 As with other Rugrats episodes A Rugrats Passover depicts the innocence of a baby s perception of the world emphasizing the young characters intense childlike reactions to their environment 15 Creator Klasky identified the episode s depiction of the Pickles family as very loving and basically functional 15 as strikingly different from the prevailing trends in contemporary television programming 15 Another episode element common to the series broader themes is its treatment of Angelica s mother Charlotte who throughout the episode is glued to her cell phone and engrossed in her business life despite her professed desire to provide Angelica with an educational environment 16 Reception editRatings and accolades edit A Rugrats Passover was initially broadcast on Nickelodeon in the United States on April 13 1995 7 14 Repeats of the episode began that Saturday at 7 30 p m 7 The episode received a Nielsen Rating of 3 1 with a 4 8 share of American audiences making it the sixth most watched cable telecast that week 17 According to Catherine Mullally then Vice President and Executive Producer of Nickelodeon Video and Audio Works the episode was the highest Nielsen rated telecast in the network s history 2 18 19 However in 1998 it was supplanted by another Rugrats special the Thanksgiving episode The Turkey Who Came to Dinner which attracted 3 7 million viewers 9 4 28 20 The episode was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program for Programming Less Than One Hour 21 22 losing to The Simpsons episode Lisa s Wedding 23 At the 23rd Annual Annie Awards it was nominated for Best Individual Achievement for Writing in the Field of Animation losing to The Tick vs Arthur s Bank Account from Fox Kids animated series The Tick 24 In 1995 it was Rugrats submission for a CableACE award receiving a nomination but not winning 25 Home video and merchandise edit The episode was released in several formats including DVD and VHS It appears on the video release A Rugrats Passover 2 11 26 27 18 alongside features Toys in the Attic 2 11 and Rugrats Passover Let My Babies Go 28 The cassette was reissued alongside newer Rugrats videos Grandpa s Favorite Stories and Return of Reptar in early 1997 29 In 1998 publisher Simon Spotlight released a novelization of the episode entitled Let My Babies Go A Passover Story written by Sarah Wilson and illustrated by Barry Goldberg 30 A LaserDisc release was planned titled A Rugrats Chanukah A Rugrats Passover but was cancelled One copy of the disc is known to exist 31 Critical response edit A Rugrats Passover received overwhelmingly positive reviews and became one of the series most popular episodes 32 John J O Connor of The New York Times wrote If not a first it certainly is a rarity 7 Ted Cox of the Daily Herald called the episode among the best holiday TV specials ever produced 33 Other reviews applauded the episode for its treatment of Judaism Authors Michael Atkinson and Laurel Shifrin in their book Flickipedia Perfect Films for Every Occasion Holiday Mood Ordeal and Whim praised the episode for celebrating secular Jewishness in the wisest and most entertaining fashion Grandpa Boris regales the kids with an epic albeit abridged Exodus story 34 Halley Blair of Forward Magazine called the episode a comical primer for getting children ready for upcoming seders 35 and Danny Goldberg in How the Left Lost Teen Spirit noted that the episode s Jewish themes were clearly expressed in the context of a mass appeal entertainment 36 Among many positive reviews in Jewish community publications Gila Wertheimer of the Chicago Jewish Star said it will entertain children of all ages and their parents 27 In 2006 however Joel Keller of AOL s TV Squad noted that he always hated the episode and resented that it was one of only two Passover themed television episodes he could find via a Google search 37 Anti Defamation League controversy edit A Rugrats Passover along with other Rugrats episodes featuring Boris and Minka attracted controversy when the Anti Defamation League ADL claimed that the two characters resembled anti Semitic drawings that had appeared in a 1930s Nazi newspaper Then Nickelodeon president Albie Hecht himself Jewish stated he was dumbfounded by this criticism which he deemed absurd 36 The controversy resurfaced in 1998 when the ADL criticized another appearance of Boris this time reciting the Mourner s Kaddish in a Rugrats comic strip published in newspapers during the Jewish New Year Unlike Hecht Nickelodeon s then president Herb Scannell agreed with the criticism and apologized promising never to run the character or the strip again 38 Legacy edit A Rugrats Passover is Nickelodeon s first programming involving Passover 39 the network went on to broadcast other episodes concerning Jewish traditions including Harold s Bar Mitzvah a 1997 episode of Hey Arnold in which the character Harold Berman prepares for his Bar Mitzvah 40 Rugrats in turn produced a second Jewish holiday episode this time to meet the network executives original Hanukkah special pitch 4 David N Weiss who had recently converted to Judaism 41 and J David Stem wrote the script and Raymie Muzquiz directed the episode 42 The special entitled A Rugrats Chanukah was originally broadcast on December 4 1996 43 and received a Nielsen rating of 7 9 in the Kids 2 11 demographic 44 Like A Rugrats Passover it was critically acclaimed and became one of the most popular episodes of the series 32 In 2007 the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa Oklahoma opened an exhibition of Biblical images in art and pop culture including a poster for Let My Babies Go A Passover Story the picture book based on A Rugrats Passover Other items highlighted in the gallery included a promotional poster for The Simpsons episode Simpsons Bible Stories and a vintage Superman comic book entitled The Red Headed Beatle of 1000 B C featuring the character Jimmy Olsen s time traveling adventures in the Biblical age 45 46 See also editJudaism in Rugrats All Grown Up Rugrats Go WildReferences edit Rugrats Episodes Nick com Archived from the original on June 21 2000 Retrieved February 6 2023 a b c d McCormick Moira October 14 1995 Nickelodeon on a roll Learning Station s bright idea Billboard Vol 107 no 41 p 66 Chartoff Melanie 2007 09 01 My Life as a Jewish Cartoon Playing a Jewish cartoon character on Rugrats taught me about who I am in real life Aish com Retrieved 2010 03 27 a b c Swartz Mimi 1998 10 30 You Dumb Babies How raising the Rugrats children became as difficult as the real thing The New Yorker p 62 a b Elkin Michael 1995 04 14 Four questions for creator of Rugrats Cartoon series offers a Passover plot for the younger set Jewish Exponent a b Rugrats Episode Guide Specials More Rugrats Passover Klasky Csupo Archived from the original Adobe Flash page on 2010 01 09 Retrieved 2009 10 25 a b c d e O Connor John J 1995 04 13 Rugrats Observes Passover The New York Times New York p 16 Prescott Jean 1995 04 13 Rugrats holiday special is designed to entertain inform The Free Lance Star p 21 Soucie Kath March 1998 And I Get Paid The Life of a Voice Actor Animation World Magazine Retrieved 2010 01 06 Daily E G Rugrat s Tommy Official Site of E G Daily Archived from the original on 2009 03 22 Retrieved 2010 01 06 a b c Dardashti Danielle Sarig Roni Katz Avi 2008 The Jewish Family Fun Book Holiday Projects Everyday Activities and Travel Ideas with Jewish Themes Jewish Lights Publishing p 178 ISBN 978 1 58023 333 0 Moore Scott 1995 04 09 A Rugrats Passover The Washington Post Kloer Phil 1995 04 10 A Rugrats Passover The Atlanta Journal The Atlanta Constitution p A 3 a b Rugrats Timeline Klasky Csupo Archived from the original on 2009 06 09 Retrieved 2009 10 01 a b c Loftus Mary J November 26 1996 The Powerful Appeal of The Rugrats The Ledger p D6 Retrieved March 17 2021 The Rugrats Real Mom and Dad BusinessWeek 1995 10 16 pp 143 144 Cable s top 25 Broadcasting amp Cable 1995 05 01 a b Bassave Roy 1998 04 09 Holiday videos offer Easter Passover themes Albany Times Union Albany New York Bassave Roy 1998 04 10 Figures ranging from Peanuts gang to Jesus tell Easter Passover stories in videos The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Nickelodeon is cable s number one rated network for 1998 Record Setting Performances on Nickelodeon Nick at Nite Drive Network To Total Day Cable Ratings Victory for Third Straight Year Press release New York City New York Press release Viacom 1998 12 16 1995 Awards ToonZone Archived from the original on 2008 08 28 Retrieved 2009 10 18 Lenburg Jeff 2006 Who s Who in Animated Cartoons An International Guide to Film amp Television s Award Winning and Legendary Animators Hal Leonard Corporation p 54 ISBN 1 55783 671 X Mirkin David 2005 The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode Lisa s Wedding DVD 20th Century Fox Legacy 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners 1995 Annie Awards Archived from the original on 2007 09 28 Retrieved 2009 10 01 Mindykowski Steve 2003 05 26 The Rugrats Trophy Case Unofficial Rugrats Online Archived from the original on 2010 06 04 Retrieved 2010 01 06 Sonnheim Moshe 2004 Welcome to the Club The Art of Jewish Grandparenting Devora Publishing p 135 ISBN 1 932687 12 2 a b Wertheimer Gila 1996 03 28 A Rugrats Passover Chicago Jewish Star Abramowitz Yosef Silverman Susan 1998 Jewish Family and Life Traditions Holidays and Values for Today s Parents and Children Macmillan p 307 ISBN 0 307 44086 9 New Arrivals PDF Billboard Vol 109 no 8 February 22 1997 p 64 All Faiths Calendar Selected observances for April and May Publishers Weekly 1999 03 15 LaserDisc Database Rugrats A Rugrats Chanukah A Rugrats Passover LV838323 a b Klein Daniel Vuijst Freke 2000 The half Jewish book a celebration Villard p 36 ISBN 0 375 50385 4 Cox Ted 2005 12 01 Seasonal all stars The 12 top TV specials of Christmas and other winter holidays Daily Herald Arlington Heights Illinois Atkinson Michael Shifrin Laurel 2007 Flickipedia Perfect Films for Every Occasion Holiday Mood Ordeal and Whim Chicago Review Press p 34 ISBN 978 1 55652 714 2 Blair Halley 1995 04 14 Rugrats Animate The Greatest Holiday Forward Magazine a b Goldberg Danny 2005 How The Left Lost Teen Spirit Akashic Books p 216 ISBN 0 9719206 8 0 Keller Joel April 12 2006 Why don t more shows do Passover episodes TV Squad AOL Archived from the original on May 23 2012 Retrieved March 17 2021 Jackson Wendy Amidi Amid December 1998 Rugrats Offends Media Watchdogs Animation World Magazine Retrieved 2020 03 02 Nickelodeon slates show on Passover New York Home Furnishing Network 1995 03 27 Episode Detail Hall Monitor Harold s Bar Mitzvah Hey Arnold TV Guide Retrieved 2010 01 06 Brown Hannah 2005 05 18 Shrek s Orthodox author The Jerusalem Post 24 Rugrats Episode Guide Specials More Rugrats Chanukah Klasky Csupo Archived from the original Adobe Flash page on 2010 01 09 Retrieved 2009 10 25 Ribadeneira Diego 1996 12 05 Rites of Chanukah reach many The Boston Globe Nickelodeon drives kids TV marketplace in new season Grows While Competition Declines Outperforms Broadcasters In Key Dayparts Press release Press release Viacom 1996 12 18 Watts James D Jr 2007 10 30 By the book Tulsa World McKnight Nathaniel 2007 12 12 A Bit of Artistic Perspective Sherwin Miller s new exhibit points to Biblical images in art and pop culture Urban Tulsa Weekly Archived from the original on 2011 09 27 Retrieved 2010 01 06 External links edit A Rugrats Passover at the Internet Movie Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A Rugrats Passover amp oldid 1172879672, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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