The entertainment industry’s war on kids continues with a recent film reboot of the popular 90’s Nickelodeon cartoon Rocko’s Modern Life. 

Netflix revived the children’s animated series with a new 45-minute movie titled, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling, featuring the cast of the original series, but with some very “modern life” changes.

The film focuses on Rocko and his friends, Heffer and Filbert, who set out to find his neighbour’s son, Ralph Bighead. Rocko’s neighbour, Ed Bighead, lost touch with his son, who left home years ago to go on a journey of self-discovery.

Eventually, Ralph is found, however, Ralph now has breasts, wears heels and a dress, and goes by the name Rachel.

Ralph’s father, Ed, is initially enraged by his son’s decision to transition to a ‘female’ until he comes to the realisation that change is the key to happiness and they all live happily ever after.

Series creator, Joe Murray told Entertainment Weekly the inclusion of a prominent transgender character felt natural.

When I started writing [the film], I really started latching onto the idea of change and how society has changed and what’s gone on in the last 20 years and the development of our characters and how they would react to change.

It felt natural, because it was not only about change, about somebody finding who they are and making that courageous choice to go through that change.

According to VICE, “things are changing” in children’s programming, and Netflix is using its “leeway as a streaming platform to make its own rules and push the needle…”

The 2013 Cartoon Network series Steven Universe had a same-sex wedding in 2018, and this year, the PBS kids’ series Arthur gave its character Mr Ratburn a gay wedding… Rachel’s plotline is a big step forward because it addresses her transition openly as a key story arc of a show for kids. And it’s a positive depiction, because she’s quickly accepted by her old friends as they fall back into their usual dynamic.

It’s clear these writers have an agenda. They’re entirely open about that fact. They want our kids to think as they do – and we give them that platform and influence every time we allow them to entertain our children.

More than ever, parents need to be aware of what their children are watching and the messages that are being communicated through seemingly innocent kids’ programs.

The days of innocent children’s cartoons are officially over. Sadly, it’s been over for a while now.