2. "Helga On The Couch" - Hey Arnold!
Snee-Oosh Inc./Nickelodeon Animation StudiosFor any kid growing up in the 1990's, Hey Arnold! was their go-go show for intellectual stimulation. It was built on dramatic storytelling and compelling characters, but it was still grounded in enough of a kid's atmosphere, that it could be marketed to them. While Hey Arnold! did sometimes deal with mature themes in a trademark Nick way, there was never a more poignant, clearly adult-themed episode of the series than "Helga on the Couch". Though Helga Pataki was painted as a rough, no-nonsense bully, the audience knew that a softer side existed somewhere as she was hopelessly in love with the titular Arnold. That gruff, fierce exterior was fully explored in the episode; this was her super villain origin. Peer pressure, child abuse, even alcoholism, the creators played with a lot of adult themes inside of twenty-two minutes. Helga's inability to hide her feelings ultimately results in the entire bully façade that she had created, and her parents lack of appreciation is a very clear sign that someone should probably call CPS.