Image Credit: Everett Collection
Whether he was attempting to have a perfect Saturday, pining after a braces-sporting sixth-grader, wearing a checkered shirt that was so long it looked like a kilt, or leading protests against a greedy ice-cream man on the hottest day of the year, Arnold was, as his friend Gerald would say, a bold kid. But for all the love I have for this kid with a football shaped head, I have equally as much affection for the vast collection of kids and characters who stood by his side for four seasons.
Sure, his classmates and even the boarding house tenants didn’t get a huge amount of screentime, but they were, nonetheless, enjoyable additions. I didn’t remember this until I was re-watching “Heat/Snow” on Netflix yesterday in preparation for this trip down memory lane. (Also, am I the only one who completely forgot that this show had two segments per episode?)
Watching the tenants bicker over the heat and the kids play carelessly in the snow, I remembered how much they all brought to the show. From Eastern European immigrant Oskar (“In the old country, they’d throw you to the wolves for this”), to the ever-enraged demolition expert Ernie Potts, to class jinx Eugene (“I’m okay”). I even remembered that one of my favorite episodes was when we saw Mr. Hyunh reunited with his long-lost daughter. (Full disclosure: That episode made me cry.) They each had a unique voice, story, and we got just enough of each of them throughout the series to keep them interesting.
So while it would be unfair to pit the extra characters against the likes of Grandma Gertie, Grandpa Phil, Helga, Gerald and Arnold in a popularity contest, I have to ask, PopWatchers, did you have a favorite supporting player? Vote in our poll below. (Sorry, rest, but my vote goes to Eugene. We share a clumsy bond.)
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Oh my lord I BAWLED when Mr Hyunh found his daughter. But I was the also kid who wasn’t allowed to watch All Dogs Go to Heaven….
Oh my god, ME TOO. Thought I was the only one–guess not.
I cried too. I think I was 45 or so when I saw the episode (kids loved “Arnold”). I always loved Grandma Gertie because she was fearless, if a little dotty.
Yeah, me too
I loved this show growing up, but it always bothered me that they only had 3 fingers instead of 4! Also Brainy was a good character as well. Always stalking Helga and breathing heavily behind her.
4???????????
I know she wasn’t a supporting character exactly, but helga in all her lunacy is still one of my favorite tv characters of all time. Her rant in the hey Arnold movie that ended with her finally confessing her love was EPIC!
Loved Sid for reasons I’ve never quite understood (it might have been the backwards baseball cap thing), but Phoebe’s a close second. I always had a bit of a soft spot for Helga, and only Phoebe ever seemed to see her good qualities.
Stoop Kid.
Yep. Right here. Stoop kid and Pigeon Man were my favorite.
Beat me to it. Stoop Kid rules!
Stoop Kid’s afraid to leave the stoop!!!!
I’m right there with you – Stoop Kid!!
Chocolate Boy.
Thank you ever so much for leaving Lila off this list. I despise her. A/H Forever.
I remember this show! Looking back, I can’t believe how heavy the episodes got sometimes!
My favorite supporting character was Sid.
I couldn’t stand Sid, Stinky, or Harlod. The only episodes that I liked Harlod in were the two episodes he had with Patti Smith (who used to be called Big Patti)
“it was the best of times, it was the worst of times”…in Oskar’s voice. Cracks me up everytime!
Bah! I quote this constantly!
I’m really happy and slightly surprised Phoebe is winning in the poll. I guess her overachiever, yet still underdog status and sweet, but hinging on crazed nature really won people over.
Also just have to say she had some really good episodes- the Spelling Bee one, the one where she moves up a grade, and of course the one with the Ricky Martin doppelganger.
“I Saw, I Saw, Your Face And WOW”
& THEN I TOOK A BOW
my favorite character was definitely brainy.
Hey Arnold was a great show I remeber it was the only show my parents and I liked. that episode made me cry too. It was very emotional. I dont have a favorite I liked them all.
Curly!
Oskar in a close second.
I love Stoop Kid