Hey Arnold! is a fantastic show created in 1994 by Craig Bartlett, depicting a group of high school kids living colourful lives in a city neighbourhood. The main character, Arnold Philip Shortman, also known as 'Football Head', is an optimistic, idealistic person who wants to see the best in people despite evidence of the opposite. Enter Helga G. Pataki. The G. stands for glaring, considered her obsessive ogling towards Arnold. Not to mention the constant bullying, death threats, and the paper-spitballs... but love can be confusing and frightening at times. Stupid football head!

Even though the show is filled with comical overtones (like when Grandma Gertie advises Arnold, while wearing a karate uniform, that violence is never the answer... but then deliberately chops a watermelon with her bare hands as if it were an assailants head) there are also moments of gut-wrenching melancholy and depressing themes that work to balance out the show and create a realistic approach at depicting real life drama and tragedy.

The lessons are not always cheerful and rosy but rather despondent with a hopeful upturn, which is made to create social awareness using cartoon characters. You see this with things like Gerald and his adorable night cap who tells his friends that in real life, you can't always win, but real life is also full of variables that can change any one person in an instant. Most of the characters written on the show are inspired by real-life people, which leads me to this question: who are these people?! And, Hey Arnold! Are you okay?

20 Hey, Arnold! Your Parents Left You!

It's no secret that Arnold lives with his wacky, entertaining grandparents. Unless you haven't seen the show, and to that I say, why? What are you waiting for?!

Usually before bed, Granpa 'Steely' Phil tells Arnold some in-depth stories concerning his parents and the incredible adventures they've had. They are also portrayed as heroes, having saved an entire village in San Lorenzo from a deadly sleeping illness. The story doesn't end well, though, with his parents having made a decision to leave Arnold behind with his grandparents when he was an infant. Soon after, they boarded a plane, flying into the Central American jungle never to be seen again.

The good news is that Arnold considers his grandparents to be his genuine, caring guardians... basically they're his actual parents.

19 I'm Addicted To Chocolate... Help!

Addiction is no laughing matter; it ruins lives. This comical spin on addiction, depicting a young boy who is desperately attached to chocolate, is eerily similar to someone being burdened by the poison of an addictive substance.

This episode is dark and it packs a punch, considering that this young boy attempts to curb the addiction but fails. He's later found hooked on something completely different: radishes. Most of the time, substance abuse is caused by emotional or physical nuance, in the attempts to feel something other than melancholy, filling the void of emptiness. On the other hand, it can also be used to relieve chronic, physical pain. If you look at it from his perspective, the dependency for chocolate was primarily caused by his parents not being around when he was a child. It's pretty sad.

18 War And Abandonment

In this episode, we understand that during the Vietnam War, Mr Hyung (a Vietnamese tenant living in his grandparents boarding house, and a wonderful country music singer) was forced to give up his infant daughter to the U.S. military, as a sacrifice and in the hopes that she could live a better life.

Arnold is somewhat confused at Mr. Hyung's lack of enthusiasm, for the upcoming christmas holiday but soon understands the heartbreaking reason for his depression. In the attempts to overturn his sorrow, Arnold, being the good guy that he is, tries to locate his daughter Mai through government records but is rebuffed by the city archivist. The ending is cheerful though, considering the reunion of Mai and her father.

The episode also depicts dramatic scenes of destruction, famine and death during the Vietnam war, which gives a sense of the overall inhumanity of war.

17 Living In A Dangerous City

Arnold is usually a nice kid and an optimistic protagonist. He's the one who looks at the bright side of things instead of getting tied down by negativity. In this episode, however, his character turns sour after he experiences a mugging.

The incident itself involves an unruly teenager looking for a cheap, innocent thrill. He finds the reluctant Arnold and gives him a violent bruising all for some change, a bus pass, and some bragging rights with the wrong crowd.

After experiencing such a traumatic experience, Arnold confusedly turns violent. His grandmother then teaches him karate to defend himself from potential future attacks. However, he quickly uses this fighting knowledge to harass other innocent people in the hopes of feeling vindicated and strong... but this perpetual cycle of violence is nonsensical. Thankfully, his grandparents are there to counter the negative behaviour.

16 Haha, Harold, You're Overweight!

Harold is indeed overweight, that is abundantly clear. And you might be saying to yourself, well he deserves to get bullied and fat-shamed, because he's a jerk! He's also an obnoxious bully! While yes, that might be true, Harold can be overbearing, but under his seemingly strong and loud demeanour, there lies a hidden character who displays insecurity once subjected to his own vulnerability; like any kid probably would.

In the episode 'Weighing Harold' the tides turn against Harold, and his own bullying becomes a frightening mirror peering into his own reality, which is made overtly clear by his peers as well as full-grown adults who begin fat shaming and harassing poor Harold about his weight issues. As a result, Harold becomes depressed and attempts to overturn his problem by working out. However, he fails considerably and admits that he has little self control. Poor Harold.

15 I Think You've Had Too Much...

Miriam Pataki clearly drinks too much. She passes out all the time, slurring her words while living a life of perpetual sorrow and suffering from depression. Her husband Bob reinforces this reality by stating that Olga, her daughter, shouldn't stay in bed all day moping around and being depressed, which Miriam responds to by saying, "Sure she can, I do", further revealing her own similar, depraved identity.

Her job as a stay at home mother might add to this hopelessness. She might be lost and feel as though she is without purpose, or possibly feel as if she has failed her family, which in turn leads her to drink 'smoothies', or daiquiris. It's a sad premise, but a realistic one from some unfortunate parents, living destructing apathetic lives.

14  Horrible Parents

Bob and Miriam Pataki are terrible parents; there's hardly any way around it. If you have two kids, one of them being Olga, the prized and cherished prodigy of the family and the other, Helga, who is basically treated like the dog of the family... where keeping 'it' alive is paramount to staying out of jail, then that deserves scrutiny. She even walks to school during winter without a coat! I would consider that bad parenting.

Bob is overtly abusive in many ways: emotionally, verbally, and psychologically. He uses his large domineering frame to intimidate Helga, also bullying and belittling other kids. What kind of right-minded adult does that? And Miriam is completely negligent to the wants and needs of Helga, almost treating her like a ghost; never paying her attention and completely incapable of loving her, and even loving herself.

13 He's A Gangsta

Sid is poor, there is clear evidence supporting this fact. During one episode he pretends that Arnold's room belongs to him, the reason being that he's too embarrassed to reveal his own living space. When you're living in poverty and you see other people living extravagantly  it might entice you to do bad things, in order to get rich. Being a gangster could solve those problems, but it could also have leering, disastrous consequences.

In another episode, Sid gets tied with the wrong crowd, Big Gino: a loan shark and a mob boss who sells candy to kids. Sid collects a personal outstanding debt with some mean-looking gangsters. Unable to pay his debt, he becomes a servant for Big Gino, doing odd jobs here and there. However, when Arnold gets involved, Sid has to choose between friendship or potential glory as a money-making criminal.

12 What's He Thinking??

Sid might have mental issues, in terms of being overly paranoid about nonsensical happenings. At one time, he believed that he killed his principal with a voodoo doll carved from soap, and another time believed that Stinky was a vampire. This might be a case of watching too much television or reading too many horror stories but one thing is for sure: you can't kill someone with a bar of soap, unless maybe you're in prison or in the military. Though I might just be uninformed here.

There was also another time where Sid began to obsess over germs after learning about the topic in class to the point where he wore a special anti-germ suit and looked like a complete lunatic while trying to sit at his desk. If I were to imagine Sid in the future, I would picture him like Howard Hughes: locked away in a room somewhere, unable to leave the comfort of his own living space because everything terrifies him.

11 Down And Out

Some characters just get all the bad luck, and Sid is just that character. After Arnold gets cornered in a alley by a couple of thieves, a mysterious superhero named 'Monkeyman' saves the day. Arnold befriends 'Monkeyman', and over time he becomes well-known in the city. One night Sid is ambushed by the same assailants, who end up stealing his beloved beatle boots.

We already know that Sid is impoverished, but for something tragic like this to happen to good people who barely have any possessions to begin with, especially ones that help them overcome their insecurities... it's heart wrenching. He was also crying out for help for 'Monkeyman' to save him but he never came. Poor Sid. It's not fair!

10 Looks Can Be Deceiving

There is an episode titled "Ms. Perfect." A new classmate named Lila becomes the target of merciless antagonizing, orchestrated by Helga and other girls. Overcome by jealousy, caused by Lila's smart demeanour and instantaneous popularity, the girls devise a plan. After a salty prank, Lila is left feeling dejected and humiliated. She loses her composure and falls into depression, unable to take the pressure from such cowardly attacks.

Over time, the girls learn that Lila and her father are living in poverty in a rundown neighborhood located in the city. The home resembles a shack, looks decrepit, and is completely falling apart, which is a sharp contrast to how Helga perceived Lila in the beginning as a well-kept, manicured young girl.

All Lila wanted was to fit in, and not be seen as what she truly was, in the moment; a poor girl trying to survive, and make something better out of her life.

9 Olga Is Breaking Down

Olga Pataki is the prodigy child and Helga's older sister. She is the quintessential straight-A student: very intelligent and a complete perfectionist. However, she can tend to lapse into severe depressive episodes if her standards are not adhered to perfectly, meaning that she feels her life is dramatically over if her grades suffer.

In one episode, Olga has a complete meltdown after learning that she got a B+ (which by most standards is a good mark) and decidedly locks herself in her room, contemplating the consequences of such a 'terrible grade'. If it wasn't for her sister Helga, who decided to change her grades in the mail just so she could get an entertaining show watching her sister go through a merciless fit of anxiety and neurosis, she might have been fine.

8 The Narrow-Minded Rich

Rhonda is that character on Hey Arnold! that is completely vain. She lives in a rich neighbourhood and because of this she has been conditioned as greedy and lives lavishly as a spoiled brat, who is nonetheless nice to her friends. If something bad happens to her, she usually gets overly dramatic, as if her world is literally shattering into pieces, making a big deal out of a minor situation.

There is an episode where Rhonda goes broke, and her mind suddenly opens up to a new, undiscovered world of poverty, and she is clueless on how to deal with it or even understand the implications of such a lifestyle. Her mind was previously, and narrowly conditioned in a rich environment and her luxurious life seemed impossible to lose. It's difficult to comprehend such a person having little empathy for others, and also her total ignorance about the poverty stricken conditions, which clearly exist in her city.

7 Don't Abandon The Stoop Kid

There are many theories revolving around why the stoop kid never leaves his stoop. One of them is that he is guarding a substance infested stash-house and needs to act as security protecting the operation at all costs, but that doesn't exactly carry well considering that he briefly left his stoop at one point.

Most people believe that stoop kid was abandoned by his parents on that very stoop, which he never left and where he constantly harasses anyone who comes near it. He seems to have no education and no job, judging by his vocabulary and by his general demeanor. He's prone to anxiety once he leaves his comfortable nest and speaks broken English.

Arnold tried to help him, but stoop kid might just be a lost cause. The story is sad however you choose to look at it.

6 What Relationship?

There is sometimes nothing worse than a failed father-son relationship, and Alan Redmond is the perfect example of  a son who is completely distant from his own father, Sammy Redmond, despite living in the same house together.

Alan lacks notable interest in sports, something which would help him find common ground with his father, who is a stern advocate for participating in physical activities. Instead, Alan is more into photography and is the owner of a dark room. When Arnold tries to bond Sammy and Alan together, he find his efforts are futile. Alan can only appreciate the graceful movements in basketball, which reminds him of ballet.

Alan becomes heartbroken when noticing that Arnold seems to his father like the son he never had. I think this relationship might need the help of a family therapist.

5 I'm Moving Out!

Gerald is one of my favourite characters and it broke my heart to see he once felt like a prisoner in his own home, where his sister destroys his cherished valuables, his father restricts his down time on the stereo, and his brother just controls him with brute strength and power.

When you feel overwhelmed by your own family, like your space doesn't matter to anyone, it feels like you just don't matter. Everyone needs down time, to heal, to feel pleasure, and to relieve stress from every day life.

It sometimes takes extreme measures to get your point across, like moving out of the house and living like grown ups do just so that you can be at peace. But when you feel that your family doesn't necessarily need you back, that hits home like a crushing meteorite straight to the heart.

4 Lost Love

When you really like someone you become vulnerable and put your feelings on the line, hoping that maybe they might feel the same for you. That is tough for anyone, especially when that love isn't reciprocated. It's a funny thing, to imagine a life with someone and that very thought just makes you feel on top of the world. But when you finally admit your thoughts to that person and get shut down it can cause your heart to actually melt, but that's just life. And it seems to easy to break it down that simply, knowing that life is a never-ending field of complex emotions and difficult decisions. You should be proud of yourself though for taking a risk and for being bold. Unrequited love can be merciless.

When Arnold confesses to Lila that he likes-likes her and she suddenly confesses herself that she does not exactly feel the same, the crushing blow is felt, even at a young tender age. At least there's always Helga.

3 Stupid Football Head, I Love You!

Helga is that character that is incredibly afraid of showing her true colours, because the thought of being turned down in light of confessing her true intentions to Arnold is like a gigantic weight. It could shatter Helga's sensitive heart. So she keeps to herself, but it also seems to eat away at her mental health.

In her room there is a shrine dedicated to Arnold himself, where every night she says her obsessive thoughts towards somehow gaining power over Arnold's affection. She even confessed to her therapist that she once sculpted Arnold out of used gum, which would stun anyone into a momentary lapse of disbelief. Not to mention those times where she had a 3 a.m. vigil and ventured into the spirit world, casting a tantric spell to somehow gain access to Arnold's everlasting love.

2 There's A Reason For Everything

Even though Helga can seem like an absolutely possessive lunatic at times, there is a reason for her tantric, loving affection towards Arnold. As a child, Helga barely had any affection from her mother or father which seems to play a role in her own vulnerability, never having been loved by those she loved the most as a child.

To feel like you're second to none to a sister who seems perfect must be heart-wrenching, tormenting your mind about how you think of yourself. You feel worthless and unimportant. One day while preparing for preschool, her parents were inattentive to her, obsessing over Olga and her potential.

Helga walked out into the rain, her parents oblivious of her leaving. She is drenched and covered in mud, and Arnold comes around the corner to shelter her and care for her giving her an umbrella. He's the first person to show her attention and caring for her well-being. She instantly fell in love.

1 Fly, Fly, Away!

Pigeon Man is a great character; he always had sage advice to give to people like Arnold, such as "always wash your berries before you eat them," which, to be frank, is completely reasonable. He also seemed like a down-to-earth person while engaging with Arnold, with genuine intentions as an overall loving human being.

However, the agoraphobic, distrustful hermit was unable to interact with other people due to traumatic past experiences that haunted his memories and disabled him from human socializing. This hindered his ability to make new friends or long-lasting relationships. He is unable to understand the complexity of people, but he does have control and freedom when it comes to pigeons and that seems to be enough. We never know what happened to him, but he seemed content with his decision to continue his purpose. Wherever theres a bird in need of seed, pigeon man will be there.