Rugrats was one of my favorite television shows growing up, so it was really important for me to reconnect with my old friends and see what they are up to now. Some of their future endeavors might be a surprise to you but I was thrilled to see that all of them stayed true to themselves and maintained some sense of their childhood selves.

Tommy Pickles and Kimi Finster:

Tommy was always the brave leader among his friends, so it was no surprise that, during his senior year of high school, when a nationwide film contest took place, Tommy entered the competition wholeheartedly. The contest consumed his life and he forced his friends to be a part of it, as well. Needless to say, they were not happy about this. One day, Tommy was so tired from constant editing, writing and filming that he fell asleep at the wheel and got into a car accident. He was the only one injured, but he was scarred for life, figuratively and literally (he had a minor scar on his right hand).  It was then that he decided to never let a passion overtake his life and ruin important relationships. He knew he wanted to be a filmmaker but he was scared to finish his project. Tommy worried that his perfectionist attitude, in conjunction with his tendency to become fully immersed in his work, would once again get in the way. He remembered something he used to say as a baby: “A baby’s gotta do, what a baby’s gotta do” and he knew he had to follow his passion.

It was during filming that he fell in love with Kimi Finster, step-sister of Chuckie. Although he knew he should not act on his feelings, recapturing his old baby mantra made it difficult for him to ignore his love for her. After graduation, Tommy told Kimi of his feelings, sparking their romantic relationship. Chuckie  was understandably upset and refused to talk to both Tommy and Kimi. Tommy and Kimi were never fans of their hometown, and once Chuckie stopped talking to them, it seemed they had nothing tying them there any longer. They decided to follow their love of adventure and go to Ecuador to film a documentary about their new passion: rock-climbing. While there, they fell in love with the adorable brown-headed spider monkey and learned that it was one of the most threatened animals in Ecuador. They decided to change the focus of their documentary in order to raise awareness and get financial support for adorable, brown headed spider monkeys. They are currently in the final stages of production of their movie, Evolution is Overrated.

Chuckie Finster:

Once Tommy and Kimi ran off together, Chuckie did some soul-searching. Why was he so upset? Why did he feel such resentment toward Tommy and Kimi? He realized that maybe his reaction was due to the fact that the only time he had really been in love was when he met Megan on the playground when he was two years old. He had never seen her again. He searched her on Facebook, but to no avail. While at college, Chuckie was able to forget about his nonexistent love life since his double major in chemistry and biology took up every second of his time. Chuckie was hoping to find a cure for the terrible congestion he and his father suffered from. After three years of research and experiments, Chuckie finally did it! He created a product called “No Chaz Congestion,” named after his father. He graduated college already a multimillionaire, but he felt empty inside. He knew he wouldn’t be completely happy until he found Megan, whom he believed to be his one true love.  With the fame of “No Chaz Congestion” fresh on his heels, Chuckie was able to make a public announcement in hopes of finding Megan. Miraculously, it worked. Although she was a little freaked out at first, Megan remembered Chuckie and the two are currently happily dating. Even more importantly, Chuckie is finally free from congestion. Reuniting with the love of his life was precisely the push Chuckie needed to reach out to Tommy and Kimi. The three have reconnected and Chuckie, despite his fear of airplanes and spider monkeys, plans on visiting them on location this month.

Phil and Lil DeVille:

Lil had grown tired of always being seen as one half of “the twins.” She was determined to shed this shared identity and create an image all her own. When Phil and Lil graduated high school, they went their separate ways. Lil went to Syracuse, as far away from Phil as possible. She had become so grossed out by Phil’s love of worms and all things slimy and disgusting that she decided to major in medicine, with hopes of becoming an advocate for cleanliness. The years of torment she suffered at the hands of Angelica, however, proved to be an even bigger influence on Lil. She had a powerful aversion to bullying and discrimination ever since the unending abuse she endured during her toddler years. She decided to take up kickboxing at school.  She was a star pupil and fell in love with the sport. She loved it so much that upon graduating, she decided to not only compete in national kickboxing competitions, but to become a teacher, as well.

Phil went to a UCLA and majored in English, mainly because he didn’t know what truly interested him. For as long as he could remember, all he really cared about was doing disgusting things and getting attention for it. Lucky for him he found he was able to do this at college. Phil put his gross-out skills front and center at UCLA’s party scene. Miraculously, he was able to graduate, but he was at a loss. He still didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life. After a year at home of doing absolutely nothing, Phil was ready for a challenge, and also for the return of the television show, Fear Factor. He decided this was his calling. Phil and Lil had been avid watchers of Fear Factor when it first aired. Phil always believed the show’s cancellation caused a riff in their relationship. So when the show went back on the air and sought a pair to compete in the crazy stunts, Phil knew exactly who to ask: his estranged sister. Although she said no at first, Lil eventually came around, figuring her kickboxing strength would not only come in handy but it would also attract the host, Joe Rogan, who she had a major crush on. Phil and Lil are currently training for the show and have patched up their relationship.

Angelica Pickles:

Angelica’s bossiness, jealousy and overall meanness prevented her from making any lasting friendships in both high school and college. Through all of her bratty behavior, however, one friend stuck by her: Cynthia.  This lasting relationship, as well as her personality, proved beneficial in her major, Business Management, as well as her post-collegiate endeavors. Right after her graduation, Angelica went straight to the Cynthia franchise office. She did not schedule a meeting or even tell them she was coming, but she refused to leave until they spoke with her. Her stubbornness had got her an appointment and her ability to instill fear in others, as well as her obsession with and compassion for Cynthia dolls, enabled her to become CEO of the franchise that very same day. Although her toys are geared toward the very young, Angelica still hates children of all ages and refers to her clients as “stupid babies.”

Susie Carmichael:

Instead of going to college, Susie decided to focus on her singing career. Her parents Randy and Lucy were against this. They knew Susie was talented, but they wanted her to be practical. Going against them was the hardest thing she ever did, but it was also the most rewarding. Susie packed everything she owned and moved to Los Angeles. Things were difficult at first, without a steady income or support from her family. Susie worked two different jobs as a waitress and sang at nightclubs on the weekends. After six months of this grueling schedule, without any hope to ever make it as a famous singer, Susie was discovered by Simon Cowell, who described her as “the soulful voice of this generation.” She released her first single called ‘My Heart, My Life’ and is currently touring with Taylor Swift. The two are also working on a beautiful love ballad called, ‘Reptar, Light Up My Life.’

Dil Pickles:

He was seen as crazy by most of his classmates due to his obsession with the supernatural and strange inventions. After high school, Dil refused to go to college, saying, “A college education wouldn’t do me any good. I’m an innovator and college would ruin my untamed mind. I can’t be tamed.” He had been listening to a lot of Miley Cyrus at that time. He was depressed. His parents Stu and Didi were worried about him. Dil lived in the basement and seemed to have gone crazy. He rarely slept and would work on projects all day, but when his parents asked about these projects, Dil said he couldn’t talk about them. When he finally emerged from the basement, clean-shaven and with his invention in tow, it was a huge shock to everyone. The fact that his invention was considered genius was an even bigger surprise. Dil’s invention, the Clapper for Hair, uses atmospheric ions to smooth hair to groomed perfection with a simple clap of the hands. Dil is now a multi-billionaire, but can’t seem to find a girlfriend.

Feature image via, Image 1 and 2 via, Image 3 via, Image 4 via, Image 5 via, Image 6 via, Image 7 via.