This ‘Rugrats’ theory will change everything about how you remember the show

TV and movie fan theories are having a moment right now. We’re loving this clever gem about Draco Malfoy, and sobbing over this doozy about Ross Geller. Even though these are fictional characters with no real lives beyond what we see on the screen, it’s fun to wonder what could have been going on behind the scenes.

All this talk reminds us of one of the original TV fan theories involving the ultimate 90s antihero, Angelica Pickles. This particular theory pops up on the Internet every once and a while, and reared its head today — so we thought we’d revisit it.

If you haven’t heard it before, here’s the theory according to MoviePilot.com:

“The Rugrats really were a figment of Angelica’s Demonic and Unimaginable imagination. Chuckie died in 1986 with his mother, which explains why Chaz is a nervous wreck at almost all times. Tommy was born in 1988, but he was a stillborn. That’s the reason Stu is constantly in the basement making toys for the son who never was given the chance to live. The DeVilles had an abortion in 1990. Angelica couldn’t figure whether it would be a boy or a girl, leading to the twins.”

Wow. Way harsh, Tai. Rugrats was a cornerstone of my idyllic 90s childhood, so consider my formative years officially ruined. Technically, the theory checks out, for the most part. And come to think of it, Angelica was pretty insane and totally capable of such delusions. But what about Susie? And Dil?

Either way, imagining a world where the babies don’t actually exist makes me look at things totally differently. Say it isn’t so, Nickelodeon!