Ren & Stimpy is a landmark in animation history—and also kind of a nightmare. It pushed boundaries, influenced a generation of animators, and proved cartoons could be genuinely subversive. It also traumatized countless kids with extreme close-ups of infected gums and modeled one of the most toxic friendships in television history.

The problem isn't just that it's gross (though it really, really is). It's that Ren's treatment of Stimpy is psychologically abusive in ways that aren't funny or redemptive. The show revels in cruelty and disgust for their own sake.

For modern kids, it's also just... dated. The shock value that made it edgy in 1991 feels tired now. Kids raised on SpongeBob and Adventure Time—shows that learned from Ren & Stimpy's innovation without the meanness—will likely find this more weird than entertaining.

If you're considering it for animation history purposes or nostalgia, fine—but watch with them and be ready to discuss why this kind of content was controversial and why character dynamics matter. Otherwise, there are better ways to spend screen time.