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** Dino Spumoni and Don Reynolds in "Dino Checks Out" and "Partners".
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** WordOfGod is that in "The Patakis" spin-off that never was, Helga finally would have gotten the hint and become friends with Lila. The fact that Arnold would be PutOnABus probably helped matters between them.
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* UnknownRival: At no point in any episode involving her does Lila ever learn about Helga's animosity for her or Arnold-related jealousy. Ironically, if she did know she would probably have no problem helping Helga since she doesn't have feelings for Arnold anyway, but Helga insists on being antagonistic instead.
** And actually, during the school play and masquerade episodes, Lila DOES help her.
** And actually, during the school play and masquerade episodes, Lila DOES help her.
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* UnknownRival: At no point in any episode involving her does Lila ever learn about Helga's animosity for her or Arnold-related jealousy. Ironically, if she did know she would probably have no problem helping Helga since Helga--and during the school play and masquerade episodes, does help--since she doesn't have feelings for Arnold anyway, but Helga insists on being antagonistic instead.
** And actually, during the school play and masquerade episodes, Lila DOES help her.instead.
** And actually, during the school play and masquerade episodes, Lila DOES help her.
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** And actually, during the school play and masquerade episodes, Lila DOES help her.
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** One episode has a resturant called "Mr. Chickens House Of Pancakes And Halibut" which is a take on the restaurant chain "Roscoe's Chicken And Waffles"
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* RashomonEpisode: The "False Alarm" episode.
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* RashomonEpisode: [[RashomonStyle Rashomon Episode]]: The "False Alarm" episode.
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* RefugeInAudacity: In "Helga's Parrot" when the parrot starts mimicking her poem about Arnold, Helga initially tries to kill it [[NoKillLikeOverkill with a chainsaw]].
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* TerrifiedOfGerms: Sid, after watching a [[PublicServiceAnnouncement health class film]] about hygene.
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* TerrifiedOfGerms: Sid, after watching a [[PublicServiceAnnouncement health class film]] about hygene.hygiene.
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* UglyGuyHotWife: Oskar and his wife
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* UglyGuyHotWife: Oskar and his wifewife.
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** Gerald, for knowing so many of the town's legends
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** Gerald, for knowing so many of the town's legendslegends.
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* StatusQuoIsGod: This ''is'' a Kid's show, after all, without must semblence of continuity or an overarching plotline. However, there are some implications of some mini-arcs, such as Arnold's relationship with Lila. The CharacterDevelopment is also an aversion.
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* StatusQuoIsGod: This ''is'' a Kid's show, after all, without must semblence much semblance of continuity or an overarching plotline. However, there are some implications of some mini-arcs, such as Arnold's relationship with Lila. The CharacterDevelopment is also an aversion.
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* RunningGag: While Helga fawns over Arnold and recites her poetry about him, Brainy will interrupt her with his heavy breathing, resulting in Helga hitting him with an OffhandBackhand Also, Brainy appears in some of the...weirdest locations. They even lampshade this, and he doesn't even know what he was doing there with them in the first place.
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* RunningGag: While Helga fawns over Arnold and recites her poetry about him, Brainy will interrupt her with his heavy breathing, resulting in Helga hitting him with an OffhandBackhand OffhandBackhand. Also, Brainy appears in some of the...weirdest locations. They even lampshade this, and he doesn't even know what he was doing there with them in the first place.
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** In the episode "Cool Jerk" where Arnold hangs out with a biker, he watches the ''Film/TheWildOne'', there are graffiti saying "James Dean" and RebelWithoutACause". Also outside there is graffiti saying "The Irons" near a similar looking image of Music/IronMaiden's Eddie The Head from their debut album.
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** In the episode "Cool Jerk" where Arnold hangs out with a biker, he watches the ''Film/TheWildOne'', there are graffiti saying "James Dean" and RebelWithoutACause"."RebelWithoutACause". Also outside there is graffiti saying "The Irons" near a similar looking image of Music/IronMaiden's Eddie The Head from their debut album.
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** The same episode contains a ''Descartes'' reference: Sid's apartment building has the phrase "Cogito Ergo Sum" engraved on it's front door.
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** The same episode contains a ''Descartes'' reference: Sid's apartment building has the phrase "Cogito Ergo Sum" engraved on it's its front door.
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* RashomonEpisode: The "False Alarm" episode.
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* YiddishAsASecondLanguage: In "Deconstructing Arnold" Harold calls Arnold a "Kibitzer": Yiddish for a non-participant person, offering (often unwanted) advice or commentary. Or as he defines it: a "big fat buttinski!"
** "Yutz" a Yiddish insult meaning "idiot" is also used occasionally by a few characters. Mostly by Helga.
** "Yutz" a Yiddish insult meaning "idiot" is also used occasionally by a few characters. Mostly by Helga.
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* ShallowLoveInterest: Ruth, the 6th grader Arnold initially was crushing on. He later loses interest after realizing she's this.
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* ShallowLoveInterest: SatelliteLoveInterest: Ruth, the 6th grader Arnold initially was crushing on. He later loses interest after realizing she's this.
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* RejectionAffection: While Helga is busy being a StalkerWithACrush to Arnold, Brainy is doing the same to Helga, but a lot more openly. No matter how many times she hits him, he persists.
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** [[Film/TheShining "HERE'S GRANDPA!"]]
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* WalkIntoCameraObstruction:
** "Wheezin Ed", this happens near the end. Where Harold is rolling and his butt fills up the screen before he runs over everyone.
** "Helga's Makeover" again with Harold; as he and the other boys are about to go to crash Rhonda's party.
** "Wheezin Ed", this happens near the end. Where Harold is rolling and his butt fills up the screen before he runs over everyone.
** "Helga's Makeover" again with Harold; as he and the other boys are about to go to crash Rhonda's party.
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** In the episode where Harold worked at Mr. Green's butcher shop; Mr. Green hires Harold as an apprentice at the end of the episode. Ever since we have never seen Harold working at the shop or it being mentioned.
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** "Stinky's Pumpkin" shows that Stinky's various family portraits, including ones resembling ''American Gothic'' and the NormanRockwell Thanksgiving painting.
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** One episode features Grandpa reading a tabloid with an article about a "[[{{ComicStrip/Dilbert}} two foot baby born with a three foot beard]]".
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** One episode features Grandpa reading a tabloid with an article about a "[[{{ComicStrip/Dilbert}} two "two foot baby born with a three foot beard]]".beard" with an illustration that resembles an [[{{ComicStrip/Dilbert}} Elbonian child]].
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** Every time Arnold hits a baseball, someone is going to get hit by it. There was even an entire episode dealing with the idea.
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** One episode features Grandpa reading a tabloid with an article about a "[[{{ComicStrip/Dilbert}} two foot baby born with a three foot beard]]".
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* SitOnTheCamera: in "Wheezin' Ed" near the end where Harold is rolling, and his butt fills the screen before running over everyone
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* SuperstitionEpisode: "Friday the Thirteenth".
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* SuperstitionEpisode: In the episode "Friday the Thirteenth".Thirteenth" it's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Friday the thirteenth]] and Arnold's and Gerald's families insist they carry around good luck charms and avoid unlucky things. Arnold and Gerald try to prove superstitions are false, but end up with bad luck. [[spoiler: Because Wolfgang gave it to them.]]
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** Harold and his Mr. Fudgy Bars.
** A more subtle example: Oscar can be seen eating pickles from the jar in several episodes that focus on him.
** A more subtle example: Oscar can be seen eating pickles from the jar in several episodes that focus on him.
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* SuperstitionEpisode: "Friday the Thirteenth".
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* RaisedByGrandparents: Arnold.
* RawEggsMakeYouStronger:
** Harold tried drinking raw eggs while training for an arm-wrestling match, but they made him want to throw up.
** Subverted in another episode when Grandpa is trying to get in shape. He is shown cracking raw eggs into a glass...and then pours them from the glass into a frying pan to cook them.
* RecycledPremise: A fair amount of the later episodes are retreads down the paths of older ones - for example "Helga's Parrot" is a mix of "Helga's Locket" and "Helga Blabs It All," all of which are revisitations of the early episode "Little Pink Book." In an example of TropesAreNotBad, most of these recycled plots allowed the writers to explore the storylines in unique and still entertaining ways.
** The most prominent example, however, is "Love and Cheese," which ''is'' "Operation Ruthless," just with Lila replacing Ruth while showing off the deeper development the characters had been given in the years between the episodes. Fully cognizant of this, the episode is full of references to ''Ruthless'' - several lines from the first episode are repeated and/or referenced, Ruth herself cameos on several occasions in the background (despite not appearing at all in the show for quite a while), and Phoebe and Gerald are shown walking past scenes together - a reference to [[BetaCouple how they hooked up in the background during the plot of]] ''Ruthless.''
* RefugeInAudacity: In "Helga's Parrot" when the parrot starts mimicking her poem about Arnold, Helga initially tries to kill it [[NoKillLikeOverkill with a chainsaw]].
* TheRenaissanceAgeOfAnimation
* RichBitch: Rhonda has a tendency to be this, although it's not as bad as other examples on that page.
* RomanticFalseLead: Ruth and Lila.
* RousseauWasRight: The series generally tends to support this.
* RunningGag: While Helga fawns over Arnold and recites her poetry about him, Brainy will interrupt her with his heavy breathing, resulting in Helga hitting him with an OffhandBackhand Also, Brainy appears in some of the...weirdest locations. They even lampshade this, and he doesn't even know what he was doing there with them in the first place.
---> '''Helga:''' Look, Brainy, this is just ''weird.'' How is it that you're standing behind me again? How'd you get in this little arch? Were you waiting for me to come to this alley? ''What's your deal?''
* SadClown:
---> '''Harold:''' Look at me Arnold, LOOK AT ME! I'm a... I'm... BIG UGLY CLOWNO, A BIG SAD UGLY CLOWNOOOOOOOO!
** LeitMotif
* SchoolPlay: Episode of the same title.
* ScrewedByTheNetwork:
** One of the most {{egregious}} offenses was holding back "Parents Day" from a U.S. airing for ''3 full years.''
** The often pre-empted season 5. According to ThatOtherWiki, Season 4 was 1999-2000, while Season 5 was 2001-200''5''. That's right: it took 3 years for one season! Craig Bartlett, the creator of the show, quit because Nickelodeon tried to force him to sign a non-compete agreement, which he rejected since he was also working on a show for Cartoon Network at the time.
** Everything related to TheMovie.
* ScrewPolitenessImASenior: Grandpa Phil and Grandma Gertie...Not to Arnold, though.
* TheScrooge: The Jolly-Olly Man. He usually acts like a general JerkAss to kid customers and sometimes [[KicktheDog drives the truck away just after stopping for waving kids]]. Soon revealed to be a combination of a WellDoneSonGuy and CallingTheOldManOut situation with him and his boss/father, since he can't hold any other jobs.
* SecretSanta: In the ChristmasSpecial.
* SeriousBusiness:
** '''HEY EVERYONE, STOOP KID'S GONNA LEAVE HIS STOOP!!!''' Cue the front-line news page, a news crew, which also showed up for Arnold's punishment in "Arnold Betrays Iggy", and ''half the city.''
** The people who play the card game in "Gerald's Game" get pretty into it, with the winners becoming kings and losers getting locked up or becoming slaves.
* ShallowLoveInterest: Ruth, the 6th grader Arnold initially was crushing on. He later loses interest after realizing she's this.
* SheCleansUpNicely: Big Patty. And despite her insistence that she's not pretty, Helga ''can'' look beautiful when she tries to.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend:
** Harold twice in the episode "Hey Harold", first to his overbearing parents then to Sid and Stinky.
** Arnold says this about Lila in her first episode, which complicates things when he realizes he ''does'' like her.
* ShipperOnDeck: Most people who knew about Helga's feelings for Arnold were supportive of a potential relationship, especially Phoebe and Grandpa Phil. Even Lila, her [[UnknownRival supposed arch-rival]], agreed to step aside for her since she actually has no romantic feelings for Arnold.
* ShoutOut:
** In the episode "Rhonda's Glasses", the "cool kids" discriminated against the "geeks". The episode made many references to black and white segregation as the "geeks" had to sit at the back of the bus, sit at the geek tables, and get all the bad equipment, just like the blacks did. At the end of the episode, Rhonda refused to move to the back of the bus because she had glasses just like Rosa Parks refused to move because she was black.
** "Big Geno" has a moment where the titular grade school mafioso threatens Sid by [[TheGodfather cutting off the head of his toy rocking horse and putting it in his bed.]]
** The same episode contains a ''Descartes'' reference: Sid's apartment building has the phrase "Cogito Ergo Sum" engraved on it's front door.
** Mr. Simmons is usually shown wearing [[{{Doug}} a white t-shirt, a green sweatervest, and brown pants]].
** The episode "Gerald's Game" is also the title of a Creator/StephenKing novel.
** In the episode "Cool Jerk" where Arnold hangs out with a biker, he watches the ''Film/TheWildOne'', there are graffiti saying "James Dean" and RebelWithoutACause". Also outside there is graffiti saying "The Irons" near a similar looking image of Music/IronMaiden's Eddie The Head from their debut album.
** Arnold's favorite author, Agatha Caufield, is a recluse who lives by herself in a cabin on Elk Island. her surname is the same as JD Salinger's character, Holden Caufield, while Salinger himself became a recluse after ''Literature/TheCatcherInTheRye''.
** Elk Island in general, as it supposedly is home to a massive treasure trove, in a cave, that some believe is haunted...much like the real life Money Pit on ''Oak'' Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.
** When Monkeyman gets a makeover, he resembles Gene Wilder's portrayal of [[WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory Willy Wonka]].
* SiblingYinYang: Helga is constantly ignored and would like some adoration from her parents, while her sister Olga gets all of the attention and would like to be left alone.
* SickEpisode: Helga thinks she's sick with Monkeynucleousis and will die soon, but it turns out she's only being paranoid. She's also CompletelyMissingThePoint, as she read about the disease she thinks she has in a book called ''Diseases Long Since Debunked By Modern Science''.
* SillyReasonForWar: In one episode Grampa takes Arnold and his friends to a reenactment of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_War Pig War]], which in their version of history erupted into all-out war (we know it's not one of Phil's tall tales because of the other people at the reenactment).
* SingleTargetSexuality: Helga only has eyes for Arnold. Though, she does flirt a bit with [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Ronnie Matthews]] when she finds out he's a self-centered prick.
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: Guess who...
* TheSlacker: Oskar Kokoshka. He did, however, get a job as a paperboy, take care of his sister-in-law's baby son, and learn how to read.
* {{Sleepwalking}}
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Heavily idealistic overall. Arnold tended to believe that most people were [[RousseauWasRight good at heart]] and could work out their differences with one another -- and, ultimately, the show tended to prove him right. The trade-off was that episodes with {{Downer Ending}}s and {{Karma Houdini}}s hit just that much harder, for being in apparent opposition to the prevailing ideology.
* {{Snapback}}
* SoBadItsGood: In-universe. Helga & Big Bob's reaction to ''[[{{Cats}} Rats]]: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Musical of Singing Rats]]''. TakeThat, indeed.
* SocialServicesDoesNotExist:
** Helga's mom is clearly alcoholic, her dad is about as abusive as you can get without being violent, and they're both often pretty neglectful of her. YMMV though - It's shown that they ''can'' take care of her, and Miriam was intended to go to Alcoholics Anonymous in The Patakis.
** Arnold's in rather good hands; although his grandma is a CloudCuckooLander and his grandpa has...done some things to Arnold that is child endangerment or negligence, but it's PlayedForLaughs. In ''Biosquare'', when Helga starts to flood the greenhouse after breaking the sink, Grandpa mistakes their banging for help as a sign to ''turn the water flow up'' and make the greenhouse flood faster. In ''On the Lam'', Arnold is clearly tied up and Grandpa just assumes he's playing secret agent.
** Played entirely straight with Stoop Kid, a kid who's living by himself with no adults, looks to be well into his teens and apparently hasn't been to school before in his life (After all, Stoop Kid never leaves his stoop) and almost everyone in the neighbourhood ''knows'' who he is and he regularly yells at people going past his house. Hasn't anybody thought of calling social services on him?
* SorryILeftTheBGMOn: In "Olga Comes Home", before Helga admits to changing the grade on Olga's report card, she turns off the radio playing Mozart's Requiem which had played every time Olga was seen moping over her [[TheBGrade B+]].
* SoYouWereSaying
* SpinningPaper
* StalkerShrine: Famously, Helga had a shrine in her closet made out of Arnold's used chewing gum that was shaped like Arnold's head.
* StalkerWithACrush: Helga toward Arnold and Brainy toward Helga.
* StatusQuoIsGod: This ''is'' a Kid's show, after all, without must semblence of continuity or an overarching plotline. However, there are some implications of some mini-arcs, such as Arnold's relationship with Lila. The CharacterDevelopment is also an aversion.
* StepfordSmiler:
** Good ''God'', Olga.
** Surprisingly enough, Lila. WordOfGod says she has a deeply suppressed dark side. Not too surprising given her and her father's poverty combined with her [[ThePollyanna disproportionally positive outlook.]]
* StrangeMindsThinkAlike: This is used a lot. For example, in "Downtown as Fruits", Arnold and Gerald say "Boy, people downtown sure are friendly." when they receive a bag full of cash. They later give the rest to a family stranded with a broken-down car, who then say the same thing.
* StuffedIntoATrashcan:
** ''Trash Can Day,'' as featured in the episode "Longest Monday".
** Helga's knocking Stinky in a trashcan after his "sleeping in a closet" comment in "The Little Pink Book".
* StupidStatementDanceMix: An actual in show example, played over one episode's credits. [[http://www.knobworld.com/Slippage.mp3 Slippage. Slippage. Slippage.]]
* SubwaysSuck: "Das Subway".
* SurrogateSoliloquy: Helga will often whip out her heart-shaped Arnold locket to talk to when she is alone.
* SurvivalMantra: On "Das Subway": Big. Open. Spaces. Big. Open. Spaces.
* [[TalkingToHimself Talking To Herself]]: Whenever Helga talked to Campfire Lass, or Sheena, or Stinky's girlfriend Gloria (''Helga's Boyfriend''), it was Francesca Smith doing both voices.
* TeamSpirit: "Benchwarmer".
* TechnologyMarchesOn: Big Bob makes his money selling beepers, and several of the characters use them.
* TechnologyPorn: Arnold's room. ''Every'' kid in TheNineties wanted a bedroom like Arnold's.
* TerrifiedOfGerms: Sid, after watching a [[PublicServiceAnnouncement health class film]] about hygene.
* ThemeNaming: Helga and her sister have the same name: "Olga" is the Slavic version of the Germanic "Helga".
* ThereAreNoTherapists: ''Massively'' {{averted}} in "Helga on the Couch."
* TheGhost: Lampshaded with Mr. Smith. An episode was dedicated to Arnold and Gerald trying to track him down to deliver a package (apparently they had never seen him either). They were unsuccessful in their attempts.
* TheShowMustGoOn: In "Downtown as Fruits", Helga stalls for time in her play because Arnold and Gerald aren't there when it's their turn to go on.
* TheRenaissanceAgeOfAnimation
* ThirteenIsUnlucky: Eugene's birthday is, appropriately, Friday the 13th.
* ThrowTheDogABone: Arnold tries to invoke this with Eugene in "Eugene's Bike", but even that doesn't stop the poor kid from getting hit with a baseball, choking on a hot dog, and getting seasick. It sort of works in the end, though, since Eugene ''still'' thinks it was an awesome day simply because he got to do so many fun things.
** In ''"Helga's Love Potion"'' Brainy, after countless OffhandBackhand from Helga, is kissed by her (in his forehead). He faints... of happiness!
* TimeToMove
* TitleDrop: Constantly in dialogue, which makes sense given that the title is a greeting. The most common drop, though, is that Arnold's alarm clock says "Hey Arnold" constantly by way of alarm.
* TitleIn
* TitleScream: This happens in the Title sequence two or three times, which also makes it a TitleThemeTune.
* ToiletHumor:
** Everyone is constantly passing gas in "Fishing Trip" because the only food they had is beans. Harold claims that it was funny at first but then it just smelled.
** The entire plot of "Phoebe's Little Problem" revolves around Phoebe being the [[IncrediblyLamePun Butt]] [[ButtMonkey Monkey]] of the school after accidentally breaking wind into a microphone on stage.
* TokenGoodTeamMate: Edmund is this to the fifth graders, much to Wolfgang's chagrin.
* TokenMinorityCouple: Some episodes had Gerald, Arnold's BlackBestFriend, paired with Phoebe, Helga's half-Japanese best friend. Then again, it could be said that it ''is'' a multiracial pairing so it could be something of a subversion. Given the rest of their classmates they were probably better off.
* {{Tomboy}}: Helga, who [[OneOfTheBoys often hangs around the guys and scares most of them with her rough behavior]] and Big Patty, who [[YouGoGirl beats the toughest guys in arm-wrestling]].
** TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Helga's interaction with Phoebe.
* TonightSomeoneKisses: Helga and Arnold in the SchoolPlay.
* TookALevelInJerkass: This happened to Phoebe when she became hall monitor.
* ToyotaTripwire
* TrademarkFavoriteFood:
** Stinky often raves about his love for lemon pudding.
** '''Chocolate Boy'''. [[MeaningfulName It's his freaking name]]! Though [[spoiler: his addiction switches from chocolate to radishes]].
* {{Trope2000}}: The synthesizer that Arnold wants to buy with the prize money in "Spelling Bee" is the [=ToneMaster=] 2000.
* TrueCompanions: The Boarders, oddly enough.
* {{Tsundere}}: Helga, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRQsO8LH2MQ&fmt=18 and how]]. Rhonda is also one for Harold.
* TwoTimerDate: "Valentine's Day"
* UglyGuysHotDaughter: Possibly Subverted. Helga and her father both have unibrows, potato noses, and billy goat shaped ears, and Helga is comically mistaken for a boy once. At the same time, the show has an exotic and unusual style of character design, and one need look no further than the Football Head Arnold himself for proof of this. Also, older mature Helga as seen in a few episodes is dropdead gorgeous. In contrast, Olga (Helga's older sister) is obviously perceived as pretty by others in the show.
* UglyGuyHotWife: Oskar and his wife
* UnknownRival: At no point in any episode involving her does Lila ever learn about Helga's animosity for her or Arnold-related jealousy. Ironically, if she did know she would probably have no problem helping Helga since she doesn't have feelings for Arnold anyway, but Helga insists on being antagonistic instead.
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: "Arnold Loves Lila". "Arnold Visits Arnie" is this crossed with BizarroUniverse where Arnold pines for "Hilda" while "Lulu" won't leave him alone.
* TheUnreveal
* UrbanFantasy: Some episodes fell into this, namely the ones dealing with urban legends like the demon train and ghost bride.
* VanityIsFeminine: Played with when the girls throw a makeover party and deliberately exclude the tomboyish Helga. When Helga tries to play with the boys instead, they mock her for being ugly and unfeminine. Helga caves and dolls herself up, then joins the other girls at the party. After a while, she starts to realize how ridiculous the whole thing is, considering their age. "We're nine years old! We don't have signs of aging!" She persuades the other girls to her side... and they wind up administering the intended makeover to one of the unfortunate boys who tried to crash their party and found himself outmatched.
* VerbalTic:
** Monkeyman randomly says his name mid-sentence.
** Coach Wittenburg and Tish have a tendency toward malapropism, and repeating themselves. Repetitively.
* VitriolicBestBuds:
** Helga and Phoebe, though by the end of the show this was shown to be Helga being carelessly demanding rather than actively, intentionally controlling.
** A very strong Type 2 in Grandpa Phil and Jimmy Kafka, who are best described as best friends who simultaneously like and hate each other. This is mostly because both of them are prideful, competitive, and incredibly stubborn. As a result, they spent decades not speaking to one another, a fact which both of them are shown to severely regret in the episode where he appears.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Helga and the Jolly-Olly Man both fall under this category so much.
* WereStillRelevantDammit: In an {{in-universe}} example, Dino Spumoni's backstory shows us that he was trying way too hard to roll with the times, such as creating a rap album in the '80s. He fared better when he went back to singing his '50s tunes.
* WeWantOurJerkBack:
** In "Helga's Show," the comedic imitations Helga performs showcasing her friends' idiosyncrasies cause them to shun her. Taking Phoebe's advice, she tries a kinder approach to her humor, which falls flat. Ironically, it's Arnold who suggests that she go back to the edgier material she used before, which works.
** "Big Bob's Crisis" has the head of the Pataki clan take a kinder, simpler, less-stressful approach to life after a gas attack scare (previously thought to be a heart attack). [[spoiler: When he begins to give up all of their modern conveniences (and she sees how others start to walk all over him), Helga tells him that she relies on him being the tough, take-charge man she knows he is.]] After some soul-searching, Bob decides that he can be that man and still take time away to unwind.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
** Tucker, Coach Wittenberg and Trish's son, is never seen after his first appearance even though his parents show up several times afterwards.
** Helga's pet Monitor Lizard only shows up in one episode. It is possible her parents made her get rid of it.
* [[WhatTheHellHero What The Hell Helga:]] Practically all the kids present in "Helga and the Nanny" called her out for framing Inga for theft.
* WholePlotReference: The episode ''False Alarm'' is this to TwelveAngryMen.
* WideEyedIdealist: Eugene is very optimistic despite being a ridiculously unlucky jinx.
* WiseBeyondTheirYears:
** Arnold.
** Helga counts, too, due to her impressive vocabulary.
** Also, Phoebe for obvious reasons.
** Gerald, for knowing so many of the town's legends
* WorkOffTheDebt
* WorstNewsJudgmentEver: When Stoop Kid was revealed to be afraid to leave his stoop, the story dominated the front page of the newspaper. [[spoiler: His stepping off did, too.]]
* TheWorstSeatInTheHouse: Arnold and Gerald once wanted to go to a baseball game to see Arnold's favorite player play his last game before retiring. They decide to buy two tickets from a scalper promising them great seats for half the price of what they're selling at the ticket booth. It turns out that their seats are both in the nosebleed section ''and'' obstructed by a pole. Arnold decides to get closer to the action and ends up catching the home run ball from his favorite player at his final at-bat while simultaneously being chased by ushers.
* YouFailLogicForever: [[DrillSergeantNasty Lieutenant Major]] [[SadistTeacher Goose]] gives us this gem: "YOUR HAIR'S NOT CURLY! WHAT IS YOUR ''REAL'' NAME?" Granted, [[TheCuckoolanderWasRight he was]] ''[[TheCuckoolanderWasRight right]]'' about it not being Curly's real name (his real name's Thaddeus), but that doesn't make it any less ridiculous. [[RuleOfFunny Just a lot funnier.]]
* YouHave48Hours: the episode "24 Hours to Live". After Arnold accidentally hits Harold in the face with a baseball, Helga persuades Harold to wait until the next day to fight him. And just to really rub it in, Helga spends most of that day counting down exactly how many hours, minutes, and seconds Arnold has to live with a bullhorn.
* YouLookFamiliar: When the original voice of Arnold, Toran Caudell, started getting older, they switched him to the voice of Wolfgang while Phillip Van Dyke took over the voice of Arnold. Later on, Spencer Klein would replace Phillip. This all ended up being subtly referenced in the episode "New Bully on the Block", where Wolfgang, Ludwig (voiced by Phillip). and Arnold get in a war over who should own the vacant lot.
* YouWannaGetSued: Subverted in "False Alarm". Helga talks about going to {{Wrestlemania}} to see Haystacks Calhoun and there isn't even a single wink or nudge at the camera.
* YouTalkinToMe: When Arnold becomes drunk on kung fu power.
* YourMakeupIsRunning: Happens every time Olga cries.
* YourTelevisionHatesYou: In "Arnold's Hat," Arnold is depressed because he lost his hat. To take his mind off how he feels, he turns on the TV only to discover that it's Hat Day at the local ballpark and everyone is wearing one. It doesn't help.
* YourTomcatIsPregnant: In the subway episode, it turns out that "Killer" a seeing eye dog was pregnant and has puppies in the stalled subway car.
* YouthfulFreckles: Eugene and Lila.
* RawEggsMakeYouStronger:
** Harold tried drinking raw eggs while training for an arm-wrestling match, but they made him want to throw up.
** Subverted in another episode when Grandpa is trying to get in shape. He is shown cracking raw eggs into a glass...and then pours them from the glass into a frying pan to cook them.
* RecycledPremise: A fair amount of the later episodes are retreads down the paths of older ones - for example "Helga's Parrot" is a mix of "Helga's Locket" and "Helga Blabs It All," all of which are revisitations of the early episode "Little Pink Book." In an example of TropesAreNotBad, most of these recycled plots allowed the writers to explore the storylines in unique and still entertaining ways.
** The most prominent example, however, is "Love and Cheese," which ''is'' "Operation Ruthless," just with Lila replacing Ruth while showing off the deeper development the characters had been given in the years between the episodes. Fully cognizant of this, the episode is full of references to ''Ruthless'' - several lines from the first episode are repeated and/or referenced, Ruth herself cameos on several occasions in the background (despite not appearing at all in the show for quite a while), and Phoebe and Gerald are shown walking past scenes together - a reference to [[BetaCouple how they hooked up in the background during the plot of]] ''Ruthless.''
* RefugeInAudacity: In "Helga's Parrot" when the parrot starts mimicking her poem about Arnold, Helga initially tries to kill it [[NoKillLikeOverkill with a chainsaw]].
* TheRenaissanceAgeOfAnimation
* RichBitch: Rhonda has a tendency to be this, although it's not as bad as other examples on that page.
* RomanticFalseLead: Ruth and Lila.
* RousseauWasRight: The series generally tends to support this.
* RunningGag: While Helga fawns over Arnold and recites her poetry about him, Brainy will interrupt her with his heavy breathing, resulting in Helga hitting him with an OffhandBackhand Also, Brainy appears in some of the...weirdest locations. They even lampshade this, and he doesn't even know what he was doing there with them in the first place.
---> '''Helga:''' Look, Brainy, this is just ''weird.'' How is it that you're standing behind me again? How'd you get in this little arch? Were you waiting for me to come to this alley? ''What's your deal?''
* SadClown:
---> '''Harold:''' Look at me Arnold, LOOK AT ME! I'm a... I'm... BIG UGLY CLOWNO, A BIG SAD UGLY CLOWNOOOOOOOO!
** LeitMotif
* SchoolPlay: Episode of the same title.
* ScrewedByTheNetwork:
** One of the most {{egregious}} offenses was holding back "Parents Day" from a U.S. airing for ''3 full years.''
** The often pre-empted season 5. According to ThatOtherWiki, Season 4 was 1999-2000, while Season 5 was 2001-200''5''. That's right: it took 3 years for one season! Craig Bartlett, the creator of the show, quit because Nickelodeon tried to force him to sign a non-compete agreement, which he rejected since he was also working on a show for Cartoon Network at the time.
** Everything related to TheMovie.
* ScrewPolitenessImASenior: Grandpa Phil and Grandma Gertie...Not to Arnold, though.
* TheScrooge: The Jolly-Olly Man. He usually acts like a general JerkAss to kid customers and sometimes [[KicktheDog drives the truck away just after stopping for waving kids]]. Soon revealed to be a combination of a WellDoneSonGuy and CallingTheOldManOut situation with him and his boss/father, since he can't hold any other jobs.
* SecretSanta: In the ChristmasSpecial.
* SeriousBusiness:
** '''HEY EVERYONE, STOOP KID'S GONNA LEAVE HIS STOOP!!!''' Cue the front-line news page, a news crew, which also showed up for Arnold's punishment in "Arnold Betrays Iggy", and ''half the city.''
** The people who play the card game in "Gerald's Game" get pretty into it, with the winners becoming kings and losers getting locked up or becoming slaves.
* ShallowLoveInterest: Ruth, the 6th grader Arnold initially was crushing on. He later loses interest after realizing she's this.
* SheCleansUpNicely: Big Patty. And despite her insistence that she's not pretty, Helga ''can'' look beautiful when she tries to.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend:
** Harold twice in the episode "Hey Harold", first to his overbearing parents then to Sid and Stinky.
** Arnold says this about Lila in her first episode, which complicates things when he realizes he ''does'' like her.
* ShipperOnDeck: Most people who knew about Helga's feelings for Arnold were supportive of a potential relationship, especially Phoebe and Grandpa Phil. Even Lila, her [[UnknownRival supposed arch-rival]], agreed to step aside for her since she actually has no romantic feelings for Arnold.
* ShoutOut:
** In the episode "Rhonda's Glasses", the "cool kids" discriminated against the "geeks". The episode made many references to black and white segregation as the "geeks" had to sit at the back of the bus, sit at the geek tables, and get all the bad equipment, just like the blacks did. At the end of the episode, Rhonda refused to move to the back of the bus because she had glasses just like Rosa Parks refused to move because she was black.
** "Big Geno" has a moment where the titular grade school mafioso threatens Sid by [[TheGodfather cutting off the head of his toy rocking horse and putting it in his bed.]]
** The same episode contains a ''Descartes'' reference: Sid's apartment building has the phrase "Cogito Ergo Sum" engraved on it's front door.
** Mr. Simmons is usually shown wearing [[{{Doug}} a white t-shirt, a green sweatervest, and brown pants]].
** The episode "Gerald's Game" is also the title of a Creator/StephenKing novel.
** In the episode "Cool Jerk" where Arnold hangs out with a biker, he watches the ''Film/TheWildOne'', there are graffiti saying "James Dean" and RebelWithoutACause". Also outside there is graffiti saying "The Irons" near a similar looking image of Music/IronMaiden's Eddie The Head from their debut album.
** Arnold's favorite author, Agatha Caufield, is a recluse who lives by herself in a cabin on Elk Island. her surname is the same as JD Salinger's character, Holden Caufield, while Salinger himself became a recluse after ''Literature/TheCatcherInTheRye''.
** Elk Island in general, as it supposedly is home to a massive treasure trove, in a cave, that some believe is haunted...much like the real life Money Pit on ''Oak'' Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.
** When Monkeyman gets a makeover, he resembles Gene Wilder's portrayal of [[WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory Willy Wonka]].
* SiblingYinYang: Helga is constantly ignored and would like some adoration from her parents, while her sister Olga gets all of the attention and would like to be left alone.
* SickEpisode: Helga thinks she's sick with Monkeynucleousis and will die soon, but it turns out she's only being paranoid. She's also CompletelyMissingThePoint, as she read about the disease she thinks she has in a book called ''Diseases Long Since Debunked By Modern Science''.
* SillyReasonForWar: In one episode Grampa takes Arnold and his friends to a reenactment of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_War Pig War]], which in their version of history erupted into all-out war (we know it's not one of Phil's tall tales because of the other people at the reenactment).
* SingleTargetSexuality: Helga only has eyes for Arnold. Though, she does flirt a bit with [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Ronnie Matthews]] when she finds out he's a self-centered prick.
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: Guess who...
* TheSlacker: Oskar Kokoshka. He did, however, get a job as a paperboy, take care of his sister-in-law's baby son, and learn how to read.
* {{Sleepwalking}}
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Heavily idealistic overall. Arnold tended to believe that most people were [[RousseauWasRight good at heart]] and could work out their differences with one another -- and, ultimately, the show tended to prove him right. The trade-off was that episodes with {{Downer Ending}}s and {{Karma Houdini}}s hit just that much harder, for being in apparent opposition to the prevailing ideology.
* {{Snapback}}
* SoBadItsGood: In-universe. Helga & Big Bob's reaction to ''[[{{Cats}} Rats]]: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Musical of Singing Rats]]''. TakeThat, indeed.
* SocialServicesDoesNotExist:
** Helga's mom is clearly alcoholic, her dad is about as abusive as you can get without being violent, and they're both often pretty neglectful of her. YMMV though - It's shown that they ''can'' take care of her, and Miriam was intended to go to Alcoholics Anonymous in The Patakis.
** Arnold's in rather good hands; although his grandma is a CloudCuckooLander and his grandpa has...done some things to Arnold that is child endangerment or negligence, but it's PlayedForLaughs. In ''Biosquare'', when Helga starts to flood the greenhouse after breaking the sink, Grandpa mistakes their banging for help as a sign to ''turn the water flow up'' and make the greenhouse flood faster. In ''On the Lam'', Arnold is clearly tied up and Grandpa just assumes he's playing secret agent.
** Played entirely straight with Stoop Kid, a kid who's living by himself with no adults, looks to be well into his teens and apparently hasn't been to school before in his life (After all, Stoop Kid never leaves his stoop) and almost everyone in the neighbourhood ''knows'' who he is and he regularly yells at people going past his house. Hasn't anybody thought of calling social services on him?
* SorryILeftTheBGMOn: In "Olga Comes Home", before Helga admits to changing the grade on Olga's report card, she turns off the radio playing Mozart's Requiem which had played every time Olga was seen moping over her [[TheBGrade B+]].
* SoYouWereSaying
* SpinningPaper
* StalkerShrine: Famously, Helga had a shrine in her closet made out of Arnold's used chewing gum that was shaped like Arnold's head.
* StalkerWithACrush: Helga toward Arnold and Brainy toward Helga.
* StatusQuoIsGod: This ''is'' a Kid's show, after all, without must semblence of continuity or an overarching plotline. However, there are some implications of some mini-arcs, such as Arnold's relationship with Lila. The CharacterDevelopment is also an aversion.
* StepfordSmiler:
** Good ''God'', Olga.
** Surprisingly enough, Lila. WordOfGod says she has a deeply suppressed dark side. Not too surprising given her and her father's poverty combined with her [[ThePollyanna disproportionally positive outlook.]]
* StrangeMindsThinkAlike: This is used a lot. For example, in "Downtown as Fruits", Arnold and Gerald say "Boy, people downtown sure are friendly." when they receive a bag full of cash. They later give the rest to a family stranded with a broken-down car, who then say the same thing.
* StuffedIntoATrashcan:
** ''Trash Can Day,'' as featured in the episode "Longest Monday".
** Helga's knocking Stinky in a trashcan after his "sleeping in a closet" comment in "The Little Pink Book".
* StupidStatementDanceMix: An actual in show example, played over one episode's credits. [[http://www.knobworld.com/Slippage.mp3 Slippage. Slippage. Slippage.]]
* SubwaysSuck: "Das Subway".
* SurrogateSoliloquy: Helga will often whip out her heart-shaped Arnold locket to talk to when she is alone.
* SurvivalMantra: On "Das Subway": Big. Open. Spaces. Big. Open. Spaces.
* [[TalkingToHimself Talking To Herself]]: Whenever Helga talked to Campfire Lass, or Sheena, or Stinky's girlfriend Gloria (''Helga's Boyfriend''), it was Francesca Smith doing both voices.
* TeamSpirit: "Benchwarmer".
* TechnologyMarchesOn: Big Bob makes his money selling beepers, and several of the characters use them.
* TechnologyPorn: Arnold's room. ''Every'' kid in TheNineties wanted a bedroom like Arnold's.
* TerrifiedOfGerms: Sid, after watching a [[PublicServiceAnnouncement health class film]] about hygene.
* ThemeNaming: Helga and her sister have the same name: "Olga" is the Slavic version of the Germanic "Helga".
* ThereAreNoTherapists: ''Massively'' {{averted}} in "Helga on the Couch."
* TheGhost: Lampshaded with Mr. Smith. An episode was dedicated to Arnold and Gerald trying to track him down to deliver a package (apparently they had never seen him either). They were unsuccessful in their attempts.
* TheShowMustGoOn: In "Downtown as Fruits", Helga stalls for time in her play because Arnold and Gerald aren't there when it's their turn to go on.
* TheRenaissanceAgeOfAnimation
* ThirteenIsUnlucky: Eugene's birthday is, appropriately, Friday the 13th.
* ThrowTheDogABone: Arnold tries to invoke this with Eugene in "Eugene's Bike", but even that doesn't stop the poor kid from getting hit with a baseball, choking on a hot dog, and getting seasick. It sort of works in the end, though, since Eugene ''still'' thinks it was an awesome day simply because he got to do so many fun things.
** In ''"Helga's Love Potion"'' Brainy, after countless OffhandBackhand from Helga, is kissed by her (in his forehead). He faints... of happiness!
* TimeToMove
* TitleDrop: Constantly in dialogue, which makes sense given that the title is a greeting. The most common drop, though, is that Arnold's alarm clock says "Hey Arnold" constantly by way of alarm.
* TitleIn
* TitleScream: This happens in the Title sequence two or three times, which also makes it a TitleThemeTune.
* ToiletHumor:
** Everyone is constantly passing gas in "Fishing Trip" because the only food they had is beans. Harold claims that it was funny at first but then it just smelled.
** The entire plot of "Phoebe's Little Problem" revolves around Phoebe being the [[IncrediblyLamePun Butt]] [[ButtMonkey Monkey]] of the school after accidentally breaking wind into a microphone on stage.
* TokenGoodTeamMate: Edmund is this to the fifth graders, much to Wolfgang's chagrin.
* TokenMinorityCouple: Some episodes had Gerald, Arnold's BlackBestFriend, paired with Phoebe, Helga's half-Japanese best friend. Then again, it could be said that it ''is'' a multiracial pairing so it could be something of a subversion. Given the rest of their classmates they were probably better off.
* {{Tomboy}}: Helga, who [[OneOfTheBoys often hangs around the guys and scares most of them with her rough behavior]] and Big Patty, who [[YouGoGirl beats the toughest guys in arm-wrestling]].
** TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Helga's interaction with Phoebe.
* TonightSomeoneKisses: Helga and Arnold in the SchoolPlay.
* TookALevelInJerkass: This happened to Phoebe when she became hall monitor.
* ToyotaTripwire
* TrademarkFavoriteFood:
** Stinky often raves about his love for lemon pudding.
** '''Chocolate Boy'''. [[MeaningfulName It's his freaking name]]! Though [[spoiler: his addiction switches from chocolate to radishes]].
* {{Trope2000}}: The synthesizer that Arnold wants to buy with the prize money in "Spelling Bee" is the [=ToneMaster=] 2000.
* TrueCompanions: The Boarders, oddly enough.
* {{Tsundere}}: Helga, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRQsO8LH2MQ&fmt=18 and how]]. Rhonda is also one for Harold.
* TwoTimerDate: "Valentine's Day"
* UglyGuysHotDaughter: Possibly Subverted. Helga and her father both have unibrows, potato noses, and billy goat shaped ears, and Helga is comically mistaken for a boy once. At the same time, the show has an exotic and unusual style of character design, and one need look no further than the Football Head Arnold himself for proof of this. Also, older mature Helga as seen in a few episodes is dropdead gorgeous. In contrast, Olga (Helga's older sister) is obviously perceived as pretty by others in the show.
* UglyGuyHotWife: Oskar and his wife
* UnknownRival: At no point in any episode involving her does Lila ever learn about Helga's animosity for her or Arnold-related jealousy. Ironically, if she did know she would probably have no problem helping Helga since she doesn't have feelings for Arnold anyway, but Helga insists on being antagonistic instead.
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: "Arnold Loves Lila". "Arnold Visits Arnie" is this crossed with BizarroUniverse where Arnold pines for "Hilda" while "Lulu" won't leave him alone.
* TheUnreveal
* UrbanFantasy: Some episodes fell into this, namely the ones dealing with urban legends like the demon train and ghost bride.
* VanityIsFeminine: Played with when the girls throw a makeover party and deliberately exclude the tomboyish Helga. When Helga tries to play with the boys instead, they mock her for being ugly and unfeminine. Helga caves and dolls herself up, then joins the other girls at the party. After a while, she starts to realize how ridiculous the whole thing is, considering their age. "We're nine years old! We don't have signs of aging!" She persuades the other girls to her side... and they wind up administering the intended makeover to one of the unfortunate boys who tried to crash their party and found himself outmatched.
* VerbalTic:
** Monkeyman randomly says his name mid-sentence.
** Coach Wittenburg and Tish have a tendency toward malapropism, and repeating themselves. Repetitively.
* VitriolicBestBuds:
** Helga and Phoebe, though by the end of the show this was shown to be Helga being carelessly demanding rather than actively, intentionally controlling.
** A very strong Type 2 in Grandpa Phil and Jimmy Kafka, who are best described as best friends who simultaneously like and hate each other. This is mostly because both of them are prideful, competitive, and incredibly stubborn. As a result, they spent decades not speaking to one another, a fact which both of them are shown to severely regret in the episode where he appears.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Helga and the Jolly-Olly Man both fall under this category so much.
* WereStillRelevantDammit: In an {{in-universe}} example, Dino Spumoni's backstory shows us that he was trying way too hard to roll with the times, such as creating a rap album in the '80s. He fared better when he went back to singing his '50s tunes.
* WeWantOurJerkBack:
** In "Helga's Show," the comedic imitations Helga performs showcasing her friends' idiosyncrasies cause them to shun her. Taking Phoebe's advice, she tries a kinder approach to her humor, which falls flat. Ironically, it's Arnold who suggests that she go back to the edgier material she used before, which works.
** "Big Bob's Crisis" has the head of the Pataki clan take a kinder, simpler, less-stressful approach to life after a gas attack scare (previously thought to be a heart attack). [[spoiler: When he begins to give up all of their modern conveniences (and she sees how others start to walk all over him), Helga tells him that she relies on him being the tough, take-charge man she knows he is.]] After some soul-searching, Bob decides that he can be that man and still take time away to unwind.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
** Tucker, Coach Wittenberg and Trish's son, is never seen after his first appearance even though his parents show up several times afterwards.
** Helga's pet Monitor Lizard only shows up in one episode. It is possible her parents made her get rid of it.
* [[WhatTheHellHero What The Hell Helga:]] Practically all the kids present in "Helga and the Nanny" called her out for framing Inga for theft.
* WholePlotReference: The episode ''False Alarm'' is this to TwelveAngryMen.
* WideEyedIdealist: Eugene is very optimistic despite being a ridiculously unlucky jinx.
* WiseBeyondTheirYears:
** Arnold.
** Helga counts, too, due to her impressive vocabulary.
** Also, Phoebe for obvious reasons.
** Gerald, for knowing so many of the town's legends
* WorkOffTheDebt
* WorstNewsJudgmentEver: When Stoop Kid was revealed to be afraid to leave his stoop, the story dominated the front page of the newspaper. [[spoiler: His stepping off did, too.]]
* TheWorstSeatInTheHouse: Arnold and Gerald once wanted to go to a baseball game to see Arnold's favorite player play his last game before retiring. They decide to buy two tickets from a scalper promising them great seats for half the price of what they're selling at the ticket booth. It turns out that their seats are both in the nosebleed section ''and'' obstructed by a pole. Arnold decides to get closer to the action and ends up catching the home run ball from his favorite player at his final at-bat while simultaneously being chased by ushers.
* YouFailLogicForever: [[DrillSergeantNasty Lieutenant Major]] [[SadistTeacher Goose]] gives us this gem: "YOUR HAIR'S NOT CURLY! WHAT IS YOUR ''REAL'' NAME?" Granted, [[TheCuckoolanderWasRight he was]] ''[[TheCuckoolanderWasRight right]]'' about it not being Curly's real name (his real name's Thaddeus), but that doesn't make it any less ridiculous. [[RuleOfFunny Just a lot funnier.]]
* YouHave48Hours: the episode "24 Hours to Live". After Arnold accidentally hits Harold in the face with a baseball, Helga persuades Harold to wait until the next day to fight him. And just to really rub it in, Helga spends most of that day counting down exactly how many hours, minutes, and seconds Arnold has to live with a bullhorn.
* YouLookFamiliar: When the original voice of Arnold, Toran Caudell, started getting older, they switched him to the voice of Wolfgang while Phillip Van Dyke took over the voice of Arnold. Later on, Spencer Klein would replace Phillip. This all ended up being subtly referenced in the episode "New Bully on the Block", where Wolfgang, Ludwig (voiced by Phillip). and Arnold get in a war over who should own the vacant lot.
* YouWannaGetSued: Subverted in "False Alarm". Helga talks about going to {{Wrestlemania}} to see Haystacks Calhoun and there isn't even a single wink or nudge at the camera.
* YouTalkinToMe: When Arnold becomes drunk on kung fu power.
* YourMakeupIsRunning: Happens every time Olga cries.
* YourTelevisionHatesYou: In "Arnold's Hat," Arnold is depressed because he lost his hat. To take his mind off how he feels, he turns on the TV only to discover that it's Hat Day at the local ballpark and everyone is wearing one. It doesn't help.
* YourTomcatIsPregnant: In the subway episode, it turns out that "Killer" a seeing eye dog was pregnant and has puppies in the stalled subway car.
* YouthfulFreckles: Eugene and Lila.
