Ep 1. Stimpy's Big Day! / The Big Shot!

Stimpy's Big Day! / The Big Shot! is the first episode of the iconic animated series, The Ren & Stimpy Show's debut season. The series follows the strange and often gross adventures of Ren Höek and Stimpy, a neurotic chihuahua and a dimwitted yet affectionate cat.

In the first segment, Stimpy wakes up to find that it's his birthday and he's excited to celebrate with his best friend Ren. However, Ren is cold and uninterested, which puts a damper on Stimpy's special day. Stimpy sets out to make the best of things and decides to be his own best friend for the day, treating himself to a series of indulgences like eating waffles, playing with his favorite toy, and taking a mud bath. Meanwhile, Ren starts to feel guilty and decides to throw Stimpy a birthday party, but things quickly go off the rails as Ren's neuroses get the best of him and he becomes increasingly frantic. The party culminates in a disastrous outdoor dance party, but Stimpy remains in high spirits and ends the day happily.

In the second segment, The Big Shot!, Ren and Stimpy are down on their luck and strapped for cash. In a stroke of good fortune, they find a briefcase full of money in an alley and are thrilled at their newfound wealth. Ren becomes increasingly paranoid about how to best spend their money and convinces Stimpy to invest in a "magic nose goblin" farm, which they believe will be a lucrative business. Despite a series of disasters and setbacks, including Ren accidentally sniffing up the entire nascent goblin colony, the pair finally hit it big when they discover the goblins are worth a fortune as delicacies in foreign countries. They sell the goblins and use the profits to become incredibly wealthy, but world domination turns out to be a hollow victory as Ren and Stimpy ultimately realize that money can't buy happiness.

This first episode lays the groundwork for the bizarre humor, slapstick violence, and gross-out gags that would come to define The Ren & Stimpy Show. The episode showcases the two very different personalities of Ren and Stimpy, with Ren often being the straight man to Stimpy's childlike optimism and enthusiasm. Viewers will also get a sense of the show's anarchic, off-kilter tone, which helped make it a cult favorite among both kids and adults. Fans of the show will no doubt recognize the hallmarks of creator John Kricfalusi's distinctive animation style, which combines classic cartoon aesthetics with bold, experimental visuals. With its combination of surreal humor and gross-out gags, The Ren & Stimpy Show helped to define the vibe of Nickelodeon's early programming and remains a beloved staple of 90s animation.