Most teenagers of this generation have grown up watching different television (TV) shows and movies on varying networks and channels. Some of the most popular networks during Gen Z’s childhoods were Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, which are still popular amongst the youth today. Both networks offer many different genres of entertainment and often are compared to each other. Bonita Vista High (BVH) students are not excluded when it comes to this debate.  

“Even though I grew up watching Nickelodeon shows on the TV at home, over time I’ve watched so many Disney movies. Also, the fact that Marvel and Star Wars are also a part of Disney [attracts the attention of] highschool and teenage audiences,” sophomore Stephanie Liang said. 

Liang explains how recently, her favorite Disney shows have been Marvel series such as Loki, Winter Soldier and WandaVision. Majority of the audience for these newer shows has been teenagers. Disney is also known for their streaming platform, Disney Plus, which is a collection of the many Disney movies and shows that have been created over the years. 

“I can’t speak for everyone, but based on what I’m thinking reasonably and logically, more people watch Disney because the teenage audiences would likely watch Marvel and Star Wars. Even then, the nostalgia of watching old Disney movies outweighs that of the Nickelodeon shows that people used to watch as kids,” Liang said.

Many BVH students associate these Disney and Nickelodeon movies and shows with their childhood. Senior Ashton Brian C. Tarlit explains how he would watch shows such as Phineas and Ferb, Gravity Falls and Bizaardvark on Disney channel.

“I love Disney. All the shows that I’ve watched have made me cherish my childhood more because it made me look back to how much the cartoons and the teen dramas changed over time,” Tarlit said.

According to a poll conducted by the Crusader, out of 539 responses, 289 students found that Disney played a more significant role in their childhood than Nickelodeon. However, junior Lyra Rhoades explains how her favorite network was and still is Nickelodeon. She describes how it has changed her childhood and was a memorable part of her life when she was growing up.

“I remember I would have big sleepovers with my friends and we’d stay up and watch all the [Nickelodeon] award shows, watch people get slimed and watch them  get their awards. It was something to look forward to, like a child’s version of the Oscars,” Rhoades said.

Out of 525 responses in the same poll conducted by the Crusader, 32.4% of students rated Nickelodeon shows five out of five. Rhoades describes Nickelodeon’s shows as “keeping up with the times.” She adds that the channel has always had variety when it comes to the content of the movies and shows that they produce. However, Rhoades also admits that there have been many changes in the content they produce.

“I would describe Nickelodeon as very nostalgic. Every time I think of Nickelodeon or I see the old logo with the orange splat, it reminds me of my childhood and overall a really nice feeling. It’s not in a ‘I miss it’ way. It’s more of h, that was such a big part of my life’ kind of way,” Rhoades said.

Some of Rhoades favorite shows were The Haunted Hathaways, iCarly, Victorious and Unfabulous. She explains how these shows and Nickelodeon in general have influenced her childhood and personality. Shows like these are what shaped many students’ childhoods and how they remember them.

“I feel like if I didn’t grow up with the shows I had as a child, I wouldn’t be the same person I am [today]. While you’re growing up, you take a lot of personality traits from people you look up to, whether that be people in real life or characters in TV shows,” Rhoades said. “I definitely took a lot of inspiration from the TV shows I watched as a child, so they definitely had a big impact on my life.”