U-Pick Friday

Logo of U-Pick Friday

U-Pick Friday was a special programming block, hosted by Henry and June, with Mr. Foot (all of KaBlam! fame) as their sidekick. It aired from November 5, 1999 to September 8, 2000 on Fridays between 7-9 p.m on Nickelodeon.

The announcement made by Nickelodeon for the show was following: "Have you ever wished YOU could pick which Nick show you were about to watch? If you answered "Yes!" then Friday was your lucky night! Starting today from 7PM to 9PM ET Friday night is all about U-Pick Friday, where each week YOU decided by calling the number provided or voting online at Nick.com which nicktoons you want to watch AND when you wanted to watch them! Then over at Nick, they make it happen! Hosted by none other than Henry, June, and Mr. Foot from KaBlam!"

Viewers could compete in the show by calling a 1-800 phone number on the screen or vote on Nick.com to choose the next cartoon, with the exception of the first Nicktoon. That entry was always voted on the website itself, so that a show could be readily shown. Three out of ten randomly choosen options were always available: Rocko's Modern Life, Rugrats, Catdog, Angry Beavers, Rocket Power, Doug, The Wild Thornberries, Spongebob Squarepants, Ahhh!!! Monsters and Hey Arnold.

Some special marathons of U-Pick Friday like the U-Pick Monday Marathon and U-Pick Saturday Marathon were aired starring the trio as well.

The shows idea originated from the Nickelodeon in the Afternoon block starring Stick Stickly, where the titular character would be dipped in sticky substances, whenever the "U-Dip" segment was being picked.

Structure of a U-Pick Friday Episode

After the intro of the show begin, Henry and June start moderating while diving in a pool of cassettes. After the showing of the first cartoon, the duo continues on from their studio and present the results of the votes, while Mr. Foot put the tapes in (as a way to segue to the show). Depending on Mr.Foots mood during the shows time, he would either slam the tape directly in or if he's getting grumpy, would hastly perform a trick-throw. Henry and June would also prompt the viewers to vote for the next show during the airing of the current program.

At the end as the credits rolled, the two (emerging from a sea of tapes) would ask the viewers to stop calling, so that the votes could be counted during a commercial break. The exception of this schedule was always the first cartoon shown on the block, which was voted on at the end of the prior week's broadcast. While presenting the results (out of a scaling between 1 to a maximum of 100%), Henry and June would make jokes/crack up word-plays or ask the viewers to stay tuned to their television.

Available U-Pick Friday Episodes

Currently, at least 24 broadcasts or results has been preserved, with some more to be assumed. The following dates are confirmed: November 5, 1999, November 12, 1999, January 28, 2000, February 4, 2000, February 11, 2000, February 18, 2000, March 3, 2000, March 10, 2000, March 17, 2000, April 21, 2000, April 28, 2000, May 12, 2000, June 16, 2000, June 23, 2000, July 7, 2000, July 14, 2000, July 21, 2000, August 4, 2000, August 11, 2000, August 18, 2000, August 25, 2000, September 1, 2000 and September 8, 2000.

Only one airing (from November 12) and snippet from a later broadcast have been uploaded to YouTube. Some of the other broadcasts have some of their results documented, with a compiled list of them listed here.

From the winners presented, those are the currently ones found: Rugrats, Rocket Power, Hey Arnold.

The ones missing are: Rocko's Modern Life, Catdog, Angry Beavers, Doug, The Wild Thornberries, Spongebob Squarepants.

End of U-Pick Friday

In 2000 from September 15 to October 27, the short-lived adaptation was renamed U-Pick Friday Live, as Henry and June were replaced by real-life hosts Dave Aizer and Vivianne Collins of Nickelodeon Games and Sports for Kids (Nick GaS). The block was moved to a new timeslot as well, from 8-10 p.m.

While the picking of a Nicktoons episode was still part of the block, the shows main center regressed back to the choosing of silly events like eating snails. This trend would continue unter its successor "U-Pick Live", which aired from October 14, 2002 to May 27, 2005.

Video

Here is a video with all the current footage available for U-Pick Friday/U-Pick Monday Marathon, compiled by JTWC10 Studios. In it are the broadcast from November 12, a few clips from a later episode and some footage from the marathon.

Gallery

U-Pick Friday Logo (used for transitioning)

Henry and June greeting the viewers

Henry and June showing the Nicktoons to choose from

One method to choose was either to call...

...or going to Nick.com for the poll.

Bumper used later on with both call-line and site on display

Henry and June in the U-Pick Studio

Henry in the U-Pick Studio Close-up

June in the U-Pick Studio Close-up

Henry and June in the U-Pick Studio presenting the methods for voting

Which Nicktoon will win?

The winner (in this example) is Rugrats!

Online poll used for voting

The poll after it was filled out

Mr.Foot slamming the tape in

Mr.Foot early in the show with good mood

Mr.Foot later in the show, hastingly throwing the tape in

The U-Pick Friday logo used during an episode of Rugrats

One of the transitions used for commercial break

Another one used for transitioning

Henry and June moderating the end of U-Pick Friday

Henry and June closing the line

Intermission for U-Pick Monday Marathon