Old School Lane

Old School Lane

5.0 (13)
TV & Film
Updated Semiweekly

The official podcast site for Old School Lane where we talk about movies, TV shows, video games, and everything else in between. In addition, we interview special guests from actors, actresses, authors, show creators, online content creators, and more.

2d ago

Hey Arnold 25th Anniversary Show with Arun Mehta and Craig Bartlett

In the 25th Hey Arnold! Anniversary Show, creator Craig Bartlett joins Arun Mehta for a wide-ranging fan Q&A packed with stories. Craig looks back on Arnold’s handmade claymation beginnings, explains how Jim Lang’s jazz-infused music helped define Hillwood, and shares the origins of fan-favourite characters and moments including Pigeon Man, Stoop Kid, Dino Spumoni, Abner and Grandpa Phil’s unforgettable advice. The conversation also explores why Helga was his favourite character to write, the darker side of episodes such as “Helga and the Nanny,” the evolution of Arnold and Helga’s relationship, and creative decisions behind Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie. Plus, Bartlett discusses 1990s Nickelodeon merchandise, Helga’s appearance in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, and what he was working on at the time.
6d ago

Old School Lane Casual Chats: Coyote vs. Acme

In this episode of Casual Chats, Arun and Patricia discuss about the 2026 live action/animated hybrid film Coyote vs. Acme based on the Looney Tunes cartoons. Wile E. Coyote wishes to sue Acme Corporation after the numerous times he's bought their products and failed to function while trying to capture the Roadrunner to eat him. He hires an attorney named Kevin Avery after watching a TV ad promoting that his law firm Avery, Jones, & Maltese will help anyone affected by Acme products. It turns out that Kevin and his law firm only settles their cases for a few hundred dollars and drops any charges instead of tackling the Acme Corporation head on. Wile E. believes that by taking Acme to court, the Roadrunner will come as a witness and he'll have a better chance to capture and eat him. Kevin believes this is his chance to stand up to the big Acme Corporation led by CEO Foghorn Leghorn and their head attorney Buddy Crane and bring justice to the cartoons who were affected by Acme products. Based on the New Yorker editorial Coyote vs. Acme written by Ian Frazier, the film was produced around 2022 before Warner Bros. Discovery cancelled the film and used it as a tax write off in 2023. However, due to massive backlash, it was later revived and distributed by Ketchup Entertainment who also released the also cancelled Looney Tunes film The Day the Earth Blew Up. The film received massive praise from critics and fans calling it the best Looney Tunes film ever made. Is this true? Do Arun and Patricia agree with those statements?
Sep 10

Hey Arnold 24th Anniversary Show with Arun Mehta and Craig Bartlett

In this 24th Hey Arnold! Anniversary Show, Arun Mehta sits down with Hey Arnold! creator Craig Bartlett for a wide-ranging conversation packed with behind-the-scenes stories from one of Nickelodeon’s most beloved animated series. Craig explains how Jim Lang’s distinctive jazz and hip-hop-inspired score shaped the world of the show, reflects on the remarkable response to the soundtrack’s vinyl release, and discusses the possibility of further music releases. The conversation also explores how much of Craig can be found in Arnold, the creation and casting of Mr. Simmons, and what it was like working with Mark Hamill. Craig reveals the inspirations behind fan-favourite characters and episodes—including Ronnie Matthews, the Sewer King, Preteen Scream, and the show’s memorable half-hour specials—while sharing candid insights into the writing room, voice-recording sessions, character development, and the creative ambitions that drove the series forward.
Sep 3

Hey Arnold 23rd Anniversary Show with Arun Mehta and Craig Bartlett

In the 23rd Hey Arnold! Anniversary Show, Arun Mehta welcomes series creator Craig Bartlett back for an in-depth fan Q&A celebrating the legacy of the beloved Nickelodeon classic. Craig reflects on the origins of Hey Arnold!, the freedom of the early Nicktoons era, the show’s mix of childhood stories and mature themes, and the characters, episodes, and creative choices that continue to resonate with fans.The conversation covers everything from Helga’s iconic design, Monkey Man, Lorenzo, Lila, Arnie, Lockjaw, The Journal, Hey Arnold!: The Movie, the much-loved “What’s Opera, Arnold?” episode, and the road that eventually led to Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie. Craig also discusses representation in the series, why the show connected with different generations of viewers, and what made the world of Hey Arnold! feel so real, funny, and emotionally enduring.
Aug 26

Hey Arnold 22nd Anniversary with Arun Mehta and Craig Bartlett

In this special 22th Hey Arnold! anniversary episode, Arun Mehta welcomes creator Craig Bartlett back for an in-depth fan Q&A celebrating the beloved Nickelodeon classic. Craig reflects on the origins of Hey Arnold!, the freedom of creating a thoughtful cartoon about childhood, the design and evolution of characters like Helga, Lila, Lorenzo, Arnie, Monkey Man and Mr. Simmons, and the stories behind fan-favourite episodes including “What’s Opera, Arnold?”, “24 Hours to Live”, “Field Trip”, “The Journal” and more.The conversation also dives into Hey Arnold! The Movie and The Jungle Movie, including the long road to resolving Arnold’s missing parents storyline, the creative decisions behind the show’s emotional payoff, and the enduring impact of the series on fans across generations. Packed with behind-the-scenes memories, production stories, character insights and plenty of Hey Arnold! nostalgia, this episode is a must-listen for longtime fans and anyone interested in animation, storytelling and classic Nicktoons.
Aug 21

Old School Lane Casual Chats: An American Tail: Fievel Goes West

In this episode of Casual Chats, Arun and Patricia look back on the American Tail franchise continuing with the second film Fievel Goes West released in 1991. Taking place a few years later, Fievel has a dream of wanting to be a gunslinging cowboy akin to his hero Sheriff Wylie Burp. However, he still lives in New York City with his family and being constantly being attacked by cats led by Cat R. Waul. With their home destroyed and ending up at the sewer, they witness a cowboy mouse from Green River, Utah talking about how great the Wild West is and how cats and mice are friends over there. Convinced that the life of opportunity is at the West, they leave New York to move to Utah. When Fievel realizes that Cat R. Waul is behind convincing the mice to move to Green River to gain their trust and would make them into mice burgers later on, he is thrown off the train and left to fend for himself. Meanwhile, Tiger tries to catch up with Fievel and his family, but is being chased by dogs left and right and would wind up in the desert where a group of Native American mice think he's a god. When Fievel enter into Green River, he tells his family on the conversation he heard from Cat R. Waul, but no one believes him. He meets his hero Sheriff Burp, but he's over the hill and too tired to fight the cats. But he offers to train a dog everything he knows to do it instead. Fievel asks Tiger for help and has less than a day to become a hero otherwise all the mice are turned into burgers. When the film premiered in theaters, it only made $40 million dollars out of its $16 million budget with mixed reviews from critics and fans. It also didn't help much that it came out the same year as Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Does the film hold up over 35 years later?
Aug 19

Hey Arnold 21st Anniversary Show with Arun Mehta and Craig Bartlett

Arun Mehta is joined once again by series creator Craig Bartlett for the 21st Hey Arnold! Anniversary show! This is a deep dive into the world of Arnold, Helga, Gerald, Phoebe, Grandma Gertie, and the long-awaited Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie. Craig answers fan questions about classic episodes, character relationships, production changes, fan theories, Arnold and Helga’s future, and what it was like returning to the series after years of anticipation. The conversation covers everything from the mysteries of Arnold’s parents and the emotional stakes of The Jungle Movie to behind-the-scenes memories of animation, voice casting, fan fiction, deleted ideas, and the possibility of a future sixth season.
Aug 14

Old School Lane Casual Chats: An American Tail

In this episode of Casual Chats, Arun and Patricia look back on the American Tail franchise starting with the first film released in 1986. A Russian-Jewish family called the Mousekewitzes consisting of Mama, Papa, their daughter Tanya, their son Fievel, and baby Yasha, decide to move to America to have a prosperous life with no cats attacking them. Fievel gets lost while a giant wave crashes on the ship the immigrants were in going to America and now has to find them when arriving in New York City. Fievel goes through many obstacles, meets up with other mice like Tony Toponi, Bridget, Honest John, and Gussy, and the evil corrupted leader of a cat gang named Warren T. Rat. Will Fievel reunite with his family?When the film premiered in theaters, it made $84.5 million dollars out of a $9 million dollar budget beating the Disney animated film The Great Mouse Detective which came out a few months prior. It received positive reviews from critics and viewers and made Don Bluth a household name. The song "Somewhere Out There" became a huge hit in the radio charts and was the first non-Disney song to be nominated for Best Original Song in the Academy Awards. It's still regarded as an animated classic. What did Arun and Patricia think of the film?

5

out of 5

13 Ratings

The official podcast site for Old School Lane where we talk about movies, TV shows, video games, and everything else in between. In addition, we interview special guests from actors, actresses, authors, show creators, online content creators, and more.

Creator

Old School Lane
Years Active

2019 - 2026
Episodes

625
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Old School Lane
Show Website

Old School Lane