‘Hey Arnold!’ and Its Discontent

“Helga on the Couch,” AKA The One Where Helga Sees a Therapist is an episode ‘Hey Arnold!’ fans love. I re-watched it to see if it holds up.

From The Sopranos to Animaniacs, the patient-goes-to-therapy trope is textbook television. It’s not as common in shows made for children, though—and that’s part of what makes the Hey Arnold! episode “Helga on the Couch,” where Helga sees a child psychologist, so refreshing. One of Hey Arnold!’s secret weapons was always Helga’s dynamic passion—contrasted with Arnold’s ocean of serenity—and never was that better represented on the show than in this episode. In honor of Nicktoons Month!, join me and Helga on the couch.

The Set-Up

It’s just another normal day at school. Helga G. Pataki, school bully, marches through the halls looking for prey to take her frustrations out on. She hits like Brainy, who’s been breathing down her neck for four seasons. She fires spitballs at Arnold. She makes no effort to hide her problems with authority. None of this is new. It’s the Helga we know. It’s also the Helga who secretly pines after her beloved Arnold.

Only today things are different. A wild card has been tossed into the deck in the form of Dr. Bliss, a “child psychologist” (accompanied…