Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
{{short description|American television comedy series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = NED-LOGO.png
| caption =
| genre = {{plainlist|
}}
| creator = Scott Fellows
| writer =
| director =
| starring = {{Plainlist|
}}
| composer = Guy Moon
| theme_music_composer =
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 3
| num_episodes = 54
| list_episodes = List of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide episodes
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Scott Fellows
- Bill O'Dowd
- Jörg Westerkamp
}}
| producer = Lazar Saric
| location = Nickelodeon on Sunset
Hollywood, California
| camera = Film; Single-camera
| runtime = 22 minutes
| company = {{Plainlist|
- Jack Mackie Pictures
- Apollo ProMovie
- Nickelodeon Productions
}}
| channel = Nickelodeon
| first_aired = {{Start date|2004|9|12}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2007|6|8}}
}}
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (sometimes shortened to Ned's Declassified) is an American live action sitcom on Nickelodeon that debuted on the Nickelodeon Sunday night TEENick scheduling block on September 12, 2004.{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-nickelodeon-comedy-series-neds-declassified-school-survival-guide-premieres-sunday-september-12-730-pm-71394012.html |title=New Nickelodeon Comedy Series 'Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide' Premieres Sunday, September 12, 7:30 p.m. |publisher=Nickelodeon |date=July 23, 2004 |access-date=2016-03-14 |via=PR Newswire |archive-date=2016-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812085249/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-nickelodeon-comedy-series-neds-declassified-school-survival-guide-premieres-sunday-september-12-730-pm-71394012.html |url-status=live }} The series' original pilot episode aired on September 7, 2003, and it was ordered to series by Nickelodeon in early 2004.{{cite magazine |author=Lily Oei |url=https://variety.com/2004/tv/news/nick-has-way-with-words-at-upfront-1117901808/ |title=Nick has way with words at upfront |magazine=Variety |date=March 16, 2004 |access-date=2016-03-14 |archive-date=2016-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315092104/http://variety.com/2004/tv/news/nick-has-way-with-words-at-upfront-1117901808/ |url-status=live }} The one-hour special movie series finale aired on June 8, 2007.{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nickelodeon-tv-movie-neds-declassified-school-survival-guide-to-field-trips-permission-slips-signs-and-weasels-premieres-friday-june-8-8-9-pm-58430707.html |title=Nickelodeon TV Movie Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide to Field Trips, Permission Slips, Signs and Weasels Premieres Friday, June 8, 8-9 p.m. |publisher=Nickelodeon |date=May 22, 2007 |access-date=2016-03-14 |via=PR Newswire |archive-date=2016-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812080915/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nickelodeon-tv-movie-neds-declassified-school-survival-guide-to-field-trips-permission-slips-signs-and-weasels-premieres-friday-june-8-8-9-pm-58430707.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |first=John |last=Rogers |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/660225673/Nickelodeons-Neds-Declassified-reveals-the-secret-of-its-TV-success.html?pg=all |title=Nickelodeon's 'Ned's Declassified' reveals the secret of its TV success |work=Deseret News |agency=Associated Press |date=June 1, 2007 |access-date=2016-03-14 |archive-date=2016-03-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312122824/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/660225673/Nickelodeons-Neds-Declassified-reveals-the-secret-of-its-TV-success.html?pg=all |url-status=dead }}
The show was produced by Apollo ProScreen GmbH & Co. Filmproduktion KG in association with Jack Mackie Pictures. Its main executive producer and creator is Scott Fellows,{{cite news |first=Robert |last=Lloyd |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-review-100-things-to-do-before-high-school-20150606-column.html |title=Review '100 Things to Do Before High School' |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 6, 2015 |access-date=2016-06-24 |quote=Scott Fellows, who a decade ago created the "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide" for Nickelodeon... |archive-date=2019-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016021247/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-review-100-things-to-do-before-high-school-20150606-column.html |url-status=live }} the head writer for The Fairly OddParents and creator of Johnny Test.
Premise
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide follows the lives of the titular character Ned Bigby, and his two best friends Jennifer "Moze" Mosely, and Simon "Cookie" Nelson-Cook, as they navigate their middle school years. The first season takes place during the first semester of seventh grade, the second season covers the second semester of seventh grade, and the third season takes place during eighth grade. Throughout the series, Ned builds up a number of 'tips' for his "survival guide", and uses the tips to help himself and his classmates cope with the standard struggles of middle school. Each individual episode relates to a topic in the guide, such as popularity, grades, or sports, as well as developing other plots (such as Ned's love life) throughout.
Episodes
{{Main|List of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide episodes}}
{{:List of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide episodes}}
Cast
{{See also|List of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide characters}}
- Devon Werkheiser as Ned Bigby
- Lindsey Shaw as Jennifer "Moze" Mosely
- Daniel Curtis Lee as Simon "Cookie" Nelson-Cook
- Jim J. Bullock as Mr. Monroe (main role, season 1; recurring role, seasons 2–3)
- Daran Norris as Gordy (recurring role, season 1; main role, seasons 2–3)
Locations
The show takes place at the fictional James K. Polk Middle School, named after the 11th President of the United States, James K. Polk. The school's colors are gold and green and its mascot is the Wolves, which is a common theme throughout the school's interior.
During the first season, all of the show's action took place within the school or its grounds, and with the exception of one or two notable occasions, everything happened indoors. However, during season 2, more outdoor shots were used, and on certain occasions, the show took place off school property. The show's finale, for example, took place almost entirely off the school grounds.
DVD releases
In the US there have been four DVD releases made for the series.
- TEENick Picks, Volume 1 released on April 18, 2006 – features "Guide to: Computer Labs and Backpacks" (Season 1, Episode 9)
- Special Field Trip Edition released on August 28, 2007 – features "Field Trips, Permission Slips, Signs, and Weasels" and "Guide to: Dismissal and The School Play."
- The Best of Season 1{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EHDSTI|title=Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide - The Best of Season 1 [2 Disc Set]|date=September 17, 2008|publisher=Amazon|access-date=2016-03-09|archive-date=2024-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728051715/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EHDSTI|url-status=live}} and The Best of Season 2 both released on September 23, 2008 exclusive to Amazon.com.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EHDSTS|title=Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide - The Best of Season 2 [2 Disc Set]|date=17 September 2008 |publisher=Amazon|access-date=2016-03-09}}
The first season of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide was released on DVD in the Netherlands, Australia, and Belgium on April 9, 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.brightvisionentertainment.nl/indexnedszoey.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713022510/http://www.brightvisionentertainment.nl/indexnedszoey.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-07-13 |title=Bright Vision Entertainment – Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide |publisher=Bright Vision Entertainment |access-date=2009-07-05 }} The Netherlands also released the second season, although both seasons were only released with Dutch dubbing. It's unknown if there will follow more places in Europe, or someplace else.
Alliance Home Entertainment has released the first two seasons on DVD in Canada only. The third and final season was supposed to be released on February 7, 2012 in Canada only, but again the production was delayed.[https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0044784YY Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide: Season 1: Amazon.ca: DVD]. Amazon.ca. Retrieved on 2012-04-07.[https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B004HHX9PU Ned's Declassified School Survival Season 2: Amazon.ca: DVD]. Amazon.ca. Retrieved on 2012-04-07.[https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B004I1K1BA Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide: Season 3: Amazon.ca: Devon Werkheiser, Lindsey Shaw, Daniel Curits Lee, Kyle Swann, Daran Norris, Christian Serratos, Austin Butler, Joe Menendez, David Kendall, Savage Steve Holland, Scott Fellows, Lazar Saric, Mike Preister: DVD] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728051719/https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B004I1K1BA |date=2024-07-28 }}. Amazon.ca. Retrieved on 2012-04-07.
Reception
=Ratings=
The debut of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide on September 12, 2004, received a 4.5 rating, with 914,000 tween viewers, which was described as "healthy, but not as stellar" ratings by Variety{{'}}s Denise Martin.{{cite magazine |first=Denise |last=Martin |url=https://variety.com/2004/tv/news/tweens-keen-on-new-teenick-block-1117910450/ |title=Tweens keen on new TEENick block |magazine=Variety |date=September 14, 2004 |access-date=2016-06-24 |archive-date=2016-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811205233/http://variety.com/2004/tv/news/tweens-keen-on-new-teenick-block-1117910450/ |url-status=live }}
=Critical=
Robert Lloyd of Los Angeles Times upon reviewing the series finale of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide remarked that it was "one of the best series on television — a show that took genre conventions and ran them through unpredictable changes".{{cite news |first=Robert |last=Lloyd |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jun-08-et-ned8-story.html |title=Nick's 'Ned's' got straight-A's all the way |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 8, 2007 |access-date=2016-06-24 |archive-date=2016-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814170157/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/08/entertainment/et-ned8 |url-status=live }}
Proposed spin-off
In June 2008, Werkheiser signed a development contract with Nickelodeon for a spin-off that would deal with his character's adventures in high school.{{cite web|url=http://devonwerkheiser.com/blog.html |title=Blog |last=Werkheiser |first=Devon |date=June 2008 |publisher=Devon Werkheiser |access-date=2009-07-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217230422/http://devonwerkheiser.com/blog.html |archive-date=February 17, 2009 }} The show was never greenlit to production, due to the other major actors from the original series being busy with their own projects – creator and executive producer Scott Fellows was working on another Nickelodeon show, Big Time Rush; Daniel Curtis Lee was committed to Disney XD's Zeke and Luther; and Lindsey Shaw was working as the lead on ABC Family's 10 Things I Hate About You.
Podcast
In February 2023, Devon Werkheiser started a podcast called Ned's Declassified Podcast Survival Guide with Lindsey Shaw and Daniel Curtis Lee under the network PodCo.{{cite web |title='Wizards of Waverly Place,' 'Even Stevens,' 'Ned's Declassified' Rewatch Podcasts to Launch From Christy Carlson Romano's PodCo (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/wizards-of-waverly-place-even-stevens-rewatch-podcast-1235512535 |first1=Selome |last1=Hailu |work=Variety|date=February 6, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205214330/https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/wizards-of-waverly-place-even-stevens-rewatch-podcast-1235512535/ |archive-date= Feb 5, 2024 }}{{cite web |title=Ned's Declassified Podcast Survival Guide |url=https://www.youtube.com/@NedsPod/featured |via=YouTube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929125800/https://www.youtube.com/@NedsPod/featured |archive-date= Sep 29, 2023 }}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{wikiquote}}
- {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20180104160046/http://www.nick.com/neds-declassified/}} (Archived)
- {{IMDb title|0405576}}
{{Former Nickelodeon original series}}
Category:2000s American teen sitcoms
Category:2000s Nickelodeon original programming
Category:2004 American television series debuts
Category:2007 American television series endings
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:Middle school television series