<P> The series premiered on Sunday , August 11 , 1991 , as the second Nicktoon after Doug and preceding The Ren & Stimpy Show . Production initially halted in 1993 after 65 episodes , with the last episode airing on May 22 , 1994 . From 1995 to 1996 , the only new episodes broadcast were `` A Rugrats Passover '' and `` A Rugrats Chanukah '' , two Jewish - themed episodes that received critical acclaim ; during this time , well - after the end of the show 's production run , Rugrats began to receive a boost in ratings and popularity , due to constant reruns on Nickelodeon . In 1996 , Klasky Csupo Animation began producing new episodes , and the show 's fourth season began airing in 1997 . As a result of the show 's popularity , a series of theatrical films were released ; The Rugrats Movie , which introduced Tommy 's younger brother Dil , was released in 1998 , Rugrats in Paris : The Movie , which introduced Kimi and Kira , released in 2000 , and Rugrats Go Wild , a crossover film with fellow Klasky Csupo series The Wild Thornberrys , released in 2003 . The final episode aired on August 1 , 2004 , bringing the series to a total of 172 episodes and 9 seasons during a 12 - year run . </P>
how many seasons of the rugrats are there
9