With peak fashion, sideways ball caps, dry humor, and insane slang,1990stelevision was something else. Shows typicallyrevolved around family, friends, and other relationships, whether dysfunctional or loving, and sometimes had a moralat the end, even if it wasn’t explicitly stated. There were stars people knew and loved, and their characters still define them decades later.
FromSarah Michelle Gellartaking on the title role inBuffy the Vampire SlayertoWill SmithinThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, there are some shows that just defined ‘90s television. While most of the popular series were sitcoms such asFriendsandSeinfeld, the decade also saw the start of popular crime shows, a genre that has only gained popularity throughout the years, as well as dramas. Hey, some even featured the paranormal, something that wasn’t really prevalent during the ‘90s and yet got people to tune in week after week. So, take a stroll down memory lane and maybe think about watching some of the best television shows that defined the ‘90s.
10‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ (1990)
Created By Andy and Susan Borowitz
“In West Philadelphia born and raised,” Will Smith (Smith) finds himself in a bit of trouble, and his mother sends him to live with his wealthy Uncle Phil (James Avery), Aunt Viv (Janet Hubert-WhittenandDaphne Maxwell Reid), and his cousins Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro), Hilary (Karyn Parsons), and Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali) in Bel-Air, California. A long way from home and immersed in a completely different lifestyle, which includes a butler, Geoffrey (Joseph Marcell), Will’s working-class background and his family’s upper-class status often clash in comedic ways, especially when Will winds up going to private school with his cousins.
A show about love, family, and learning,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airwas a show teenagers loved to tune into during the ‘90s. A huge success for Black television,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airpaved the way for Smith’s specific brand of humoras his character made waves in an area of the country he was not accustomed to, just as Smith was making waves in Hollywood. While Smith’s character was a fictionalized version of himself, it was an interesting look at how that actor felt as he moved into the scene with accomplished stars and the possibility of becoming one.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
9‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997)
Created By Joss Whedon
Starring Gellaras the title character of Buffy Summers,Buffy the Vampire Slayeris based on the 1992 film of the same name and ran for seven seasons. It follows the title character, the latest young woman in a long line of Vampire Slayers, as she’s chosen by fate to protect the world from evil. In this case, the evil is not only vampires but other supernatural entities such as demons, zombies, and even fish people from the black lagoon. Throughout the beginning of the series, Buffy is a reluctant hero who wants nothing more than to have friends, go to school, and live a normal life. Of course, that isn’t possible for a slayer, and she eventually learns to embrace her destiny.
The series brought in a younger audience and put the WB on the ratings map. It also showed writers thatshows about the supernaturalwere not to be overlooked and that, if done correctly, theycould challenge the typical themes and tropes of teenage dramas and create something incredible. Robert Moore ofPopMattersevencreditsBuffyas repopularizing long story arcsin primetime television, stating that television was not “art” prior to the series, but it sure was after the show was released.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
8‘Sex and the City’ (1998)
Created By Darren Star
Based on Candace Bushnell’s 1996 book and New York column,Sex and the Cityfollows the lives of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her friends Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) as they explore the inner workings of the New York dating scene. With relationships, friendships, and careers, the four women push boundaries and create comedic situations that are both timeless and relatable. It was a show that was ahead of its time, bringing in feminism and sexuality and dating multiple partners in order to find “the one” as something that women shouldn’t be afraid of but embrace.
Sex and the Cityfeatures strong female leads and some raunchy humor, something that was often disguised and only alluded to during ‘90s television.It was new and entertaining, an adult show that also grabbed the attention of the 16 and over crowd. With drama and comedy, the series was super popular throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s, becoming a franchise with movies and even a spin-off television show,And Just Like That…
Sex and the City
7‘Law & Order’ (1990)
Created By Dick Wolf
A series about police procedurals,Law & Orderhad an interesting two-part approach to its narrative. Set in New York and following detectives and lawyers, the first half of the series always showcased the crime investigation, typically revolving around a homicide and arrest of a suspect, while the second half brought viewers into the courtroom, watching the New York City attorney’s office at work trying their best to convince the jury of the defendant’s guilt. This series is very interesting because it not only had a revolving door of cast members, but it also based its episodes on real headline cases.
Law & Orderbrought a new feel tocrime and police shows, making them less fictionalized and more sensationalized, as each episode felt as though it was real life on the streets of New York. It’s a serial structure with dual perspectives from both the NYPD and prosecutors as they bringthe reality of murder and the consequences of crime to the small screen. Creator Dick Wolf wanted to bring a new sense of freshness to the genre, changing up the formula to where the lawyers were the heroes of the story and not necessarily the cops. It was an innovative show that gained a wide audience, allowing the series to run from 1990 until 2010 before getting a revival in 2022.
Law & Order
6‘ER’ (1994)
Created By Michael Crichton
Set in the County General Hospital,ERfollows doctors and nurses as they face medical emergencies day after day. Showcasing the inner workings of hospital life, the medical drama is a fictionalized version of Chicago’s real County General Hospital and doesn’t skimp on intense sociopolitical issues such as AIDS, organ transplants, and even mental illness, all of which were considered taboo topics at the time. Even with the dramatic themes and topics surrounding the series, it was a very popular medical show at the time and even launched the career ofGeorge Clooney.
ERwas unlike other medical shows, taking the idea of working in a hospital andpresenting a more realistic atmosphere featuring the complex relationships between doctors and nurses. It set a new standard for the genre, utilizing innovative cinematography techniques to create a sense of urgency often felt in an emergency room while giving nurses their own storylines, something that was typically saved for the doctors.ERwas a no-laughs drama that set the stageforother medical seriesand, at 15 seasons, is the second longest-running primetime series of its genre, right behindGrey’s Anatomy.
5‘Frasier’ (1993)
Created By David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee
A spin-off ofCheers, the sitcomFrasierdives into the life of psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) as he returns to his hometown of Seattle, Washington, to become a radio host. There, he reconnects with his family, some old friends, and creates new relationships. While the show does follow his professional career,Frasieris also a show about everyday life and how hard and yet gratifying it can be to return home after being away for years.
One of the most successful spin-off series to air on television,Frasierbrings comedy and complex characters to the screen and pretty much changes the layout of sitcoms. While it is a comedy, the series takes sophisticated dialogue to create purposeful humor that goes beyond surface-level laughs, something that wasn’t considered in earlier sitcoms. It allows for a deeper exploration of the characters’ inner struggles and relationships, especially the title character of Frasier Crane. The spin-off ran for 11 seasons and won 37 Primetime Emmy Awards during its time on NBC.
4‘The X-Files’ (1993)
Created By Chris Carter
Following the story of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson),The X-Fileswas unlike anything on ‘90s television. During the series, fans watch as Mulder and Scully investigate what is known as the X-Files, unsolved cases that have to do with paranormal occurrences. What is interesting, though, is the show doesn’t have two characters that agree on the supernatural. While Mulder is a believer, Scully is a skeptic and doesn’t necessarily believe. Even so, they go about each episode solving cases while an overall government conspiracy plays out in the background.
The X-Fileswasa new type of supernatural show, bringing a monster-of-the-week episode structure to the screen with an overarching plot. It also paved the way for more complex and intense sci-fi themes that weren’t seen on television, bringing in creativity and imagination that, while not scientifically accurate, was wildly entertaining. The show ran for 11 seasons and is often cited as one of the best American television shows to come out of the ‘90s.
The X-Files
3‘The Simpsons’ (1989)
Developed By Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon
Who thoughtThe Simpsonswould have such a hold over people? The series follows the Simpson family and is a satirical representation of American life in the fictional town of Springfield. Often, viewers watch as the Simpsons deal with everyday occurrences, such as school projects, drama at their jobs, and nosey neighbors. While the family is pretty dysfunctional, especially the dad, Homer (Dan Castellaneta), it is an interesting take on the human condition, relationships, and Western culture in general.
The series continued to be relevant.Its incorporation of pop culture moments and culturaljargon to remain modern made it a comedic sitcom that viewers kept coming back to.TheSimpsonsattracted both older and younger audiences thanks to its animation style and use of dark humor. The series did the impossible, bridging a generational gap that allowedThe Simpsonsto continue its popularity decades after the first episode aired. The longest-running American animated series,The Simpsons,has branched off into video games and movies, keeping the franchise fresh and interesting.
The Simpsons
2‘Friends’ (1994)
Created By David Crane and Marta Kauffman
Lasting ten seasons,Friendsfollows the lives of six men and women as they go about their adult years living in Manhatten, New York. Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) have jobs, romantic partners, and find themselves in comedic situations as fans tuned in to see what shenanigans the group of friends would inevitably get into each episode.
From “taking a break” and pivoting furniture to being there for one another and hanging out at the Central Perk, this sitcom had a tight grasp over television watchers in the ‘90s. One of themost successful television seriesever created,Friendsbroughtcomedy and heartfelt emotion to the small screen as fans watched a group of friends become family. Between the acting, comedic timing, and chemistry of the six main stars,Friendsbrought a laugh-out-loud originality to television and gained a legacy that stuck with Western culture long after the series finale aired in 2004, an episode that had 52.5 million American viewers tuning in.
1‘Seinfeld’ (1989)
Created By Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld
A total of 180 episodes over the course of nine seasons,Seinfeldmight have aired at the end of the ‘90s, but it was one of the most popular series throughout the ‘90s. The sitcom followed the interesting lives of four single friends: Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld), George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards). Considered a show about nothing, each episode shows the four characters going through their everyday lives in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York, as they deal with relationships, their careers, and even some eccentric family members. In short, it is a series about the mundane, something that you wouldn’t think would work as a sitcom in the long run.
The thing is,the chemistry between the stars mixed with the uniquely situational comedy made it a must-watch television series. With quotes people still say to one another in the 21st century and episodes fans have no issue rewatching time and again, such as “The Contest,” “The Marine Biologist,” and “The Soup Nazi,”Seinfeldmarked an era of television that was nothing short of just fun to watch. Entertaining and knowing where to push boundaries,Seinfeld’snine seasons defined ‘90s television.
