Anyone who identifies as a Gen-Xer or “Elder Millennial” knows all about ‘90s drama shows. These are the series teens and young adults watch on their own with friends, or parents turn on once the kids are in bed or out with their friends. The most rewatchable ‘90s TVdramasfeature interesting premises, relatable characters, or easily palatable episodes. Some offer a combination of all three.
Whether it’s the show grandparents love to watch or ones that are perfect for coming-of-age teens, the most rewatchable ‘90s dramas include an eclectic mix. Many of these shows inspired other similar series that have come since.
10Northern Exposure (1990-1995)
Created by Joshua Brand, John Falsey
Joel (Rob Morrow) is from New York City, and he accomplishes his dream of graduating from medical school. But to repay the state of Alaska for underwriting his education, he must move to Anchorage for a few years and work as a general practitioner for a small town that’s in desperate need of one.Northern Exposurecovers Joel’s experiences in a new lifestyle and setting that’s completely different from what he knows.
The small-town, fish-out-of-water storyline is one that has been done time and time again, most recently with the hit Emmy-winning seriesSchitt’s Creek. While in the remote town of Cicely, Joel encounters plenty of eccentric characters, and starts to acclimate to his new surroundings. It’s a heartwarming and funny show that’s worth watching again to relive the fun series.
Northern Exposure
Watch On Prime
9NYPD Blue (1993-2005)
Created by Steven Bochco, David Milch
UntilGrey’s Anatomycame along,NYPD Bluewas the longest-running primetime one-hour drama on television. The police procedural, which inspired so many that have come since, featured an ensemble cast of characters, all working in the 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. While the characters and the precinct itself are entirely fictional, the stories were inspired by real ones, including those ofBill Clark, a former New York City police officer who became one of the show’s producers.
Because of the involvement of a real-life former cop,NYPD Blueoffers amore realistic portrayalof law enforcement life than other shows of its type. Naturally, the series also simultaneously covered the personal lives of the characters, providing a nice mix of grit and emotion.
Watch On Hulu
8The Practice (1997-2004)
Created by David E. Kelley
Spawning the equally successful spin-offBoston Legal,The Practiceprovided a fascinating look at the legal side of law enforcement and justice. While there are comedic elements to the series, it’s mostly dramatic depictions as the lawyers and partners in a law firm grapple with the delicate balance of maintaining ethics and morality while best serving their clients.
Created byDavid E. Kelley, known for popular shows likeDoogie Howser, M.D.,Chicago Hope,Ally McBeal,Big Little Lies, andBig Sky, he set out to provide a realistic look at the legal system, and fans loved it.The Practiceis worth watching again to revisit some of the most exciting characters, like Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott), Rebecca Washington (LisaGay Hamilton), and Alan Shore (James Spader), who went on to star inBoston Legal. Fans of shows likeSuitswill loveThe Practice.
The Practice
Watch On Apple TV
7Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003)
Created by Kevin Williamson
Closing out the ‘90s,Dawson’s Creekwas amust-see teen dramafor anyone coming-of-age at the same time as the lead characters. The story centered around Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) and his best friend Joey Potter (Katie Holmes),as well as their mutual friends Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) and Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams). From love triangles to sneaking out of the house, sneaking into bedrooms from windows, and dealing with typical coming-of-age challenges,Dawson’s Creekhad it all.
As the show matured and its characters matured along with it,Dawson’s Creekgot deeper, darker, and more dramatic. The show, which catapulted the careers of the cast, tackled issues like coming out and homophobia, mental health, divorce, family strife, and even death. These are all universally understood topics, regardless of the decade, to which teens today can still relate.
Dawson’s Creek
6Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Created by Joss Whedon
A cult favorite,Buffy the Vampire Slayercreated its own franchise known as Buffyverse, which includes the showAngelalong with everything from books to comics and games as well. The supernatural drama inspired many other shows of its ilk that came after as well, fromCharmedtoLa Femme NikitaandAlias, all featuring strong female lead characters.Sarah Michelle Gellarwas an icon as the title character, avampire slayerwho is tasked with fighting vampires, demons, and other dark forces. All Buffy wants to do is be a normal teenager, but she soon embraces her duties and powers.
The show featured other memorable characters played by everyone fromAlyson HannigantoDavid Boreanz, Seth Green, andMichelle Trachtenberg. With talks of a potential reboot,Buffy the Vampire Slayercould be back, making rewatching the original a great idea for fans who want a refresher ahead of time should a reboot ever come to fruition.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
5ER (1994-2009)
Created by Michael Crichton
One ofthe best medical dramasthat inspired some of the most popular shows of the genre within the last two decades,ERremains the second-longest running primetime medical drama behindGrey’s Anatomy. The multi-Emmy-winning series centers around the medical staff and their patients in a fictional emergency room of a hospital, with both emotional andshocking storylines.
Most exciting about rewatchingERis seeing all the cast members fans who already watched the show might have forgotten were on it. The cast included well-known names likeAnthony Edwards, George Clooney, andJulianna Margulies, but also featuredMaria Bello, Maura Tierney, Mekhi Phifer, Linda Cardellini, Scott Grimes, John Stamos, andAngela Bassett. The list of guest stars is even more impressive, surprising even those who think they remember everything there is to know about this series.
4Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
Created by Mark Frost, David Lynch
One of the more short-lived series on this list,Twin Peaksonly aired for two seasons before getting canceled. But the show made its mark and became a cult classic. So much so, in fact, that fan interest led to a third season revival on Showtime in 2017. The plot is centered around FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) who is investigating the mysterious murder of a local homecoming queen.
Combining standard police procedural work with mystery, drama, and even supernatural elements,Twin Peaks wasn’tafraid to get a little campy at times with somereally weird episodes. Some of the characters, in fact, could have come right out of horror movies or soap operas, perfectly fitting common tropes found in those genres as well. But that’s what makesTwin Peaksso unique. With just two seasons, it’s a quick one to re-watch and wonder why it was ever cancelled so soon.
Twin Peaks
Watch On Paramount Plus
3Law & Order (1990-)
Created by Dick Wolf
Incredibly, more than 30 years later,Law & Orderis still going strong. The series aired from 1990 through 2010, then was revived in 2021 and has been airing with new seasons since. As the name implies, the police procedural offers episodes divided into two parts, covering both sides of the law: the investigation into a crime until someone is convicted, then the prosecution of said person or persons in a courtroom. What’s most interesting aboutLaw & Orderis that many of the cases featured on the show are inspired by real life events of the time.
Havingspawned an entire franchise, many other spin-offs of which are still airing to this day as well, it would be fun to look back at some of the older episodes of the series. With cast changes, older episodes ofLaw & Orderfrom the ‘90s seem almost like watching a brand-new show. Watching the lateJerry Orbachdo his thing as Detective Lennie Briscoe andSam Waterstonas District Attorney Jack McCoy are worth re-watching alone.
Law & Order
2The X-Files (1993-2002)
Created by Chris Carter
Arguably one of the best shows ever on television,The X-Fileswas revived in 2016 for a short six-episode 10th season to satiate the desire of fans who are still obsessed with the show. A sci-fi drama,The X-FilesstarsDavid Duchovnyas FBI special agent Fox Mulder andGillian Andersonas medical doctor Dana Scully. As they investigate cases, Mulder believes in supernatural events and the unexplained, while Scully is convinced that there’s always a scientific and reasonable explanation for everything. Naturally, views change as the show progresses and two debate strange occurences.
With so many exciting individual episodes along with a larger, over-arching story,The X-Filesnever gets old. Anyone interested in the paranormal will love the show, while Duchovny and Anderson’s on-screen chemistry is electric.
The X-Files
1Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000)
Created by Darren Star
If there’s one TV drama that defined the ‘90s, airing through the entire decade, it’sBeverly Hills, 90210. Teens loved the stories that, while centered around well-to-do students at a flashy high school in Los Angeles, were still relatable. The kids dealt with love, loss, trauma, and everyday school challenges. But the series also tackled more serious topics, like teenage sex, alcoholism, domestic violence, bullying, and more inits best episodes.
Beverly Hills, 90210made stars of its ensemble cast, which included (in the original seasons)Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabriella Carteris, the lateLuke Perry,Brian Austin Green, andTori Spelling. So many people who went on to become stars had guest appearances on the show, too. Anyone who grew up withBeverly Hills, 90210will feel nostalgic watching episodes now from a different perspective, especially those who might now be watching with kids of their own.
