Top 20 TV Shows for Early 90s Kids

I was born in 1981 and, like most kids from my generation, I love everything about the early 90s -- the clothes (Hypercolor, flannel, Zubaz, Starter jackets), the music (grunge, slow jams, the East coast / West coast hip hop rivalry), the fads (slap bracelets, Starter jackets again), the movies, and most importantly, the teen television shows.  After school in those days I did two things: ate a Handi-Snacks and watched TV.

My television remote frequented NBC's Saturday morning lineup, Nickelodeon after school, reruns on the Disney channel, TGIF on ABC on Friday nights, and SNICK on Saturday nights on Nick.  Kids today are watching scandalous shows on ABC Family.  We kept things clean in the early 90s.  DJ Tanner making out with her boyfriend of the week was as PG-13 as we got.

Recently, I have posted the top 20 TV sitcoms of my lifetime and the top 20 TV dramas of my lifetime.  I started thinking about all the great shows that I watched growing up that did not make the cut on either list, and I became convinced that I needed another list.  The ground rules are simple: 1) no animated series (The Simpsons is out), 2) must be a scripted show (Wild & Crazy Kids and You Can't Do That on Television are out), 3) doesn't necessarily have to hold up when you watch it today but it must be a classic in your memory as a 12-year old, and 4) must not be on one of the aforementioned lists of best shows of my lifetime (which takes 90210 and The Wonder Years out of contention).

Saved By the Bell: the New Class barely missed the cut.  Actually, it missed the cut by a wide margin.  Screech as Vice Principal?  Come on.



Top 20 TV Shows for Early 90s Kids

20.  California Dreams: Surf dudes with attitude.  I couldn't tell you one plot line from this trainwreck of a show, but the theme song alone is enough to make this list.



19.  Blossom: Whoa!



18.  The Secret World of Alex Mack: If Winnie was my first crush, then Alex Mack was my second.  Big fan.

17.  The Adventures of Pete & Pete:  A Nickelodeon classic.  Brothers with the same name, a tattoo named Petunia, and a personal superhero named Artie - the strongest man...in the world! Great show.

16.  Hang Time: The basketball scenes were laughable and the acting was worse, but this was a staple on the NBC Saturday morning lineup.  Coaches Reggie Theus and Dick Butkus had very different coaching styles but the same end of game strategy: get the rock to the blonde chick with the ponytail.  Anthony Anderson as Teddy was one of the few bright spots from an acting perspective.

15.  Party of Five: Star-studded cast in this FOX drama -- Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell, Jennifer Love-Hewitt, and a pre-teen Lacey Chabert.  Somebody take the keys -- Bailey's been drinking.



14.  Sister, Sister: The Parent Trap called and wants its plot back.  Sister, Sister had a brief run on TGIF, but it found a permanent home on the WB after it was canceled by ABC.

13.  Doogie Howser, M.D.: The two best parts of the show were Doogie's friend Vinnie and Doogie's computer diary.  Unbelievably, Neil Patrick Harris is still one of the biggest stars on TV.



12.  Home Improvement: This show prominently featured two of my favorites things: the Detroit Lions and wearing button down shirts untucked and unbuttoned.  JTT's flannels were a revelation.

11.  Perfect Strangers: The anchor for the original TGIF.  Larry and his distant cousin Balki from Eastern Europe (Mypos) form an unlikely friendship and hilarity often ensues.  Tremendous theme song.



10.  ALF: How could you not watch a show featuring this guy?



9.  Hangin' With Mr. Cooper: Another TGIF staple.  Strong supporting role from Wild & Crazy Kids host Omar Gooding.

8.  Step by Step: I bet I could watch most Step by Step episodes today and not laugh once.  In 1993, it was hilarious.  TGIF does it again.

7.  Saved By the Bell: The College Years: Preppy with long hair.  Screech getting hazed.  Bob Golic as the RA.  Kelly transfers in.  It's not the original, but let's just be glad it's not the New Class.

6.  Hey Dude: In honor of the Bar None Dude Ranch's own Ted McGriff, I named myself "senior staff" on the Kingsmill recreational maintenance team in 2002.  I'm still trying to score some of Danny Lightfoot's famous flatbread -- it's the Hopi way.  Mr. Ernst is a personal hero of mine.

5.  Family Matters: Urkel, Stefan Urquelle, Waldo Geraldo Faldo, Little Richie's jheri curl -- Family Matters was equal parts intentional comedy and unintentional comedy.

4.  Boy Meets World: I'm ready for 2014's spinoff Girl Meets World.  It's perfectly acceptable for a 32-year old man to watch the Disney Channel, right?  Topanga's still got it, and Cory Matthews is back to show why he's in the outkick your coverage Hall of Fame.  Mr. Feeney is a national treasure.

3.  Full House:  Just three bros sharing a house in San Fran with one bro's three daughters.  No big deal.  When I think of TGIF, I think of Full House and that speaks volumes about the significance of this show.  I almost wrote that with a straight face.

 

2.  Salute Your Shorts:  Camp Anawanna had it all -- awful waffles, Pinsky Family Salami, Budnick's band Roadkill, Ug, Donkeylips, Zeke the Plumber, Dr. Kahn.  Not to mention a theme song that will stay in your head for days.  Nickelodeon hit a home run with this one.



1.  Saved By the Bell:  I guarantee SBTB was the first show that came to your mind when you started reading this list.  It was the definitive early 90s teen show.  Bayside High was the perfect setting for the series -- I'm so glad that Zack, Screech, Lisa, and Mr. Belding all decided to move from Indiana to California.  What a coincidence!  Jessie, Kelly, and Slater were a vast improvement over Mikey and Nikki.



Did I forget any classic early 90s shows?