I’m a product of the ’90s , so let me be the first to admit my bias. But that doesn’t change the fact that there are certain TV shows from that era that are objectively better than those today .
That’s why I’ve gone and compiled a list of 10+ ’90s TV shows that will always be better than current shows. You can call it nostalgia all you like but the fact of the matter is: ‘the ’90s was the best decade of TV.
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*South Park*
South Park is one of the most pop-culturally relevant TV shows of all time.
The first episode aired back in 1997 and the show is still going strong. I’ve been watching since day one and I have no plans of slowing down.
*Friends*
If we’re trying to come up with TV shows that defined the decade, few do a better job than Friends .
This groundbreaking sitcom is beloved all over the world, and up until very recently was Netflix’s most-streamed show ever.
*Beavis And Butthead*
As insane as this is going to sound, there was a time when MTV only played music videos.
Beavis and Butt-Head was some of the first non-music-related content that the station ever broadcast. It remains a cult classic.
*Freaks And Geeks*
How Freaks and Geeks only managed to stick around for one season is mind-boggling.
This show helped launch the careers of James Franco, Seth Rogan, Martin Starr, Linda Cardellini, and Jason Segel. What was the network thinking?!
*Frasier*
Tossed salads and scrambled eggs all day, baby!
What’s great about Frasier is that the series is a rare example of a spin-off being superior to the show it spun-off from. This is highbrow humor at its absolute finest.
*Everybody Loves Raymond*
Some of my fondest childhood memories involve my family sitting down on the couch after we’d eaten dinner to watch Everybody Loves Raymond .
Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle positively stole the show — may they both rest in peace.
*Batman: The Animated Series*
I’m not even lying to you when I say that I own the complete BTAS on Blu-Ray. It’s one of my favorite things to watch when I’m feeling anxious.
This was the Golden Age of animation; there’s never been another show quite like it.
*The X-Files*
The X-Files came along at the peak moment of the ’90s fascination with UFOs and aliens.
Fox Mulder and Dana Scully make one of the greatest cop-duos in the history of television. Further proof that David Duchovny is the coolest dude on the planet.
*N.Y.P.D. Blue*
Did you know that if it wasn’t for N.Y.P.D. Blue , nudity on television might never have happened?
OK — maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but the series was undoubtedly a pioneer when it came to salacious exploits.
*Seinfeld*
It’s a question for the ages: how could a show that’s literally about nothing ever be hailed as the most groundbreaking sitcom ever?
It’s hard to explain to anyone who didn’t live through it. You simply had to be there in order to truly appreciate Seinfeld .
*The Sopranos*
I feel like I’m coming off slightly hyperbolic as I make my way down this. I don’t mean to sound redundant when I say “this is the best” or “that’s the greatest.”
So I hope you’ll allow me one last transgression: The Sopranos is the finest show that’s ever been produced.
*The Simpsons*
Did you know that three generations worth of people can claim to have grown up on The Simpsons and technically all three would be correct?
The staying power and impact this show has had over the years is beyond comparison.
*Home Improvement*
If I had to sum up Home Improvement in only two words it would be these: more power!
It doesn’t get much better than Tim Allen in his comedic prime, as any fan of this series will surely tell you.
*The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air*
Want to know how you can spot someone who’s actually lived through The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ? You put on the theme song.
Any true ’90s kid will be compelled to jump up and start rapping along. We just can’t control ourselves.
*3rd Rock From The Sun*
John Lithgow is a genius, as far as I’m concerned. 3rd Rock from the Sun worked well because it was achingly simple.
Watching these ‘aliens’ experience the highs and lows of the human condition for the first time is side-splitting.
