Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Catching Up On Classic 90s TV

Sarah and me circa 1996

Dear readers, you know that I'm not a movie buff.  I haven't seen most of the classics.  My dad referenced The Godfather yesterday and I only recognized it because of that scene in You've Got Mail where Tom Hanks is giving Meg Ryan business advice over AIM.  But did you know - since I seem to be sharing things like this these days - that my classic TV knowledge is equally lacking?

We did have a TV once upon a time.  I don't remember watching it, but I have a very strong memory of where we kept all of our VHS tapes: in a bookcase in the nook between the dining room and the den.  When I was about 4, though, my mother put a vase of flowers on top of the TV (which, she admits in hindsight, was pretty dumb) and Daddy walked by and knocked it over and the TV died.  Instead of getting a new one, Mom and Dad decided to take a stand against - well, against something, anyway, and there wasn't a TV in my parents' house again until after my sister left for college sixteen years later.

That's not to say I was totally deprived, of course.  I have really lovely memories of the beginning of the DVD era, when the four of us would huddle around the glow of the computer screen in the evening, passing a bowl of popcorn between us, to watch episode after episode of The West Wing.  And when the OC came out in 2003, my senior year of high school, I begged friends to invite me over to watch it.  But reference those classic 90s TV shows that everyone knows by heart and I'm lost.  That pop culture vocabulary is just not in my lexicon.

Part of me wants to go back and binge-watch some of the ones that seem to be cultural touchstones for my generation.  I hate being the only silent one when everyone else is singing the theme song to The Fresh Prince and I'm totally insecure about not having an opinion on whether or not Rachel and Ross belong together.  It's been at least a decade since most of the shows you all know and love went off the air, but I still feel left out.

So maybe when Jon gets here and the days get shorter and we settle in for a night of TV on the couch, I'll suggest we cue up one of the ones that everyone's always referencing.  Here are the top 10 I could think of off the top of my head - am I missing any?

1. Boy Meets World
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
3. Clarissa Explains It All
4. Dawson's Creek
5. Felicity
6. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
7. Friends
8. Full House
9. Saved by the Bell
10. Seinfeld

 photo 866de425-8336-4c63-9efd-1c4dd8bf0e62_zpsafe0d56b.jpg

33 comments:

  1. I have most of Buffy, all of Friends, and about half of Seinfeld on DVD. Let me know if you want to borrow them! Also, can I watch some of Buffy with you? ;) -Colleen

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  2. dont worry about not watching the Godfather... i just watched it last year. it was pretty good -- and crazy to see big deal actors YOUNG! anyhooo i really loved Clarissa Explains It All -- and Alex Mack haha remember that show? xo jillian

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  3. One of my best friends grew up without a TV (or at least without cable.) In school when we had to do collages or during free time, we'd open up a People magazine and point to pictures of celebrities and have her guess who she thought they were. Of course, this was before social media and accessible internet. It was funny for all of us but looking back, I admire her parents decision. (Although, I'm not sure it's one I could make!)

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  4. Just watch I Love the 90s from VH1, you'll get all the necessary pop culture references. Honestly the only shows off this list I actually enjoyed were Buffy, Friends, SBTB, and the Fresh Prince, but I can tell you from random nostalgia viewings that SBTB doesn't hold up, and very little of the Fresh Prince does. Friends will probably seem horribly dated now as well. Anyway… add My So-Called Life. We had either no tv or very limited tv growing up (and never had cable at home), but I saw some of MSCL on MTV re-airs at my friend's house in high school and it was so perfectly 90s teen angsty. And A TON of people loved Party of Five back then, although I couldn't get into it when I tried to watch it for the first time last year. (I also couldn't get into Felicity around the same time.) My WB favorites were Popular, Roswell, Gilmore Girls, and Charmed (hokey but I liked it. Whatever.), then my best friend loved Buffy so I saw tons of it. And my mom and sister liked Seventh Heaven, which I'm still trying to repress.
    UMMM…

    Buzzfeed has a list for you. Of course. http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/the-33-best-forgotten-teen-shows-of-the-90s#1ypvr0g

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  5. I agree, My So Called Life!!

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  6. Agree on all of those - but if you loved The OC, you HAVE to watch the original: Beverly Hills, 90210! I might join you and rewatch, in fact!!

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  7. I didn't have cable as a kid, and didn't watch much to begin with, so I don't feel like you missed out that much. I watched... some of those shows. Did you ever watch Gilmore Girls though? It's not 90's, but falls into that category for you. That's one of my favorites and should be watched and if not, I can loan you the DVDs.

    And I just want to be there when you watch the Buffy Musical Episode.

    (Also, does Sarah age? Because seriously.)

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  8. Someone mentioned Alex Mack. Ha! I totally forgot about that one. Saved by the Bell is classic, of course. I never watched Buffy or Felicity, though. I used to watch a lot of Seventh Heaven. I can still sing the theme song! Lady, you have to learn the Fresh Prince song just because. Even if you've never seen it! The song is too good not to be able to rap with everyone else ;)

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  9. FRASIER. Frasier forever and ever! (and Cheers to go with it, if you're feeling extra-dedicated) I really feel like it might be up your alley? But I'm making that judgement based on very little supporting evidence, so don't judge me if you try it and hate it, mmkay?


    I would also add Sabrina the Teenaged Witch to this list, as it kind of went hand in hand with BMW on Friday nights, but only the first few seasons. After she goes to college, the whole series goes to crap.

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  10. Melissa Joan Heart ruled the airwaves in the 90s, didn't she?!

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  11. I watched some Seventh Heaven when I was babysitting! The youngest son annoyed me. But I love love love the guy who plays the dad.

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  12. I have seen some Gilmore Girls! In college, I think, when it was on in the common room in the middle of the day. But I know everyone LOVES the dialogue and it just seemed so forced to me - maybe because I came to it too late?

    (no.)

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  13. just Googled it and I think I was too young for it when it was on the air! but adding it to the list now :)

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  14. haha yay for strong feelings. Jon LOVES Buffy so it's definitely at the top of the list!

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  15. It's really good. I watched it a couple of years later when it finally was on TV in Germany. And now I even own the dvd box so that I can re-watch it. :)

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  16. Most of these shows don't hold up, unfortunately - an intern at my office, born in 1992, called The West Wing "antiquated" the other day and I almost passed out!

    I've seen some of Charmed when it's been on in the mornings and I'm home sick. I love it. Are you watching The Witches of East End now? fabulously the same.

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  17. haha that's how it was for me with English tabloids when I first moved over there! "Wait... Katie Price... is Jordan....? What?"

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  18. Is Alex Mack the one where she turned into goo and slid under doors? That's all I know about it! haha

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  19. YES PLEASE. We'll have an initiation party! haha

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  20. I think once you love the characters, you love the dialogue.

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  21. YES. I started watching because I love, love Rachel Boston (Ingrid), but the first season was so campy fun. Madchen Amick is fantastic in it. This season I'm liking a little less; they went a little too far into the dark side without keeping as good of a balance with the campy, but it's not at all failing for me. Just not quite as delightful. Do you watch Sleepy Hollow? I LOVE SLEEP HOLLOW.

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  22. Also, slap that intern. People born after 1990 don't get opinions. At least NOT ON MY LAWN.

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  23. What?! We could have discussed all Buffy related things! And Lindsay could have joined in as she is also a huge Buffy fan. I'd love to know Jon's opinion on Angel vs Spike. ;) x

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  24. Since you have Friends, Dawson's Creek, and Felicity on there, you're doing great! I would also recommend Alias and Veronica Mars. More cult and less referency (made up word) but oh so good. :)

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  25. Witches of East End is my favorite

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  26. Alias for sure, but I think you have seen it! Also, growing pains...ahh the introduction to the love of my life a young leonardo dicaprio (shh, dont tell teds)

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  27. BUFFY for sure!!!! Best of the best. Yes, let us hear all your opinions when you've made a good dent in that series. Also, i would recommend Veronica Mars, but that's a personal fav and not necessarily culturally important. Not the way Buffy is anyways ha x

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  28. I think this is a great list! Definitely Friends, Full House, and Boy Meets World were huge for me growing up. If you're looking to delve into sci-fi at some point, I'll definitely have some recommendations for you :)

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  29. Okay, Nick and I are only making it through The West Wing now and we LOVE it and think it totally holds up. That intern is obviously lacking intelligence.

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I love reading your thoughts and suggestions! Please do leave a comment so we can get to know each other better.