If you grew up watching this 1990-1995 family sitcom, then you probably appreciated that Mayim Bialik's title character was spunkier -- and smarter -- than most TV teens of the era. It's taken Saturday Night Live decades and a public shaming to move toward what Keenen Ivory Wayans built with this landmark 1990-1994 show: sketch comedy that wasn't just for white guys. Like Goof Troop, Taz-Mania featured a character we were already familiar with, the Tasmanian Devil, and built up his backstory with a family and supporting characters. Goof Troop was one of those shows you either loved or hated as a kid. Cynical and sardonic, she was an antihero for an entire generation of young girls, and she is widely considered to be one of the best female cartoon characters of all time (see: this list in Time magazine). Netflix revived the series in 2017. Good thing there's a revival on the way. Released: 1997. Unlike the Looney Tunes version of the character whos only seen chasing prey in a ravenous tornado, Taz also has to deal with the frustrations of parents, siblings, and living a domesticated life. With her blunt bangs, classic green coat, giant boots, and circular-framed glasses, Daria's style was as sharply defined as her tongue. The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958-1962) Much of the humor came from the comparison between street smart jokester Will and his spoiled, sheltered cousins Hilary (Karyn Parsons), Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro), and Ashley (Tatyana Ali) Banks. With an accountant for a sidekick and villains with names like Chairface Chippendale, its a small wonder the show lasted for three seasons on a mainstream network, but they always managed to throw enough comedy in that both kids and adults could enjoy. The shows South Korean-style animation made it stand out from many of the other animated series at the time, making it more competitive with well-loved Saturday morning hits like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While the original focus was on the Winslow family - mother Harriette was an elevator operator on "Perfect Strangers" - the popularity of breakout character Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) led to the annoying neighbor playing a more central role in the program than initially anticipated (Urkel became a main character as of season two). Try to take over the world! Whereas Pinky was a happy, fun-loving idiot who had a Tourettes-like tic, Brain was a megalomaniacal genius who was hell bent on world domination. My mind still racks for answers as to how I accepted this show as a kid. Far more somber than lighthearted Saturday morning sitcoms, "My So-Called Life" offered a fresh take on the adolescent drama, as seen through the eyes of Angela Chase (Claire Danes), a teen living in the fictional Pittsburgh suburb of Three Rivers. At the Primetime Emmys, Frasier regularly prevailed over Seinfeld and Friends, and emerged with five wins in the Outstanding Comedy Series category, more than any other series in the '90s. 30 Live-Action Saturday Morning Shows That Will Give You All - Collider Voiced by Tracy Grandstaff, Daria was a teenage girl in the fictional town of Lawndale. The daring escapades of wealthy duck Scrooge McDuck and his three grandnephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie lit up screens in the late '80s and early '90s. Moesha also had a younger brother, Myles (Marcus Paulk), but it was her best friend Kim Parker (Countess Vaughn) who stole most scenes. Rugrats (1991-2004) Watch it on: Hulu. With an impressive voice cast featuring Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer, the show introduced a colorful world inhabited by unforgettable characters like Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson. Like Freakazoid!, The Tick parodied the typical, straightforward superhero that kids were used to seeing in DC and Marvel comics. 33,504 votes. That was the case for "Freaks and Geeks,"which did not make it past Season 1 on NBC back in 1999. In particular, it was refreshing to see a show with so many emotional nuances embedded in it, especially when it came to Helgas feelings for Arnold. An undeniable hit during the '90s, Home Improvement cemented its place in sitcom history by winning multiple awards and setting the stage for many spin-offs and career opportunities for its cast members. If this 1995-1998 HBO show did no more than produce some of the best sketch comedy of its decade, then that would be enough to land it a spot here. A cultural phenomenon that defined a generation, Friends followed six close-knit friends navigating life, love, and laughter in New York City. What animated '90s series had you waking up early on Saturday mornings and parking in front of the TV? The Best Sitcoms Of The '90s - Ranker By 2014, the only channel with its own branded Saturday morning content was the CW with "Vortex," a block of anime-type shows like Sonic X and Dragon Ball. Essentially, Freakazoid was the Mr. Hyde to Dexters Dr. Jekyll, although he was a lot less nefarious and much more insane. By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. Maybe there's nothing to say except a big, hardy: D'oh! Its impact on pop culture is enormous with catchphrases like "D'oh!" Although the series ran for six seasons (earlier storyline references implied/inferred that the characters of Mary Beth and Julie were closer to college age), Daniella Deutscher and Megan Parlen were the only two of the show's original cast members that stayed with the show throughout its entire run. Fox Kids was an American children's programming block that aired on Fox from September 8, 1990 to September 7, 2002, as well as the former branding for a slate of international children's television channels. It was definitely one of the few Saturday morning cartoons that were ahead of its time. The gang originally included Sabrina's boyfriend Harvey Kinkle (Nate Richert), best friend Jenny Kelly (Michelle Beaudoin), and nemesis Libby Chessler (Jenna Leigh Green), but there were a number of cast changes over the years. Actor: Executive Decision. stopped conforming. If you're a ' 90s baby, then you remember the excitement of Saturday morning cartoons. Is The Fresh Prince of Be Worth Your Time? (Ultimately, Mary Beth was demoted to assistant team-manager, a role in which she thrived.) The series' big moment came in 1997 via "The Puppy Episode," in which star Ellen DeGeneres' character, Ellen Morgan, develops a crush on a woman, and comes out as a lesbian. A groundbreaking and enduring animated sitcom, The Simpsons captured the hearts of both children and adults alike throughout the 1990s. The Emmy-winner finished its run in 2009 having gushed a lot of fake blood, and having made George Clooney an international star. Aladdin (1994-1995) Aladdin, the clever hero of Agrabah, continues his adventures with the help of his fiancee Princess Jasmine . Best Sitcom of the 90s - the Data Lounge A contender for best sitcom of all-time, this 1993-2004 series saw Frasier Crane (played by Kelsey Grammer) vacate his Cheers Boston bar stool in favor of a Seattle radio station. PrivacyStatement. A lot of scenes also took place in a hotel, where Taz was employed as a bellhop, which was meant to spoof John Cleeses Fawlty Towers sitcom. Later characters included vocalist Samantha Woo, a foreign exchange student who took over for Jenny, and guitarist Jake Sommers (Jay Anthony Franke), the resident "bad boy" in a leather jacket. 50 Best TV Shows of the 1990s - TV Guide The combination of Klasky Csupos wacky-looking animation, fleshed out characters, and adorable premises made it easy to relate to the babies and their weekly escapades. It's a part of us. ), which he often adjusted according to the situation. Partly cloudy skies are expected this evening. It was hard not to smile when Steve invented a machine to turn himself into a "cool" alter-ego, Stefan Urquelle, or when Steve, Eddie, and their friend Waldo dressed up as nuns to infiltrate a convent. Since they're traitors to the Saturday morning tradition, I stopped listing them once they Teenage dinosaur Randy gets dumped. Some programs were carried over to The CW, a network formed through a partnership between WB parent company Time Warner and UPN corporate parent CBS Corporation, in September 2006 following the closure of The WB. Parents might not have understood the importance of this 1993-2000 sitcom about the travails of Corey Matthews (played by Ben Savage), friend Shawn (Rider Strong) and future wife, Topanga (Danielle Fishel), but their children did. Though the show wasn't known for delving into deeper issues, as part of ABC's TGIF lineup, it was a carefree, enjoyable way for teens to spend a Friday night. A leader always emerges within a group (TJ), theres the tough one (Spinelli), the egotist (Vince), the genius (Gretchen), the big teddy bear (Mikey), and the insecure one (Gus). Unless you spent the early 1990s living under a rock, chances are that you are so familiar with "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" that you can rattle off at least part of its iconic theme song at will. We got to devour a number of iconic movies that still resonate today. For the breast cancer variant, see, "THE MEDIA BUSINESS; NBC Considers Scrapping Saturday Cartoons", "Discovery set to kid around with Peacock", "NBCU to Launch Large Portfolio of FAST Channels", Children's programming on NBC in the 1990s, KOL Secret Slumber Party / KEWLopolis / Cookie Jar TV, Amazin' Adventures / Bohbot Kids Network / Bulldog TV, DIC Kids Network / Incredible World of DIC / Cookie Jar Kids Network, Regulations on children's television programming in the United States, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=TNBC&oldid=1162535159, Television programming blocks in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, Saturday morning live-action teen programming block, 2 hours (19921997); 3 hours (19972002), This page was last edited on 29 June 2023, at 19:04. Goober and the Ghost Chasers (1973-1975) 30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family 6.2 Rate A dog, able to become temporarily invisible, and his human companions investigate mysteries involving the paranormal. There were, suddenly, more places to watch cartoons than at any other point in TV history: Dedicated kids channels like Cartoon Network and. ! Wildly irreverent and slightly disturbing, this adult animation, live-action hybrid celebrates the campy, Saturday-morning shows of the '80s and '90s. Unlike many other teenage characters, she actually looked like a typical high schooler. Many adult jokes found their way into Pinky and the Brain as well, as SAT-level words appeared along with their definitions in the end credits. The show wasn't always grounded in reality, but that was part of the fun. Get ready for a heavy dose of nostalgia as we look at its best Saturday morning cartoons. Step By Step (1991 . In fact, Kim eventually got her own spinoff, "The Parkers," which turned into a hit unto itself. The program started with the teens as middle schoolers, but audiences followed them all the way through college, much like their teacher-turned-principal Mr. Feeny (William Daniels). Finally, there was Daria's best friend Jane Lane (Hoopes, once again! Some critics darlings, like NewsRadio, saw abbreviated runs, while worn-out premises, like The Nanny, exceeded expectations. William James Jones - IMDb We got to devour a number of iconic movies that still resonate today.