Best of the 90s: Television
Favourite bits of 90s TV nostalgia!
Hi, I'm Dawson Leery and welcome to the 90s. Today, I'd like to look back at some of the best TV shows of the 90s, much of which is characterised by a preoccupation with "important" "issues" and a severe abundance of denim.
The Secret World of Alex Mack
Hapless, backwards-cap-wearing teenager Alex Mack witnesses a crash involving a truck owned by a local chemical company, resulting in her being covered in toxic ooze (a setup similar to that of another 90s show, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). She soon develops magical powers, including the ability to turn into a silver puddle, shoot electricity from her fingers, and move objects via telekinesis. The show then revolves around her trying to hide her powers from the evil lady who runs the chemical plant, who is searching for the mysterious girl from the crash.
Round the Twist
Three children and their dad live in a lighthouse and happen upon many a magical (read: terrifying) scenario. Once you hear the theme song once, you can never unhear it.
Ocean Girl
Neri, an 'Ocean Girl', lives by herself on an island nearby an underwater research facility inhabited by a bunch of pesky humans. She is basically half fish, half Brooke Shields in Blue Lagoon.
Party of Five
The Salingers - comprising Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell and Lacey Chabert - are orphaned after their parents die in a car crash. Like many other 90s TV shows, Po5 dealt with Serious Issues. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jeremy London also starred.
Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High
Although these shows initially aired in the late 80s, it was through their endless repeats in the 90s that we all learnt about the finer things in life - teen pregnancy, abortion, pill popping, suicide, Drake, eating disorders and homophobia ("She's not a lesbian, she's my friend!"). Not to mention...
Friendship:
Popularity:
and Shoplifting:
Press Gang
Lynda and Spike forever, right?
My So-Called Life
Angela Chase (Claire Danes) dyes her hair red, ditches her childhood BFF Sharon Cherski and starts hanging out with the free-spirited/manic Rayanne Graff and the make-up-wearing totally awesome Rickie Vasquez. She also falls deeply in love with the simple but dreamy Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto before he died inside and became a musician). The show remains a cult favourite today, moreso because of it's early cancellation.
Sliders
What a show. Sliders had everything from wormholes, to an episode called 'Post Traumatic Slide Syndrome', to alternate histories (Question: What would the world be like if penicillin hadn't been invented? Answer: Bad), to Jerry O'Connell and his brother, who disconcertingly looked like Jerry O'Connell with his head stretched.
Baywatch
This show had everything: sunshine, suspense, the colour red, the California coast, a plethora of denim cutoffs, rollerblading - the list goes on. And that's even before you consider the unbeatable cast and the characters they played: Pam Anderson as CJ Parker, David Hasselhoff as Mitch Buchannon, Nicole Eggert as Summer Quinn - this list also goes on. The classic show also boasts a theme song that is also one of the most motivational songs ever.
By Ariane Halls and Emily Royal. And Dawson Leery.
