Many great new shows are hitting the networks and streaming services lately, but there are several shows in the 1990s and 2000s that are still so relatable and great to binge-watch while you wait for new episodes of your favorite shows to hit your screens. The formula of shows hasn’t changed much since the 1990s and 2000s. Many shows and movies follow a similar formula but are modernized for current times; however, if you look past the outdated tech in these shows or lack thereof, the concepts and relationships between people are still very relevant and endearing. Sit back and relax while I take you through a nostalgic trip of 10 shows in the ’90s and 00’s you will want to rediscover!
Beverly Hills 90210 aired in 1990 and went on until 1999. For 10 seasons, we learned valuable life lessons and grew with our favorite characters. A reboot in 2019 was created centering around the characters they played rather than continuing the show but didn’t last for long. However, there was a reboot of the show on the CW in 2008 lasting for five seasons featuring Jennie Garth and Shannon Doherty. Beverly Hills 90210 definitely focused on coming of age. While some things we may have never encountered in high school, we may have encountered some of the events or situations into our adulthood. A show that was all about a group of friends with different interests and was from various backgrounds made the show relatable. Of course, we tuned in to see Dylan McCay and his bad-boy tendencies, and of course, we swooned over him, and we rooted for the impossible. Aside from that, the show focused on real-life situations such as sex, love, drugs, alcohol, domestic violence, and more. We found a character we related to and rooted for their success. We all saw ourselves in one or more of the characters and felt the deep emotional impact of events the characters endured. While the time’s technology is clearly outdated for our current times, the friendships and life experiences are never outdated and are still relatable today.
One Tree Hill (OTH) aired in 2003 and ended in 2012. It was a drama-filled show with just the right amount of believability. It is believable that two half-brothers have a similar passion and two very different upbringings because of their father’s horrible life choices. It was also very believable that Lucas was accepted by others and made the same sports team as his half-brother, only to find themselves in triangles and unexpected situations. While it is not something that happens every day, it was a great cast of diverse actors and familiar faces of the early ’90s. For example, Nathan’s and Lucas’s father guest-starred on Beverly Hills 90210, and Lucas’s best friend Lee Norris played Marvin, aka Mouth, on the show, and he also played Minkus on Boy Meets World. Hilarie Burton was an MTV VJ turned actress, and of course, we saw other faces from shows and movies we loved. The show had moments that were not likely to happen to everyone, but it did show you events and situations that many of us have faced. From car accidents to sickness and, of course, Brooke being tied up by a crazed lunatic. Aside from the drama, the romance, the human emotions, and very real-life situations make the show relatable.
Boy Meets World was a 1990’s show that aired for seven seasons and ended in 1999. The show blew up and expanded what most people probably thought it would. However, we should consider that the show was very relatable and didn’t take things too far to the point that it was unrealistic. The show focused on two best friends and, of course, love. While the cast grew up, it also had guest music stars and showed two very different upbringings. Being deemed a kid from the wrong side of the tracks, Shawn Hunter was really a kid who just wanted a family and accepted. He often fell into the wrong crowd because he was looking for something to replace his lack of family when he had a family with Cory and his family no matter what happened. Shawn even lived with his high school English teacher, and he dealt with real-life situations such as his father’s death and finding out he had a brother in later seasons. Cory and Topanga’s love story touched teenagers’ lives across the country and made us believe that high school love could possibly withstand the future, but not without challenges. As we saw Cory and Topanga grow, we saw the real-life situation of starting out after marriage, relationship issues, jealousy, and more. Is it any wonder that this show lasted so long and had a spin-off in 2014 focusing on Cory and Topanga’s daughter Riley in Girl Meets World. The show reminisced of Shawn and Cory’s friendship, Cory and Topanga’s relationship with Riley and her best friend Maya, and the love interest is known as Lucas. The show did a great job marrying the past with the present and bringing back characters we loved.
Dawsons Creek aired in 1998 and ended in 2003. The show was about friends, love, and growing up, a concept and idea that withstands the age of time. What better than to have friends dating in their inner circle, jealousy, and concepts and ideas that were difficult to talk about. The show touched on sex, alcohol, drugs, sexuality, and mental health. While there were situations that are not entirely common, they were not unbelievable. For example, Pacey’s relationship with a teacher is not common but has been known to happen. Pacey also had a girlfriend who went through many traumatic situations, including the death of her older brother, her father leaving, and her mother losing her sanity due to the death of her son. Pacey’s girlfriend had to be sent away to get help for her own mental stability, and her other brother came out as gay to the friends. While his father was complicated regarding the son coming out, he was a strong character that stayed on the show for quite some time. Showcasing the aspects of difficult life situations or hardships was Dawson Creek’s specialty. From infidelity, interracial relationships, and more, the show made sure not to shy away from topics that needed to be spoken about and focused on. The show is still relatable, and the situations are still incredibly relevant in our current time.
Blossom was a show that aired in 1991 and ran for five seasons ending in 1995. The show followed a girl named Blossom, played by Mayim Bialik and her friend Six LeMure. Blossom is living in a house full of men and is trying to grow up, learn, and experience life with her friend while living in a home ran by men. Her brother older brother was played by Joey Lawrence. Blossom often dreamt of what life would be like if things were different. For the time period it was written and presented, the show often touched on topics that are the center of most teenagers’ lives, such as sex or human relationships in general. Most people would say the show may appear cheesy in context due to the topics, but the topics are real-life situations in most teenagers’ lives and serve to entertain and relate—this why the show ran for five seasons.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ran for six seasons and started in 1990 and ended in 1996. The show was about Will, played by Will Smith, who was sent to stay with his aunt and uncle to stay out of trouble. He came from a poor home in West Philadelphia and found his aunt and uncle had a large home, wealth, and things he would never have where he grew up. Will was a funny character who often caused mischief or found himself in trouble. His cousins were vastly different from him, but he still managed to get along without joking, laughing, and spurts of schemes. The show was funny, but it also dealt with serious topics and life situations. In fact, one of the most relatable and emotional scenes of the show was Will breaking down in tears over his father not wanting him. His questioning how his father could not want him and not love him while talking to his Uncle Phil is by far one of the most heart wrenching and relatable scenes of the show. While you can count on many other real-life scenarios, many were totally unbelievable but hysterical! In 2020, a reunion of the cast aired on HBO Max.
Friends aired for 10 seasons starting in 1994 and ending in 2004. A show based on simply that, friends. A group of friends with very different personalities come together to make a fun, lively show with real life situations and relationships. No Matter your personality, there was a character you could utterly relate to or felt the most connected to, be it their personality, their career, their life, or relationships. The show was so iconic that hairstyles were named after the characters! While the show was a lot of comedy, there certainly were enough serious situations to make you feel connected to various characters. Watching Rachel and Ross maneuver through their relationship or having children while being apart or watching Chandler and Monica’s love unfurl and thinking they are different but perfect or watching Joey struggle with his passion as an actor real world. Whatever character you found yourself most attached to, there was no doubt that at the end of the day, their friendship is what was most relatable and most sought after because, as we all know, good friends are hard to find.
Malcolm in the Middle aired in 2000 and ended in 2006. The show had 7 seasons and was a hilarious comedy about Malcolm, the middle child of his family who turns out to be quite the genius. His older brothers Reese and Francis cause a lot of trouble, while the younger brother Dewey would follow in the footsteps of his older brothers. It wasn’t until later seasons they decided to have another younger sibling named Jamie. The parents Lois and Hal, live in a house that they work hard to upkeep. They are your typical working-class family with rambunctious boys who get into loads of trouble. Lois is a funny but relatable mother. She does exactly what you’d expect any mother to be like. She pushes her sons to grow, but she refuses to take crap from them either. Hal is more of a quiet man who follows his passions and moves to his own drumbeat. Francis gets into so much trouble he is sent to a military school while still creating crazy schemes. While the show is centered around all boys and leaves Lois to be the only main female in the home, the show does not lack the coming of age story or hardships of growing up. Whether you are a child or a parent, both parties can appreciate this show because it doesn’t just focus on the kids, but it does show the parents’ dynamics and their parenting attempts. Oh, and if you’ve ever felt neglected or left out as a parent, you will find that this how hits the nail on the head when it comes to lack of children’s appreciation for what their parents do! If that is not relatable, then what is?
The show Sex and The City ran for six seasons starting in 1998 and had two films after the shows ending in 2004. The show has two films, but there was also a spin-off series called the Carrie Diaries focusing on the young Carrie Bradshaw. The original series focuses on Carrie Bradshaw, a writer living in New York City. The show focuses on the dynamics of relationships in the city surrounding Carrie and her friends Charlotte, Samantha, and Miranda. The show focused on Carrie and her love life and experiences in the city, but it also showed her friends and their unique relationships. Whether it was sex, marriage, children, and all the in-between, the show was not afraid to push the buttons and take you on a journey with these four women in New York City. Friendship, especially amongst women who support each other, is not seen often, but when it is found, this is exactly how we imagine it to be, and it is great!
Sure, you are thinking how on earth is this relatable. The answer is everything. Sure there may not be women who seek out revenge or murder, but let’s consider the show’s aspects as a whole. Each woman is completely different. They each have a different home life aspect. Each of these women was friends and brought together by their friend’s apparent suicide. They each try to upkeep their appearance to others but are not immune to real-life situations. Whether your son turns out to be gay, your cheating on your husband with the gardener, your husband goes blind, you pop out a million kids and sacrifice your career for your family, or you are obsessed with maintaining the picture of perfection in your family only to say screw it in the end. It is very much a relatable show. Some women have to deal with their child becoming pregnant at a young age, some deal with their significant other cheating, many may have business deals that fall through, or just want a normal romantic relationship with the hot new guy next door instead of being lonely and single forever after your divorce from a cheating husband. The show delves into real-life human relationships and situations that are not always pretty or fun. Oh, and there is always your best friend’s life secret and reason for killing herself that you have to solve. A mix of real-life human relationships and drama, Desperate housewives, is a pretty relatable show for life events and friendships. After all, Gabi once said, “as I see it, good friends avoid each other after being humiliated, but great friends pretend nothing happened in the first place.”
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