Nostalgia can be a unique experience. It depends on someone's age as a new generation grew up in the 2000s and so their idea of "nostalgia" is different from older folks. TV shows have been playing into that as series from Sex & the City to Fraiser have been getting reboots and revivals, often using the same cast members. It shows how folks respond to these classic shows and they still have a wide appeal.
It's a wide range, given the number of shows and the ages of audiences, but with a classic animated series of the 1990s being revived, it's time to look at other shows that can trigger the nostalgia bug. Several of them are enjoying anniversaries, which makes it even better, as these ten shows are just the thing for anyone with late '80s/'90s nostalgia to relieve some classic TV.
X-Men 97
With the return of Marvel's merry mutants, it's a great time to be an X-Men fan. The original 1990s X-Men series may be the all-time best adaptation of the characters. It nailed the X-Men and their struggles with great stuff for Wolverine, Cyclops and the rest. It also did a better job adapting classic stories like The Dark Phoenix Saga for the masses.
The new show picks up right where the original series left off as the X-Men deal with the loss of Professor X and arch-enemy Magneto taking over the school. Boasting the same great animation and characters, it'll make you feel like a kid watching again.
X-Men '97 and X-Men streaming on Disney+.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series
If you're in the mood for great Marvel animation after X-Men, then check out arguably the best Spider-Man animated series ever. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this Fox show was terrific, showcasing Peter Parker and his many friends and foes in a wonderfully colorful way.
The show was perfect, from the action to Spidey's quips, some great storytelling, and adapting some classic storylines. Maybe if X-Men '97 becomes a hit, Disney+ can revive this too, as it's still one of the best takes ever on the famous Wall-Crawler.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series streaming on Disney+.
Gargoyles
Still want some great animation? Then check out another show about to celebrate its 30th anniversary in Disney's now-classic series. A thousand years after being trapped in stone by a spell, a pack of gargoyles is awakened in modern-day New York. They ally with a police detective to fight various threats, ranging from gangs to magical creatures.
The series was darker than other Disney fare, moody and fantastic voice work by Keith David among others. It tackled mature storytelling and a deep mythology that grew as it went. With reports that a live-action version is being planned, the original show may be the best Disney animated series of the '90s.
Gargoyles streaming on Disney+.
Friends
Between the sad passing of Matthew Perry and the upcoming 30th anniversary, it's no better time to enjoy this now-classic NBC sitcom hit. From the endlessly quotable lines to the stellar performances of the main six and the bevy of guest stars, few network comedies before or since have been so beloved.
Sure, a few bits of it haven't aged well, but it's amazing how much more holds up in the writing, the romances, and yes, the tight friendship of the six. Whether you haven't seen it in years or know every episode by heart, this show can still make you feel like you did seeing it for the first time 30 years ago.
Friends streaming on MAX.
Moonlighting
Finally, this ABC mystery series that became a sensatio. Cybil Shepherd plays Maddie Hayes, a bankrupt supermodel who has to take over a detective agency. Bruce Willis plays David Addison, her quirky partner, in the Emmy award-winning role that made him a star. Together, they have sparkling chemistry as they solve mysteries.
The show was a delight in its first few seasons thanks to bits like characters talking to the audience or episodes based on anything from film noir to Shakespeare. The two leads were terrific together, even if the fire seemed to fade when they finally got together. Still, this show is wonderful, showing how Willis became a big name in Hollywood, and good to finally see it on Hulu.
Moonlighting streaming on Hulu.
My So-Called Life
This ABC series was so ahead of its time, it's amazing it got on the air in 1994. In her breakout role, Claire Danes is Angela Chase, the old beyond her years teen adjusting to high school life. The series was amazing in its mature storytelling, tackling topics other shows of the time avoided.
The supporting cast is tops, the highlight being a young Jared Leto as Angela's bad-boy crush. The series was so emotional and powerful that its stories resonate today. It only lasted one season but with its 30th anniversary here, no better time to see a series with a short shelf life but a long legacy.
My So-Called Life streaming on Hulu
NYPD Blue
When NYPD Blue hit ABC in 1993, it changed the game. Never on network TV had been a series so daring from language to other adult themes. It also brought a new aspect to the police procedural while becoming one of the most honored network shows around.
The cast is stellar, with David Caruso, Dennis Franz, Jimmy Smitz, Kim Delaney, and more, several of them earning Emmys for their work. It showed a seedier time in New York while linking the terrific stories with the personal lives of the cops. Now available on Tubi, this show paved the way for scores of police dramas to follow.
NYPD Blue streaming on Hulu and Tubi.
Boy Meets World
For an entire generation, Cory and Topanga were the ultimate teen romance. It's incredible to see how a cookie-cutter ABC sitcom of the 1990s became a deeper and more emotional show to thrill a generation. It wasn't just seeing the kids grow into adulthood, it was also facing problems of bullying, drug use and more.
It could still be silly and goofy but balanced by Mr. Feeney dispensing sage advice that made kids at home wish he was their teacher. The show had emotional moments from Cory and Topanga's wedding to the tearjerking finale to remain one of the finest teen series of the 1990s.
Boy Meets World streaming on Disney+.
Beverly Hills 90210
Every teen drama for the last 35 years owes itself to the now-iconic Fox show. What started as just a fun little series about two siblings moving to Beverly Hills became a sensation. It made stars out of its cast, including Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestly, Luke Perry, Jeannie Garth, and more, and generated a legion of fans.
Yet the show had more heart and depth than folks remember with plotlines on anything from teen pregnancy to a cancer scare and survived cast changes like Doherty leaving. Even if it got crazy in the final seasons, there's a reason 90210 was a go-to number for viewers of the time to enjoy a terrific high school dramedy.
Beverly Hills 90210 streaming on Hulu.
Party of Five
Another show about to celebrate its 30th anniversary, this Fox series gets attention for the now-famous cast it gathered. Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell and Lacey Chabert are siblings forced to grow up fast when their parents are killed in a drunk driving accident. Their personal issues test the family bonds even as they try to stick together.
Throw in Jennifer Love Hewitt as Wolf's love interest and you've got a fantastic roster of actors. The stories could be a mix of dramedy and serious stuff like one character's drinking problem, domestic abuse, mental illness and more. Its six season run made the cast stars yet also showed a family drama unlike others of the 1990s.
Party of Five streaming on Hulu.