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The 100 Best ’90s TV Shows

The ’90s — when things were whack if they weren’t rad and you bounced from a lame party full of capital-L losers … yadda, yadda, yadda. Some of our favorite TV stars are responsible for that fly vernacular. Their favorite catchphrases were seared into fans’ brains and survive to this day on the lips of moms everywhere because those dorks starred in some of the best TV of the decade.

We’re talking the Fresh Prince, Mulder and Scully, Jerry, Elaine, George, Kramer, Bart and Lisa, Captain Picard, Buffy, Angela Chase, and, of course, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Monica, Joey, and Phoebe to name just a few of the characters that we came to love and left a lasting impression.

Feeling nostalgic, we decided to rank the top ’90s shows below based on their popularity at the time they aired, their cultural resonance today, their Tomatometer score (where available), and an aggregation of editorial lists published by reputable media outlets. You’ll find ’90s sitcoms, ’90s cartoons, ’90s Nickelodeon shows, ’90s hospital dramas, ’90s police procedurals — sensing a pattern?

We’re saving The Sopranos (1999–2007) and other titles that aired the bulk of their seasons primarily in other decades for other lists; however, long-running shows that ran through the majority or all of the 1990s did make the list, even if they’ve had many seasons in other decades, too – shows like Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, and Unsolved Mysteries. (You may also see those on our “Best TV of the 1980s” list — coming soon!) You’ll also note that these are primarily U.S. titles, though the occasional British series was able to cross the pond in the age before streaming and make a major impression in the ’90s.

And this just in: Fandango at Home is “the one” when it comes to watching Friends in 4K, available right now for the first time exclusively. 

Power Rangers (1993)
Tomatometer icon - -

#100
Synopsis: A closeknit band of teenagers in fictional Angel Grove, Calif., transforms into a uniformed team of superheroes ready to take... [More]
Directed By: Shuki Levy, Haim Saban

#99
Synopsis: A four-part miniseries tells the horror story of King's "The Stand." A supervirus that leaked from a lab kills most... [More]

Synopsis: Originally a series of minute-long shorts that aired between programs on Nickelodeon, "The Adventures of Pete and Pete" features two... [More]
Directed By:

Adjusted Score: 94233%
Critics Consensus: With The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., Bruce Campbell brings his campy charms to the small-screen in an inventive, genre-bending Western.
Synopsis: ... [More]
Directed By:

Rocko (1993)
Tomatometer icon - -

#96
Synopsis: Rocko is a wallaby who has moved from his native Australia to the United States. But life in the United... [More]

Doug (1991)
Tomatometer icon - -

#95
Synopsis: Meet Douglas Yancy Funnie, who just moved to Bluffington with his parents, Phil and Theda, and his sister, Judy. When... [More]
Directed By:

Aeon Flux: Season 3 (1995)
Tomatometer icon 80%

#94
Adjusted Score: 80391%
Critics Consensus: Reaching a beguiling conclusion, Aeon Flux solidifies its status as a startlingly mature animation curio that is equal parts disturbing and sexy.
Synopsis: ... [More]
Starring:
Directed By:

Picket Fences (1992)
Tomatometer icon 82%

#93
Synopsis: Set in Rome, Wis., this drama/mystery series revolves around a small town where strange things happen. The central focus is... [More]
Directed By: David E. Kelley

#92
Synopsis: Texas Ranger Cordell Walker kicks posterior -- usually in slo-mo. Because of his martial-arts skills, he has a competitive edge... [More]
Directed By: Len Katzman

JAG (1995)
Tomatometer icon - -

#91
Synopsis: Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr. is a former pilot turned lawyer working for the military's JAG (Judge Advocate General) division, the... [More]

Coach (1989)
Tomatometer icon - -

#90
Synopsis: Hayden Fox is a football coach, the head coach of Minnesota State University's Screaming Eagles for much of the series'... [More]
Directed By: Barry Kemp

#89
Synopsis: Based on the EC Comics series of the same name, this campy and stylized anthology series recounts a string of... [More]
Directed By:

Blossom (1991)
Tomatometer icon - -

#88
Synopsis: Blossom Russo is a highly intelligent and spunky teenager. The youngest of three, she lives with her divorced musician father,... [More]

The Drew Carey Show (1995)
Tomatometer icon - -

#87
Synopsis: The fictional version of comedian Drew Carey is a hapless employee for Cleveland's Winfred-Louder department store, which becomes an Internet... [More]

The State (1993)
Tomatometer icon 85%

#86
Synopsis: Produced by MTV, "The State" is a sketch comedy show, a la "Saturday Night Live" with more elaborate productions. The... [More]
Directed By:

Kenan & Kel (1996)
Tomatometer icon - -

#85
Synopsis: "Aw, here it goes!" Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell were among the original cast members of the popular Nickelodeon sketch-comedy... [More]
Directed By:

Synopsis: Forced by evil scientists to watch bad "B" movies until he breaks, a host and a bunch of captive robots... [More]
Directed By:

Synopsis: Another incarnation of the Superman legend, this series puts a 1990s spin on the standard story. This time, the focus... [More]
Directed By: Robert Singer

Dinosaurs (1991)
Tomatometer icon 91%

#82
Synopsis: Dinosaurs live like humans in this 1990s sitcom set in 60,000,003 B.C. in Pangaea. Blue-collar dinosaur Earl Sinclair tries to... [More]
Directed By:

Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989)
Tomatometer icon - -

#81
Synopsis: Long before Neil Patrick Harris portrayed the skirt-chasing Barney Stinson in "How I Met Your Mother," he was a favorite... [More]
Directed By:

Synopsis: This animated talk show is hosted by not-so-superhero Space Ghost and set in deep space. The show is often disrupted... [More]

Dexter's Laboratory (1996)
Tomatometer icon - -

#79
Synopsis: Sleep tight, America! Your fate lies safely in the hands of Dexter, a child genius who whips up dazzling, world-saving... [More]
Directed By: Genndy Tartakovsky

7th Heaven (1996)
Tomatometer icon - -

#78
Synopsis: Eric Camden is a reverend and the father of numerous children who faces the challenges of raising a family during... [More]

Synopsis: Superman battles evil while trying to conceal his alter ego, Clark Kent.... [More]
Directed By:

Synopsis: Mutant heroes live in New York sewers and train in martial arts to protect the city from crime.... [More]
Directed By: Mark Freedman, Fred Wolf

Synopsis: Sabrina Spellman is a teenager with magical powers who comes from a long line of witches. Until going away to... [More]
Directed By: Paula Hart, Bruce Ferber

The King of Queens (1998)
Tomatometer icon - -

#74
Synopsis: Doug Heffernan puts in a long day's work delivering parcels and comes home each night to his loving wife, Carrie;... [More]

Xena (1995)
Tomatometer icon - -

#73
Synopsis: Xena is a reformed warrior princess who travels around fighting evil. Gabrielle -- bard and friend -- keeps her company... [More]
Directed By: Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert

#72
Synopsis: Former NBA player Mark Cooper becomes a dedicated teacher and basketball coach in Oakland after his playing career ends. When... [More]

Babylon 5 (1994)
Tomatometer icon - -

#71
Synopsis: Creator J. Michael Straczynski's ambitious and complex futuristic space opera charts five years in the lives of those aboard the... [More]

Mr. Bean (1990)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#70
Synopsis: The misadventures of a bumbling loner.... [More]
Starring: Rowan Atkinson
Directed By: John Birkin

X-Men (1992)
Tomatometer icon 83%

#69
Synopsis: Professor Charles Xavier and his band of courageous mutants strike back against corrupt and bigoted government agencies as well as... [More]
Directed By:

Rugrats (1991)
Tomatometer icon - -

#68
Synopsis: "Rugrats" reveals the world from a baby's point of view. Everything looks bigger, more mysterious and uncontrollable. Angelica, the oldest,... [More]
Directed By:

Pinky & the Brain (1995)
Tomatometer icon 75%

#67
Synopsis: The odd buddies have many strange adventures.... [More]
Directed By: Steven Spielberg

The Tick (1994)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#66
Synopsis: People dressed in tights and capes set out to save the world.... [More]
Directed By:

Unsolved Mysteries (1988)
Tomatometer icon - -

#65
Synopsis: This series uses reenactments and interviews to retell the circumstances of mysteries that are unsolved. Covering crimes, tales of lost... [More]

#64
Synopsis: When violent monsters descend upon Earth to destroy humanity, a reluctant young man joins a small squad of pilots under... [More]
Directed By: Hideaki Anno

Stargate SG-1 (1997)
Tomatometer icon - -

#63
Synopsis: A team of explorers made up of soldiers and scientists travels through a Stargate, an ancient portal to other planets.... [More]
Directed By: Brad Wright

#62
Synopsis: Beavis and Butt-head are, as one of the early preshow disclaimers read, "dumb, crude, ugly, thoughtless, sexist, self-destructive fools. But... [More]
Starring: Mike Judge
Directed By: Mike Judge

Animaniacs (2020)
Tomatometer icon 90%

#61
Synopsis: The Warner siblings wreak havoc in the lives of everyone they meet.... [More]

Ellen (1994)
Tomatometer icon - -

#60
Synopsis: Ellen works in a Los Angeles bookstore called Buy the Book and hangs around with her friends discussing lovers, work... [More]

The Nanny (1993)
Tomatometer icon - -

#59
Synopsis: When she appears on the doorstep of wealthy widower Maxwell Sheffield's New York home, cosmetics saleswoman Fran Fine unexpectedly gets... [More]

Martin (1992)
Tomatometer icon - -

#58
Synopsis: Stand-up comedian Martin Lawrence drives this irreverent sitcom as a sexist, cocky and wisecracking radio station talk show host. His... [More]

Full House (1987)
Tomatometer icon - -

#57
Synopsis: When Danny Tanner's wife dies, the San Francisco sportscaster gets support in the form of two new roommates: brother-in-law and... [More]

Saved by the Bell (1988)
Tomatometer icon - -

#56
Synopsis: Lovable schemer Zack Morris leads his pals on adventures at California's Bayside High School. The friends navigate relationships, final exams,... [More]

#55
Synopsis: The high commander of an alien expedition lands on Earth -- what he considers to be the least-important planet --... [More]

A Different World (1987)
Tomatometer icon - -

#54
Synopsis: Denise Huxtable is in "a different world" -- predominantly black Hillman College -- in this popular "Cosby Show" spinoff. A... [More]
Directed By:

Murphy Brown (1988)
Tomatometer icon - -

#53
Synopsis: Murphy Brown is the star reporter of "FYI," a newsmagazine series. Murphy is sarcastic, ambitious, often self-involved and bossy --... [More]

Ally McBeal (1997)
Tomatometer icon 61%

#52
Synopsis: Ally McBeal is a young attorney who joins a prestigious law firm with a highly sexual environment and whose staff... [More]

Star Trek: Voyager (1995)
Tomatometer icon 76%

#51
Synopsis: Kathryn Janeway is the captain of a starship that is lost in space and must travel across an unexplored region... [More]

NewsRadio (1995)
Tomatometer icon 95%

#50
Synopsis: "NewsRadio" showcases the hilarious antics of staffers at WNYX, the fictional No.2 news radio station serving New York. The characters... [More]

Absolutely Fabulous (1994)
Tomatometer icon - -

#49
Synopsis: A show brilliant in its uncensored bad behavior and satirical humor, this series features Edina and Patsy, two hard-drinking, drug-taking,... [More]
Directed By: Jon Plowman

#48
Synopsis: Sketches that pack a satirical punch from the Canadian comedy troupe.... [More]

Synopsis: This series is composed of surreal sketch comedy pieces dealing with everything from politics and religion to popular culture. The... [More]

Quantum Leap (1989)
Tomatometer icon - -

#46
Synopsis: Former scientist Sam Beckett finds himself trapped in time due to an experiment gone awry, leaping into the body of... [More]

Felicity (1998)
Tomatometer icon - -

#45
Synopsis: Felicity Porter is a shy girl who finds out what life on her own is really following her high-school graduation.... [More]

Party of Five (1994)
Tomatometer icon - -

#44
Synopsis: After their parents die in a car accident, the five Salinger siblings are forced to live on their own, with... [More]

Chicago Hope (1994)
Tomatometer icon - -

#43
Synopsis: Dr. Phillip Watters heads the hospital administration and often butts heads with dedicated doctors and surgeons who take issue with... [More]

L.A. Law (1986)
Tomatometer icon - -

#42
Synopsis: The high-powered law firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak handles both criminal and civil cases, usually for high fees.... [More]
Directed By:

Saturday Night Live (1975)
Tomatometer icon - -

#41
Synopsis: Live from New York for more than four decades, celebrity hosts join an award-winning ensemble cast to perform comedic sketches,... [More]
Directed By: Lorne Michaels

Daria (1997)
Tomatometer icon - -

#40
Synopsis: Brainy, sardonic Daria Morgendorffer tries to fly under the radar at Lawndale High School, and she's doing a pretty good... [More]
Directed By: Karen Disher

Mad About You (1992)
Tomatometer icon - -

#39
Synopsis: In this comedy, married New York couple Paul and Jamie Buchman (Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt) share their lives and offer... [More]
Directed By: Danny Jacobson

#38
Synopsis: Ren, a psychotic Chihuahua, and Stimpson J. Cat, a dimwitted Manx cat who goes by the nickname Stimpy, have a... [More]
Directed By:

Melrose Place (1992)
Tomatometer icon - -

#37
Synopsis: This sudsy drama from Aaron Spelling focuses on the lives and loves of young adults in an apartment complex in... [More]

#36
Synopsis: One of the definitive shows of the 1990s, "90210" originally follows the lives of Brandon and Brenda Walsh, who both... [More]
Directed By: Charles Rosin, Darren Star

Dawson's Creek (1998)
Tomatometer icon - -

#35
Synopsis: This drama series chronicles the lives of wannabe filmmaker Dawson Leery, his best friend Joey (female), who has been in... [More]
Directed By: Greg Berlanti, Paul Stupin

Wings (1990)
Tomatometer icon - -

#34
Synopsis: Two brothers, Joe and Brian Hackett, run a one-plane commuter service from a small Nantucket airport. Along with Joe's on-again/off-again... [More]

Spin City (1996)
Tomatometer icon 68%

#33
Synopsis: New York Mayor Randall Winston needs help running the city. So, for much of the series, he counts on Deputy... [More]

Roseanne (1988)
Tomatometer icon 76%

#32
Synopsis: Explore life, death and everything in between through the relatable, hilarious and brutally honest lens of the working-class Conner household,... [More]

In Living Color (1990)
Tomatometer icon - -

#31
Synopsis: This series provides a platform for the many members of the comedic Wayans family. Popular recurring sketches include Homey D.... [More]

#30
Synopsis: Ray Barone is a successful sports writer and family man who deals with a brother and parents -- who happen... [More]

Home Improvement (1991)
Tomatometer icon - -

#29
Synopsis: Tim "The Toolman" Taylor, host of the home-improvement show "Tool Time," definitely is not as handy at home as he... [More]

Sports Night (1998)
Tomatometer icon 90%

#28
Synopsis: Casey McCall and Dan Rydell are two sports anchors and best friends both on and off the screen. At "Sports... [More]

Northern Exposure (1990)
Tomatometer icon - -

#27
Synopsis: Dr. Joel Fleischman graduates from Columbia University medical school and is assigned to work in the tiny Alaskan town of... [More]

Synopsis: A spinoff of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine" is set on a space station near the planet... [More]

Boy Meets World (1993)
Tomatometer icon - -

#25
Synopsis: With the help of true love Topanga, best friend Shawn and teacher Mr. Feeny, Cory Matthews juggles school, friends and... [More]

Sex and the City (1998)
Tomatometer icon 70%

#24
Synopsis: A sex columnist, Carrie Bradshaw, and her three friends -- Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda -- explore Manhattan's dating scene, chronicling... [More]

NYPD Blue (1993)
Tomatometer icon 83%

#23
Synopsis: This Steven Bochco-produced series pulls few punches in portraying the day-to-day lives of cops in New York's 15th Precinct. Characters'... [More]

Murder One (1995)
Tomatometer icon 91%

#22
Synopsis: High-powered attorney Theodore Hoffman defends Neil Avedon, an arrogant young actor with a track record of drug-and-alcohol problems, in a... [More]

The Wonder Years (1988)
Tomatometer icon - -

#21
Synopsis: "The Wonder Years" tracks life in the turbulent late 1960s and early '70s through the eyes of the increasingly less... [More]
Directed By: Bob Brush

#20
Synopsis: The antithesis of the loving "Cosby Show" family, "Married ... With Children" focused on the Bundys, a suburban Chicago family... [More]

#19
Synopsis: Sarah Michelle Gellar takes on the role of Buffy Summers in this TV version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," based... [More]

Oz (1997)
Tomatometer icon 93%

#18
Synopsis: Inmates and correctional officers inside the Oswald State Correctional Facility, nicknamed "Oz," battle for power and survival amid warring factions... [More]

Synopsis: Gotham City's Caped Crusader, Bruce Wayne, is sometimes moody; Robin's alter ego, Dick Grayson is mature.... [More]
Directed By: Kevin Altieri

()
Tomatometer icon

#16

Synopsis: This fast-paced police drama portrays the brutal detective work of a homicide department in Baltimore. Dealing with the numerous murders... [More]

Freaks and Geeks (1999)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#14
Synopsis: Growing up circa 1980, a misfit high-school student and his pals are probably destined to become new media millionaires, but... [More]
Directed By: Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan

My So-Called Life (1994)
Tomatometer icon 94%

#13
Synopsis: "My So-Called Life" is a bastion of teen angst. Angela is a high schooler in constant turmoil over her exposure... [More]

Prime Suspect (1992)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#12
Synopsis: After a colleague suffers a near-fatal heart attack, Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison takes over an investigation into the murder... [More]
Directed By:

#11
Synopsis: Hey now! This series offers a behind-the-scenes look at late-night talk show host Larry Sanders (Garry Shandling) and the production... [More]

Law & Order (1990)
Tomatometer icon - -

#10
Synopsis: Lives hang in the balance as detectives and prosecutors pursue justice in New York City. In cases ripped from the... [More]

ER (1994)
Tomatometer icon - -

#9
Synopsis: Set in Chicago, this medical drama deals with the personal and professional crises of the doctors in the emergency room... [More]

Twin Peaks (1990)
Tomatometer icon 78%

#8
Synopsis: A crime drama mixed with healthy doses of the surreal, this series is about FBI Agent Dale Cooper, who travels... [More]
Directed By:

Synopsis: Will Smith more or less plays himself in this good-natured NBC sitcom. As the show's popular theme song explains, fictional... [More]

Frasier (1993)
Tomatometer icon 95%

#6
Synopsis: Dr. Frasier Crane, a successful Boston therapist, moves to Seattle to get a new start on life; he has a... [More]

Synopsis: Featuring a bigger and better USS Enterprise, this series is set 78 years after the original series -- in the... [More]

The Simpsons (1989)
Tomatometer icon 85%

#4
Synopsis: This long-running animated comedy focuses on the eponymous family in the town of Springfield in an unnamed U.S. state. The... [More]

The X-Files (1993)
Tomatometer icon 74%

#3
Synopsis: In one of the longest-running science fiction series in network TV history, FBI special agents investigate unexplained, mind-bending cases known... [More]
Directed By: Chris Carter, Glen Morgan

Friends (1994)
Tomatometer icon 78%

#2
Synopsis: Three young men and three young women -- of the BFF kind -- live in the same apartment complex and... [More]

Seinfeld (1989)
Tomatometer icon 89%

#1
Synopsis: Four single friends -- comic Jerry Seinfeld, bungling George Costanza, frustrated working gal Elaine Benes and eccentric neighbor Cosmo Kramer... [More]