Totally 90s: 15 Hit TV Shows That May Have Been Forgotten About

While other decades may get all the fame and glory in television history, the 90s is when countless influential shows aired. The decade produced hits like Seinfeld, Friends, ER, The Sopranos, and The Wire.

While those shows receive all the fame and glory, there’s also a handful of series that may have unfortunately been forgotten about. This is a short list, but they are some of my favorite shows that have disappeared from people’s memories. Do you remember any of these classics from the 90s?

1. Step by Step (1991-1998)

Step by Step was the 90s version of The Brady Bunch. When Carol Foster (Suzanne Sommers) meets and marries Frank Lambert (Patrick Duffy), the families combine and try to become a family. The opposite personalities learn to grow and bond while overcoming hilarious hijinks and awkward situations.

2. Legends of the Hidden Temple (1993-1995)

As a kid growing up in the 90s, all my friends wanted to be able to compete on this Nickelodeon game show. The show pitted six teams against each other to overcome trivia and obstacle challenges. I still want to be part of the Blue Barracudas and take down the Silver Snakes and Purple Parrots on my way to the final Temple Run. The series was revamped in 2021, but was canceled after one season.

3. Singled Out (1995-1997)

MTV nailed it with their version of a dating game in the late 90s. Contestants had to whittle down 50 available singles before seeing each other face to face. Since it was on MTV, the categories of questioning were a tad risque, making some hilarious interactions with the singles. More important, the series introduced a generation to celebrities Carmen Electra and Jenny McCarthy, and we will forever be indebted to them for that.

4. Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990-2000)

The spooky series introduced a generation of young teens to the horror genre for the entire decade of the 90s. Every week, the Midnight Society gathered to share their spooky stories. As a preteen, I was addicted to the scary tales despite being completely terrified. The show was remade in 2019, but the original will still remind me of my childhood.

5. My So-Called Life (1994-1995)

Any angsty teen could relate to Angela Chase (Claire Daines), a 15-year-old teen trying to navigate her social and love life. The show got positive reviews and was popular among teenage girls, but it was sadly canceled after one season. The show has become a bit of a cult classic and helped spark Jared Leto’s career.

6. The Wayans Brothers (1995-1999)

The Wayans family dominated comedy television in the late 80s and 90s. The family’s youngest members, Shawn and Marlon, followed suit with their hit show. The show follows two brothers working in the father’s diner, navigating life as young black men in the big city. The show was hilarious and a hit, and helped promote black culture, music, and fashion in the late 90s.

7. Freaks and Geeks (1999)

Judd Apatow might have been ahead of time when he created Freaks and Geeks because the show was sadly canceled after one season. Still, fans of the show rave about that one season. Set in the early 80s, the show follows two different sets of misfits as they balance school, relationships, and the struggles of life. We will never get that second season, but luckily, the show did help start the careers of Jason Segel, James Franco, Seth Rogen, Busy Phillips, and Lindy Cardellini.

8. Two Guys, a Girl, & a Pizza Place (1998-2000)

Does anyone else remember Ryan Reynolds’ run as a short-lived television star? Before he was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, Reynolds starred as a slacker working at a pizza parlor and attending the local university with his roommate. The show had good ratings and lasted four seasons, but Reynolds decided to make movies instead. I think it’s safe to say he made the right decision.

9. The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1991-1996)

This Nickelodeon show follows brothers, both named Pete, as they try to make sense of the weird little town they live in. The show was equal parts weird and comedic, with a cast of hilarious misfits causing Pete and Pete to find themselves in various adventures. It was a staple of afternoon television in my house and might still be one of my childhood’s weirdest shows.

10. The Ben Stiller Show (1992)

Comedic legend Ben Stiller had a one-season sketch comedy show that aired on MTV in 1992. The show consisted of random sketches with music videos inserted between them. A leading cast of future stars like Bob Odenkirk, Janeane Garofalo, and Andy Dick created some of the funniest and non-PC sketches of the era. Stiller went on to make some of the funniest movies like Zoolander, Along Came Polly, and Dodgeball, while Odenkirk starred in a little television show called Breaking Bad.

11. Rocko’s Modern Life (1993-1996)

If you were a fan of this show as a kid, I encourage you to go back and re-watch some episodes. The show was pretty raunchy and featured some R-rated jokes. I still think it’s one of the better cartoons of the 90s. It followed an Australian wallaby, Rocco, living in fictional O-Town with his anxious-ridden turtle friend Filburt, obese cow Heffer, and arch-enemy Ed Bighead, his toad neighbor.

12. Daria (1997-2002)

This animated series follows Daria Morgendorffer as a pessimistic, cynical, and highly intelligent teenager giving her thoughts on the world around her. Along with her misfit friend Jane, the two girls deal with high school life’s various trials and tribulations. The show was a hit among high school girls and still has a cult following 20 years later.

13. Third Rock From the Sun (1996-2001)

For six seasons, the show followed the Solomon family as they tried to blend into suburbia despite being extra-terrestrials. The show’s humor was a satire on human life and society coming from the perspective of an alien life form. John Lithgow was already a star in Hollywood, but the series helped introduce Joesph Gordon-Levitt to the world.

14. Wings (1990-1997)

I brought up this sitcom in a conversation with my friend the other day, and I was shocked to find out they had never heard of it. It was one of my favorites in the 90s. The show centered around a neurotic OCD pilot, Joe, his carefree brother Brian, and their childhood friend/love interest, Helen, who works the lunch counter at their small New England airport. Surrounded by a cast of characters, the show follows the funny antics of the airport employees.

15. Martin (1992-1997)

Stand-up comedian Martin Lawrence starred in his very own sitcom during the mid-90s. Lawrence played a fictional version of himself, a radio disc jockey, as well as other recurring characters throughout the series. It was one of Fox’s top-rated shows and is considered revolutionary in the African-American community. The show helped launch Lawrence into A-list celebrity territory as he went on to make some blockbuster films.