Top Ten Kid Shows Of The 90s!

Nostalgia.

Nostalgia basically means reliving the past. There’s always a picture, a scent, a texture or even taste that brings you vast memories of things long ago. I always enjoy having those kinds of moments. Remembering a person, place or thing. But I think my favorite times are when something pops in my head and I try to place what it means. Pulling different tidbits of memories from the good ole’ memory bank makes you think harder and use the brain.

But these days, I’ve found myself more nostalgic for those famous good old-fashioned TV shows and cartoons that always filled up my days as a child. Back in the 90s, they had the most amazing shows, which these days us adults would call them “old school”. And I enjoy the old school more than the new ones.

If you’re an adult like me, your mind’s going to meld back to the days of childhood where all that mattered were those Saturday morning cartoons and favorite night-time shows which made you gush with happiness inside. A lot of shows like Power Rangers and Beetleborgs could give anybody an adrenaline rush, shouting out things like battle cries or become the good side’s personal cheerleader. Or perhaps you needed that downtime before bed and enjoyed a few laughs with shows on TGIF like Family Matters or Sister, Sister. Even Nickelodeon was full of laughter with its famous live-show, All That and later a spin-off, Kenan & Kel. I did eventually “age-up” my fave shows as the second Walker, Texas Ranger and Buffy the Vampire Slayer came out. Ah, what great TV memories!

Anyways, there were a variety of series I watched and adored back then (as mentioned above). They made me laugh and cry. Others made me smile or become angry. No matter the emotions I experienced, I found them to be the best shows ever aired on television! And I bet you’re wondering what typical shows could cause me to ache for my childhood. So, wanna know what was hot for kids back in my days?

Here’s a Top Ten glimpse of what I feel were the best shows/cartoons for kids (age appropriate) of the 90s:

10. “Figure It Out” – How are you at guessing games? This panel game show was a rather popular part of Nickelodeon weekly. Kids with special talents would appear and panelists would need to guess their talent by asking questions. Wrong answers sometimes resulted in the panelist becoming slimed. Airing from July 1997 to January 2000, then revived in June 2012 and ending in July 2013, it lasted a total of six seasons with a variety of celebrity panelists mostly from currently airing Nick shows. Regular panelists included Lori Beth Denberg, Amanda Bynes and Danny Tamberelli. A few famous guests included rapper Coolio, comedian Colin Mochrie and wrestler Chris Jericho. This was one of my favorites of the day.

9. “Beetleborgs (Metallix)”- If you’re a 90s kid like I am and never heard of the Beetleborgs, then you can’t be from my generation. This show was a bit like Power Rangers only with kids saving the day, comic-book style. Three average kids living in the city of Charterville happen upon a haunted house one day releasing a phantasm from an organ. Granting one wish, they wanted to become their favorite comic book heroes, the Beetleborgs. Though their wish was realized, this caused a series of unfortunate events that led comic book villains to become real and the kids, Drew, Jo and Roland to fight against the great enemy, Vexor. With loud comic sound effects, you’d think it was a live action comic series! This series lasted for two seasons from 1996 – 1998.

8. “So Weird” – Has the world of the supernatural/paranormal fascinated you? Then this is the show you’d have been waiting all week for. For two seasons the series followed a young girl named Fiona who lived on a tour bus with her mother (a singer) and brother. Inheriting a passion for the strange and mysterious from her deceased father, Fiona comes across several weird things, getting herself involved when she’s been warned by her mother and brother to never do. Every week, you’d follow her life that was so weird. The third and final season changed around to a young, inspiring singer named Annie who took Fiona’s place on tour. Annie was never into the paranormal, but she still got pulled in. She’s followed by a panther spirit who helps her now and then, but causes her to question everything around her. Especially about her family. The series lasted from 1991 – 2001.

7. “The Secret World Of Alex Mack” – What would you do if you got covered with some oozy chemical and got super powers? That’s what happened to an ordinary teenager named Alex Mack. Heading home one day, a chemical plant truck almost hits her. She is safe from getting hit, but not from being drenched with top secret chemical. Shortly afterward, she discovers the accident has given her powers such as telekinesis and electric bolts shot from her fingers. With this strangeness happening to her, she confides in her older sister, Annie and best friend, Ray. This was a fantastic series that ran from from October 1994 – January 1998.

6. “Legends of the Hidden Temple” – Can you find the secret hidden in the temple? This game show was totally primitive! Six teams of children (boy and girl) competed to retrieve historical artifacts in temple filled with “lost treasures” and protected by Mayan temple guards. They performed physical feats and their knowledge of history, mythology and geography was tested in question rounds. A large talking head called Olmec was helpful in ways as he knew secrets behind the temple treasures. If I could have played on this show, I’d probably be too scared to enter the temple and get my wits scared out of me by a temple guard. The program aired from 1993 – 1995. Wish they’d bring this temple o’fun adventures back!

5. “Gargoyles” – Mythology has been a passion of mine for years. And Disney’s Gargoyles upped my love about the uniqueness of gargoyles. The cartoon follows the story of a large Gargoyle named Goliath and his small clan who protected Castle Wyvern in historical Scotland. Due to a misunderstanding, they were turned to stone for 1,000 years until the castle rose above the clouds. With a powerful businessman named David Xanatos, he broke the curse. The clan’s trust in him soon wavered after meeting NYPD detective Elisa Maza who helped them to survive in the city of Manhattan, keep their secret and continue to help those in need. She became close to Goliath in which they formed a close relationship at the end of the second season. The series lasted from 1993 – 1995.

4. “Power Rangers” – There have been several renditions of Power Rangers for the past 22 years. It all started with the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Five teens, later six, were chosen by an alien being named Zordon to protect earth from the powerful Rita, released from a capsule prison after 10,000 years, who dispatched monsters to their city of Angel Grove, or other parts of the world, to conquer Earth. There are total of 19 currently in 22 seasons that included the series of Dino Thunder, Turbo, Ninja Storm, Samurai and more. It all began in 1993 and still goes on today. Will I ever stop loving Power Rangers? I think not.

3. “Biker Mice From Mars” – What do you think it would be like if aliens came to Earth to help protect it? That’s exactly what this awesome cartoon series did. Three alien mice – Modo, Throttle and Vinnie – made their home on Earth after an a nasty alien race called Plutarkians invaded Mars. The three biker mice – yes, they are life-size mice who ride motorcycles – made friends with a female mechanic named Charley who help keep their bikes in top shape, keep their stomachs full of root beer and hot dogs and, of course, help them against a Plutarkian named Limburger who was stationed on Earth, ready to take it over. During this series they’ve fought plenty of villains in the forms of aliens, monsters and human enemies. Best part, they gain their victory while riding in style. It lasted for three seasons beginning in 1993 before getting canceled and getting picked back up for a new 28 episodes in 2006. If I saw a giant mouse riding a motorcycle, I’d probably faint. Thank goodness for being a cartoon.

2. “All That” – Need some comedy relief? This series was the definite go-to series for plenty of laughs. Starring Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell, Lori Beth Denberg, Amanda Bynes and many more famous stars, they had parodies and skits catered to a young audience. It included the famous ‘Good Burger’ skits which were my favorite! For kids of this generation, it was just like the Disney series, So Random. This show lasted from 1994 – 2000 with six seasons, then picked back up in 2001 bringing four more seasons and a whole new cast before ending again in 2005. They need to bring it back for some comic relief fun!

1. “Are You Afraid of The Dark?” – How many times have you been camping or had late night sleepovers with friends and told ghost stories? This around-the-campire series revolved around a group of kids and teens referred as The Midnight Society. In secret, they would all gather together to tell a creepy tale.. To officiate the beginning of the show, the storyteller would begin by saying “Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this story…” and they would take some dust out of a pouch, throwing it into the fire and announcing the title. The viewers then get to watch the story in play instead of just hearing it. With a love for the paranormal and strange, as a child I indulged in this series every chance I could. I didn’t need night or a campfire to get a good scare.

These are the shows I grew up enjoying and I’m sure my generation would certainly agree with me. To the new generation, if you get a chance to catch a glimpse of any of these, be happy! You are looking at the best of the 90s kids television!

Tell us what you’re favorite shows are!