Entertainment

11 '90s Shows That Wouldn't Work As Well Nowadays

by Mary Grace Garis

It's without question that we're in a golden era of television... that is, one where we can pretty much stream all the actual good TV shows from 20 years ago on our laptops. Yes, all you crazy kids capitalize on your childhood by consuming a steady diet of your nostalgic favorite from the good old days (1995, basically). But, sometimes, when you rewatch your favorite iconic '90s shows, you start to wonder if they would really fly if they came out today. That is to say, there are plenty of '90s shows that would never work in 2016.

Well, I don't want to say never, because that's a bold word. Pretty much any piece of media can be reborn with some new age tweaking; it's the entire premise of reboots. What I mean to say is, there are plenty of shows from that time that would have a hard time surviving if it weren't for the elements that made them, well, so distinctly from that era. Confused? OK, let me explain a different way by getting into the specifics.

For your consideration, here are 11 shows from the '90s that would have a hard time making a go of 2016.

1. Saved By The Bell

"But I love Saved By The Bell!" No, my sweet, innocent baby fawn, you love what Saved By The Bell represents. Those high waisted acid wash jeans speak of an era that, fashion-wise, should probably stay in the past.

2. The Adventures Of Pete And Pete

I know they went by "Big" and "Little" Pete respectively, but this just looks like it would be a mess to deal with on Facebook.

3. Blossom

Those hats.

4. Ally McBeal

I have a hard time swallowing the reality of Ally McBeal and her strange co-ed bathrooms. The idea that 20-somethings have jobs? As lawyers? And wear blazers with miniskirts to work? It's a lot.

5. Married... With Children

I'll still watch Ed O'Neill's first TV family any day of the week, but I have to admit that its tendency for political incorrectness would make it hard to survive in the age of Tumblr.

6. My So-Called Life

I know that you have the best soft grunge blog on the Internet, but the reality is that nobody casually listens to Buffalo Tom anymore.

7. Felicity

OK, the entire premise of Felicity begins at college graduation when she decides to follow her crush to some mock-NYU instead of going to Stanford, right? And graduations tend to be in June, right? So like... it's been a whole since I went to college, but I don't think that's how admissions work. I don't think that's ever how admissions worked, but I know that I had to have my college confirmed by May 1 at the latest. I mean, even with the school giving her a hard time about enrolling late, this shouldn't even be a thing.

8. Sweet Valley High, The Baby-Sitters Club, Or Any Other Show Based On A Girl YA Series From The Late '80s

That is to say, today's teenagers wouldn't be able to appreciate this; it's the Hunger Games generation.

9. Beavis and Butthead

Wait a minute, they did revive Beavis and Butthead for a hot second! However, in our modern world, we don't need Beavis and Butthead to make self-aware jokes about current programming. We have bloggers for that.

10. Clarissa Explains It All

Um, look at the aesthetics on this show and get back to me.

11. Are You Afraid Of The Dark?

Oh my God, I still can't watch most of these episodes without covering my eyes, but kids today are so desensitized, you know?

Yeah, I don't know, it feels as though some shows of the '90s only work in the context of the '90s. But hey, that's why we love them — they bring us back to rose-colored times.

Images: Nickelodeon; Giphy (11)