The nineties were a real moment for TV.

I started kindergarten in 1994, an era where the TV was still a clunky box that demanded it’s own cabinet and you were considered a rich kid if your parents paid for cable.

Cable was a luxury at $20 a month.

All those impressive cable channels were a luxury. Basic cable was $21.62 on average at the time, which makes me cringe when I think of what I pay for some cell phone apps today.

My parents could absolutely afford cable in ’94, but just didn’t see it as a necessity. I was always eager for visits to my grandparents house, being insanely impressed with their extended channels. It was my only avenue to watch Nickelodeon as a kid.

What we watched and loved.

At home? When I was in kindergarten my elder brother was a senior in high school. We got up early before school to catch the cartoons on WB55. He loved Batman, I loved Static Shock, and we both loved Animaniacs.

During trips to my grandparents, my cousins and I binged everything Nick, always making sure to catch the best of Rocket Power, Cat Dog, and Hey Arnold. We thought we were sneaky watching music videos on MTV before we were allowed, thinking our parents didn’t notice when we abruptly changed the channel when they peeked in on us.

This era was a real moment for television. Shows for our ages were irreverent and occasionally really gross (like Ren & Stimpy).

90’s kids TV marked a change.

It was a golden time void of blatant virtue signaling and over censoring. It also came with challenges and behind the scenes madness (exposed to us recently in shows like The Dark Side of the 90’s).

We had no idea that Amanda was dealing with such predation and pressure. We just laughed at the on-screen hilarity. Children’s sketch comedy should make a real comeback, just without the outright abuse.

Kids TV continued to evolve through the early 2000s. Shows like The Suite Life of Zach and Cody made a clear attempt to reign in the absurdity and offer more wholesome options. The reality for child stars didn’t waver much, though.

Today’s kids TV looks different.

Sure, PBS gave us Arthur and Sesame Street back then. But, today’s streaming options are much more tailored to age, offering more educational content.

Shows focus more on child psychology and behavior. I know Yo Gabba Gabba coparented my kids with me, reinforcing kindness and sharing.

Is it helping, though?

My perspective and experience tells me the whole chestnut is double edged.

Yes, we want our kids good behavior reinforced. I would still prefer it through community, schools, and extended family to screens and that sneaky virtue signaling in every modern Disney movie. Don’t get me wrong, I love the new Aladdin despite the clear power female message (let’s be real, Jasmine would never be Sultan in real life).

I also think kids don’t need a helmet. Let them explore the world of slightly gross and irreverent. It makes a more measured adult who won’t cringe every time something is a little offensive.

What I actually LOVED as a child.

I wrote a post about this the other day.

Sneaking the MTV music videos and watching Animaniacs was an integral part of 90’s TV, but it wasn’t my niche.

What really sparked my interest was quirky fantasy from the 70s all the way to the early aughts. The REAL TV that sticks with me to this day. I watched films and miniseries like The Hobbit (1977) and the made for TV Merlin (1998) over and over again until my eyes almost bled. I still do it to this day.

For the full list, read my post: 8 fantasy movies millennials have nearly forgotten.

What’s your take?

Every generation had their era of TV. My brother (Gen X) grew up everything Star Wars.

What were your favorites? The classics of your generation?

And, most importantly, what’s your opinion on how the TV of the past has shaped the shows we have today?