• Add Yours badge

The Top 20 Most Underrated TV Shows Of The '90s

BuzzFeeders got together and made a list of the 20 best TV shows of the '90s that never get enough credit for being great. Scour the internet and find these shows!

20. The Torkelsons

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1991

Number of seasons: 2

Fun fact: In the second season The Torkelsons was renamed Almost Home, relocated the family to Seattle, and got rid half of the original cast.

19. California Dreams

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1992

Number of seaons: 5

Fun Fact: This show was basically just Saved By The Bell but they all played in a band.

18. Supermarket Sweep

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1990

Number of seaons: 5

Fun fact: Supermarket Sweep has been brought back 3 times, most recently in 2000. Although, it might be time for a new one considering Extreme Couponing isn't nearly extreme enough.

17. Dinosaurs

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1991

Number of seasons: 4

Fun fact: They all die in the last episode. Not kidding, the ice age comes and everyone dies.

16. The Magic School Bus

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1994

Number of seasons: 4

Fun fact: Little Richard performed the theme song and the show was written by one of the creators of Fraggle Rock (whoa).

15. Married... With Children

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1987

Number of seasons: 11

Fun fact: Their neighbor Marcy had two husbands, one was Steve Rhoades who left in the fourth season to become a park ranger. The second was Jefferson D'Arcy, making Marcy's name Marcy D'Arcy.

14. Ghostwriter

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1992

Number of seasons: 3

Fun fact: Easily one of the best magic-computer-themed TV shows ever.

13. Quantum Leap

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1989

Number of seasons: 5

Fun fact: In one episode Scott Bakula's character leaps into a monkey named Bobo and actually uses a gun as the monkey.

12. The Larry Sanders Show

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1992

Number of seasons: 6

Fun fact: Proof that Judd Apatow is connected to every cult hit of the 90s, The Larry Sanders Show is one of three on this list that Apatow got his start writing for.

11. The Ben Stiller Show

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1992

Number of seasons: 1

Fun fact: This was actually Judd Apatow's first writing gig, with him and Ben Stiller as the show's co-creators.

10. The Drew Carey Show

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1995

Number of seasons: 9

Fun fact: The actress who played Kate, Christa Miller, left the show to work with her husband, Bill Lawrence, on his show Scrubs. This is also the exact moment that the show became completely unwatchable.

9. Parker Lewis Can't Lose

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1990

Number of seasons: 3

Fun fact: Parker Lewis Can't Lose premiered the same week as the TV-spinoff of Ferris Bueller and is essentially the same concept.

8. The Critic

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1994

Number of seasons: 3

Fun fact: The Critic's 3rd season ran as webisodes from 2000-2001, which is interesting. Who knew it was possible to properly watch any sort of video on the internet in 2000?

7. Sports Night

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1998

Number of seasons:2

Fun fact: Showrunner Aaron Sorkin had fought ABC throughout the first season over Sport Night's laugh track, which became quieter and quieter until it was removed by the second season.

6. NewsRadio

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1995

Number of seasons: 5

Fun fact: The cast of NewsRadio was banned from The SAG Awards after their first time attending. They became heavily intoxicated, threw things, stole wine off other tables, and Andy Dick apparently asked Helen Hunt to autograph his penis.

5. Ren And Stimpy

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1991

Number of seasons: 5

Fun fact: The original version of Powdered Toast Man had to be heavily censored, Nickelodeon had to remove references to the pope, along scenes of the constitution and the bill of rights being burned.

4. My So-Called Life

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1994

Number of episodes: 1

Fun fact: My So-Called Life starred Jared Leto BEFORE he went insane and tattooed triangles all over himself and started making terrible music.

3. Freaks And Geeks

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1999

Number of seasons: 1

Fun fact: Let's face it, there probably isn't any trivia about this show that everyone doesn't already know.

2. Twin Peaks

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1990

Number of seasons: 2

Fun fact: There is a festival every year where people go to the town where Twin Peaks was shot and dress up like the characters. More info here.

1. Mystery Science Theater 3000

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

Premiered: 1991

Number of seasons: 10

Fun fact: This is the best show. Who cares about fun facts. Go watch this now.