I know for a fact that I'm an old soul at heart, and I'm surely convinced I was born in the wrong generation. As a kid, my parents immersed my brother and me in pop culture from their generation. Unfortunately, my brother was the one who retained a variety of that knowledge, especially when it comes to random facts about music and movies, and they sadly never let me forget that I would probably not make a good Trivial Pursuit partner. However, what I do pride myself in is all the TV shows that they forced me to watch over the years that still rank as some of my favorites of all time. If you're a cheesy, mushy gushy, TV lover like me, you'll probably love a bunch of these '70s, '80s, and '90s classics.
"Full House"
"Full House" has always been one of my all time favs, and I have rewatched it more times than I can count. Whether it's the sisterly bonding between D.J., Stephanie, and Michelle, Jesse's evolution from a motorcycle ridin' rocker to a family man, or the countless number of corny life lessons from Danny Tanner, there are so many iconic moments from the show that you just can't pass up. Fun fact: in seventh grade, my birthday present was the complete "Full House" series on DVD...just take a second to think about that.
"Saved By The Bell"
The world needs more shows like these—a mostly drama-free, family-friendly, relatable story about a group of high schoolers... and their principal. Some of the episodes are a little far fetched, like Jessie's caffeine addiction that spirals out of control in like three days (pictured above), but it is the easy connection to the characters that makes it all worth it. Also, how can you not love the endless saga between Zack and Kelly? The best episodes by far are the ones from the beach club, and no one can argue with me about that.
"Seinfeld"
If you haven't watched "Seinfeld," honestly what are you doing with your life? Can't help but love the endless fun of Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George. The series has been criticized as a "show about nothing" but tbh I kind of don't find anything wrong with that here.
"Beverly Hills: 90210"
Yes, I'm talking about what is known at the "old" "90210," but definitely the better one. If you know me, I am the WORST when it comes to watching new shows, like I actually hadn't started and finished a new series since sophomore year of high school. But over winter break, my parents forced my brother and me to watch, and I've already binged my way to the eighth season so you know it's good. It's essentially the nineties version of "One Tree Hill" but in a trendier location. Don't worry, "Melrose Place" is on my list next.
P.S. If you haven't heard the news, a reboot of the series is finally to be filmed this summer...and fans are BEYOND excited. But the horrible shock of Luke Perry's recent death means we won't have stud Dylan McKay there to make our hearts melt. Yes people, he's not famous from Riverdale.
"Boy Meets World"
The ultimate love story, "Boy Meets World" is a lighthearted, easy to watch show about Cory Matthews and his crazy adventures and quest to find himself. I love shows where you just watch the characters grow up before your eyes, both literally and figuratively. Every Topanga needs their Cory.
"The Facts of Life"
Sorority girls take notes! This series follows a group of girls and their house mother living in an all-girls school and all the problems that came along with it. The most unexpected life lessons and friendships come out of the show, and it's definitely something we can all love and appreciate.
"The Brady Bunch"
I have seen every episode of this show multiple times to the point where my family and I have a competition to see who can guess the episode the quickest the second it comes on. Some call it cheesy, some call it unrealistic, but I call it a quick little escape from reality. No one will doubt the love and closeness this family has for each other and the iconic quotes and storylines. I mean, doesn't everyone want to be a Brady? Another fun fact: I was so obsessed with the show when I was little that I had to get the last copy of "The Brady Bunch Book" copy at Barnes and Noble that my dad ran out at 10:00 p.m. and surprised me with it. I guess you can say I wasn't a normal child.
"Friends"
Not much to be said here. "Friends" is one of the most well-written shows in history, known for its relatable storylines on careers, family, and love life. From the endless memories in the apartment and Central Perk to the old college flashbacks and finally the never-ending saga between Ross and Rachel, the show never gets old. We all wish that we could be apart of the gang.
There ya have it, folks. If you weren't lucky enough as I was to have cool parents that made you watch these, it's not too late to start. Besides the catchy theme songs and memorable quotes, what all of these shows have in common is how invested you are to each and every one of the characters and how well they interact with each other both on and off camera. Besides now getting brownie points from all of my parents' friends, I hope that I convinced you to add a new show to your Netflix or Hulu queue, or even a reminder of a classic you forgot existed and probably should rewatch.
