-Happiness and American Beauty capture the weirdness and paranoia lurking under '90s suburban America.
-Boyz N the Hood captures the desperation of early '90s, pre-Rodney King riots L.A.

In terms of TV shows, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Home Improvement summed up the '90s pretty well.

I agree with all of these.

Boy Meets World is also very, VERY 1990s.

The second half of Full House was very '90s (albeit with an '80s "comfy" feeling, if that makes any sense). Fresh Prince of Bel Air was very "1991ish" '90s. Same with Blossom.

Most WB shows at the time would count, too.

Daria, TRL and Celebrity Deathmatch are VERY 1998.

Does The Simpsons in a way, seem 1990/91-1993? Of course, it has remained popular for years later and even today, but that's when it really impacted pop culture -- i.e. the "Don't have a cow, man" and "Do the Bartman" music video, etc.

Does The Simpsons in a way, seem 1990/91-1993? Of course, it has remained popular for years later and even today, but that's when it really impacted pop culture -- i.e. the "Don't have a cow, man" and "Do the Bartman" music video, etc.


I think the Simpsons is almost partially '80s, in a way, despite the fact that only one episode of the show aired in 1989.  After all, we've agreed that 1990 and most of 1991 are pretty much "watered-out 1989", and The Simpsons is largely a product of this era. 

The movie of the '90s would probably be Wayne's World. Love that movie.

I agree. The second half of Full House does have that '90s feel to it. Home Improvement might be one too.

Movies

"Clueless" (I'm surprised no one has mentioned this movie.  I actually got to see this in the Theater in the Summer of 1995. THE Teenage Flick of the '90s)

"Clerks"

"American Beauty"

TV Shows

"Seinfeld"

I think the Simpsons is almost partially '80s, in a way, despite the fact that only one episode of the show aired in 1989.  After all, we've agreed that 1990 and most of 1991 are pretty much "watered-out 1989", and The Simpsons is largely a product of this era. 


Yeah. That's when it came into its own - remember when Homer had the Walter Mathau-like voice? Although it's amazing how, anytime I've said (in my best Bart Simpson voice) "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger" (a VERY 1991-esque thing), everybody knows what I'm talking about. ;D

I think the Simpsons is almost partially '80s, in a way, despite the fact that only one episode of the show aired in 1989.  After all, we've agreed that 1990 and most of 1991 are pretty much "watered-out 1989", and The Simpsons is largely a product of this era. 


Not really, I think it was more a trailblazing '90s thing in the very late '80s, Home Alone era that became more '90s as all of its primitive '80sness went away. Anyway, I think the "real" Simpsons that was totally like it is known was about late 1991-early 1997, the true blue '90s. Actually, they stopped having Bart say "Don't Have a Cow, Man" around Season 3 (started in late 1991), to try to de-associate the show from catchphrases centered around Bart that the first two seasons were dominated by. They also made Homer less angry and made the writing better and more satirical.

Yeah. That's when it came into its own - remember when Homer had the Walter Mathau-like voice? Although it's amazing how, anytime I've said (in my best Bart Simpson voice) "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger" (a VERY 1991-esque thing), everybody knows what I'm talking about. ;D


I think those commercials aired through to the late 1990s, right? I remember seeing them around 1996-1998.

Not really, I think it was more a trailblazing '90s thing in the very late '80s, Home Alone era that became more '90s as all of its primitive '80sness went away. Anyway, I think the "real" Simpsons that was totally like it is known was about late 1991-early 1997, the true blue '90s. Actually, they stopped having Bart say "Don't Have a Cow, Man" around Season 3 (started in late 1991), to try to de-associate the show from catchphrases centered around Bart that the first two seasons were dominated by. They also made Homer less angry and made the writing better and more satirical.


That's true.  I'd say the first two seasons (1989-1990 and 1990-1991) are the "Eighties" seasons, tied to the "Married ... with Children" late '80s era.  Whereas late 1997-early 1997 is more the "Peak" Simpsons era.

I think those commercials aired through to the late 1990s, right? I remember seeing them around 1996-1998.


Now that you mention it, I think they were on until at least 1995ish, perhaps 1996 too. I'd almost say those commercials are like the Super NES time-wise. They sort of screamed 1991 but were relatively cool/popular through the mid '90s.

That's true.  I'd say the first two seasons (1989-1990 and 1990-1991) are the "Eighties" seasons, tied to the "Married ... with Children" late '80s era.  Whereas late 1997-early 1997 is more the "Peak" Simpsons era.


Yeah, the first two seasons were sort of post-'80s/pre-'90s, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Home Alone, Vanilla Ice, etc. However, it didn't really start until the '90s took off in late 1991, as my thread relating the progression of the '90s to OFF went.

Those commercials were on until 1998, maybe...I think they actually made new ones at some point.

Full House built the perfect bridge between the 80's and 90's. And he's right, even when the show went off the air in 1995, it was decidedly 90's in culture but retained some the 80's family sitcom warmth

Dinosaurs on TGIF capitalized on the early 90's dinosaur craze (Jurassic Park, plus it seemed like everybody from 8-12 was into Dinosaurs)

Boy Meets World and Clarissa Explains it All captured 90's culture and fashion perfectly.

Roseanne, Grace under Fire, and the Drew Carey also tapped into some bizarre mid west fetish the networks had back then, and those of us living in the northeast could never understand why anybody would care about some guy in buddy holly glasses who lives in cleveland...and they probably never "got" Friends and Seinfeld either.

Clerks (1994)
American Beauty (1999)
Fight Club (1999)
Chasing Amy (1997)
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Angus (1995)

Yeah, Clerks definitely captures the '90s. Isn't Reality Bites from around the same time supposed to be THE Gen-X-in-the-'90s sort of movie?

I know this doesn't technically "count" but, when I first saw Napolean Dynomite I was like, Whoa, a lot of the styles look 90s-ish.  I wondered if they tried to make it look like it was made in the 90s.

I would have to say Beavis and Butthead, Seinfeld, Beverly Hills 90210, and The Simpsons.

I know this doesn't technically "count" but, when I first saw Napolean Dynomite I was like, Whoa, a lot of the styles look 90s-ish.  I wondered if they tried to make it look like it was made in the 90s.


The movie sort of had a late '80s look to it, like Donnie Darko was made to have.

The movie sort of had a late '80s look to it, like Donnie Darko was made to have.


Raises a good point, when was the film supposed to be set in? Many of the fashions.etc are very 90s, yet Napoleon's older brother (?) chats with people on the internet.etc. Perhaps it is set sometime in the late 90s.

Raises a good point, when was the film supposed to be set in? Many of the fashions.etc are very 90s, yet Napoleon's older brother (?) chats with people on the internet.etc. Perhaps it is set sometime in the late 90s.


It seems sort of 1989ish, actually, the fashion and everything. But it is supposed to take place in a Mormon community where people still use rather antiquated phrases and "square" ways of dressing. The internet chatting is what throws it off, really.

It seems sort of 1989ish, actually, the fashion and everything. But it is supposed to take place in a Mormon community where people still use rather antiquated phrases and "square" ways of dressing. The internet chatting is what throws it off, really.


I don't remember any reference to Moromonism - I think it was some farm in Idaho. Indeed, Chat-rooms may have existed in the very late 80s, like those old message boards. You'd have to be a real nerd to use one tho!

I don't remember any reference to Moromonism - I think it was some farm in Idaho. Indeed, Chat-rooms may have existed in the very late 80s, like those old message boards. You'd have to be a real nerd to use one tho!


See the wikipedia article, the use of slang like "gosh" is something very Mormon, and Jon Heder based it on his experiences growing up in a Mormon farm community in Idaho.

Movies that best captured the 90's.....

Fight Club
Mallrats
American Beauty
Chasing Amy
Reality Bites
Singles
Natural Born Killers
Falling Down
Office Space

I can't believe no one's mentioned Empire Records as a very 90s movie. So sure, I was 5/6 when it came out but based on what I've known of the mid-90s that movie catches it perfectly, from the music to the fashion. Other really 90s movies are Clueless, Mallrats, and Can't Hardly Wait(for late 90s).

I can't believe no one's mentioned Empire Records as a very 90s movie. So sure, I was 5/6 when it came out but based on what I've known of the mid-90s that movie catches it perfectly, from the music to the fashion. Other really 90s movies are Clueless, Mallrats, and Can't Hardly Wait(for late 90s).


lol, yes, I truly am Clueless that no one else has mentioned "Clueless" for movies.  I don't think there is a more '90s movie than "Clueless"...

lol, yes, I truly am Clueless that no one else has mentioned "Clueless" for movies.  I don't think there is a more '90s movie than "Clueless"...


I'd call Clueless a "90s Valley Girl" movie. The atmosphere was very 1995ish, but it updated the feel of '80s valley girls. Sort of like how Fast Times carried over the '70s party attitude and put it in a new wave/mall-type '80s setting.

I'd call Clueless a "90s Valley Girl" movie. The atmosphere was very 1995ish, but it updated the feel of '80s valley girls. Sort of like how Fast Times carried over the '70s party attitude and put it in a new wave/mall-type '80s setting.


Would you say the Val Gal existed in the '90s also, in an updated form? I'd say they did.

It's weird how I enjoyed "Clueless", yet I absolutely hate Valley Girls and everything about them.

It's weird how I enjoyed "Clueless", yet I absolutely hate Valley Girls and everything about them.


They're incredibly snobby.

I don't remember any reference to Moromonism - I think it was some farm in Idaho. Indeed, Chat-rooms may have existed in the very late 80s, like those old message boards. You'd have to be a real nerd to use one tho!


Yes, that may be true, but it never states explicitly in the movie it takes place in a Mormon community. The use of 'Gosh' was by no means uncommon now and even today, don't know how that should be especially 'Mormon' - sure the influences may have reflected the producer's experiences, but it's not part of the story (sorry, I just like to argue). Indeed, it hardly takes place in a 'community' at all; Napoleon and his brother Kip live with a mother whose never there in a farm in the middle of nowhere.

Btw, I thought the film was a bit overrated.

Btw, I thought the film was a bit overrated.


It was sort of funny, but definitely not hilarious.

Singles (1992) is very 90s as it captures the "grunge" Seattle scene.

I'd call Clueless a "90s Valley Girl" movie. The atmosphere was very 1995ish, but it updated the feel of '80s valley girls. Sort of like how Fast Times carried over the '70s party attitude and put it in a new wave/mall-type '80s setting.


Actually, I think the whole "Whatever"/"Duh" attitude of the '90s was sort of a union of surf/valley girl LA culture from the '80s and the grunge culture of the '90s.

There is nothing "Valley Girl" about Grunge or Grunge Chicks

There is nothing "Valley Girl" about Grunge or Grunge Chicks


The '90s and '90s teens, particularly in the early-mid '90s, did seem to have a very "whatever" attitude, though....very cynical and sarcastic but without the super-enthusiastic (but super-materialistic) Gen Y attitude.

The '90s and '90s teens, particularly in the early-mid '90s, did seem to have a very "whatever" attitude, though....very cynical and sarcastic but without the super-enthusiastic (but super-materialistic) Gen Y attitude.


Until they went to the shopping mall, then it was, 'oh myyy god! I just NEED a pair of new shoes.'

Would you say the Val Gal existed in the '90s also, in an updated form? I'd say they did.


Just in terms of sheer attitide/personalty - the "giggly/ohmigawwwd" type? Yeah, definitely. I remember around late Elementary/early Junior High era, those were the chicks I tended to like (although of course, I was too afraid to talk with them most of the time). ;)

I clearly recall around late '95 I came to school in a Super Mario Bros. T Shirt and one of them saying to me "That's, like, so 4 years ago" (much like Alicia Silverstone said in Clueless, about skateboarding, I believe). ;D

They've sort of disappeared in the '00s, for the hard-driving fashionista O.C. preppie type.

Just in terms of sheer attitide/personalty - the "giggly/ohmigawwwd" type? Yeah, definitely. I remember around late Elementary/early Junior High era, those were the chicks I tended to like (although of course, I was too afraid to talk with them most of the time). ;)

I clearly recall around late '95 I came to school in a Super Mario Bros. T Shirt and one of them saying to me "That's, like, so 4 years ago" (much like Alicia Silverstone said in Clueless, about skateboarding, I believe). ;D


Saying 'that's so 5 minute ago' is 'so 10 years ago!' lol

-In no order:

X-Files
Seinfeld
Friends
Fraiser
MST3K

I'd say Mad about you, but there is a tint of 80's Yuppyness still attached.