-Angels, and the paranormal in general.
-Conspiracy theories.
-Aliens and anything "outer space" oriented in general seems quite 1995-2000.
-Explicit talk shows.
-Gore, in general.
-Cop shows.
-Supermodels.

-Angels, and the paranormal in general.
-Conspiracy theories.
-Aliens and anything "outer space" oriented in general seems quite 1995-2000.
-Explicit talk shows.
-Gore, in general.
-Cop shows.
-Supermodels.


Agreed. I'd also add Basketball and "everyday life/work" sitcoms.

BTW I really miss alot of those reality cop shows (from 1993-early '96 I watched those alot) - Real Stories of the Highway Patrol was my favorite, especially the re-enacted ones. Unfortunately, alot of those are completely off the air, including reruns.

I think the popularity of these shows probably had something to do with the "gritty/urban" atmosphere in the '90s.

Agreed. I'd also add Basketball and "everyday life/work" sitcoms.

BTW I really miss alot of those reality cop shows (from 1993-early '96 I watched those alot) - Real Stories of the Highway Patrol was my favorite, especially the re-enacted ones. Unfortunately, alot of those are completely off the air, including reruns.

I think the popularity of these shows probably had something to do with the "gritty/urban" atmosphere in the '90s.


Part of it was also the extended '80s backlash...they were "real", whereas the '80s weren't perceived that way. The whole '90s had an obsession with looking into people's lives and removing the "cover." What do you think were the reasons of popularity for those other things that I mentioned?

Part of it was also the extended '80s backlash...they were "real", whereas the '80s weren't perceived that way. The whole '90s had an obsession with looking into people's lives and removing the "cover." What do you think were the reasons of popularity for those other things that I mentioned?


True, I think the '80s were viewed as sort of having a cover or a fantasy (of course every era has 'em, but there were alot of Fantasy/unrealistic movies then. Heck, even the BTTF's were like that! ;) The story is relatable, but time travel is fantasy), whereas the '90s was about removing it.

I think actually most of those things tie into the same idea of wanting the truth (i.e. Aliens), or just showing the real/gritty side of life, either on the personal side (talk shows), or the dangerous side (cop shows/news shows/ER).

Supermodels are timeless, lol, but I agree the Baywatch culture seemed unavoidable c. 1994/95. On that note: strangely, despite the '80s having more sexually driven music and the '90s being more "serious" in that regard (largely due to AIDS, no doubt), it does seem like risque shows/even porn became more "accepted" in the '90s/00s than in the '80s, where it would be viewed either as a loser thing or completely unacceptable/non mainstream/threatening to the masses.

True, I think the '80s were viewed as sort of having a cover or a fantasy (of course every era has 'em, but there were alot of Fantasy/unrealistic movies then. Heck, even the BTTF's were like that! ;) The story is relatable, but time travel is fantasy), whereas the '90s was about removing it.

I think actually most of those things tie into the same idea of wanting the truth (i.e. Aliens), or just showing the real/gritty side of life, either on the personal side (talk shows), or the dangerous side (cop shows/news shows/ER).

Supermodels are timeless, lol, but I agree the Baywatch culture seemed unavoidable c. 1994/95. On that note: strangely, despite the '80s having more sexually driven music and the '90s being more "serious" in that regard (largely due to AIDS, no doubt), it does seem like risque shows/even porn became more "accepted" in the '90s/00s than in the '80s, where it would be viewed either as a loser thing or completely unacceptable/non mainstream/threatening to the masses.


Being totally risque seems like it became accepted around 1992 or 1993...arguably, you could trace the '80s not being all that risque to the anti-'70s backlash, since the '70s were so highly sexual. The sexual side of the '80s was contrasting virginal/religious motifs with subversive sexuality, as was practiced by Prince and Madonna to great effect.

There was also Models Inc. and even a "Model Cafe" in the mid-'90s...though the whole supermodel thing started in the '80s, with people like Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, etc. Also, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues were huge back then.

I also think the '80s were perceived as a return to the '50s in lifestyle, with the "hypocrisy"/"cover" they were thought of as having and a risque youth culture with a staid adult culture. Most parents of the brat packers were probably '50s teens of the Elvis era, so it makes sense they recreated that environment for their kids.

Being totally risque seems like it became accepted around 1992 or 1993...arguably, you could trace the '80s not being all that risque to the anti-'70s backlash, since the '70s were so highly sexual. The sexual side of the '80s was contrasting virginal/religious motifs with subversive sexuality, as was practiced by Prince and Madonna to great effect.

There was also Models Inc. and even a "Model Cafe" in the mid-'90s...though the whole supermodel thing started in the '80s, with people like Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, etc. Also, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues were huge back then.


Yeah, that's another thing that makes the '70s and 1993-03 era actually pretty similar, it's not surprising '70s nostalgia was so huge then.

I think the sexual side of things (the way Prince or Madonna did them, or how some music videos were) definitely existed in the '80s, but it was seen as cooler/more rebellious, as opposed to mainstream. At least for the most part. That's why it drew so much fire from people like Tipper Gore, imo. Whereas by 1992, people sort of had the collective "Oh it ain't that bad, there's way worse out there!" attitude about it.

I wonder if the threat of AIDS, etc. actually made risque stuff slightly more appropriate (since sex in general or STD's became something you had to talk/warn people about on TV or in schools, etc). Perhaps just the harsher side of life in general in the early '90s (the LA riots, Gulf War, recession) made something "controversial" in 1985 seem like nothing by 1993, since people knew how much worse it could get.

Yeah, that's another thing that makes the '70s and 1993-03 era actually pretty similar, it's not surprising '70s nostalgia was so huge then.

I think the sexual side of things (the way Prince or Madonna did them, or how some music videos were) definitely existed in the '80s, but it was seen as cooler/more rebellious, as opposed to mainstream. At least for the most part. That's why it drew so much fire from people like Tipper Gore, imo. Whereas by 1992, people sort of had the collective "Oh it ain't that bad, there's way worse out there!" attitude about it.

I wonder if the threat of AIDS, etc. actually made risque stuff slightly more appropriate (since sex in general or STD's became something you had to talk/warn people about on TV or in schools, etc). Perhaps just the harsher side of life in general in the early '90s (the LA riots, Gulf War, recession) made something "controversial" in 1985 seem like nothing by 1993, since people knew how much worse it could get.


IMO, what started the '90s was the revelation that the '80s weren't so great after all, and people were denying this excess of problems (AIDS, class inequality, deindustrialization, corporatization, racial tension) that lurked under their surface. People in the '80s were trying to forget the activism of the '60s and '70s, and then the whole theme of the '90s was uncovering the "reality" beneath things. Almost every piece of serious pop culture has that theme.

In some ways, the '90s were a little bit less sexual than the '80s. The '80s were always hinting about sex and fetishized it, but people in the '90s were so used to sex that it was a moot point. Sex became death with AIDS, and not something thrilling like it was in the '70s and most of the '80s, when we were still in "sexual liberation shock."

IMO, what started the '90s was the revelation that the '80s weren't so great after all, and people were denying this excess of problems (AIDS, class inequality, deindustrialization, corporatization, racial tension) that lurked under their surface. People in the '80s were trying to forget the activism of the '60s and '70s, and then the whole theme of the '90s was uncovering the "reality" beneath things. Almost every piece of serious pop culture has that theme.

In some ways, the '90s were a little bit less sexual than the '80s. The '80s were always hinting about sex and fetishized it, but people in the '90s were so used to sex that it was a moot point. Sex became death with AIDS, and not something thrilling like it was in the '70s and most of the '80s, when we were still in "sexual liberation shock."


Yes, the casual atittude to sex was highlighted in magazines, media.etc (though I think the height of sexual 'casualness' was actually the 80s, but that's another story), and was evidenced on TV in everything from Friends to Frasier. And yes, like the 70s, many felt the 90s were the 'hang over' decade to the party that was the 80s. The increasing awareness of environmental issues, the Democratic government that was in office, and fixation on abberations like the Rodney King case, O.J. Simpson, 1994 Earthquakes (90s seemed particularly West-coast focused).etc.

Yes, the casual atittude to sex was highlighted in magazines, media.etc (though I think the height of sexual 'casualness' was actually the 80s, but that's another story), and was evidenced on TV in everything from Friends to Frasier. And yes, like the 70s, many felt the 90s were the 'hang over' decade to the party that was the 80s. The increasing awareness of environmental issues, the Democratic government that was in office, and fixation on abberations like the Rodney King case, O.J. Simpson, 1994 Earthquakes (90s seemed particularly West-coast focused).etc.


The '90s were the cultural hangover to the crack cocaine epidemic, economically destructive Reagan presidency, and the AIDS epidemic. Unfortunately, by 2001 or so all those lessons were forgotten.

The '90s were the cultural hangover to the crack cocaine epidemic, economically destructive Reagan presidency, and the AIDS epidemic. Unfortunately, by 2001 or so all those lessons were forgotten.


Yes, and I'm sure G.W.B was all too happy to sweep em underneath the carpet of 'Terrorism.'