What are some movies and tv shows that really culturally define the 90s?

Clueless (1995) is the first movie that popped into my head.

Clueless, Saved By The Bell, 90210, Scream, Can't Hardly Wait, The Craft,

Your mom's sex tape :D

Seriously though, I'd say Empire Records

From what I can think of at the moment

Movies: Reality Bites

TV shows: Party of Five, Beverly Hills 90210

The Simpsons Seasons 1 to 7.  That was the CARTOON of the 90s.

I want to say Dawson's Creek, but that is more of the Millenial culture(1997-2003).

I would like to say that the Disney movies that were released in the '90s were very culturally relevant to that decade because at the time Disney's movies were more popular and successful than ever, and things were looking very promising for Disney. The same can be said for the 1990s, because it was a decade of economic prosperity.

I would have to say "Friends", in a nutshell....

Clueless, Saved By The Bell, 90210, Scream, Can't Hardly Wait, The Craft,


Scream 2. That movie screams 90's!

Pulp Fiction
Boyz in The Hood
Goodfellas
There's Something about Mary
Clerks
Resevoir Dogs
Saved By The Bell
90210
Melrose Place
Seinfeld
Home Improvement
Beavis and Butthead
The Simpsons

BOY MEETS WORLD!

BOY MEETS WORLD!


Seconded!

Yes on Friends, Seinfeld, Boy Meets World . . .

I'd say Scream is more defining than Scream 2.

Full House.  Party of Five.  Baywatch.  Just Shoot Me.  3rd Rock From the Sun - which, because of the whole alien angle, is a perfect snapshot/analysis of 90s culture.

Nickelodeon animated series were a huge thing in the 90s.

But I think Clueless defines the decade (albeit in a shallow way).

Also add "Beavis and Butthead" and the spinoff "Daria" along with their movies. Also "Friends"

  Why is cultural definition important?  And why the urgency..?   

Scream 2. That movie screams 90's!


They both do. The first one just has a totally 90's atmosphere, but that may be because it came out during the peak of my high school life.

South Park

South Park


South Park could be argued to be more late 90's/early 00's millennial era which "feels" a little different from the earlier grunge/gangsta rap 90's.

Looking back, the 90's came about fast for the most part. There was still a lot of big hair throughout of the 90's, until maybe the late 90's. Other than that, the 90's took off fast in 1991 or 1992.

South Park could be argued to be more late 90's/early 00's millennial era which "feels" a little different from the earlier grunge/gangsta rap 90's.


Really, the '90s/'00s divide (mid-1997-2003) culturally was broader than the '80s/'90s was (mid-1989-1991). The Internet becomes ever more embedded withing the plot, VHS and CD give way to DVD and MP3, landlines give way to mobile phones, fashion GRADUALLY changes, and movies gradually got darker with more and more CGI effects. There was a good thread awhile back called "'90s show or '00s show" that opinionated certain shows from 1997-2001 more identifying with the '90s or '00s.

The 90s was a great time for hand-drawn animation, with the Disney renissance and everything. One thing I miss the most about the 90s was the beautiful animated epics and original, creative TV cartoons. good times.

buffy the vampire slayer

I'm shocked that nobody has mentioned Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Those guys defined the 90's.

Season 1 of Buffy the vampire slayer is very "90's" more so than any other seaosn of the show. The next three seasons still seemed pretty 90's, but season 1 kind of gave off an old-school 90's vibe if you know what I mean

I'm shocked that nobody has mentioned Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Those guys defined the 90's.


That was more late '80s/early '90s, peaking in the spring of 1990 in popularity, and the movie was filmed in 1989 really making it more of a transitional with some old school rap in its soundtrack.

But I'd say the shows Home Improvement and Mad About You best define '90s lifestyles in general; the former the suburban feel and the latter the urban, professional feel; the '90s were really sort of a laid-back time between the go-go '80s lifestyle and the frenzied, multi-tasking 21st century lifestyle.

Don't forget Boy Meets World, a great example of the middle/high school feel of the '90s.

Boy Meets World
Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Saved by the Bell (depicts the early 90s more if anything)
Full House (seasons 4-8)
Sister Sister
Family Matters

these are the shows that first come to mind when you say the 90s

Nickelodeon animated series were a huge thing in the 90s.


Definetly

Sabrina The Teenage Witch. That's all I got to say.  http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/05/heks.gif

Yay me!!  http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/02/beerchug.gif

Movies (in no particular order):

Clueless
Hackers
Pulp Fiction
City Slickers
The Matrix


TV Shows (in no particular order)

The Simpsons
The X Files
Home Improvement
Friends
Seinfeld

Mallrats for the college-aged person in the mid-90's

Mallrats - definitive slacker movie of the 90's, during the core 90's year of 1995
Clueless - Very 90's
Dazed and Confused - 70's revival

I can't believe I forgot about Mallrats. I also think Clerks qualifies.

So Many to list but a small sample:

TV
Seinfeld
Friends
The Simpsons
South Park
E.R.
Roseanne
Full House
Home Improvement
Beavis And Butthead
Tiny Toons
Animaniacs
Batman: The Animated Series
WWF/WCW Wrestling
Ren and Stimpy
Family Matters

Movies
Clerks
Pulp Fiction
Silence of The Lambs
Pretty Woman
Forrest Gump
The Lion King
Clueless
The Matrix
Fight Club

Ahhhh yes, the thread that led me to discover this place. ;D

I've come here wondering about movies from the later half of the 90s, when I feel like the culture of the decade was finally distinguishing itself from that of simply the 80s or "after the 80s."  I'm talking about movies that, like Good Burger or the Fifth Element, exhibit some of that pop culture excess and insanity that spawned *NYSNC...except preferably something that's of better quality than the former.

TV shows:Friends,Seinfeld,original 90210,Melrose Place,Home Improvement,Full House,Roseanne,Party of Five,The Nanny,Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Movies:Clueless,the Scream movies,Pulp Fiction,Forrest Gump,Pretty Woman,Ghost,Jurassic Park.

Oh yes, Clueless nails it.