A collage of featured sitcoms, including ‘Full House,’ ‘Saved by the Bell,’ ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Friends.’ | Photo Credit / ABC-NBC
The situational comedy, or “sitcom,” is one of America’s most beloved pastimes. Featuring a consistent cast of characters in fixed settings and a continuous succession of episodes, this genre provided audiences with weekly entertainment that included bounds of laughs and plenty of heart. Before the streaming age, network sitcoms were arguably at their pinnacle in the 1990s as this lost populist art form was rampant and widely consumed by the masses on television platforms like NBC and ABC.
In such a tumultuous modern era, the public cannot help but feel nostalgia for earlier times, and classic sitcoms can be particularly nourishing with their endearing blend of humor, sincerity and occasional pathos. With that in mind and in accordance with the 2023 UT Martin Homecoming theme “UT Martin is All That!” (inspired by the 1994-2000 series All That starring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell), my colleagues- Aubrey Abbott, Isabella Beyl, Sarah Cornwell, Trey Kelly, Erika O’Brien, Kate Pilcher and JJ Somerville- and I reflect on some of our favorite sitcoms from the iconic decade that pose some sort of significance to our lives.
The Golden Girls (1985-1992)
The Golden Girls is my favorite ‘90s sitcom because I would watch it every night with my grandparents. My favorite character is Dorothy since I’ve always related to her personality! It’s a very close show to my heart because of all the good memories I have of it! Although I did not completely understand the show when I was a kid, I love rewatching and catching things I had missed. -Kate
Full House (1987-1995)
Throughout my childhood, I can remember sitting around the living room and watching the hit show Full House. It was a family-friendly sitcom that aired from 1987 to 1995, but it received many reruns throughout the years. The show focused on the lives of a widowed father and his friends who work together to raise three young girls. It highlights the struggles they have as they figure out life, as well as the moments that help them become a family.
After a day of school from my childhood, my brother and I would always come home, do our homework, play outside and eat dinner. After that, we would go back outside to play, take our baths and then settle in the living room with our parents to catch the show each night. It ran on Nickelodeon nightly from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. This show greatly contributed to the bonding of our family. Not only was it a family-friendly show that my brother and I could enjoy, but my parents enjoyed it as well. This show created many laughs in our household, and it will be one show that I will never forget. -Aubrey
Streaming: Hulu, Max
Saved by the Bell (1989-1992)
Saved by the Bell was one of the TV shows of the ’90s that I watched religiously growing up. Although I was too young to understand the content, the wacky adventures of Zack Morris and his group of friends caught my attention and made me hope that high school would be as fun as they made it. It, in fact, wasn’t, but I was still grateful for that day of browsing through TV channels and finding Saved by the Bell reruns on TBS. Also, Lisa Turtle’s outfits were a cultural reset, and I still strive to dress like her. -JJ
Streaming: Philo
Seinfeld (1989-1998)
In developing a passion for filmed entertainment and, specifically, curating a critical eye for the form, one of the most foundational experiences for me was rushing home after school to catch the afternoon reruns of Friends and Seinfeld on TBS. Though the former was a winsome and note-perfect use of the classic sitcom formula, the latter proudly defied it in a way that was so innovative, stimulating and even exhilarating. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s witty brainchild, famously billed as “the show about nothing,” mined absurd and wry observations from everyday mundanity. The show could spin average life occurrences, like aimlessly wandering about a parking garage or encountering a particularly belligerent soup stand owner, of its colorful cast of characters into something so guttingly hysterical. -Will
Streaming: Netflix
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996)
While the show was known for its comedic anecdotes and classic ‘90s style, Fresh Prince oftentimes confronted serious societal issues and the effects it had on the main character of the show, Will. One of the most notable examples, in the season four episode “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse,” the show directly tackles the issue of parental abandonment; during a shift at work, Will recognizes a customer who appears to be his father whom he hadn’t seen in 14 years. The show also tackled issues such as substance use, underage drinking and commitment in relationships.
The light-hearted nature of the show made these issues more approachable yet reverberated through the seasons and thematic elements with the cast and their personal experiences. For me specifically, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was always a show we watched when I was younger. With my mother usually working multiple jobs, my older sister was in charge of having something age-appropriate to let us watch, and although I didn’t understand some of the more intense issues as a child, being able to laugh at the antics and situations Will found himself in is one of my fondest memories. -Isabella
Streaming: Max, Paramount+
Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
As a front-runner in the TGIF scene for nearly a decade, Boy Meets World shared valuable life lessons through a coming-of-age story following Cory Matthews. The show sees Cory through navigating relationships, developing friendships and caring for his family with the guidance of their teacher Mr. Feeny. Three members of the original cast now host a podcast, Pod Meets World, rewatching the show and talking about behind-the-scenes information, as they invite fans to watch along with them. Watching this show growing up shaped my development as a person, and I still find myself referencing the episodes in my everyday life. It is hard to encapsulate everything this show has meant to me throughout the years and everything it has changed in my life, but it will always have a special place in my heart. -Sarah
Streaming: Disney+
The Critic (1994-1995, 2001)
Of all the sitcoms released in the ‘90s, my favorite isn’t a live-action one but rather an animated one: The Critic. The show follows film critic Jay Sherman- played by SNL‘s Jon Lovitz- as he takes swings at the entertainment both on camera and off camera in the melting pot that is ‘90s New York. The show’s sense of humor is what really sells it for me as it’s not overly shocking and is instead a bit more cynical and snarky with a good bit of heart woven in at times. Unlike what Jay says, this show doesn’t stink! -Trey
Streaming: Tubi
Friends (1994-2004)
Friends is a well-known sitcom that depicts six friends undergoing many different changes in their lives within a decade. Countless people don’t realize that the story following this group is during their mid-to-late twenties. One of the biggest messages from this show is how many young adults are in such a rush to do things and make life happen quickly that they forget to actually grow and gradually embrace change as it arises. Friends helps by conveying that many people don’t find their way until their thirties, and many tend to go through several different jobs, life circumstances and relationships until everything finally solidifies. Friends also shows that it is okay to have a child in different ways, whether that is as a single parent like Rachel or through adoption like Monica and Chandler. -Erika
Streaming: Max
