JamesG
02-17-2009, 10:12 AM
We know, we know … another "best of" list.
But this isn't any old list – our Top 40 TV Shows of the '90s is just the first in a new series of countdowns in which we'll put our AOL Television seal of approval on the top 40 series of every decade.
Every other month we'll tackle another decade, going all the way back to the '50s, to recall the best comedies (hello 'Lucy'), the best primetime soaps (do you remember who shot JR?), the best cop shows, animated series and groundbreaking TV shows.
So kick off 50 years of silver-screen bests with the greatest shows of the '90s, including everyone from 'Beavis,' 'Buffy' and 'Simpsons' to 'Freaks and Geeks' and teens on the 'Creek.' -- By Kimberly Potts
40. Party of Five (1994-2000)
Lost leading man Matthew Fox owes his career to this soapy drama, about five siblings who vow to raise each other after the deaths of their parents. Oldest bro Charlie (Fox) wasn't ready for the responsibility that was suddenly thrust upon him, nor were his sibs, which led to frequent heartbreak and the occasional triumph, as the Salinger clan (including Neve Campbell, Scott Wolf, Lacey Chabert and honorary member Jennifer Love Hewitt) tackled breakups, cancer, alcoholism and money woes.
39. Spin City (1996-2002)
Michael J. Fox had already proven his comedy chops with Family Ties and Back to the Future, so it was a treat to see him back on the tube in this well-written sitcom, in which his sharp deputy mayor Mike saves New York City Mayor Winston (Barry Bostwick) from making a boob of himself. Fox's Parkinson's disease forced him to leave the show in 2000, the year he nabbed his fourth Lead Actor Emmy.
38. Mad About You (1992-1999)
The Paul Reiser/Helen Hunt comedy centered on a little-explored slice of life: newly married thirtysomethings. With age may come wisdom, but Paul and Jamie Buchman learned they still had a lot to learn as they merged their lives into one New York apartment. Doses of pithy observations lent the show heft, while the Mad theme, Final Frontier, was a gem amongst the dying genre of TV theme songs.
37. Picket Fences (1992-1996)
The critical fave never won big ratings, perhaps scaring away viewers with its surreal tales of cows giving birth to humans and serial bathers. The series tackled more reality-based social issues too, but Wisconsinite sheriff Jimmy Brock (Tom Skerritt) and his doctor wife (Kathy Baker) tried to raise three children in a small town where freaky things frequently happened, especially to the town's mayors.
36. Dream On (1990-1996)
Long before The Sopranos were spewing profanities and flashing nasty bits on HBO, divorced book editor Martin Tupper (Brian Benben) was doing both on the cable network, as one of the first comedies to take advantage of the censor-free zone. Another show signature: the clips of old movies and TV shows that punctuated Martin's thoughts on fatherhood, work and ex-wife Judith (Wendie Malick).
35. The Real World (1992-present)
Who would have guessed Real World would still be on MTV, while music videos would be MIA? Still, one of the earliest reality series endures because many of us have grown up with the casts. And though the show is often charged with spawning the current glut of reality TV, it's also praised for bringing together diverse groups and tackling heavy topics like AIDS, alcoholism, religion and sexuality.
34. Ally McBeal (1997-2002)
Calista Flockhart became a star with her portrayal of idealistic, dancing-baby-loving attorney Ally, whose work was often a metaphor for what was going on in her own life. Her co-workers included her ex-boyfriend (Gil Bellows) and his new wife (Courtney Thorne-Smith), the Barry White-loving Cage (Peter MacNicol) and wattle-loving Fish (Greg Germann), though the gang's eccentricities eventually became the show's downfall as the series continued to go too over the top.
33. Will & Grace (1998-2002)
Will & Grace … or Jack & Karen? We'll vote for the latter, as co-stars Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally were forces of comic nature who stole every scene they were in. Stars Eric McCormack and Debra Messing as the titular gay guy and his platonic BFF, also shared incredible chemistry, as did second banana Shelley Morrison as Karen's feisty maid Rosario and guest stars like Matt Damon and Madonna.
32. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (1999-present)
The trivia show became a pop-culture phenomenon under original host Regis Philbin, whose performance while asking for contestants' "final answer" was so endearing that even his monochromatic shirt-and-tie combos became a hit. Meredith Vieira took over as host, but the show's main appeal continues to be that it looks deceptively easy at home, though, to date, only 11 players have won the ultimate prize.
31. OZ (1998-2003)
The graphic portrayal of life, death and man love in an experimental prison wasn't easy to watch, but it was always a compelling drama, with a deep bench of fascinating characters. Genius creator Tom Fontana took a few knocks for the show's brutal violence, but it was all part of the story for everyman inmate Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen), scheming Ryan O'Reily (Dean Winters), doomed hate monger Schillinger (J.K. Simmons) and tragic narrator Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau).
30. Beverly Hills 90210 (1990-2000)
Even pretty rich kids with fancy wardrobes and sports cars who live in big houses have problems: Donna's (Tori Spelling) kind of a dunce, Kelly's (Jennie Garth) kind of a ho, Dylan's (Luke Perry) kind of a psycho and Steve's (Ian Ziering) totally a tool. But when Minnesota twins Brandon (Jason Priestley) and Brenda (Shannen Doherty) arrive in Aaron Spelling's 90210, the rich kids finally learn what's truly important in life: Teen pinup superstardom. And Donna Martin graduating!
29. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
The first and best Trek spin-off revolved around Patrick Stewart's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who embarked on a seven-year journey on a new-school USS Enterprise (the Enterprise-D), seventy years after the era of Kirk and Spock. Among the changes for Picard's Emmy- and Peabody-winning crew: a Klingon (!) on-board the Enterprise, and a new line-up of baddies, including Borgs and the Ferengi.
28. Designing Women (1986-1993)
Often overshadowed by tabloid headlines about co-star Delta Burke's weight fluctuations, Women still earned multiple Emmy nods while unfolding the personal and professional lives of sassy Southern women Suzanne (Burke), Julia (Dixie Carter), Charlene (Jean Smart) and Mary Jo (Annie Potts), whose interior design business was the backdrop for discussions about men and Julia's frequent rants against things that insulted her liberal sensibilities.
27. The Practice (1997-2004)
Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott) had idealistic goals for his Boston law firm, until the cost of keeping the office afloat led him to richer, guiltier clients, like John Larroquette's murderous Joey Heric. A procession of scummier clients, and the firm's penchant for the vicious "Plan B," eventually made the intense drama tiresome, just in time to spin co-star James Spader off into Boston Legal.
26. Beavis and Butt-Head (1993-1997)
Uh … huh huh. This Mike Judge-created cartoon was about, like, teen Beavis and his friend Butt-Head, who like, sat around on their couch and made fun of videos and ate nachos and stuff. Huh huh … that was cool. They were like, dumb and dumber, which made it all that much funnier when they occasionally made a pithy observation while talking about things that suck (like Michael Bolton) or working at Burger World.
25. Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)
Before the Creek, TV teens were often grunting piles of raging hormones. But Dawson Leery (James Van der Beek) and his pals changed all that -- they added clever wordplay and cooler-than-you pop culture references to their hormone-fueled pursuit of sex, love and film festival admissions. Wannabe Spielberg Dawson did eventually get his film career, but not the girl: His female BFF Joey (Katie Holmes) ended up with his male BFF Pacey (Joshua Jackson).
24. China Beach (1988-1991)
One of the more unique dramas of the '90s presented the Vietnam War from a previously unexamined perspective: that of the women working at an evacuation hospital nicknamed China Beach. The feminine take didn't shy away from the gritty realities of the war and how they affected medical personnel, as exemplified through Dana Delany's Emmy-winning portrayal of Colleen McMurphy, a sensitive U.S. Army nurse.
23. In Living Color (1990-1994)
Damon and Keenan Wayans' variety show helped launch the careers of Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier, Jennifer Lopez, Rosie Perez and Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba with its groundbreaking focus on black subject matter, outrageous sketches (Fire Marshall Bill, the naughty 'Men on Film' duo and the Homeboy Shopping Network) and Fly Girl dance segments.
22. Once & Again (1999-2002)
A dramatic Brady Bunch, Once revolved around divorced hotties Lily (Sela Ward) and Rick's (Billy Campbell) attempts to blend their families into one, while also enjoying their romance. The show's strength was its richly written characters -- nobody, even Rick and Lily's exes, was all good or all bad -- including Patrick Dempsey's pre-McDreamy Aaron, Lily's schizophrenic brother, and Rick's kids: Jessie (Evan Rachel Wood), a little girl lost, and Eli (Shane West), the brooding teen.
21. My So-Called Life (1994-1995)
MSCL packed much teen angst into its one perfect season. Angela Chase (Claire Danes) was misunderstood by her 'rents, sometimes at odds with her friends and in love with quintessential bad boy Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto), and the show's heart was that it treated these universal teen woes with sometimes painful poignancy, instead of dismissing them as the whiny musings of a high schooler.
20. Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
Teen queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) had issues, like prostitution and cocaine addiction, but her murder shed light on what turned out to be even more shocking revelations (her possessed daddy!) in this surreal drama. A devoted cult fan base wasn't enough to save the show, but Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) and his love of cherry pie and "damn fine coffee" at the Double R are permanently ensconced in pop culture.
19. Sports Night (1998-2000)
Aaron Sorkin's frenetic workplace dramedy set at a cable sports network bit the dust after two seasons, but not before earning a cult following who loved the snappy dialogue, the trademark Sorkin "walk and talks" and the sometimes funny, sometimes affecting relationships between anchor Casey (Peter Krause), producer Dana (Felicity Huffman), co-anchor pal Dan (Josh Charles) and the rest of the station crew.
18. Melrose Place (1992-1999)
It would be easier to list who didn't sleep with whom during this 90210 spin-off. The bed-hopping, back-stabbing, bomb-detonating, wig-ripping fun (and that was just Marcia Cross' Kimberly!) was ratcheted up a notch or 20 when Heather Locklear's Amanda joined the show at the end of season 1, and 'MP' became such a guilty pleasure that a Seinfeld plot revolved around Jerry denying he watched the show.
17. Murphy Brown (1988-1998)
Don't ask Dan Quayle, but brassy TV newser Murphy (Candice Bergen) was one of the '90s funniest women. In a 1992 speech, former veep Quayle slammed Murphy for being a single mom, and the show struck back in a hilarious season 5 premiere. Murphy later used her irreverent outlook to battle breast cancer, a storyline that health officials credited with pushing female viewers to get mammograms.
16. South Park (1997-present)
Potty-mouthed rants and pointed pop culture jabs are just funnier when they come from the mouths of animated fourth graders Stan, Kenny, Kyle and Cartman. Michael Jackson, 'Indiana Jones' and George Clooney have all drawn the boys' ire, and critics have to admit that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are equal-opportunity spoofers, striking at all sides in issues like terrorism, religion and sexuality.
15. Northen Exposure (1990-1995)
It started as a summer replacement series revolving around New Yorker Dr. Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow) and the quirky townsfolk who also populated the small Alaskan town of Cicely. Fleischman, obligated to practice in Alaska to repay a med school loan, never completely embraced his surroundings -- or love interest Maggie (Janine Turner) -- but viewers embraced the show, landing Exposure a spot in the CBS lineup for fall 1991.
14. Frasier (1993-2004)
A record-setting 37 Emmy wins; there's no arguing with that. Frasier was that rare TV hit, a smart, funny and often heartfelt comedy that was equally beloved by critics and fans. Between Cheers and its spin-off, Kelsey Grammer played pompous shrink Frasier Crane for 20 years, trading in Boston banter with Diane and Sam for Seattle squabbles with ex-cop dad Martin (John Mahoney) and fellow fussbudget bro Niles (David Hyde Pierce).
13. Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
Freaks, geeks, we hardly knew ye. Actually, the problem may have been that we knew them too well, as the very viewers who most identified with the dramedy were the ones who might have found those teenage memories to painful to re-bear. But the brilliance of F&G lives on, as several show alums -- producer Judd Apatow, stars Seth Rogen and James Franco -- continue to be major Hollywood players.
12. NYPD Blue (1993-2005)
It's no small feat that Blue kept fans tuning in season after season even after the deaths of favorites Jimmy Smits and Ricky Schroder and the exposing of Dennis Franz' exposed posterior. Those deaths and that nudity were among the show's controversial trademarks, as the boundary-pushing drama never shied away from the more shocking aspects, particularly for tragedy-prone Sipowicz, of cop life.
11. Law & Order (1990-present)
Like its NBC brethren ER, L&O has also been marked by frequent cast changes and a slew of celeb guest stars. But the real beauty of the New York City-set procedural, which is just a season away from tying Gunsmoke as the longest-running primetime drama, is its one-off storylines. Viewers get to see a crime investigation and prosecution, both completed, within one hour-long episode. Doink doink!
10. The Sopranos (1999-2007)
It was The Godfather on your TV every week, if the Corleone family had included Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico). Psycho gangster Paulie was just one of the "family" vs. family problems facing New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), whose anxiety from traitorous pals (R.I.P. Big *****), the FBI, his nagging wife (Edie Falco), his plotting mama (Nancy Marchand, RIP) and his many goomahs led him to seek the counsel of shrink Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco).
9. The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998)
The show-within-a-show had it all: Garry Shandling as talk show host Larry, Rip Torn and Jeremy Piven as irreverent staffers, and guest stars -- including David Duchovny, with his man crush on Larry -- who made self-spoofing cameos. The whole show, in fact, was one big insider joke on the Hollywood ego, led by vain, insecure Larry and Jeffrey Tambor as Hank, the hapless McMahon to Larry's Carson..
8. Homicide: Life on the Streets (1993-1999)
Great ensemble cast, critically acclaimed, but perpetually low-rated … it may have been because the series' focus on the grim realities of police work were too depressing. But one look at gems like season 6's 'Subway,' in which detectives have to investigate the possible murder of a man (guest Vincent D'Onofrio) whose death is imminent, will have TV fans running for the series on DVD.
7. Roseanne (1988-1997)
"Domestic goddess" Roseanne Barr didn't look like most sitcom moms, which was a key to the show's success. Roseanne was an honest portrayal of a struggling family who met challenges with healthy doses of humor, heart and sarcasm. She lived in a small town, but Roseanne was one hip mama, tackling class issues, race, domestic violence and, in one memorable kiss with Mariel Hemingway, lesbianism.
6. The X-Files (1993-2002)
Was the show, with FBI agents David Duchovny's Mulder (the believer) and Gillian Anderson's Scully (the skeptic) investigating paranormal-related cases, so popular because most of us don't believe in such goings-on, or because most of us do? The answer may be that the well-crafted, creepy drama probably flipped some viewers on both sides. Besides, we were always rooting for Mulder and Scully, those two crazy kids, to get together.
5. Friends (1994-2004)
Initially, the show was dissed by some as a Seinfeld wannabe. But Friends became one of the best comedies of the decade because of the incredible chemistry of the then unknown cast, which led to great on-screen moments with the Ross (David Schwimmer) 'n' Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) saga ('We were on a break!'), the surprisingly perfect match-up of Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) and, of course, Chandler's bromance with his pal Joey (Matt LeBlanc).
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
High school as hell? A brilliant metaphor that became even more humorous as teen monster-slayer Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) attended a school built on top of a portal to demonic dwellings. All the universal teen angst felt by Buffy and her "Scooby Gang" friends was mirrored in the show's plots, from womanizing boys who become literal monsters to soul-crushing (again, literally) first love.
3. The Simpsons (1989-present)
Bart Simpson may be proud of being an underachiever, but the same can't be said of the Emmy-winning 'toon, which, in 20 seasons, has become a sitcom classic. Bart, his dysfunctional kin -- dad Homer, mom Marge and sisters Lisa and Maggie -- and their kooky yellow-skinned fellow Springfieldians continue to cleverly spoof American families and culture while also making sweet observations about both.
2. ER (1994-2009)
It's famous for cast departures, big-name guest stars and setting George Clooney on his Oscar-winning path, but the heart of the longest-running primetime medical drama has always been ER's intensity and the County General staff's relationships, from the heartbreaking 'Love's Labor Lost' and Dr. Greene's (Anthony Edwards) death to the harsh helicopter-crushed Dr. Romano (Paul McCrane) and the tempestuous Hathaway (Julianna Margulies)-Ross love story.
1. Seinfeld (1990-1998)
It wasn't really a show about nothing, but Seinfeld did wring hilarity from things like Junior Mints, answering machines, a rude soup chef and autoerotic tendencies. One of the show's most endearing qualities is that Jerry, George (Jason Alexander), Kramer (Michael Richards) and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) were basically as selfish and un-endearing as they could be. Not that there's anything wrong with that, since it led to comedy gold. Gold, Jerry!
But this isn't any old list – our Top 40 TV Shows of the '90s is just the first in a new series of countdowns in which we'll put our AOL Television seal of approval on the top 40 series of every decade.
Every other month we'll tackle another decade, going all the way back to the '50s, to recall the best comedies (hello 'Lucy'), the best primetime soaps (do you remember who shot JR?), the best cop shows, animated series and groundbreaking TV shows.
So kick off 50 years of silver-screen bests with the greatest shows of the '90s, including everyone from 'Beavis,' 'Buffy' and 'Simpsons' to 'Freaks and Geeks' and teens on the 'Creek.' -- By Kimberly Potts
40. Party of Five (1994-2000)
Lost leading man Matthew Fox owes his career to this soapy drama, about five siblings who vow to raise each other after the deaths of their parents. Oldest bro Charlie (Fox) wasn't ready for the responsibility that was suddenly thrust upon him, nor were his sibs, which led to frequent heartbreak and the occasional triumph, as the Salinger clan (including Neve Campbell, Scott Wolf, Lacey Chabert and honorary member Jennifer Love Hewitt) tackled breakups, cancer, alcoholism and money woes.
39. Spin City (1996-2002)
Michael J. Fox had already proven his comedy chops with Family Ties and Back to the Future, so it was a treat to see him back on the tube in this well-written sitcom, in which his sharp deputy mayor Mike saves New York City Mayor Winston (Barry Bostwick) from making a boob of himself. Fox's Parkinson's disease forced him to leave the show in 2000, the year he nabbed his fourth Lead Actor Emmy.
38. Mad About You (1992-1999)
The Paul Reiser/Helen Hunt comedy centered on a little-explored slice of life: newly married thirtysomethings. With age may come wisdom, but Paul and Jamie Buchman learned they still had a lot to learn as they merged their lives into one New York apartment. Doses of pithy observations lent the show heft, while the Mad theme, Final Frontier, was a gem amongst the dying genre of TV theme songs.
37. Picket Fences (1992-1996)
The critical fave never won big ratings, perhaps scaring away viewers with its surreal tales of cows giving birth to humans and serial bathers. The series tackled more reality-based social issues too, but Wisconsinite sheriff Jimmy Brock (Tom Skerritt) and his doctor wife (Kathy Baker) tried to raise three children in a small town where freaky things frequently happened, especially to the town's mayors.
36. Dream On (1990-1996)
Long before The Sopranos were spewing profanities and flashing nasty bits on HBO, divorced book editor Martin Tupper (Brian Benben) was doing both on the cable network, as one of the first comedies to take advantage of the censor-free zone. Another show signature: the clips of old movies and TV shows that punctuated Martin's thoughts on fatherhood, work and ex-wife Judith (Wendie Malick).
35. The Real World (1992-present)
Who would have guessed Real World would still be on MTV, while music videos would be MIA? Still, one of the earliest reality series endures because many of us have grown up with the casts. And though the show is often charged with spawning the current glut of reality TV, it's also praised for bringing together diverse groups and tackling heavy topics like AIDS, alcoholism, religion and sexuality.
34. Ally McBeal (1997-2002)
Calista Flockhart became a star with her portrayal of idealistic, dancing-baby-loving attorney Ally, whose work was often a metaphor for what was going on in her own life. Her co-workers included her ex-boyfriend (Gil Bellows) and his new wife (Courtney Thorne-Smith), the Barry White-loving Cage (Peter MacNicol) and wattle-loving Fish (Greg Germann), though the gang's eccentricities eventually became the show's downfall as the series continued to go too over the top.
33. Will & Grace (1998-2002)
Will & Grace … or Jack & Karen? We'll vote for the latter, as co-stars Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally were forces of comic nature who stole every scene they were in. Stars Eric McCormack and Debra Messing as the titular gay guy and his platonic BFF, also shared incredible chemistry, as did second banana Shelley Morrison as Karen's feisty maid Rosario and guest stars like Matt Damon and Madonna.
32. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (1999-present)
The trivia show became a pop-culture phenomenon under original host Regis Philbin, whose performance while asking for contestants' "final answer" was so endearing that even his monochromatic shirt-and-tie combos became a hit. Meredith Vieira took over as host, but the show's main appeal continues to be that it looks deceptively easy at home, though, to date, only 11 players have won the ultimate prize.
31. OZ (1998-2003)
The graphic portrayal of life, death and man love in an experimental prison wasn't easy to watch, but it was always a compelling drama, with a deep bench of fascinating characters. Genius creator Tom Fontana took a few knocks for the show's brutal violence, but it was all part of the story for everyman inmate Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen), scheming Ryan O'Reily (Dean Winters), doomed hate monger Schillinger (J.K. Simmons) and tragic narrator Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau).
30. Beverly Hills 90210 (1990-2000)
Even pretty rich kids with fancy wardrobes and sports cars who live in big houses have problems: Donna's (Tori Spelling) kind of a dunce, Kelly's (Jennie Garth) kind of a ho, Dylan's (Luke Perry) kind of a psycho and Steve's (Ian Ziering) totally a tool. But when Minnesota twins Brandon (Jason Priestley) and Brenda (Shannen Doherty) arrive in Aaron Spelling's 90210, the rich kids finally learn what's truly important in life: Teen pinup superstardom. And Donna Martin graduating!
29. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
The first and best Trek spin-off revolved around Patrick Stewart's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who embarked on a seven-year journey on a new-school USS Enterprise (the Enterprise-D), seventy years after the era of Kirk and Spock. Among the changes for Picard's Emmy- and Peabody-winning crew: a Klingon (!) on-board the Enterprise, and a new line-up of baddies, including Borgs and the Ferengi.
28. Designing Women (1986-1993)
Often overshadowed by tabloid headlines about co-star Delta Burke's weight fluctuations, Women still earned multiple Emmy nods while unfolding the personal and professional lives of sassy Southern women Suzanne (Burke), Julia (Dixie Carter), Charlene (Jean Smart) and Mary Jo (Annie Potts), whose interior design business was the backdrop for discussions about men and Julia's frequent rants against things that insulted her liberal sensibilities.
27. The Practice (1997-2004)
Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott) had idealistic goals for his Boston law firm, until the cost of keeping the office afloat led him to richer, guiltier clients, like John Larroquette's murderous Joey Heric. A procession of scummier clients, and the firm's penchant for the vicious "Plan B," eventually made the intense drama tiresome, just in time to spin co-star James Spader off into Boston Legal.
26. Beavis and Butt-Head (1993-1997)
Uh … huh huh. This Mike Judge-created cartoon was about, like, teen Beavis and his friend Butt-Head, who like, sat around on their couch and made fun of videos and ate nachos and stuff. Huh huh … that was cool. They were like, dumb and dumber, which made it all that much funnier when they occasionally made a pithy observation while talking about things that suck (like Michael Bolton) or working at Burger World.
25. Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)
Before the Creek, TV teens were often grunting piles of raging hormones. But Dawson Leery (James Van der Beek) and his pals changed all that -- they added clever wordplay and cooler-than-you pop culture references to their hormone-fueled pursuit of sex, love and film festival admissions. Wannabe Spielberg Dawson did eventually get his film career, but not the girl: His female BFF Joey (Katie Holmes) ended up with his male BFF Pacey (Joshua Jackson).
24. China Beach (1988-1991)
One of the more unique dramas of the '90s presented the Vietnam War from a previously unexamined perspective: that of the women working at an evacuation hospital nicknamed China Beach. The feminine take didn't shy away from the gritty realities of the war and how they affected medical personnel, as exemplified through Dana Delany's Emmy-winning portrayal of Colleen McMurphy, a sensitive U.S. Army nurse.
23. In Living Color (1990-1994)
Damon and Keenan Wayans' variety show helped launch the careers of Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier, Jennifer Lopez, Rosie Perez and Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba with its groundbreaking focus on black subject matter, outrageous sketches (Fire Marshall Bill, the naughty 'Men on Film' duo and the Homeboy Shopping Network) and Fly Girl dance segments.
22. Once & Again (1999-2002)
A dramatic Brady Bunch, Once revolved around divorced hotties Lily (Sela Ward) and Rick's (Billy Campbell) attempts to blend their families into one, while also enjoying their romance. The show's strength was its richly written characters -- nobody, even Rick and Lily's exes, was all good or all bad -- including Patrick Dempsey's pre-McDreamy Aaron, Lily's schizophrenic brother, and Rick's kids: Jessie (Evan Rachel Wood), a little girl lost, and Eli (Shane West), the brooding teen.
21. My So-Called Life (1994-1995)
MSCL packed much teen angst into its one perfect season. Angela Chase (Claire Danes) was misunderstood by her 'rents, sometimes at odds with her friends and in love with quintessential bad boy Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto), and the show's heart was that it treated these universal teen woes with sometimes painful poignancy, instead of dismissing them as the whiny musings of a high schooler.
20. Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
Teen queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) had issues, like prostitution and cocaine addiction, but her murder shed light on what turned out to be even more shocking revelations (her possessed daddy!) in this surreal drama. A devoted cult fan base wasn't enough to save the show, but Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) and his love of cherry pie and "damn fine coffee" at the Double R are permanently ensconced in pop culture.
19. Sports Night (1998-2000)
Aaron Sorkin's frenetic workplace dramedy set at a cable sports network bit the dust after two seasons, but not before earning a cult following who loved the snappy dialogue, the trademark Sorkin "walk and talks" and the sometimes funny, sometimes affecting relationships between anchor Casey (Peter Krause), producer Dana (Felicity Huffman), co-anchor pal Dan (Josh Charles) and the rest of the station crew.
18. Melrose Place (1992-1999)
It would be easier to list who didn't sleep with whom during this 90210 spin-off. The bed-hopping, back-stabbing, bomb-detonating, wig-ripping fun (and that was just Marcia Cross' Kimberly!) was ratcheted up a notch or 20 when Heather Locklear's Amanda joined the show at the end of season 1, and 'MP' became such a guilty pleasure that a Seinfeld plot revolved around Jerry denying he watched the show.
17. Murphy Brown (1988-1998)
Don't ask Dan Quayle, but brassy TV newser Murphy (Candice Bergen) was one of the '90s funniest women. In a 1992 speech, former veep Quayle slammed Murphy for being a single mom, and the show struck back in a hilarious season 5 premiere. Murphy later used her irreverent outlook to battle breast cancer, a storyline that health officials credited with pushing female viewers to get mammograms.
16. South Park (1997-present)
Potty-mouthed rants and pointed pop culture jabs are just funnier when they come from the mouths of animated fourth graders Stan, Kenny, Kyle and Cartman. Michael Jackson, 'Indiana Jones' and George Clooney have all drawn the boys' ire, and critics have to admit that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are equal-opportunity spoofers, striking at all sides in issues like terrorism, religion and sexuality.
15. Northen Exposure (1990-1995)
It started as a summer replacement series revolving around New Yorker Dr. Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow) and the quirky townsfolk who also populated the small Alaskan town of Cicely. Fleischman, obligated to practice in Alaska to repay a med school loan, never completely embraced his surroundings -- or love interest Maggie (Janine Turner) -- but viewers embraced the show, landing Exposure a spot in the CBS lineup for fall 1991.
14. Frasier (1993-2004)
A record-setting 37 Emmy wins; there's no arguing with that. Frasier was that rare TV hit, a smart, funny and often heartfelt comedy that was equally beloved by critics and fans. Between Cheers and its spin-off, Kelsey Grammer played pompous shrink Frasier Crane for 20 years, trading in Boston banter with Diane and Sam for Seattle squabbles with ex-cop dad Martin (John Mahoney) and fellow fussbudget bro Niles (David Hyde Pierce).
13. Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
Freaks, geeks, we hardly knew ye. Actually, the problem may have been that we knew them too well, as the very viewers who most identified with the dramedy were the ones who might have found those teenage memories to painful to re-bear. But the brilliance of F&G lives on, as several show alums -- producer Judd Apatow, stars Seth Rogen and James Franco -- continue to be major Hollywood players.
12. NYPD Blue (1993-2005)
It's no small feat that Blue kept fans tuning in season after season even after the deaths of favorites Jimmy Smits and Ricky Schroder and the exposing of Dennis Franz' exposed posterior. Those deaths and that nudity were among the show's controversial trademarks, as the boundary-pushing drama never shied away from the more shocking aspects, particularly for tragedy-prone Sipowicz, of cop life.
11. Law & Order (1990-present)
Like its NBC brethren ER, L&O has also been marked by frequent cast changes and a slew of celeb guest stars. But the real beauty of the New York City-set procedural, which is just a season away from tying Gunsmoke as the longest-running primetime drama, is its one-off storylines. Viewers get to see a crime investigation and prosecution, both completed, within one hour-long episode. Doink doink!
10. The Sopranos (1999-2007)
It was The Godfather on your TV every week, if the Corleone family had included Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico). Psycho gangster Paulie was just one of the "family" vs. family problems facing New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), whose anxiety from traitorous pals (R.I.P. Big *****), the FBI, his nagging wife (Edie Falco), his plotting mama (Nancy Marchand, RIP) and his many goomahs led him to seek the counsel of shrink Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco).
9. The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998)
The show-within-a-show had it all: Garry Shandling as talk show host Larry, Rip Torn and Jeremy Piven as irreverent staffers, and guest stars -- including David Duchovny, with his man crush on Larry -- who made self-spoofing cameos. The whole show, in fact, was one big insider joke on the Hollywood ego, led by vain, insecure Larry and Jeffrey Tambor as Hank, the hapless McMahon to Larry's Carson..
8. Homicide: Life on the Streets (1993-1999)
Great ensemble cast, critically acclaimed, but perpetually low-rated … it may have been because the series' focus on the grim realities of police work were too depressing. But one look at gems like season 6's 'Subway,' in which detectives have to investigate the possible murder of a man (guest Vincent D'Onofrio) whose death is imminent, will have TV fans running for the series on DVD.
7. Roseanne (1988-1997)
"Domestic goddess" Roseanne Barr didn't look like most sitcom moms, which was a key to the show's success. Roseanne was an honest portrayal of a struggling family who met challenges with healthy doses of humor, heart and sarcasm. She lived in a small town, but Roseanne was one hip mama, tackling class issues, race, domestic violence and, in one memorable kiss with Mariel Hemingway, lesbianism.
6. The X-Files (1993-2002)
Was the show, with FBI agents David Duchovny's Mulder (the believer) and Gillian Anderson's Scully (the skeptic) investigating paranormal-related cases, so popular because most of us don't believe in such goings-on, or because most of us do? The answer may be that the well-crafted, creepy drama probably flipped some viewers on both sides. Besides, we were always rooting for Mulder and Scully, those two crazy kids, to get together.
5. Friends (1994-2004)
Initially, the show was dissed by some as a Seinfeld wannabe. But Friends became one of the best comedies of the decade because of the incredible chemistry of the then unknown cast, which led to great on-screen moments with the Ross (David Schwimmer) 'n' Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) saga ('We were on a break!'), the surprisingly perfect match-up of Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) and, of course, Chandler's bromance with his pal Joey (Matt LeBlanc).
4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
High school as hell? A brilliant metaphor that became even more humorous as teen monster-slayer Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) attended a school built on top of a portal to demonic dwellings. All the universal teen angst felt by Buffy and her "Scooby Gang" friends was mirrored in the show's plots, from womanizing boys who become literal monsters to soul-crushing (again, literally) first love.
3. The Simpsons (1989-present)
Bart Simpson may be proud of being an underachiever, but the same can't be said of the Emmy-winning 'toon, which, in 20 seasons, has become a sitcom classic. Bart, his dysfunctional kin -- dad Homer, mom Marge and sisters Lisa and Maggie -- and their kooky yellow-skinned fellow Springfieldians continue to cleverly spoof American families and culture while also making sweet observations about both.
2. ER (1994-2009)
It's famous for cast departures, big-name guest stars and setting George Clooney on his Oscar-winning path, but the heart of the longest-running primetime medical drama has always been ER's intensity and the County General staff's relationships, from the heartbreaking 'Love's Labor Lost' and Dr. Greene's (Anthony Edwards) death to the harsh helicopter-crushed Dr. Romano (Paul McCrane) and the tempestuous Hathaway (Julianna Margulies)-Ross love story.
1. Seinfeld (1990-1998)
It wasn't really a show about nothing, but Seinfeld did wring hilarity from things like Junior Mints, answering machines, a rude soup chef and autoerotic tendencies. One of the show's most endearing qualities is that Jerry, George (Jason Alexander), Kramer (Michael Richards) and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) were basically as selfish and un-endearing as they could be. Not that there's anything wrong with that, since it led to comedy gold. Gold, Jerry!