A Look Back: Sitcoms of the 90's

Will Smith needs to get credit here for a great job holding the show together for so long, and through an acting change with one of the major characters (Aunt Vivian.) Carlton, Hillary, and Uncle Phil all were played by very funny actors who made their characters stand out amongst the crowd. This show dealt with a wide ranging amount of issues, including poverty, single mothers, importance of education, dating, and family interaction.

Grade: A

Boy Meets World

This cult classic was a great show for the youth. It dealt with issues facing kids today, but did it in a positive way. Cory, Shawn, and Topanga were all great characters, along with Alan Matthews and philosophizing neighbor George Feeny. The first three seasons of the sitcom were outstanding, and the fourth was solid, however after a complete direction change when the actors aged, seasons 5-7 were abysmal and a disgrace to what the show once was. It's almost unfair to even count the last 2 seasons as part of the show because it got so far out of hand. It was amazing to see a show that was one of the best of all time, turn into one of the worst. The first 4 seasons dealt with major issues such as teen drinking, sex, friendship, abandoned youth, and differential in family classes. The last 2 seasons dealt with recycled garbage that was more about image then substance.

Grade: B+

Family Matters

A goodhearted sitcom that consisted of main characters; Carl Winslow and Steve Urkel. The sitcom lasted for 9 seasons, and had a range of directions. Some worked better than others. Steve's obsession with Laura Winslow at times got a bit repetitive and childish, especially when he magically switches egos in the middle of an episode. However overall, the show dealt with a wide variety of issues in a humorous yet wholesome way.

Grade: B

Kenan and Kel

Kenan and Kel was a very well made sitcom. The acting from the two "All that" cast members was superb, and they had great chemistry on the set. The characters portrayed as Kenan's parents also did a very nice job. Although the show didn't really deal with many serious issues, it was very fun to watch. It was a feel good show that was strictly about comedy. Another great thing about the sitcom is that it wasn't about trends and remained wholesome.

Grade: B

Saved By the Bell

The high school comedy was saturated with unrealism, and overblown stereotypes. Despite this something about the show made it intriguing to watch. The characters of Kelly, Zach, and AC Slater along with Screech and Lisa did enough to create a fictional environment that was attractive to many viewers. It dealt with some big issues and definitely had a compassionate side to it. It was a show that people looked at and thought "I wish life was really like this."

Grade: C+

Full House

Danny Tanner gets down on one knee and explains to his daughter that everything is going to be alright. They hug and make some jokes. You have just read the end to almost every episode in the history of the sitcom. Nevertheless, the unrealism of the fact that three grown men, a single dad with three kids, and another married man with two kids, all live in the same house and are all financially stable is not enough to dilute the core values of the show. If you are able to look past the annoying sayings of Bob Saget and Dave Coulier, the ego of John Stamos, and the strange acting of Andrea Barber (Kimmy) then you just might get a laugh or ten.

Grade: C

7^th Heaven

The show that tried to be hip with a good message may have been the main transition from the great sitcoms of the 90's to the not so great sitcoms of the current day. Regardless of that, this show was one of the most infuriating of all time. The youth characters were trendy and annoying, and the parents may have been worse than the kids, as difficult of a task as that is. Hey Eric and Annie Camden, are you humans? In fairness to the writers, they may have actually been trying to help kids face the issues of the current day, and hopefully were successful at it. Nevertheless when it compares to the previous sitcoms, it just does not match up.

Grade: D+