Well, hello there, champ! Ready for a chuckle-inducing rollercoaster ride through the ’90s? Hop on my magic comedy carpet, Pikachu, because we’re going back in time, sweeter than a Backstreet Boy’s haircut! If you dig Cory Matthews’ escapades in “Boy Meets World”, we have a treasure chest of similar jovial gems from the golden era. So sticky-tape your sides, Bob, cause we’re going to split them with laughter!
Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo, first on the list is “Full House”. Whoa-ho-hooooaaa there, Buddy! “Full House”? I hear ya saying. Yep! “Full House” – A sterling, squeaky clean, family-centered comical saga that ran from 1987 to 1995. What? Not the 90s? Well, so what if it began in the 80s? It bled well into the best decade or did I miss the memo? Now, if Boy Meets World had you lulled into dreamtime, then Full House is DEFINITELY your cup of tea, kinda like a fun-packed Cosby Show on speed, without the sweaters and jello pudding pops.
Think of it! A widowed newscaster daddy, his Elvis-impersonating brother-in-law, and his comedian buddy singlehandedly raising three adorable daughters in a San Francisco townhouse- who wouldn’t have a blast? A stellar, legendary show packed with enough feel-good mojo to make a canned laughter machine go on overdrive. AND believe me, buddy, it had the most memorable mnemonic theme song this side of the Northern Hemisphere, “Everywhere you look, everywhere you go…”.
Onto number two! Hold on tight, ’cause we’re zipping on over to the magic neighborhood of “Family Matters” airing from 1989 to 1998. What?! Another one that isn’t strictly 90s you say? Remember the memo! You’ve got big-hearted Carl Winslow, a Chicago cop, his 80’s power dressing wife and their three kids, but the show was absolutely ZZded, zuped, zanked away by the breakout character of the century, Steve Urkel. That’s right, nothing screams ’90s comedy like a high-waisted, suspendered, four-eyed genius with an obsession for cheese. Even got his own dance, ‘the Urkel’, quite the jig, really.
The third magical lamp on the journey, ladies, and gentlemen, is “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”, aired from ’96 till oh-3. Starring the fizzy Melissa Joan Hart – remember Clarissa darling, she does explain it all – Sabrina gave “Boy Meets World” fans that ‘slice of life’ view, but with a sprinkle of wizardry, woah! Its extraordinary blend of teenage angst, snappy one-liners, and magical calamities had audiences cackling louder than Sabrina’s 500-year-old aunts. And of course, Salem, the world’s sassiest warlock-turned-cat, stole the show – and probably the decade.
Strike Four – and boom goes the dynamite! You’re going to love this one: “Saved by The Bell”, all aboard Bayside High from 1989 to 1992. Like “Boy Meets World,” “Saved by the Bell” dealt with life’s troubles and victories against a high school backdrop, with all the rad fashion and swell hairstyles of the late ’80s and early ’90s. And who could forget the enigmatic Zack Morris, who could stop time by just calling ‘timeout’! Where was he when I needed the extra sleep, eh? Quadrangle love triangles, comic scheming, and hilarious harebrained scenarios that just scream ‘watch me with a bowl of sugary cereal on a Saturday morning.’
Our final stop, numero cinco, the lollapalooza of ’90s sitcom cool “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”. From Uncle Phil’s hearty chuckles to Carlton’s legendary dance moves – it’s NONSTOP hilarity with a pinch of poignant life-lessons here and there, why, it’s like “Boy Meets World” got a funky fresh makeover straight out of West Philly! Will Smith’s breakout role, the oft-quoted one-liners, and a theme song that’s an earworm like no other, it’ll make you shake your body down to the ground, just like good ol’ MJ.
Now, to the crux – If I was to initiate someone into the badge-wearing group of the ’90s comedy, my personal recommendation? It’s a toughie, it’s tougher than trying to decide which Spice Girl to be, but I’d have to say… drumroll please…. “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”. It’s a summation of everything that makes a ’90s comedy great – rambunctious fun, belly laugh-inducing scripts, memorable characters, and iconic ’90s charm. It tackled social issues without losing its light-hearted flavor and featured a brilliant ensemble cast that still feels as fresh today as they did then. Ah, and let’s not forget the glorious fashion exemplar, courtesy Will Smith.
So, whether it’s the laughter-infused Full House, the wacky Family Matters, the enchanting Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the lively Saved by the Bell, or the fantastically Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the ’90s offered a banquet of laugh-out-loud shows to tickle your funny bone. It’s like a double-dip of joy, topped with a cherry of chuckles. Now, hop off my magical comedy carpet and let the binge begin! Your belly is going to ache from all the laughing, trust me, I’m a jinn not a doctor!
