Top 10 Awesome TV Shows Only '90s Kids Will Remember

There were a ton of “Power Rangers” rip-offs during the ‘90s, drawing footage from Japanese Tokusatsu to create weird hybrid stories. Few of them worked out. But one of the few to do its own effects and story was “Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog.” The show drew on Irish mythology and featured a team of four unlikely knights battling an evil queen who threatens their kingdom. “Tir Na Nog” has a surprisingly good story, and some great action and effects for the time. Unfortunately, it only lasted one season, and fans were left on a cliffhanger. Still, the magic of this series is worth revisiting, or discovering for the first time.

On “Fox Kids,” also the home of “X-Men” and “Batman: The Animated Series,” children could tune in to watch a show about a frazzled purple cat. The titular Eek is an unfailingly helpful feline, whose good nature usually lands him in a huge mess of trouble. The show also featured a lot of pop culture parodies which went completely over our heads as kids, but which you’ll probably easily understand now. Later on in its run, “Eek!” featured several additional shows under its umbrella, including “The Terrible Thunderlizards” and “Klutter,” making it three forgotten shows for the price of one!

Ever wondered what Howie Mandel did before “America’s Got Talent?” This. Well, other stuff, but this too. Mandel voices the titular character Bobby, a kid with an overactive imagination, as well as the boy’s father…and himself in live-action segments that bookend the show. Yeah, it gets pretty weird. “Bobby’s World” follows Bobby, as well as his eccentric family members in their daily lives and all the strange hijinks that they and Bobby get up to. Despite running for a long time, it isn’t well remembered. Which is surprising, because its theme song is aggressively memorable!

A Nickelodeon sci-fi series, “Space Cases” follows a group of students from different planets who become trapped on an alien ship, along with several teachers, and their attempts to get home. This one flew under a lot of our radars, since it only lasted a year, but it was a quality show. Well, granted it was made on a shoestring budget, but that only made the excellence of its writing, and some of its guest stars, like Mark Hamil and George Takei, that much more impressive. Plus it helped launch Jewel Staite’s career appearing in cult-hit sci-fi shows!

Any Disney fan worth their salt knows about “A Goofy Movie,” but somewhat less well-known is the TV show that inspired it. “Goof Troop” follows Goofy the dog as a single father raising his son Max, as well as their friendship with their neighbors. A sitcom starring Goofy had to be a weird sell, but it turned out great! The contrast between Max and Goofy’s personalities leads to a lot of humor, as does their neighbor Pete’s love-hate relationship with Goofy. The show certainly helped reinvigorate Goofy as a character and created some lasting Disney favorites. “Goof Troop” may not have stayed ‘best of friends forever’ with our collective attention, but it’s still a jam – much like its theme song.

While most probably dismissed it as another “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” clone when it first aired, “Samurai Pizza Cats” is something else entirely! It was originally intended to be an English version of the anime “Cat Ninja Legend Teyandee”, but translation difficulties led localizers to just make up their own dialogue. The result is a hilarious parody action series with American pop culture references and a ton of original gags. “Samurai Pizza Cats” has a bit of a cult following, and there are plenty of ‘90s kids who know exactly who to call when they want some pepperoni.

PBS dared to wonder how to introduce children to classic literature. The answer was surprisingly simple – just make the lead characters a cute dog! “Wishbone” follows the titular terrier as he imagines himself in various roles from famous books. The stories told may be condensed versions of the real books, but the show never shies away from serious subject matter, while remaining a funny and entertaining program for kids. Rumors of a film adaptation have us hoping that more people than just ‘90s kids will be asking “what’s the story Wishbone?” in the future.

When most people think Hanna-Barbera, they think classic “Scooby-Doo” or “The Flintstones.” However, the company also made one of the ‘90s’ most underrated adventure series! “The Pirates of Dark Water” is set in a fantasy world and follows a motley crew seeking to free the world of Mer from Dark Water. In their way stand pirates and supernatural forces. The show creates an impressive original fantasy world and features some compelling characters and storylines. Fans have long lamented that it was canceled before it could reach a conclusion, but they still treasure what adventures they got.

Yes, this is a real show and that’s actually what it’s called. Truly we have peaked as a species. “Biker Mice from Mars” is one of many shows that capitalized on “Ninja Turtles”, making it clear that anthropomorphic animals and action go together like chocolate and peanut butter. The show follows a trio of motorcycle enthusiast rodents from the Red Planet, on Earth after their own world was devastated by aliens. When those same aliens target Earth, the Biker Mice use their motorcycles, signature weapons, and cyborg enhancements to battle them and protect the planet. While there was a revival in the late 2000s, the original is better remembered, if still rather obscure.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“California Dreams” (1992-96)
“Saved by the Bell” Clone? Maybe. But We Still Watched It Anyway

“The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper” (1996-98)
A Spin-Off of the 90s “Casper” Movie That Was Also Largely Forgotten

“Life with Louie” (1994-98)
A Cartoon Based Around the Childhood of Comedian Louie Anderson Still Seems Weird

“The Adventures of Pete & Pete” (1991-96)
Suburban Weirdness & Fourth Wall Breaks Galore!

“Phantom 2040” (1994-96)
A Pulp Adventure Hero…of the Future!

Mystery shows for kids are few and far between and one of the best is “Ghostwriter.” The show follows a group of kids who solve mysteries with the aid of the titular ghost. The only catch is that the ghost can only use writing to communicate. The hints it gave the kids made solving the case for those at home a little easier and gave “Ghostwriter” its own spin on the supernatural mystery genre. And did we mention that Samuel L. Jackson is in it? The show has recently been remade, but the original remains near and dear to those of us who grew up at the tail end of the last millennium.