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Rugrats and Dexter's Laboratory get plenty of nostalgic attention, but they weren't alone in forming the pop culture touchstones inherent in every TV-obsessed '90s kid

90s Kids Shows, Real Monsters
1 of 16 Nickelodeon

1. Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (Nickelodeon 1994-1997)

The monsters-in-training of this Nicktoon delivered gross-out humor with a heart of gold.

2 of 16 PBS

2. Wishbone (PBS 1995-2001)

The cutest Jack Russell Terrier of all time, Wishbone provided a young audience with their first taste of literary classics such as Rip Van Winkle and Romeo and Juliet.

3 of 16 ABC

3. ReBoot (ABC/Cartoon Network 1994-2001)

By today's standards, ReBoot looks downright janky, but the first fully computer generated TV show was way ahead of its time, exploring the mysteries of computers that still make us wonder today.

4 of 16 Nickelodeon/Everett Collection

4. Cousin Skeeter (Nickelodeon 1998-2001)

Cousin Skeeter was pretty high concept: the brash cousin of young New York teen Bobby moves in with his family, and the cousin is...a puppet. It helps that Skeeter was pretty funny and Bobby (Robert Ri'chard) was a total teen dreamboat.

5 of 16 Cartoon Network/Everett Collection

5. Courage the Cowardly Dog (Cartoon Network 1999-2002)

Courage braved many a frightening situation for his beloved owner Muriel and her husband Eustace, lamenting, "The things I do for love!" way before Jaime Lannister ever did.

6 of 16 Disney Channel/Everett Collection

6. The Famous Jett Jackson (Disney Channel 1998-2001)

Jett Jackson is so famous and so cool he manages to convince the production of his hit TV series to move to North Carolina, so he can maintain a relatively normal life at home with his dad and friends. We still wish we were as famous and cool as the one and only Jett Jackson.

7 of 16 ABC

7. Pepper Ann (ABC 1997-2000)

Peppered with the titular character's elaborate daydreams, Pepper Ann offered a pretty true understanding of what it's like to be a middle school girl.

8 of 16 The WB/Photofest

8. Smart Guy (The WB 1997-1999)

Tia and Tamera weren't the only Mowrys to have a hit '90s sitcom. Tahj Mowry starred as the smart guy in question, a child genius moved up to high school alongside his older brother.

9 of 16 Warner Bros./Everett Collection

9. Histeria! (Kids’ WB 1998-2000)

A lot of the historical satire from Histeria! may have gone over younger viewers' heads, but that doesn't mean historical "facts" like the Cold War being just a snowball fight aren't still pretty funny.

10 of 16 Cartoon Network/Everett Collection

10. Ed, Edd n Eddy (Cartoon Network 1999-2009)

Three friends all named Ed get into the type of trouble bored boys playing in the neighborhood cul-de-sac get into. Straddling the fine line between edgy and juvenile, this cartoon gave '90s kids a rich intro to absurdist comedy.

11 of 16 NIckelodeon/Everett Collection

11. The Secret World of Alex Mack (Nickelodeon 1994-1998)

We could all relate to Alex Mack's growing pains, although most of us don't literally turn into puddles of burping bubbles. Her ability to deal with her chemical spill-aided powers also made us less freaked out by chemical waste than we probably should be.

12 of 16 TBS

12. SWAT Kats (TBS 1993-1995)

Anthropomorphic felines masquerade as Batman-esque vigilantes to save their city from snake-cat monsters and other baddies. Yes, your memories of this are real. This actually happened

13 of 16 Warner Bros./Everett Collection

13. Freakazoid! (The WB 1995-1997)

Like Bizarro to Superman, Freakazoid! served as a clever contrast to the darker Batman: The Animated Series. Unsurprisingly, Batman writers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini are also responsible for this freaky, manic hero.

14 of 16 Disney/Photofest

14. Recess (ABC 1997-2001)

Easily the most hilarious and accurate portrayal ever of the elaborate social mores ruling structured school recreation time. Also, maybe the only series ever dedicated to recess.

15 of 16 PBS

15. Ghostwriter (PBS 1992-1995)

Ghostwriter isn't just that PBS show with Julia Stiles as a teenage hacker. It's also a refreshingly diverse portrayal of kids solving mysteries, aided by a friendly ghostly bibliophile.

16 of 16 Disney

16. The Lion King’s Timon & Pumbaa (CBS 1995-1999)

Easily the best of the '90s Disney movie spinoffs. Along with Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa, Nathan Lane reprised his iconic meerkat role and landed a 1996 Emmy win for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program.