The Most Essential Teen Shows of the '90s

Nothing defined the '90s television landscape quite like the teen TV boom. While the wave of content continued into the 2000s and still persists – albeit in smaller ripples – to this day, the sub-genre undeniably began in the 90s and shaped the decade accordingly. From the very first moment that the Walsh twins stepped foot in the 90210 zip code, television was forever changed. Both hour-long dramas and half-hour comedies caught onto the trend and, by the mid-90s, nearly every major network had at least one hit teen series on its hands. And what better tropes to capture audiences' attention in such a major way? Who doesn't remember their first high school heartbreak or the life-or-death emotions of learning to drive a car? It's a wholly universal adventure, even if some of the shows don't necessarily reflect real life and instead serve to remind adult viewers of the experiences that they wish they had.  

From the decade-long drama that started it all to the shows that were canceled far too soon, we've compiled the 10 best, most popular, and most influential teen shows of the '90s. (Of note: shows that started in the '80s, like Saved by the Bell, and series wherein the main characters don't start as high school students, including Boy Meets World and Felicity, were excluded from consideration.)

Most of the great teen TV dramas trace back to Beverly Hills, 90210, which not only kicked off the '90s but also ran for the full 10 years. The series, from Sex and the City creator Darren Star, follows the lives of the wealthy youth of Beverly Hills. While the cast underwent some major changes over the decade, the show started off with twins (Jason Priestly and Shannen Doherty) whose move from Minneapolis to the Hills results in quite a bit of culture shock as they attempt to adjust to the privileged lifestyle of their West Beverly Hills High School peers. Catty, melodramatic, and thoroughly addictive, the series launched several spin-offs and sequels, including Melrose Place. The show's impact is clearly felt in the early aughts as well, with shows like The O.C. and Gossip Girl exploring similar themes of wealth and excess.

Just north of Beverly Hills is Bel-Air, the new home of Will Smith's character in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show, which debuted less than a month before 90210, picks up after teenage Will is sent to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in Bel-Air following a frightening confrontation in his West Philadelphia neighborhood. The show documents Will's journey adjusting to his new family and school life. Although it's a sitcom, some of the most memorable episodes throughout the show's six-season-long run were the more serious storylines, like when Will briefly reunites with his absent father and when Uncle Phil (James Avery) has a heart attack. While The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is best known for launching Smith's long and lucrative career, the series is also a compelling depiction of class differences and identity.

While this might be an unconventional pick for the list, the impact of Are You Afraid of the Dark? on teen TV is undeniable. The show, which has since spawned two revival series, is a decidedly spooky spin on the teen drama. The Nickelodeon series follows a group of teens, the self-dubbed "Midnight Society," who meet in the woods at night to share scary stories. While many of the stories were inspired by legends and popular fairy tales, others were rooted in the real life happenings in the teens' lives. Sound a bit like Netflix's The Midnight Club? Co-creator Mike Flanagan revealed that he was "profoundly" inspired by the series when adapting Christopher Pike's books for the small screen. R.L. Stine's original Goosebumps TV series also has similar spooky tones and many more recent teen-centric horror franchises contain hints of the endlessly influential Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Although it only lasted one season, My So-Called Life had a profound impact on teen TV and the greater pop culture consciousness. The legacy of Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto) alone is still visible every time the bad boy heartthrob trope is employed. The series follows Angela Chase (Claire Danes), an average 15-year-old in Pittsburgh, as she navigates the angsty waters of high school and tests out her rebellious side. A drama at heart, My So-Called Life was best known for its lengthy exploration of controversial subjects, including substance abuse and infidelity. The show, which unfortunately aired at the same time as ratings juggernauts Mad About You and Friends, gained critical acclaim but was ultimately shuttered after 19 episodes.

While sometimes forgotten in the grand scheme of '90s teen TV, Party of Five was a seminal part of the genre. The show was made in the same tragedy-driven vein as Full House: when his parents suddenly die, irresponsible 24-year-old Charlie Salinger (Matthew Fox) must assume legal responsibility for his four siblings. Raising two teens, a tween, and a baby proves to be difficult, especially for someone who's barely an adult himself, but the five Salinger kids (including Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell, and Lacey Chabert) slowly learn to help each other through their respective experiences growing up. The show also introduced Jennifer Love Hewitt to the world and even briefly gave her a short-lived spinoff series.

After getting ordered and dropped by CBS, Moesha was picked up by the burgeoning UPN subsidiary in the mid-'90s. The show helped define the network, which later merged with The WB to create The CW, one of the most prolific and consequential networks in the teen TV game. In short, Moesha is essential to the DNA of teen TV today. The sitcom, which first introduced Brandy Norwood to audiences as more than just a singing talent, follows a teen as she grapples with both her home and school life after her widower father marries Dee (Sheryl Lee Ralph), a faculty member at her high school. As she and her brother attempt to adjust to their new family life and keep their late mother in mind, Moesha faces the everyday high school trials of crushes and classes. While the series is remembered for jumping the shark a bit in the last two seasons when it was revealed that Moesha had a secret half-brother, the show was never short of laughs or heartfelt storylines.

As the '90s wore on, teen dramas and comedies became slightly more experimental with genres. Inspired by the Archie Comics of the same name, Sabrina the Teenage Witch brought some magic and fun to the teen subgenre. The series followed Sabrina Spellman (Melissa Joan Hart), whose 16th birthday brought with it news that she is a witch with magical powers. Sabrina struggles to balance the everyday challenges of high school with learning how to control her powers and keep them a secret (getting a Witch's License was not on her original agenda). Fortunately, she has her witch aunts and talking cat, Salem, to help her find her way through. Charming and clever, the show became such a universal hit that Britney Spears even made a cameo on the series at the height of her fame.

If there's anything that this list proves, it's that high school is hard enough on its own. Add in a Chosen One designation as a Slayer – a fighter of vampires, demons, and other nefariously supernatural beings – and it's nearly impossible to survive. At least, that's the case for Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The story picks up fresh off of Buffy's matriculation to Sunnydale High, as she attempts to lead a normal life amidst her evening Slayer duties. With the help of her best friends Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Xander (Nicholas Brendan), as well as her Watcher Giles (Anthony Head), Buffy comes to find some semblance of balance in her teen years. The series seamlessly blends its comedy, drama, and fantasy components to create one of the most original shows of the '90s. Profoundly influential and beloved, the series is often regarded as one of the best TV shows of all time.

Even if you've somehow never seen an episode of Dawson's Creek, you can probably sing the theme song by heart – it was that omnipresent in its heyday. Like the best teen dramas, the show was a soapy romance at heart. It followed Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), a sensitive teenager living in a small Massachusetts town, where he worked at a video store with his best friend, Pacey (Joshua Jackson). Just as he contends with his growing feelings for his childhood best friend, Joey (Katie Holmes), a new girl comes to town (Michelle Williams) and creates one of the great love triangles of TV. Together with Buffy, Dawson's Creek helped give The WB its name and, like Moesha, created a foundation for the eventual programming that would define The CW and helped shepherd the teen drama craze of the '90s into the 2000s.

One the greatest teen series of all time is also one of the most upsettingly short-lived. Freaks and Geeks follows Lindsay (Linda Cardellini) and her younger brother, Sam (John Francis Daley), as they struggle to fit into their respective friend groups in high school. While Sam is close with the same "geeks" he was friends with in middle school, Lindsey attempts to break away from her studious good girl personality by befriending her school's slacker "freaks." Created by Paul Feig and executive produced by Judd Apatow, the series featured an all-star young cast including James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and Busy Philipps. Although the show only aired 12 out of 18 episodes before it was unceremoniously canceled, it went on to gain a cult-like following and remains a beloved classic.