Summary

  • The 90s sitcoms are known for their relatable storylines and humor, focusing on friendships and families in relatable settings.
  • Many of these sitcoms have stood the test of time and continue to be popular today, with some even being revived and rebooted.
  • Some of the most iconic sitcoms of all time came from the 90s, launching the careers of their stars and leaving a lasting impact on television.

The best 90s sitcoms show why the decade that changed television forever, especially when it came to comedy. Many of these shows involve a slice-of-life approach to humor, focusing on groups of friends or families in relatable settings. The idea of friendships leading sitcoms was a popular idea starting in the '70s, but in the '90s this set-up began to dominate the genre. The 90s not only has some of the best sitcoms of the time, but some of these sitcoms go down in history as the best TV shows of all time, launching the careers of some of their stars in the process.

The 1990s is a nostalgic age for sitcoms, even for viewers who didn't grow up in the decade. These are sitcoms that most people would recognize if they grew up watching television, and many have seen revivals and reboots thanks to their lasting popularity over two decades later. The characters and storylines were relatable while tugging at viewers' heartstrings and making them laugh. It's hard to compare any sitcom to the ones that existed in the ‘90s. The power of ‘90s sitcoms is still strong today, especially as many are now finding new life on streaming platforms.

30 Step By Step (1991-1998)

7 Seasons, 160 Episodes

Step By Step cast, including Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Somers, at dining room table.

Two well-known television stars of the 1980s teamed up in 1991 for a new sitcom called Step by Step. Suzanne Somers (Threes Company) and Patrick Duffy (Dallas) star as a widowed salon owner and a divorced contractor who meet and marry while vacationing in Jamaica. The sitcom bears a strong similarity to one of the most popular sitcoms in history, The Brady Bunch, with the focus being on bringing two families together and learning how to survive as one big blended family. This 90's sitcom lasted for seven seasons and coasted by on the star power of Duffy and Somers.

Step By Step is available to stream on Max.

29 Family Matters (1989-1998)

9 Seasons, 215 Episodes

Steve Urkel from Family Matters wearing suspenders and glasses, in mid-sentence.

Family Matters might be best known, for better or worse, for one of its supporting characters — Steve Urkel (Jaleel White). The sitcom itself is a spinoff from Perfect Strangers and was part of the successful TGIF block of programming on ABC in the 90s. The show focuses on the Winslow family, with Reginald VelJohnson as Carl and Jo Marioe Payton as Harriette, as well as their three kids.

However, it was nerdy neighbor Urkel who stole the show with his "Did I do that" catchphrase becoming a popular one in the 90s. The show lasted for nine seasons, with the final one airing on CBS instead of ABC. White won two NAACP Awards for playing Urkel.

Family Matters is available to stream on Max.

28 Mad About You (1992-1999)

8 Seasons, 176 Episodes

Ellen with Paul & Jamie in Mad About You.
Mad About You
Sitcom

Release Date
September 23, 1992
Cast
Paul Reiser
Seasons
1

Mad About You premiered in 1992 with Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt in the lead roles as a married couple living in New York City. Newlyweds, Paul and Jamie go through their daily lives, dealing with everyday problems, a unique sitcom at the time that dealt with a family without kids. However, that all changes when they have a baby daughter near the end of the show's run. The series lasted for eight seasons and was very successful, not only picking up big ratings but also winning four Golden Globe Awards and 12 Primetime Emmy Awards. The show also received a revival in 2019, although it struggled to match its previous success.

27 Coach (1989-1997)

9 Seasons, 200 Episodes

Coach Hayden Fox pointing at someone in Coach

Years before he took on a role in Parenthood, Craig T. Nelson played college football coach Hayden Fox in the ABC sitcom Coach. The series focuses on Fox's life as a football coach while reconnecting with his daughter (Clare Carey), whom his ex-wife raised, who moves closer to him as she begins college herself. While the family dynamic plays a small role in the sitcom, the biggest laughs and best moments came with Fox dealing with his football players and assistant coaches, specifically with Jerry Van Dyke playing his top assistant, Luther. There were a ton of cameos from real-life football stars and Coach won two Primetime Emmys.

Coach is available to stream on Roku.

26 Boy Meets World (1993-2000)

7 Seasons, 158 Episodes

Shawn and Mr. Turner Shaking Hands in Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Sitcom

Release Date
September 24, 1993
Cast
Ben Savage , William Daniels , Will Friedle , Rider Strong , Lee Norris , Lindsay Ridgeway , Danielle Fishel , Alex Désert , Maitland Ward
Seasons
7

Boy Meets World arrived in 1993 and lasted for seven seasons on ABC. Ben Savage took on the lead role of Cory Matthews, who starts out the show as a young pre-teen and progresses to adulthood throughout the seven years the show was on TV. Each episode deals with Cory's life at home and school as he navigates his teenage years and learns valuable lessons along the way. This was part of the TGIF block of comedies on ABC, and it picked up several nominations at the Young Artist Awards throughout its entire run. In 2012, Disney brought it back with the spinoff Girl Meets World, which lasted for three seasons.

Boy Meets World is available to stream on Disney+.

25 Wings (1990-1997)

8 Seasons, 172 Epiosdes

A cast promo image from Wings.

Wings was one of the first big sitcoms to premiere at the start of the 1990s. The show follows two pilot brothers, Joe and Brian Hackett (Tim Daly and Steven Weber) who fly out of a small two-airline airport in Massachusetts. Almost every episode takes place inside the airport itself. The series also has some huge names early in their careers, including Thomas Haden Church and Tony Shalhoub. The storylines follow their mishaps while running the airport, Joe's relationship with Helen, who works at the lunch counter, and a rivalry with a larger airline. Wings picked up a pair of Emmy nominations and is set in the same fictional universe as Cheers and Frasier.

Wings is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video

24 Blossom (1990-1995)

5 Seasons, 114 Episodes

Mayim Bialik in Blossom

Before she took on the role of Amy in Big Bang Theory, Mayim Bialik starred as the title character in the 90's sitcom Blossom. She plays a teenage girl who lives with her single dad and two older brothers. Living in this male-dominated household, Blossom has to find her own way in the world while dealing with her brother's problems and idiosyncrasies. However, while this was Bialik's show, her brother Joey stole the show. Played by Joey Lawrence, his catchphrase of "Whoa" became a standard across many schoolyards and workplaces in the 90s. Blossom stands out for its use of fantasy sequences, with Blossom often living in this daydream world.

Blossom is available to stream on Hulu.

23 Living Single (1993-1998)

5 Seasons, 118 Episodes

The cast of Living Single posing together

Friends might not exist without Living Single, as many have ponited out that Living Single set the template for what Friends ended up becoming. The storyline was almost the same, with six New York City friends living in a Brooklyn brownstone and navigating their personal and professional lives in the Big Apple. The one big difference is that Living Single tells the same story but with a predominantly Black cast, led by Queen Latifa and Kim Fields. While Friends was a massive success, Living Single lasted for five seasons and picked up three Image Awards wins in six nominations.

Living Single is available to stream on Max.

22 Married... with Children (1987-1997)

11 Seasons, 259 Episodes

Cast of Married...With Children sitting on an old couch
Married... With Children
Sitcom

Release Date
April 5, 1987
Cast
Ed O'Neill , Katey Sagal , Amanda Bearse , Christina Applegate , David Faustino , Ted McGinley
Seasons
11

Married... with Children was one of the most successful sitcoms of the 90s that didn't rely on heartwarming families or life lessons. Instead, the Bundy family gained a huge audience thanks to its raunchy and slapstick storylines concerning their lack of any sense of morality. Al Bundy is a former high school football star who is now a shoe salesman who hates his life. Peggy is his wife, who is lazy and has little drive. Kelly is their beautiful yet clueless daughter and Bud is their wise-cracking, but equally clueless son. This 90's sitcom lasted for 259 episodes and, while controversial for its content, went on to become beloved as a cult classic.

Married... with Children is available to stream on Hulu.

21 Roseanne (1988-1997)

10 Seasons, 231 Episodes

Roseanne
Comedy
Drama

Release Date
October 18, 1988
Cast
Roseanne Barr , John Goodman , Laurie Metcalf , Sara Gilbert , Lecy Goranson , Michael Fishman
Seasons
10

Roseanne was one of the most-watched sitcoms in the 90s through its 10-season run. Co-created by Roseanne Barr, she plays Roseanne Conner, a wife and mother in a blue-class hard-working family. The show reached the top of the Nielsen charts during its run and was always in the top 10 most-watched shows for all 10 seasons. The show was mostly a success because it focused on a family who struggled to make ends meet, yet never quit - something that was uplifting for many TV viewers in America. On top of its ratings success, Roseanne also picked up 14 Golden Globe nominations, winning three, and 27 Emmy nominations, winning four.

Roseanne is available to stream on Peacock Premium.

20 Saved By The Bell (1989-1993)

4 Seasons, 86 Episodes

Kristy embraces Zack in the gym in Saved By The Bell
Saved By the Bell
Comedy

Release Date
August 20, 1989
Cast
Tiffani-Amber Thiessen , Mario Lopez , Mark-Paul Gosselaar , Lark Voorhies , Dustin Diamond , Elizabeth Berkley , Ed Alonzo , Dennis Haskins
Seasons
4

Saved by the Bell was only on for four seasons, but it's one of the most beloved sitcoms from the '90s. The series follows high school students, Zack Morris, A C Slater, Kelly Kapowski, and their friends at Bayside High. Saved by the Bell is relatable and helped popularize teen sitcoms of the era, which was followed by the likes of Boy Meets World. It focused on growing pains, family problems, and the ups and downs of teenage hormones. The characters in Saved by the Bell are some of the most memorable from any '90s sitcom, and moved on to appear in two spin-offs and two TV movies.

19 The Nanny (1993-1999)

6 Seasons, 146 Episodes

The Nanny

Release Date
June 23, 1999
Cast
Fran Drescher , Lauren Lane
Seasons
6
Streaming Service(s)
HBO Max , Prime Video

90's sitcom The Nanny follows the stylish and outgoing Fran Fine from a cosmetics saleswoman to becoming the nanny for three children of the wealthy Broadway producer Max Sheffield. The sitcom focuses on the family coming together, including their butler, Niles, and business partner C.C. Babcock. The Nanny had more of a sarcastic edge to it that made it enjoyable for all audiences with a lovable family at the center like the other great '90s family sitcoms. Fran Drescher made for a terrific fish-out-of-water protagonist with an infections laugh that many viewersd still can't get out of their heads all these years later.

The Nanny is available to stream on Max.

18 The King Of Queens (1998-2007)

9 Seasons, 207 Episodes

The King Of Queens
Sitcom

Release Date
September 21, 1998
Cast
Kevin James , Victor Williams
Seasons
9

King of Queens lasted for nine seasons and followed the middle-class life of Doug Heffernan, his wife Carrie, and his loving yet invasive father-in-law, Arthur. In the sitcom, Doug and his wife live in Queens, New York, and are a typical working-class couple. Doug acts as a delivery man while he and his wife spend the majority of their day meeting the demands of Arthur. The highly successful series was a spinoff of Everybody Loves Raymond, and it excels at that relatable humor while separating itself from other sitcoms by focusing on a childless couple and their hijinks.

King of Queens is available to stream now on Peacock Premium.

17 Sports Night (1998-2000)

2 Seasons, 45 Episodes

Characters watching TV in Sports Night.

Sports Night was a short-lived '90s sitcom by Aaron Sorkin premiering right before the success of The West Wing. The sitcom followed two sports reporters, Casey McCall (Peter Krause) and Dan Rydell (Josh Charles), who co-hosted a sports show together, and the producer of their show, Dana Whitaker (Felicity Huffman). The sitcom was full of quick-witted and hilariously smart dialogue and was about more than just sports, as it reckoned with current events, politics, and interpersonal relationships in the workplace. In its two seasons, it picked up eight Emmy nominations, winning three.

16 Spin City (1996-2002)

6 Seasons, 145 Episodes

Michael J Fox pointing at something in Spin City

Spin City was on for seven years and six seasons before coming to an end. Spin City followed Family Ties' star Michael J. Fox as the Deputy Mayor of New York, Mike Flaherty. What made the sitcom funny was the number of issues that arose during Flaherty's workday and how he and his team could squander the issues before they became larger problems. The sitcom also starred famous faces like Charlie Sheen, Heather Locklear, Richard Kind, and Michael Boatman. Sadly, Fox had to leave after season 4 because of his Parkinson's related health concerns. Before leaving, Fox took home three straight Golden Globes Awards for Best Actor.

Spin City is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video.

15 NewsRadio (1995-1999)

5 Seasons, 97 Episodes

NewsRadio cast smiling and looking at the camera.

Similar to the classic 1970s sitcom WKRP In Cincinnati, NewsRadio involves a group of people running a radio station and the relationships between them. NewsRadio is another great example of a workplace comedy with a terrific ensemble cast. Kids in the Hall cast member Dave Foley shines as the star of this series as the news director. It also features an incredible cast with the late Phil Hartman as a standout. While not the most prominent '90s sitcom, NewsRadio nevertheless holds up as a solid entry to the genre from the era, and continues to have a cult following to this day.

NewsRadio is available to stream on Roku.

14 Ellen (1994-1998)

5 Seasons, 109 Episodes

Ellen on her former sitcom.

Ellen DeGeneres was another one of the many comedians who got their own sitcom in the 90s. Ellen was a typical show in the genre at first as it followed Ellen Morgan, a 30-something neurotic single woman who dealt with her strange friends, annoying parents, and less-than-stellar dating life. The show thrived thanks to DeGeneres' brand of humor that was relatable and self-deprecating. However, Ellen also made a substantial impact on television history when Ellen Morgan followed DeGeneres' journey in real life and came out as gay in the show's fourth season. While the ground-breaking move eventually led to a ratings decline, it opened the door for many future series.

13 Martin (1992-1997)

5 Seasons, 132 Episodes

Martin tv show cast

Martin revolves around Martin Payne and his relationship with his girlfriend and friends. Martin Lawrence is a very funny comedic actor and Martin has a great ensemble cast, all giving wonderful performances. The show sees Martin as a radio host in Detroit and focuses on his romantic relationship with Gina (Tisha Campbell). The show was groundbreaking when it arrived in the 90s, with a predominantly Black cast and a wide range of non-stereotypical roles aimed directly toward a Black audience. While ignored by the Emmys, it still picked up several nominations and awards from the NAACP Image Awards.

Martin is available to stream on Max.

12 Full House (1987-1995)

8 Seasons, 192 Episodes

Full House is one of the classic '80s-'90s sitcoms that is recognizable in pop culture even if fans didn't grow up watching the series. It followed a close-knit family including Danny Tanner raising his three daughters; DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle, after the passing of their mother. He has the help of their two uncles Jesse and Joey. Full House dealt with some tough issues for a family-friendly show. Similar to most other sitcoms, the series at times covered serious topics facing teenagers, most notably dealing with peer pressure. While Fuller House did not work as well in capturing that family dynamic, the legacy of the original lives on.

Full House is available to stream on Max.

11 3rd Rock From The Sun (1996-2001)

6 Seasons, 139 Episodes

3rd Rock from the Sun promo photo.

This hilarious, over-the-top sitcom involves a group of aliens who come to Earth to learn about humans and their customs. They take the form of humans themselves, leading to a fantastic, fish-out-of-water TV series. John Lithgow stars in this series, and he gives a fantastic performance. 3rd Rock From The Sun also launched the career of movie star Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The premise is wacky, yet despite not being a grounded story this 90s sitcom was a huge success. It was a great ensemble comedy that was hilarious, lighthearted, and entertaining, from beginning to end.