The 90s Did NOTHING Wrong

Let’s be real for a second: the '90s were the decade. If you lived through it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It was the golden age of entertainment, where movies, music, TV shows, and even Saturday morning cartoons were just chef's kiss. And if you weren’t around for it, I’m sorry, but your entertainment palette will never truly be the same. No era compares, and I will die on this hill.

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The Movies—A Masterclass in Storytelling

Where do we even start? The Matrix came out in 1999 and changed the game. I remember sitting there, watching Keanu Reeves dodge bullets in slow motion, and thinking, “This is what movies are supposed to be.” It was like nothing we’d ever seen before. That red pill, blue pill metaphor? Still hits hard today.

But The Matrix wasn’t the only gem. The '90s gave us Jurassic Park, which made dinosaurs cooler than any textbook ever could. Spielberg made us believe that massive prehistoric beasts could walk among us. The first time you saw that T-Rex roar, you knew cinema had just evolved.

And don’t even get me started on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 and 2. The perfect blend of martial arts, pizza, and wisecracking turtles with gnarly catchphrases like "Cowabunga, dude!" and "Totally tubular!"

These films captured that perfect balance of childhood wonder and teenage rebellion. The third movie? Yeah, no one talks about that one. It was like TMNT 3 was from some alternate universe where fun was banned, and we just pretend it didn’t happen. Seriously, don’t bring it up.

The Music—Pure, Unfiltered Vibes

I don’t know what happened in the water during the '90s, but music was on another level. Especially '90s R&B. We had artists like Boyz II Men, TLC, and Brandy, delivering smooth, soulful tracks that still hold up today. I mean, come on, who didn’t sway along to “End of the Road” at least once and feel all the emotions? '90s R&B was emotional, passionate, and pure magic. It was the kind of music you could vibe to whether you were having a good day or nursing a broken heart.

And the variety! If you weren’t down with R&B, you had grunge taking over with Nirvana and Pearl Jam, or hip-hop's golden age with Tupac, Biggie, and Nas spitting verses that still hit you in the gut today. Each genre had its own identity, and everyone was at the top of their game.

Back then, music videos were an event. You waited to see what kind of crazy visuals Missy Elliott or Busta Rhymes would drop next, and when they did, it was iconic. They weren’t just music videos—they were mini-movies, with better storylines than some of today’s actual films. MTV was at its peak, and if you missed Total Request Live, you might as well have been living under a rock.

Saturday Morning Cartoons—Our Lifeblood

Growing up, school was a drag, but you pushed through it for one reason: Saturday morning cartoons. Those few glorious hours made the week bearable. You’d wake up early, bowl of sugary cereal in hand, and escape into worlds that were so much better than reality.

Batman: The Animated Series was dark and gritty, but somehow it worked for kids. It was a cartoon that respected its audience, with complex storylines and a gothic art style that still holds up today. X-Men was an introduction to social issues, and don’t even get me started on the Spider-Man cartoon. All of these shows had substance. They didn’t just treat us like dumb kids—they gave us real stories with real stakes.

And let’s talk about Recess. It made you feel seen, like, “Yeah, school sucks, but these kids are going through it too.” The Turtles on the screen felt like your friends, and even Rugrats made toddler life look like a never-ending adventure. I miss when cartoons had character development and heart. Nowadays, it feels like Saturday morning programming is just noise. The '90s gave us content that stuck with you, long after the credits rolled.

Anime—The Gateway Drug

The '90s were also the time when anime started to make its way into Western culture, and honestly, we weren’t ready for how good it was. Shows like Cowboy Bebop, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Dragon Ball Z were absolutely iconic. Cowboy Bebop was essentially a space Western with jazz music and a storyline that could rival any live-action series. It made anime cool, like something you could be proud to geek out over.

Dragon Ball Z? If you weren’t doing your own version of the Kamehameha in your living room, what were you even doing with your childhood? Watching Goku go Super Saiyan for the first time was mind-blowing. And don’t act like you didn’t scream when you tried to power up along with him. Those episodes had you on the edge of your seat, even if half of them were just 20 minutes of powering up for the fight.

And let’s not forget Yu Yu Hakusho, which had one of the best tournament arcs ever. Yusuke Urameshi was the definition of a badass, and the storyline was so gripping that it instantly hooked anyone who gave it a chance.

The '90s Were Just...The Shit

Looking back, the '90s didn’t just give us good entertainment—they gave us experiences. The movies, music, cartoons, and anime shaped us, taught us, and most importantly, they were fun as hell.

There was something so raw, so authentic about the entertainment we had back then. It wasn’t overproduced, and it didn’t feel like it was trying to sell you a thousand things at once. It was just good, solid content.

We didn’t need streaming platforms because we had patience. We didn't have social media to hype things up; we had word of mouth, and when something was good, everyone knew about it.

The '90s did nothing wrong. They did everything right, and honestly, no decade will ever come close to that magic again.