10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching ’90s Sitcoms

Hulu’s series Reboot asks what would happen if the stars of a 2000s sitcom came back to make another version. It’s a compelling question given the popularity of rewatching ’90s and 2000s shows and the nostalgia that fans have for them. It’s also easy to compare sitcoms from this time period to today and see some key differences. Showrunner Steven Levitan told Slash Film that sitcoms now use a single-cam instead of a multi-cam set-up “because of reality shows and because of things like YouTube, where people were getting used to a steady diet of shows that felt more real than the sitcoms that they were watching.”

But when going back to the ’90s in particular, there are characters and plotlines that stand out because they wouldn’t be done today. From the portrayal of marriage to characters who have become stereotypes over the years, there are many realizations that fans have when returning to the shows that they loved back in the 1990s.

Making Fun Of “Nerd” Characters

Many recent sitcoms have a strong appreciation for intelligent characters, including The Big Bang Theory. Hearing Sheldon Cooper and his friends talk about science is always fascinating. But back in the ’90s, “geeks” and “nerds” were often the unfortunate butt of the joke.

Screech in Saved by the Bell is a perfect example of this. Screech is sweet, unique, and one of the best Saved by the Bell characters. But his friends treat him terribly and constantly talk about how uncool he is. It’s hard to imagine Screech being treated the same way if the show aired now. The reboot is more accepting of people.

Lack Of Diversity Within The Main Cast

When looking back on sitcoms from the 1990s, it’s impossible not to notice how all-white the casts are. Fans often bring up Friends and Seinfeld when discussing this topic.

The lack of diversity is always clear when returning to older episodes of these two sitcoms in particular. It’s especially obvious when watching a sitcom based in New York City as it doesn’t make sense.

A “Very Special Episode” Format For Episodes About Issues

When comparing a recent sitcom like Schitt’s Creek to shows from the ’90s, the format and structure of each episode becomes clearer. Older sitcoms often had “very special episodes” about serious topics, which can seem over-the-top and intense by today’s standards.

The Russo family is close on Blossom, but Nick is constantly worried that his son Anthony has started drinking and doing drugs again. Nick finds it hard to trust his son and there are many melodramatic scenes of Nick worrying that Anthony has relapsed. Instead of feeling like a natural and realistic way to handle the plotline, it feels a bit corny.

Sexist Main Characters

Although sitcoms from the 2020s aren’t all perfect and there are always jokes that are more offensive than funny, there are many main characters on ’90s sitcoms who say sexist things about girls and women constantly. This includes Zack Morris in Saved by the Bell.

Zack is a jerk on Saved by the Bell in many instances and he often manipulates his classmates in order to get them to go out with him. He even spies on Kelly Kapowski and Jessie Spano in one of their bedrooms, which is creepy. Zack doesn’t appreciate someone’s mind or want to have a smart conversation with them.

The Way That Marriage Is Depicted

There are countless sitcoms where marriage doesn’t look like much fun. The husband complains and sits around watching sports and the wife is portrayed as an angry, uptight person who never has a good time. This is especially true when looking back at Doug and Carol Heffernan in The King of Queens.

While the show was popular when it aired from 1998 to 2007, it’s hard not to wince when seeing how the characters treat each other. They are constantly annoyed by each other and it’s hard to know why they’re together.

Episodes That End With Corny Lessons

While most sitcom episodes have lessons or something at least a bit profound to say, ’90s sitcoms really drive home cheesy messages. Full House is a prime example, whether Stephanie Tanner cuts her own hair or Michelle runs away from home.

It’s hard to say that today, sitcoms would conclude each episode in such a corny manner. The Unicorn, for example, sees Wade taking care of his two daughters after his wife dies. But Wade and his kids have a more realistic way of speaking to each other and he doesn’t give stern lectures before the end credits roll.

The Character Who Is “Wacky”

Many ’90s sitcoms have main characters who are portrayed as being strange, silly, and ultimately hard to take seriously. This explains both Eric Matthews on Boy Meets World and Phoebe Buffay on Friends. While both characters are kind-hearted and compelling to watch, there are times when their goofy storylines veer into territory that is hard to believe.

There are many great emotional Boy Meets World episodes, but it’s hard to ignore how odd Eric’s character becomes. Both Eric and Phoebe are sometimes treated as the butt of the joke, which seems unfair.

Looking Down On Therapy

Lisa Stemple on Mad About You is an example of how ’90s sitcoms treated characters who go to therapy. Jamie Buchman always makes fun of her sister Lisa. Jamie often talks about how Lisa has been in therapy since forever and there is even a plotline where Lisa’s therapist talks about her in a book that she wrote.

This couldn’t be done today and thankfully, people are careful about having more supportive and understanding conversations about mental health. It’s hard to imagine Lisa being treated this way in 2022.

Offensive Storylines About Trans Characters

In season 5 of Just Shoot Me!, Finch sees a friend again named Brandi, who is now a transwoman. The show handles a storyline about a trans character in a terrible way, Finch has a shocked expression on his face throughout the entire episode and he asks Brandi what happened in a harsh way. Finch isn’t respectful of Brandi at all.

While ’90s sitcoms have feel good moments, this is one of the worst episodes of Just Shoot Me! This storyline couldn’t stand out more. It’s hard to believe that this was even part of the show as it’s unnecessary.

The Joke About An Overbearing Mother-In-Law

While Everybody Loves Raymond was a super popular series, it’s tough not to wince when rewatching today. Ray’s mother Marie hates her daughter-in-law Debra and many storylines are focused on how she tries to insult and undermine Debra. This is played for laughs in the majority of the show’s episodes and the series portrays Debra as someone who is unlikable when that isn’t fair at all.

This is a classic sitcom trope that doesn’t feel funny, although it was popular back in the ’90s. It’s hard not to wonder why Ray doesn’t ask his mom to treat his wife better as this tension makes family life stressful and difficult.

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