10 New Shows That Are Set In The ‘90s | Screen Rant
The '90s was a great decade for television, introducing the world to some of the most iconic series in pop culture history, like Seinfeld, Friends, And The X-Files. It was also a fun decade when it comes to fashion, music, and toys, that have shaped trends.
So, it comes as no surprise that among the many period shows around today, many of them harken back to the '90s which were, shockingly enough, 30+ years ago. A lot has changed since then, but some of the best shows beautifully capture what the decade was all about.
The latest on-screen project centered around the Thomas Harris best-selling novel The Silence of the Lambs, CBS' Clarice takes place between the timeframe of the 1991 movie of the same name and the 2001 movie Hannibal.
Through the decade, Clarice, an FBI special agent is dealing with the aftermath of being one of Buffalo Bill's victims and being duped by Dr. Hannibal Lecter. While the FBI believes she isn't ready to get back to work, the mother of a victim Clarice helped save commissions her to join a new task force hunting down killers and sexual predators.
The new Hulu original tells the story of the release of a sex tape of model and actor Pamela Anderson and Motley Crue drummer and founding member Tommy Lee. Back in the '90s, the intimate moment between the newly married couple was indeed on an actual tape, a VHS that was stolen from their home.
When the footage ended up online during the early days of the Internet, it was all anyone could talk about. Pam & Tommy, which is loosely based on a 2014 article from Rolling Stone, aims to delve deeper into the intricacies of the story that most people don't know versus the tabloid fodder that skewed the headlines in the 1990s. After watching this series, fans might be interested in the Netflix movie The Dirt, which revealed some interesting facts about Motley Crue.
This Freeform series looks at the events that follow the disappearance of a teenage girl in the '90s. While Kate was once the popular girl in school, when she goes missing, the awkward outcast Jeanette somehow seems to take her place. This, naturally, has everyone talking, especially when Kate returns a year later and accuses Jeanette of failing to save her when she had the chance. All of a sudden, Jeanette finds herself being vilified as a monster.
Interestingly, the story in Cruel Summer follows timelines in 1993, 1994, and 1995, told from the perspectives of both young women, and slowly revealing what really happened.
While the first season of this Emmy-winning drama was set in the '80s, the story shifted to the early 1990s in the second season of Pose and the mid-to-late '90s in the third. The story is about the African American and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming drag ball scene in New York City at the time, with dancers and models competing to win trophies within the underground culture.
While there are some things in Pose that are historically accurate, there are others that are not. Nonetheless, the show has been applauded for its ground-breaking status. MJ Rodriguez, for instance, became the first trans lead actor to ever be nominated for an Emmy in the Lead Actress category.
Depicting an average American family in the 1990s, at a time before the Internet and social media existed and raising kids was very different, Fresh Off The Boat is also ground-breaking in that it was the first network series to feature an all Asian American main cast.
The story is based on the real life of chef and food personality Eddie Huang, the eldest of three boys. It follows the everyday hijinks within the family, including dad Louis who runs a steakhouse, no-nonsense, competitive mom Jessica, and live-in, wheelchair-bound Jenny, Louis' mom.
Hailing from the U.K., the Channel 4 British teen sitcom, was inspired by creator Lisa McGee's real life growing up in Ireland. At the center of the story in Derry Girls are five teenagers attending a fictional Catholic secondary school, dealing with typical coming-of-age challenges.
The story largely incorporates the real-life events known as the Troubles during the ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland. Also known as the Northern Ireland conflict, the 30-year conflict lasted from the '60s through to 1998. Thus, pivotal events from this period are included in the story, such as the IRA ceasefire of 1994 and President Bill Clinton's visit to Northern Ireland in 1995. The musical soundtrack for the show is also indicative of the time, featuring music by bands like Ace of Base, Cypress Hill, and Salt-N-Pepa.
FX aired this true crime story as part of the American Crime Story anthology series, which ranks among Ryan Murphy's best series creations, according to IMDb. It tells the story of the murder of fashion designer Gianna Versace. Based on the book Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History by Maureen Orth, Darren Criss earned an Emmy for his role as the troubled killer.
The story is set around the real events leading up to and after the murder of Versace by Cunanan, which took place in the mid-to-late '90s in beautiful and sunny Miami Beach.
Despite its early cancellation after just one season, Everything Sucks! garnered a loyal legion of fans on Netflix. The show is a comedy-drama and interestingly parodied all of the typical tropes of '90s teen culture.
Set in the middle of the decade in a town called Boring, Oregon (which actually does exist), the central characters are high schoolers looking to make a movie together. While it's a parody, it's also a coming-of-age story that deals with all the topical issues teenagers face, from sexuality to mental health, and the growing pains that come with navigating the journey to young adulthood.
Kevin Bacon stars as FBI agent John "Jackie" Rohr in this crime drama that is based on a story written by Ben Affleck and Charlie MacLean, who both serve as executive producers alongside others, including Matt Damon.
The story in City on a Hill is set in early 1990s Boston and follows the corrupt agent "Jackie" partnering up with the assistant district attorney to handle a case with the chance to change the face of the criminal justice system forever. Airing on Showtime, there have been some intense moments in City on a Hill.
Though they are adults in their 30s, creators Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle manage to pull off playing 13-year-old girls dealing with middle school life as outcasts in PEN15. The pair, who actually portray fictional versions of their younger selves, play Maya, a shy and sensitive Japanese America and Anna, who is quick to give in to peer pressure in an effort to be liked.
Technically, the first season of this Hulu series takes place in the year 2000, but it's close enough to the 1990s to count. While a lot had changed in the 2000s, the early part of the decade shared a lot of similarities with the late '90s, including fashion, music, and trends.