Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
I have watched a lot of television in my life. From my “Dora the Explorer” years to my “Grey’s Anatomy” era, I have enjoyed many different genres.
My favorite genre, and the one I always go back to is sitcoms. I love the short episodes and the quality comedy.
There are many good, modern sitcoms. Shows like “New Girl,” “Modern Family” and “Schitt’s Creek” have all been very popular. During my high school years “New Girl“ was one of my favorites.
However, since I started college, I ventured into older sitcoms. Now I believe the best ones were made in the 1990s.
Some of my favorite ’90s sitcoms have been “Seinfeld,” “Friends” and “Sister Sister.” There are so many other very popular titles, including “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “The King of Queens” and “Boy Meets World.”
But “Seinfeld,” “Friends“ and “Sister Sister“ will always be my top choices. Each one of these shows is hilarious in a very unique way.
I love that “Seinfeld” mostly has no plot line. Each episode is completely random and different from the other ones.
I can choose any episode, and it doesn’t matter what happened in the one before it. This makes it an easy-to-watch, feel-good show.
“Friends” is silly and relatable to young adults. The issues each character goes through in their dating lives, careers and with their friends are timeless.
“Sister Sister” is so unique. The plot line that a set of twins randomly find each other on a shopping trip with their parents and then convince their families to move in together is so unlikely it’s hilarious.
Modern television is realistic and often times emotional. Even in comedies like “New Girl,” there are several tear-jerking episodes. While this makes it relatable for the viewer, it also lacks the silly escape that ’90s sitcoms offer the audience.
What I love about ’90s sitcoms is the fact that so many episodes have such unserious plotlines that would never happen in real life.
For example, in “Seinfeld” there is one episode where one of the characters decides to only sleep for three hours a day every night which leads to several funny issues in the episode, such as him bothering his friends in the middle of the night and him falling in random places.
I find the unrealistic plotlines to be a nice escape from the mundane or stressful parts of my day-to-day life. I can laugh with the characters and completely immerse myself in the storyline.
The humor in ’90s sitcoms is also very different from modern television. Shows like “New Girl” use the plot to be funny while shows like “Seinfeld” include a lot of jokes as well as having a silly plot line.
Another thing I love about ’90s TV is that the fashion is so iconic. To this day, people try and copy the outfits Monica and Rachel wore in “Friends.”
Modern television shows have a lot of great things about them. I love to see how diverse TV shows have become with the inclusion of people of color and LGBTQ+ characters.
That is definitely something ’90s shows are lacking and could have done better. I would have loved to see more representation of people of color and the LGBTQ+ community in that era.
In spite of that, I love the fun, feel-good and unserious themes of ’90s sitcoms.
If someone ever needs to laugh for hours, I highly recommend binge-watching one of these shows!
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Contact Chloe Anna Austria via email: chloeanna.austria@pepperdine.edu or by Instagram: @chloeannaaustria
