Top 100 Best TV Series of 1990
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Top 100 Best TV Series of 1990

SI
Stream It Editorial
May 2026
51 ENTITIES

Explore the top 100 television series that premiered in 1990. From viral hits to award-winning dramas.

Top 100 Best TV Series of 1990

Relive the greatest moments in television and cinema history. Our definitive guide ranks the top-rated and most influential titles released in television during this year.

Explore the live-updated list below to find the masterpieces that defined the era.

Premium Curated List

The Definitive Collection

Our proprietary algorithm analyzed thousands of titles to bring you this definitive, real-time updated ranking.

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It

Must Watch1990

In 1960, seven outcast kids known as "The Losers' Club" fight against an ancient shape-shifting alien who poses as a child-killing clown, while also dealing with bullies and abusive parents. Thirty years later, they reunite to stop the creature once and for all when it returns to their hometown.

Twin Peaks

Must Watch1990

The body of Laura Palmer is washed up on a beach near the small Washington state town of Twin Peaks. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is called in to investigate her strange demise only to uncover a web of mystery that ultimately leads him deep into the heart of the surrounding woodland and his very own soul.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Family Friendly1990

Will, a street-smart teenager, moves from the tough streets of West Philly to posh Bel-Air to live with his Uncle Philip, Aunt Vivian, his cousins — spoiled Hilary, preppy Carlton and young Ashley — and their sophisticated British butler, Geoffrey. Though Will’s antics and upbringing contrast greatly with the upper-class lifestyle of his extended relatives, he soon finds himself right at home as a loved part of the family.

Mr. Bean

Pure Comedy1990

Mr Bean turns simple everyday tasks into chaotic situations and will leave you in stitches as he creates havoc wherever he goes.

Beverly Hills, 90210

Must Watch1990

Follow the lives of a group of teenagers living in the upscale, star-studded community of Beverly Hills, California and attending the fictitious West Beverly Hills High School and, subsequently, the fictitious California University after graduation.

Law & Order

Must Watch1990

In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.

Tiny Toon Adventures

Family Friendly1990

Follow the adventures of a group of young cartoon characters who attend the Acme Looniversity to become the next generation of characters from the Looney Tunes series.

The Flash

Must Watch1990

When a bolt of lightning crashes through a police crime lab, a mix of electrically charged substances bathes chemist Barry Allen, transforming him into the fastest man alive--The Flash.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

Family Friendly1990

The Mario Bros., Princess Toadstool, and Toad protect the Mushroom Kingdom against the evil forces of Bowser and his seven Koopa Kids.

Zorro

Must Watch1990

Zorro, also known as The New Zorro, New World Zorro, and Zorro 1990, is an American action-adventure drama series featuring Duncan Regehr as the character of Zorro. Regehr portrayed the fearless Latino hero and fencer on The Family Channel from 1990 to 1993. The series was shot entirely in Madrid, Spain and produced by New World Television, The Family Channel, Ellipse Programme of Canal Plus, Beta TV, and RAI. 88 episodes of the series were produced, 10 more than the first Zorro television series, which was produced by Disney in the late 1950s. Since 2011, the series is currently airing in the United States on the Retro Television Network as The New Zorro. Peter Rodgers Organization is the distributor for this version of Zorro.

Captain Planet and the Planeteers

Must Watch1990

Eco-villains beware: Captain Planet is here to save the day! With the guidance of Gaia, five Planeteers - representing Earth, Fire, Water, Wind and Heart - come together to defend our planet from environmental destruction. With their powers combined, the team becomes the solution to pollution!

TaleSpin

Family Friendly1990

Baloo the Bear stars in an adventurous comedy of love and conflict with his friend Kit Cloudkicker. Rebecca Cunningham and her daughter Molly purchase Baloo's failing company and Baloo must fly transport runs to clear his debt while dodging Don Karnage and his sky pirates.

Northern Exposure

Pure Comedy1990

After receiving a scholarship from the state, a recent Columbia University medical school graduate is required to set up his practice in an eccentric Alaskan town.

Keeping Up Appearances

Pure Comedy1990

Hyacinth Bucket (whose name, she insists, is pronounced "Bouquet") is a suburban housewife in the West Midlands. She would be the first to tell you that she is a gracious hostess, a respected citizen, and a well-connected member of high society. If you don't believe that, just ask her best friend Elizabeth, held captive in Hyacinth's kitchen; or the postmen and neighbours who bristle at the sound of her voice; or Richard, her weary and compliant husband. In fact, Hyacinth's reputation could be as perfect as her new lounge set, if not for her senile father's love of running wild in the nip. Oh, and she would prefer it if her brother-in-law was a sharper dresser. And that her husband was more ambitious. And that her sisters were more presentable. And do take your shoes off before you come in the house, dear. Mind that you don't brush against the wallpaper.

Bobby's World

Family Friendly1990

Bobby Generic lives in a typical suburban neighborhood and uses his overactive imagination to discover a world of daring adventure, incredible wonder and lots of laughs — all in pint-sized perspective.

House of Cards

Pure Comedy1990

Frustrated at a new moderate Conservative government and deprived of a promotion to a senior position, chief whip Francis Urquhart prepares a meticulous plot to bring down the Prime Minister then to take his place.

Wings

Pure Comedy1990

Brothers Brian and Joe Hackett attempt to run an airline on the New England island of Nantucket while surrounded by their various wacky friends and employees.

In Living Color

Pure Comedy1990

Created by stars Keenen Ivory Wayans and Damon Wayans, this Emmy-winning sketch series offers cutting-edge satire and features a host of talent, including Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier and Tommy Davidson.

The Civil War

Must Watch1990

A documentary on the American Civil War narrated by Ken Burns, covering the secession of the Confederacy to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

Tom & Jerry Kids Show

Pure Comedy1990

Tom and Jerry in their childhood days, playing cat-and-mouse games even then.

21
Jeeves and Wooster
8.1

Jeeves and Wooster

Pure Comedy1990

Jeeves and Wooster is a British comedy-drama series adapted by Clive Exton from P.G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" stories. It aired on the ITV network from 1990 to 1993, starring Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster, a young gentleman with a "distinctive blend of airy nonchalance and refined gormlessness", and Stephen Fry as Jeeves, his improbably well-informed and talented valet. Wooster is a bachelor, a minor aristocrat and member of the idle rich. He and his friends, who are mainly members of The Drones Club, are extricated from all manner of societal misadventures by the indispensable valet, Jeeves. The stories are set in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1930s.

22
Blossom
6.2

Blossom

Family Friendly1990

Blossom Russo is a highly intelligent and spunky teenager. The youngest of three, she lives with her divorced musician father, Nick, eldest brother and recovering substance abuser Anthony, and decidedly not-so-bright middle brother Joey. Along for the ride is Blossom's ditzy best friend, Six, who sometimes shows flashes of great perception.

23
Samurai Pizza Cats
8.2

Samurai Pizza Cats

Pure Comedy1990

The setting is a Japanese looking village named "Little Tokyo" where the Pizza Cats run a pizza fast food business. Little Tokyo is populated by all kinds of animals. The official governor of the town is the Emperor, but since he has gone bananas a council takes care of the well-being of the village. One of the members of this council is called Seymour "Big" Cheese, who secretly wishes to take over control of the village. The pizza take away restaurant is merely a cover for their true job... Whenever evil is afoot, the Pizza Cats are launched towards the danger from the gun-lookalike clock tower that emerges from the top of their restaurant.

24
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
7.5

Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water

Family Friendly1990

In mankind's grasp for the future, a sinister foe known only as Gargoyle begins his plans to take over the world. Nadia, with the help of a young inventor, Jean Ratlique, and Captain Nemo of the submarine Nautilus, must fight to save the world from Gargoyle and Neo-Atlantis.

25
Moomin
8.5

Moomin

Family Friendly1990

In the remote and mysterious Moominvalley live the Moomins, gentle and peaceful creatures. Young Moomintroll and his family experience many strange adventures, both magical and mundane.

26
One Foot in the Grave
7.6

One Foot in the Grave

Pure Comedy1990

One Foot in the Grave is a BBC television sitcom series The series features the exploits of Victor Meldrew and his long-suffering wife, Margaret. The programmes invariably deal with Meldrew's battle against the problems he creates for himself. Living in a typical household in an unnamed English suburb, Victor takes involuntary early retirement. His various efforts to keep himself busy, while encountering various misfortunes and misunderstandings are the themes of the sitcom. The series was largely filmed on location in Walkford, near New Milton in Hampshire, although several clues show that the series may have been set in Hampshire – possibly Winchester. Despite its traditional production, the series supplants its domestic sitcom setting with elements of black humour and surrealism.

27
Parker Lewis Can't Lose
7.4

Parker Lewis Can't Lose

Pure Comedy1990

Parker Lewis is a teenager who apparently can't lose. He's cool, cute, popular, hip – and seems to get away with anything. That's not to say he's got no problems. His two primary nemeses are school principal Grace Musso, whose goal is getting Parker expelled; and his little sister Shelly, whose sole purpose seems to be tattling on Parker. However, with best friends Mikey and Jerry, Parker takes on the world and makes the best of high school.

28
Have I Got News for You
7.2

Have I Got News for You

Pure Comedy1990

Hilarious, totally-irreverent, near-slanderous political quiz show, based mainly on news stories from the last week or so, that leaves no party, personality or action unscathed in pursuit of laughs.

29
Record of Lodoss War
7.5

Record of Lodoss War

Must Watch1990

Born in battle, baptized in fire, it's kingdoms have been ravaged by war for thousands of years. Now, an evil stirs, an ancient goddess of destruction awakened by an evil wizard. A party of six is forged to defeat this threat, or die in the attempt. Join Parn, the young fighter, as he leads his warriors into the heart of a land where dragons rule and evil holds sway over the earth. Six swords are now drawn against this darkness. The war for Lodoss has begun!

30
Art Attack
6.9

Art Attack

Must Watch1990

Art Attack is a British children's television series revolving around art. The original series was one of CITV's longest running programmes, running from 1990 to 2007, and was presented throughout by Neil Buchanan. The new series launched on Disney Junior on 6 June 2011 and was presented by Jassa Ahluwalia. Each show involved Ahluwalia voicing-over footage of an artist producing three works of art, taking the viewer through the various stages of production step by step. The show's latest series is hosted by Lloyd Warbey. The new series launched on SAB TV on 10 June 2013 at 7 am IST.

31
Dream On
7.0

Dream On

Pure Comedy1990

The family life, romantic life, and career of Martin Tupper, a divorced New York City book editor. The show distinctively interjected clips from older black and white television series to punctuate Tupper's feelings or thoughts.

32
The Phantom of the Opera
7.3

The Phantom of the Opera

Must Watch1990

Comte Philippe de Chagny discovers Christine Daaé's singing talent at a county fair and sends her to his friend Gérard Carrière, director of the Parisian opera. However, just when she arrives, Carrière is dismissed. His successor, the arrogant Alain Choleti, refuses to allow a woman of low birth perform in his opera, but graciously employs Christine as gadrobiere for his primadonna wife Carlotta, who's installed as first singer. He also battles the Phantom, an unknown figure in the catacombs below, granted privileges by Carrière. Christine becomes the Phantom's protégé, unaware that her being his muse makes him increasingly dangerous.

33
Road to Avonlea
8.2

Road to Avonlea

Family Friendly1990

In the fictional small town of Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, in the early 20th century, 10-year-old Montreal heiress Sara Stanley is sent by her wealthy father to live with her two maiden aunts, Hetty and Olivia King, to be near her late mother's side of the family.

34
A.D. Police Files
6.6

A.D. Police Files

Must Watch1990

MegaTokyo 2027: Relentless technological development has resulted in the creation of Boomers. These are artificially intelligent androids with the potential to free mankind from physical labor; but anything that can be used can also be misused.

35
Alcanzar una estrella
7.6

Alcanzar una estrella

Must Watch1990

Alcanzar una estrella is a Mexican telenovela first broadcast on Canal de las Estrellas in 1990. The telenovela, which was also broadcast in Latin America and on Univision in the United States, tells the story of an introverted girl's infatuation with her teen idol. The leading roles were played by singers Mariana Garza and Eduardo Capetillo, ex-members of the Mexican pop band Timbiriche. The two also sang the theme songs for the telenovela, which were written by Ricardo Arjona. Arjona and other singers such as Patricia Manterola also made acting cameos. The telenovela was remade into an American show on Nickelodeon called Hollywood Heights. The show premiered June 2012. The success of the telenovela was such that it was made into a film Más que alcanzar una estrella and a sequel telenovela Alcanzar una estrella II, starring Sasha Sokol and Ricky Martin. The story was produced by Luis de Llano, producer and manager of Timbiriche and Garibaldi, and written by actress Rita Macedo, de Llano's mother. Alcanzar una estrella turned out to be Macedo's last credit as an actress before she committed suicide in the mid-1990s.

36
Rab C. Nesbitt
7.0

Rab C. Nesbitt

Pure Comedy1990

BBC comedy series about Rab C. Nesbitt, a drunken, string-vested layabout who lives with his long-suffering wife Mary and his two sons in the working class area of Govan in Glasgow. When he's not getting drunk with his pals that include the devious, womanising Jamesie Cotter, he's offering his philosophical outlook on life to whoever will listen.

37
Drop the Dead Donkey
6.9

Drop the Dead Donkey

Pure Comedy1990

A sitcom set in the offices of "GlobeLink News" after its acquisition by media mogul Sir Roysten Merchant. Led by editor George Dent, the staff of GlobeLink battle to maintain the company as a serious news organization against Sir Roysten's right-hand man, Gus Hedges, who wants to make the show more sensationalist and suppress stories that might harm Roysten's business empire.

38
Fort Boyard
7.3

Fort Boyard

Family Friendly1990

A game show set and filmed on the real Fort Boyard in France. The contestants have to complete in physical and endurance challenges to win prize money.

39
La Caponera
7.2

La Caponera

Must Watch1990

40
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures
6.7

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures

Family Friendly1990

The misadventures of two time-travelling slackers as they travel into the distant past and future.

41
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
6.6

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Must Watch1990

Seven-year-old Jess is removed from her peculiar Pentecostal home and sent to school.

42
Round the Twist
7.0

Round the Twist

Pure Comedy1990

Round the Twist is a Logie Award-winning Australian children's television series about three children and their father who live in a lighthouse and become involved in many bizarre magical adventures.

43
The Crystal Maze
7.6

The Crystal Maze

Must Watch1990

The Crystal Maze was a British game show, produced by Chatsworth Television and shown on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom between 15 February 1990 and 10 August 1995. The series is set in "The Crystal Maze", which features four different "zones" set in various periods of time and space. A team of six contestants take part in a series of challenges in order to win "time crystals". Each crystal gives the team five seconds of time inside "The Crystal Dome", the centrepiece of the maze where the contestants take part in their final challenge.

44
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
7.3

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Pure Comedy1990

A group of people thwart a mad scientist trying to take over the world with evil mutated tomatoes that he can change into people.

45
Chibi Maruko-chan
7.9

Chibi Maruko-chan

Pure Comedy1990

Meet Maruko, a sweet schoolgirl with a hefty dose of curiosity (and occasional laziness!). She sails through life in a cozy town alongside her loving parents, grandparents, and sister. Maruko has a band of loyal friends, including her closest pal, Tama-chan, but her playful and doting grandpa is at the heart of it all. Life is never dull in this charming series.

46
Trials of Life
8.3

Trials of Life

Family Friendly1990

Each of the twelve 50-minute episodes features a different aspect of the journey through life, from birth to adulthood and continuation of the species through reproduction.

47
Get a Life
7.4

Get a Life

Pure Comedy1990

Surreal, twisted and hilariously funny, Get a Life is the ultimate anti-sitcom. Chris Peterson is a 30-year-old paperboy who still lives with his parents and who seems to have an ever decreasing grip on reality.

48
Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden
5.3

Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden

Must Watch1990

Goede tijden, slechte tijden, also known as GTST, is the longest-running Dutch soap opera, revolving around the lives of the families Alberts, Sanders, De Jong, Van Houten and Bouwhuis. It all takes place in the fictional town of Meerdijk.

49
You Rang, M'Lord?
7.3

You Rang, M'Lord?

Pure Comedy1990

You Rang, M'Lord? is a British comedy series written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Hi-de-Hi! It was broadcast between 1990 and 1993 on the BBC. The show was a comedy set in the house of an aristocratic family in the 1920s, contrasting the upper-class family and their servants in a house in London, along the same lines as the popular drama Upstairs, Downstairs. The series featured many actors who had also appeared in their earlier series, notably Paul Shane, Jeffrey Holland and Su Pollard, all of whom had previously been in Perry and Croft's holiday camp sitcom, Hi-de-Hi!. Also featured were Donald Hewlett and Michael Knowles from Perry and Croft's It Ain't Half Hot Mum, and Bill Pertwee and occasionally Frank Williams from Dad's Army. The memorable 1920s-style theme tune was sung by Bob Monkhouse.

50
Mad Bull 34
6.1

Mad Bull 34

Pure Comedy1990

Rookie beat cop Daizaburo "Eddie" Ban buddies up with "Sleepy" John Estes, a veteran cop whose over-the-top tactics have earned him street name "Mad Bull". From his first day on the force, Eddie has his hands full protecting New York City's 34th precinct from street thugs, keeping the mafia at bay, and keeping a lid on Mad Bull's unprofessional instincts.

51
My Daddy Long Legs
6.7

My Daddy Long Legs

Family Friendly1990

Judy Abbott is an orphan living in New York, who at the age of 17 finds herself in receipt of a college scholarship and monthly allowance from a mysterious benefactor. Her benefactor believes she has great potential as a writer and wishes to see her succeed. The only payment he asks in return is that she write him a letter every month addressed to the pseudonym "Mr. John Smith," with the understanding that he will never reply.

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This list represents a fusion of massive scale TMDB audience data and expert editorial oversight. We track global engagement, critical reception, and historical significance across over 10,000 data points to ensure every entry is verified for accuracy.

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Accuracy Score99.8%

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