THAT (NAT GEO) ’90S SHOW

Fun New Series Takes Us Back To The Decade That Ushered In The New Millennium.

By Jeff Pfeiffer

As hard as it may be for some of us to comprehend or accept, the 1990s are now far enough removed from our present — not only in time, but also in technology, pop culture and a few social mores — that the decade warrants a historical overview.

Of course, studying history can be fun, and Rewind the ’90s, Nat Geo’s new series that looks back at that era, is a good time — whether you grew up in the ’90s, were an adult who lived through them or were not even here at all yet.

Over the series’ 10 hourlong episodes (with two installments airing Mondays from July 31 through Aug. 28), celebrities, eyewitnesses and pop culture pundits relive the most memorable moments of the 1990s. Each episode is focused on a particular theme, and they are comprehensive in covering major parts of that decade. A lot of that coverage deals with popular culture like TV, movies, music, etc., but the show also does a nice job of delving into other notable areas, like technology and the rise of cellphones and the World Wide Web, along with social changes in the decade.

Just as when you look back at your own personal past, this peek behind us at a decade from our collective history has both moments of which to be proud alongside those that are “what-were-we-thinking” cringeworthy. What falls into either category might depend upon your personal history with the array of people and things featured in the series: toys like Beanie Babies, Furbys and electronic pocket pets; movies like Harry Potter, Titanic and Clueless; TV shows like In Living Color, Ellen, Xena: Warrior Princess, The X-Files and early reality programs; music and musical artists like Tupac Shakur, Backstreet Boys, TLC, Madonna and the Macarena; and lots more.