Older TV Shows That Still Hold Up (For the Most Part)
- Clare Phillips
- Apr 20
- 5 min read
It will come as no surprise to anyone that I watch a lot of different television shows at the same time as I watch others. Some are newer shows or shows that have started out some time in the last ten years, but I’ve also been watching some shows that started airing in the 1990s and are either still on the air or have ended, but I have found them to have held up to what television should look like (at least with today’s standards). SIDE NOTE: I’m not saying that all of the storylines or details of these shows are perfect and hold up, but for the most part these shows could be reshot exactly as they were in the ‘90s and there would mostly be no complaints. For the purpose of this list, I will be looking at the entire series and not analyzing specific episodes. Enjoy!
The X-Files (1993 - 2002; 2016 - 2018)
This show is “my constant, my touchstone,” yes, that is from season 7 episode 2 (“The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati.” Those words will make you melt into a puddle of emotions just like they did to Scully when Mulder said them to her. I’m a newer member of the fandom, and I’m ashamed to say it took me so long to get here. But before I get into the Mulder & Scully relationship, I suppose I should start with the X-Files part of The X-Files.
Most procedural law enforcement shows are pretty dark because almost all of their episodes relate to murders, including The X-Files. But this iconic TV series has been able to incorporate more mystery into the paranormal than the human psyche than any other cop drama before and since it’s airing. The main topic of the X-Files is looking at alien mythology (of course), were-monsters (along with monsters-of-the-week), and humans with extraordinary abilities (like being able to control lightning, being a human tumor, or being able to manipulate a person’s perceptions just by concentration), but for those of you who are fans of Criminal Minds every now and then there is just a regular serial killer who is out to be evil and destroy communities. But with the added mystery of a potential paranormal world; audiences have the opportunity to expand their faiths outside of religion, science, humanity, etc. This show really revolutionized the way people think and perceive the world.
Now, for those of us who romanticize everything and love love then just watch this show for the evolution of the Mulder & Scully relationship. They started out as colleagues who had never really had true partners before. Which evolved into a friendly relationship and then shifted to best friends. They each developed a lustful yearning for each other which would eventually be reciprocated in a million tiny different ways - subtext is KEY to any great show. This eventually led them to be able to express their love for one another and have a life most of us can only dream of (minus the aliens and monsters and conspiratorial agents either trying to kill them or ruin their lives). I can’t for the life of me express this enough but please please please watch this show.
Law & Order (1990 - 2010; 2022 - Present)
I’ve only just started watching this long-running series and this series is my big introduction into the franchise that producer Dick Wolf is most famous for. I’m arguably more familiar with the SVU series but given its heavier subject matter I wanted to ease my way into the criminal world of New York City. So I decided to start out in 1990 NYC with Detectives Greevey and Logan and while I’m anxious to see how their relationship as partners evolves (yes, I know what’s going to happen) - I’m more excited to see how the criminal justice system of one of the largest cities in the country (and the criminal justice system of the United States) develops over the decades. I haven’t watched the true “Pilot” of the series, the first official episode I watched was “Prescription for Death” and as someone who is a slow watcher who likes to analyze what I watch I’ve only made it passed episode 5, “Happily Ever After” so far. But based on what I’ve seen so far of this long-running procedural drama I am so excited for what comes next and I’m relieved to see that the show holds up. However for anyone who would like to watch the show from the beginning like I am, a word of warning a lot of the crimes being committed are still very much relevant to today’s world. But regardless of that, it’s still a great show.
Charmed (1998 - 2006)
Another show that took me so long to get into and another one that I’ve only just started watching, but I’m already obsessed with. I’ve always been familiar with this series about three sisters who are witches. For whatever reason I thought they’d always known, but I love how them discovering their powers is the main storyline of the series. I’d seen the original series running on syndications like the Syfy network, TNT, etc and I’d usually see the series while channel surfing (remember that) or while waiting at the doctor’s office but you never really know a show until you watch it from the very beginning and the pilot of this series doesn’t disappoint. Each sister has her own specific power and her own specific personality that differs from the others which is huge - nothing is more disappointing or frustrating than getting characters confused with other characters because they’re basically the same person. While Charmed originally started airing in the late ‘90s compared to the other series mentioned previously, it does tackle darker topics not just in relation to the supernatural (which the series is centered upon) like supernatural beings with violent vendettas against women or criminal gangs that the sisters end up getting entangled with or a possible demonic pregnancy (ex-boyfriends, right?). You’d think a family drama mixed with the supernatural world and a little crime-fighting it would be a recipe for disaster but it WORKS. For those of you who are like me and who either haven’t seen it yet or don’t know if you want to watch it - just do it. It’s so good!
Is there a show that you’re watching that you think holds up? Please let me know in the comments and/or share on Tele-Tunnel Vision’s Instagram: @tele_tunnel_vision!
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