Untold Secrets of 90s Shows Pt. II

We all love watching TV. There are shows from the 1990s, especially, that still survive today. Here are some cool facts you may or may not know about some of them

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

-A sitcom that just screams 1990s. From the heavy influence of hip hop to the style of clothing, this show just screams 1990s. Starring Will Smith, it tells the story of a young man who lives in a rough Philadelphia neighborhood and his aunt sends him to live with family in Bel-Air, an affluent suburb in Los Angeles.

Janet Hubert, who played Aunt Vivian on the show, was the only cast member with whom no one got along

The last name of the famed, loved, Caribbean-accented butler Geoffrey was Butler

The last name of the famed, loved, Caribbean-accented butler Geoffrey was Butler

70% of the money that Will Smith earned during the first three seasons was seized by the government to pay back the $3 million he owed in back taxes

Home Improvement

-This 1990s show starred Tim Allen as Tim "Tool Man" Taylor, the host of a Michigan-based home improvement show who had no skills at home improvement while his assistant Al was actually the one with the DIY skills.

The next-door neighbor, Wilson, who was a sort of Buddha-like figure, always imparting wisdom, was based on an actual next-door neighbor that Tim Allen knew from childhood

The audience on "Tool Time" was the actual live audience for the series

Boy Meets World

-Almost every kid who was born and raised in the 1990s pretty much grew up on this show. They can name episodes, guest stars, characters and more they loved about this show. Sadly, I'm one of those kids who grew up on this show. It was a nice, wholesome show that they just don't make anymore. Not only that, but most kids probably thought the English teacher on the show, Mr. Turner, was cool because he drove a motorcycle

Cory's love interest Topanga, despite being a strange name, was named after a canyon in Los Angeles

Full House

-This other wholesome 1990s sitcom tells the story of a widower living in San Francisco with his three daughters. He invites two of his friends to move in to have additional help around the house

Bob Saget was considered less than family friendly when the cameras weren't rolling. He was known to have a dark sense of humor in addition to swearing on set

Michelle appeared to be ambidextrous because Mary-Kate Olsen was left-handed, and Ashley Olsen was right-handed

Saved By the Bell

-This show, despite being filmed in the 1990s, was supposed to take place in the 1980s. 

Mark-Paul Gosselar had to dye his hair blonde every day for his role as Zack

On the show, Jessie, played by Elizabeth Berkley, was supposed to have been addicted to methamphetamine instead of caffeine pills. Producers changed it to caffeine pills because the concept of meth addiction would have been incredibly controversial

The X-Files

-Everyone's favorite show about a government agency investigating aliens and other strange phenomena.

Gillian Anderson, who plays Agent Scully, lied about her age to get a role on this show

Everybody Loves Raymond

-This iconic 1990s show centers around an Italian family in Long Island, New York. It centers around the dysfunctional family of sports columnist Ray Barone. To add insult to injury, Ray's parents moved in right across the street and would invite themselves over any time they felt

The nicknames Ray came up with for Debra were ad-libbed

The houses in which Ray and Debra Barone and his parents lived were right across the street from each other

Charmed

-This supernatural program centered around three sisters who just so happen to also be witches. Their powerful book of spells, The Book of Shadows, was the book from which they cast all their spells

The Book of Shadows on the show weighed nine pounds

King of the Hill

-This show, which was made by Beavis & Butthead creator Mike Judge, centers around a propane salesman, Hank Hill, his wife Peggy and his dysfunctional family and also equally dysfunctional friends in Arlen, Texas

John Ritter voiced the music teacher, Mr. Grandy

Twin Peaks

-This mystery in itself TV show had horror, true crime, mystery and sci-fi. Fans of the show are still watching it to this day, trying to solve the mystery of the town. One of the biggest highlights was that no one knew who the murderer was

The network Twin Peaks was on had to cancel it after 20 episodes because a rival network revealed the identity of Laura's killer to the audiences

Seinfeld

-This "show about nothing" somehow ended up becoming massively successful.

When Julia Louis-Dreyfuss discovered she was pregnant, Jerry Seinfeld thought about a plot idea that had reduced Dreyfuss to tears, not the emotional, pregnancy-related tears, but genuine tears

The "show about nothing" tagline came not from creators, but from fans

Xena: Warrior Princess

-Many a guy had a crush on her when this program was on. Most likely it was because she was muscular, dressed in tight clothes and could handle a sword as well as any man.

The war cry that Xena used was based on something that Arab women used. Their war cry was called ululating

Will & Grace

-Will, a gay New York attorney and Grace, a straight interior designer, both share an apartment and are visited by their friends Jack and Karen, who's a rich socialite lacking morals

After getting the news from her agent that she had landed a role on Will & Grace, Megan Mullally had made an illegal U-turn and was given a ticket by police

3rd Rock from the Sun

-This completely out there show was about aliens moving to Earth and trying to assimilate into society

Ian Lithgow, who played Leon, was the son of John Lithgow, who played Dr. Dick Solomon

Dawson's Creek

-This show, aimed at teenagers, centered around four teenagers navigating adolescence in a coastal town

The necklace that Dawson Leery, who was played by James Van Der Beek, wore was made by his own mother

Living Single

-This show centered around six friends living in a Brooklyn brownstone as they navigated the turbulent waters that is life

The key that Queen Latifah wore around her neck was in honor of her brother, who was killed in a motorcycle accident

Ellen

-Bookstore owner Ellen tries to get by in life with the struggles of friends and family

Ellen received more hate mail for "The Puppy Episode" than any other episode because her character came out as gay

Oprah Winfrey had received more hate mail than ever for appearing in "The Puppy Episode"

Sabrina the Teenage Witch

-This show, starring Melissa Joan Hart as a teen witch living with her two aunts, who show her how to use her new powers

Melissa Joan Hart got the role as Sabrina because her mother was one of the producers of the show

Step By Step

-Two families become one, slowly but surely

Sasha Mitchell, who played Cody, was arrested and charged with domestic abuse

Ren & Stimpy

-This somewhat disgusting cartoon was, somehow, aimed at kids and centered around a cat and a chihuahua

John Kricfalusi, the creator, was known for dating underage girls

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers

-In the days before the spin offs of Power Rangers, there was this show, centering around a group of superheroes in brightly color spandex suits and masks

David Yost, who played the Blue Ranger, accused the crew of homophobic bullying. He said it got to the point where he started conversion therapy because the bullying was constant and as a result, he walked away from the show

Untold Secrets of 90s Shows

We all love watching TV. There are shows from the 1990s, especially, that still survive today. Here are some cool facts you may or may not know about some of them

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

-A supernatural show about vampires, this starred Sarah Michelle Gellar in the days before she met and married Freddie Prinze Jr., who, along with her, starred in the Scooby Doo films together, playing Daphne Blake and Fred Jones

Dolly Parton was a producer of the show who went uncredited

Director Joss Whedon created the program Buffy the Vampire Slayer to help break down the "helpless blonde in a horror movie" stereotype

Beverly Hills, 90210

-A sort of soap opera geared toward the younger generation, Luke Perry, with his good looks, drew millions of girls toward the show each week. Initially, producers were not fond of him, but good luck had come his way, and someone stepped up and said to give this guy a chance

Aaron Spelling, one of the producers of the show, gave him that chance. He paid Perry's salary on the first few episodes. Soon, fans chose him as their favorite and thus, made him a star

The Nanny

-This sitcom is funny, but most can't get past the nasally voice that Fran Drescher has. They find her annoying. This sitcom revolves around a former entrepreneur turned nanny to pay bills. She often interacted with the staff of the house in which she worked

The English accent used Daniel Davis, who played the butler Niles, was fake

The primary care physician for Renee Taylor, who played Fran's mom, wrote to the show, asking producers asking that she not eat so much on screen because it was taking a heavy toll on her health

Frasier

-This Cheers spinoff centers around Dr. Frasier Crane, a psychiatrist on the radio

His dog, Eddie, got more fan mail than anyone else on the show

Roz, Frasier's partner, helped keep him grounded. But the actress who played Roz, Peri Gilpin, was not the original choice. Lisa Kudrow, who plays ditzy blonde Phoebe, almost got the role

Peri Gilpin

Lisa Kudrow

The creator of the show, David Angell and his wife Lynn, were killed during the 9/11 attacks in New York. They were on the plane that was hijacked and crashed into the North Tower that morning

The Golden Girls

-This 1990s sitcom about a group of friends who are also retirees living together is hilarious. But, when the cameras weren't rolling, the cast didn't hang out much together

Bea Arthur, who plays Dorothy, and Betty White, who plays Rose, didn't get along when filming

It was Rue McClanahan's idea to give Blanche Devereaux a Southern accent. It ended up working because it gave the show a new layer of class

Cheers

-Everyone knows the theme song of this show. This is one of those definitely iconic 1990s shows about a bar in Boston where everyone knows your name. This show even inspired a spin-off called Frasier

Kelsey Grammer broke a record by playing Dr. Frasier Crane for 20 years

That 70s Show

-Not the most unique or original of names, but producers wanted a show that took place in the 1970s. One person suggested "that 70s show" and the name stuck. This show has seen a whirlwind of guest appearances and changes in character or actors or actresses. Some actors or actresses left during the show.

Tanya Roberts, who played Midge, left That 70s Show to take care of her husband, who was diagnosed with cancer. She wanted to take care of him full time

Whenever Kitty cooked, the food was real and was used to feed the cast and crew

Married...With Children

-This show might have been trashy in some people's eyes, but there was no way to watch this show and not laugh at each episode. The show centered around a disgruntled woman's shoe store clerk named Al Bundy, his lazy airheaded wife Peg, their "dumb blonde" daughter Kelly and their not so smart son Bud in Chicago

Famed drag queen Divine was supposed to appear on the show as Uncle Otto. That character had lines, a character, everything ready to go. But this awesome performer had passed away in their hotel room. The episode in which this character was due to appear was dedicated to them

It was Katey Sagal's idea to dress Peg Bundy in 1960s-type clothing. She even came to her audition in a red wig

ER

-This well-known and successful show was Grey's Anatomy before that show was even conceived. This show portrayed how often stressful it can be to work as an ER doctor or nurse in a bustling inner-city hospital

At one point, it cost $13 million to make each episode

Law & Order SVU

-This show, which was a spin-off of the original Law & Order, centered around a special unit that investigates sexual-related crimes.

Mariska Hargitay, who plays Det. Olivia Benson, had trained as a sexual assault crisis counselor to prepare for her role on the show, knowing that her character would be working with some very touchy, risqué subjects. She also helps raise awareness for victims of sexual assault through her Joyful Heart Foundation. This foundation helps victims of child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence

Friends

-This show was one of those 1990s shows that didn't seem to make any sense. It was just about a bunch of friends who hung out together.

Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel, hated the multi layered hairstyle her character had because it took a long time to care for. It even inspired a hairstyle called "The Rachel"

The actor who played Gunther on Friends had to dye his hair peroxide blonde each week. The actor also had real life experience as a barista because he worked as one on the side

Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing, suffered from such extreme alcohol and drug addiction, that he didn't even remember filming certain seasons of the show

Family Matters

-This wholesome family show centered around a black Chicago police officer and his family and the antics of their nerdy next-door neighbor, Steve Urkel

Steve Urkel was only meant to appear on one episode of Family Matters. But he proved so successful producers kept him on the show

Jaleel White, who plays Steve Urkel, was discouraged from working out and had to shave every day to stay young looking

Roseanne

-This well-known 1990s show portrayed the struggles of a working-class family in Illinois

Roseanne cut Alicia Goranson's hair after production told her no

Blossom

-This is definitely a stereotypical 1990s show because of the fashion worn on the show. Little did anyone know that the actress who played Blossom would go on to become a neuroscientist and also Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory

Blossom's friend Six was given her name for a highly inappropriate reason. Depending on which episode you watch, you'll find the reason for her name. In the pilot episode, it was said that six was the number of beers her dad drank before making love to her mother. Later on, it was said she was the sixth child born to her parents

Quantum Leap

-This sci-fi show, which now has a new remake out on TV, was about a scientist who was part of a government investigation into time travel. He "leaps" into other people's bodies and tries to help them solve their problems while also trying to get home. But if they die, so does he

Al Calavicci, who played Dr. Sam Buckett, wanted his character to smoke because he said it was a good way to get free of cigars for five years

Sex and the City

-This show, definitely aimed at women, told the stories and struggles of four women in New York City

Kim Cattrall, who played Samantha, wore heels in each shot she was in, just so she could get into character

My So-Called Life

-This show was about a 15-year-old and the struggles she faced with friends, family and life in general

Enrique "Rickie" Vasquez, played by Wilson Cruz, was the first openly gay teenager shown on American television. He could relate to his character because of struggles with homosexuality and at one point, was homeless for a short time after coming out to his dad

Ally McBeal

-Attorney Ally McBeal thought her life couldn't get worse. It does. She ends up at a Boston law firm with her ex and his current wife

Jane Krakowski, who played gossipy receptionist Elaine Vassal, said she felt like a" fat cow" some days after filming. Because most women usually wear a size 0-2 and her wearing a size 6, she felt bad about her body size

7th Heaven

-This wholesome family show revolved around a minister named Eric Camden, his wife Annie and their seven kids and the misadventures and struggles of daily life

The dog on the show, who was a female, was reclusive by nature because she had been abused by her former male owner. As a result, she feared the men on the show. To help her out, the men on the show would spend time with the dog, named Happy, off screen to help her relax and ensure she would be comfortable

A Different World

-A sort of sequel to The Cosby Show, this show centered around a group of students at a predominantly black college in Atlanta

Lisa Bonet, who played Denise Huxtable, was fired by none other than Bill Cosby because she had gotten pregnant. "Lisa Bonet is pregnant, but Denise Huxtable is not." said Cosby

Judge Judy

-This is one of those types of shows where people come on and fight cases before the revered and respected Judge Judy Sheindlin. FYI, she's an actual judge and the cases, people and verdicts are real and final

Producers told people "Don't make eye contact with her, it makes her mad".

Martin

-Martin Lawrence plays a sarcastic radio/TV personality named Martin Payne and focuses on his relationship with his girlfriend Gina, her friend Pam and the misadventures with his two friends Tommy and Cole

Tisha Campbell, who played Gina, filed several sexual harassment lawsuits against Martin Lawrence. She agreed to film her final scenes if Lawrence was nowhere in sight