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We’ll never let go

36 Random Bits of Nostalgia That Could Snuggle Up to Us on A Big Wooden Door Instead of Sinking Into the Icy Ocean of Time

January 05, 2025

These gems make us feel like those salty old dawgs reliving their glory days on the gridiron, but maybe that’s okay. Why would we dim our own nostalgia-relishing light? We need to turn these guilty pleasures into full-blown pleasures. They gave us great joy back then, and there’s no reason why that joy needs to stay in the past.

So you youngins can eye-roll us oldies all you want, but we’re bringing these back with the biggest guilt-free smiles on our weathered faces!

33

Harry Potter

The first Harry Potter book 8 1999 996 published 1990 199 in 1997. 1999 1991 1992 1993 1994 the 1995 1996 1997 1998 J.K. Rowling says she 1996 regrets having different titles in the U.S. vs. worldwide. NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

32

Happy Days

Happy Days RONNY-HOWARD CRACKED.COM The Happy Days crew started out on an episode of Love, American Style, which was basically an anthology of unconnected rom-com pilots. Their episode was meant to be a pilot for an entirely different show that was never picked up. Two years later, the characters and settings were yoinked for Happy Days. — Source

31

Pogs

Pogs were a rip-off of the Japanese game Menko. Menko's been popular since the 1600s, travelling to Hawaii when Japanese people imigrated in the early 20th century. CRACKED.COM — Source

30

Tie-in Foods

Tie-In Foods GRACKED.COM The height of commercialism brought with it the height of pop culture or celebrity tie-in prod- ucts. You could eat your Pac-Man cereal with some Star Wars cook- ies on the side and an Ecto Cooler and never worry that someone wasn't trying to sell you some- thing every second of the day. — Source: 15 Weirdest Food Trends of the ‘80s

29

Family Matters

JUDY WAS THE YOUNGEST DAUGHTER on FAMILY MATTERS. AND in THE FOURTH SEASON, SHe VANISHED. Her last appearance was in an episode called Mama's Wedding, and after that, the family pretended she never existed. That was the time when the show began to focus on Steve Urkel, so the answer to the question, Did I do that? is yes. Yes, you did. CRACKED.COM http://familymatters. wikia .com/wiki/Judy_Winslow — Source

28

Nickelodeon

1991 was a big year for Nickelodeon cartoons. 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 993 1994 1995 1996 1997 It was the debut of their first animated series: Doug, 1995 1903 Rugrats, 1993 and Ren & Stimpy. 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

27

Full House

CRACKED COM JOHN STAMOS KEPT THE COUCH FROM FULL HOUSE. johnstamos Baby safety gate or one of the most iconic couches in pop TV history? You, make the call - These days, he mainly uses it as a baby safety gate. — Source

26

Space Jam

Space Jam was a spin-off of a Nike Super Bowl commercial. The 1992 ad featuring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny was very popular, leading Jordan's agent to take the now famous duo to the big screen. CRACKED.COM — Source

25

Wayne’s World

The Bohemian Rhapsody opening sequence of Wayne's World was an instant pop culture hit and managed to revive the classic Queen single... ...but the

24

1990

The Human Genome Project was 1990 1991 1998 1999 1990 launched in 1990. 1998 1909 So was the Hubble Space Telescope. 1992 1990 1995 1996 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

23

Video Games

In 1992, Sony and Nintendo briefly 1992 1990 joined forces. 1997 1998 1999 1995 1996 1997 SONY SONY PlayStation + START SELECT Their love child was a single 096 1997 prototype that played both Nintendo cartridges and Sony CD-ROMs. 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

22

Cereal Box Toys

60'S - 80'S Playable records Boo Berry PIODI Arp The Frankenberry Count Monsters Choute A 33% RPM Go Disco FULE FOFTY NSTRUICDIONS 4AAR BACC TO CRACKED INLLNLL CONI tonng: YO They actually managed to print music onto the glossy back of a cardboard cereal box, which you could cut out and spin on a

21

The Internet

In 1990, Tim 1995 1993 Berners-Lee created the first web server. 1999 1997 THE machine BEST Der POWER PROPRIETE CERN 1993 1994 1995 That first 1992 server made the worldwide web possible. 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

20

The Spice Girls

The '90s were the IN decade 996 the Spice Girls 1998 1990 199 ruled the pop 199 world. 1998 1999 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 STATE They were the most commercially successful British group since 1995 the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, 993 and Led 1993 Zeppelin. 1998 1999 1990 1991 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

19

Malcolm in the Middle

A Little House on the Prairie Actor Created Malcom in the Middle. MALC IN THe LM MIDDLe Linwood Boomer, who played Mary Ingalls' husband, based the character of Malcom on himself as a kid. CRACKED.COM — Source

18

Disney

The '90s are 1994 1995 IN 1992 1993 1994 sometimes way called the Disney LOND 1991 92 Renaissance. 1996 999 1993 1997 1994 1995 It began in late 1989 with the wildly successful The Little Mermaid, 190 reached its peak in popularity with The Lion King in 1994, and ended in 1999 with Tarzan. 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1098 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

17

Beverly Hills, 90210

Beverly Hills 90210 spanned the decade, airing from 1990 - 2000. 1000 1002 100.4 1005 100g In one than fell that 1998 dooms it 1997 1998 1997 1999 1999 1990 pioneered the teen soap 096 1995 drama and spawned a 1992 1993 small army of copycats. 1991 CRACKED.COM NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s — Source

16

Nerf

Nerf's first slogan was You can't hurt babies or old people. The world's first INDOOR BALL NERF NBRF Yu The world's BALL first INDOOR The motto helped sell millions of Nerf balls in just its first year. CRACKED.COM — Source

15

Super Smash Bros.

In 1999, we were all using the pause trick in Super 1996 Smash Bros. 98 199 1999 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 + It was 1993 a super-sweet 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 996 1997 Nintendo 64 move that'd 095 freeze the game in action. NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

14

Blossom

Handsomely stupid and stupidly handsome, Joey (portrayed by Joey Lawrence) was at the forefront of one of the 1990s' most important TV movements: the good-looking dumbass with a center part and habit of wearing garish sweater vests. CRACKED — Screenrant

13

Grunge

Seattle became the 1994 epicenter of new music, thanks 1992 to Grunge. 097 1998 1999 1995 1996 1997 1993 199 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Seattle bands were getting 96 1997 signed to major labels at the rate of one a week during April, 1992. 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

12

Titanic

James Cameron didn't want My Heart Will Go On for Titanic, and Celine Dion didn't want to sing it Dion was convinced by her creepy husband-manager, and Cameron was convinced by her demo. Smart business move for both of them. CRACKED.COM — Source

11

Boglins

The Fifth Element's spaceship parasites are Boglins, rubber toys from the 1980s. An experienced movie creature and prop designer wanted to use his ski

10

Toy Story

In 1995, Toy Story became the first feature-length 1992 film to be completely 1990 199 997 1998 1999 computer-animated. 995 1996 1997 SPILL the Its release 1990 ushered 1991 in a 1994-1995 new 993 era 1992 in visuals, for Hollywood. 1995 1993 1994 1996 1997 1998 1999 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

9

Recess

CRACKED.COM Recess L Recess is just as good as I remember, but it surprised me how many complex, well-developed characters it contains who all navigate various social networks. The episode where Ms. Finster babysits Spinelli, and Spinelli is forced to see an adult as a dimensional is very funny to see on the other side of childhood. — Source

8

Boy Meets World

Bad boys with center parts and hearts of gold - they were everywhere. Rider Strong's Shawn was 11 at the beginning of Boy Meets World, really pushing the boy part of bad boy. CRACKED — Source

7

The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show CRACKED.COM The world was introduced to Andy Griffith in an episode of The Danny Thomas Show. Thomas takes time off from being a good comedian and terrible father to get arrested in the small town of Mayberry. — Source

6

G.I. Joe

In the 1980s, the struggling HASBRO toy company released a new action figure for its GIJOE line. The new character SNAKE EYES was clad completely in BLACK because Hasbro couldn't afford COLORED PAINT. CRACKED.COM

5

The Reminiscence Bump

CRACKED CON THERE'S A REASON OLDER PEOPLE WAX NOSTALGIC FOR THE GOOD OL'DAYS. iipreco The reminiscence bump is a phenomenon where people over 40 can r

4

Will Smith

After I played a '90s hit to a decade younger friend, he, very seriously, asked me: WILD SMITH MIAM How out did you find about music in new those day

3

The Dow Jones

On April 17, 1991, the Dow Jones closed above 1998 994 3,000 1990 1996 1990 1997 199 for the first time. 093 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 1990 1991 1992 The The world puts its stock in UE STREE 19H3 1995 These days the the Dow closes 1994 at well over 27,000. 1990 1991 1994 1995 NOW YOU KNOW: THE '90s CRACKED.COM — Source

2

Elwood Edwards

Elwood Edwards was the You Got Mail voice. Disappointing. I always imagined he looked like the AIM Buddy icon. CRACKED.COM — Source

1

Theme Songs

Battlestar Galactica The theme from the 1970s show was repurposed in the 2000s revival as the anthem of the Twelve Colonies. — Source: Bear McCreary's Official Site

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