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Dark Side of the 90s

Dark Side of the 90s

A look at the most captivating pop-culture moments, trends and personalities of the decade through interviews with people who studied the time period.
3 seasonsDocumentary, BiographyTV-14
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Season 110 of 10 Episodes

  • As 1990s talk TV evolves from the cerebral "Donahue" to the trashy "Jerry Springer," the new format fuses combustive relationships, shock and violence to entertain the masses.

  • The Viper Room was a refuge for young Hollywood to hide from the prying eyes of the press, until one fateful night when the death of a rising star instantly made it headline news.

  • The story of how the upstart Fox Network forever changed television, and continues to have prevalence decades later.

  • In the '90s, parents and kids bonded over collecting playful plush toys known as Beanie Babies until the toy's creator, Ty Warner, used the internet's power to create a frenzied market.

  • Sub Pop's classic '90s indie ethos was tested when they chased mainstream money; the story of grunge told through the eyes of the little label that started it all.

  • The Southern California sun, action and laser-focus on beauty make "Baywatch" appeal to more than a billion people worldwide.

  • Doomsday cults emerged in the 90s, seizing on Y2K fears; while we watched the Waco massacre on TV, Heaven's Gate leader, Marshall Applewhite, made his own plan.

  • Hip-hop in the 1990s faces an uphill fight for airplay and recognition; when the media finally catches on, it tells a story that twists the narrative, sometimes with dangerous consequences.

  • Nineties supermodels were part rock stars and part royalty, but off the runway, many were abused by men using their power to conceal an ugly secret.

  • In the 1990s, the surge of internet-exclusive companies captures the dreams and greed of American investors; in its wake, the beloved Pets.com puppet is killed.

Record to Watch Later

17 episodes will be broadcast over the next two weeks

    TV for Teens
    Infomercials: Shams and Scams
    Remixed: Black Sitcoms' Last Laugh
    Remixed: Morning Show Wars
    Remixed: Baywatch: Sex Sells
    Remixed: TV for Teens
    Remixed: MTV & The Real World
    Remixed: Cops: Bad Boys, Bad Boys
    Remixed: The Viper Room: Hollywood's Sanctuary
    Remixed: The Rise of Rush Limbaugh
  • TV for Teens

    The story of how the upstart Fox Network forever changed television, and continues to have prevalence decades later.
    Upcoming
  • Infomercials: Shams and Scams

    Infomercials mark the Golden Age of the Con Job. These shameless 90s scam artists vie to become top dog in a cutthroat industry--leaving a trail of misery in their wake.
    Upcoming
  • Remixed: Black Sitcoms' Last Laugh

    Black comedies explode in the 90s, with sitcoms written and produced by Black creators, featuring Black casts. But no culture is immune to the toxicity of fame and power.
    Upcoming
  • Remixed: Morning Show Wars

    Morning TV is the profit center of the news divisions that produce them; "Today" and "Good Morning America" battle for dominance where there's no room for failure.
    Upcoming
  • Remixed: Baywatch: Sex Sells

    The Southern California sun, action and laser-focus on beauty make "Baywatch" appeal to more than a billion people worldwide.
    Upcoming
  • Remixed: TV for Teens

    The upstart Fox Network forever changes television.
    Upcoming
Dark Side of the 90s

More about Dark Side of the 90s

A look at the most captivating pop-culture moments, trends and personalities of the decade through interviews with people who studied the time period.

Starring

Mark McGrath, Jason Marik, Dallas Peplow, Debra Wilson, Monika Schnarre

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