When Screech and Uncle Jesse ruled
Almost every home in America has one or more television sets in it, making TV a part of everyday life of many USU students.
Television has changed quite a bit since it first debuted; there have even been many changes from the 1990s, when many USU students were growing up, to today’s television. For many students, seeing reruns of their favorite TV shows bring back memories of their younger years.
Marissa Anderson, a junior in family finance, said of the old reruns, “When I see them, I remember how much free time I had as a kid.” She said now things have become more difficult and demand more of her time, making it harder to really get into the shows of today.
Anderson said she thinks one of the main differences between TV of today and the ’90s is in the past things seemed so much simpler and the characters had more normal lives then they do now. Some of her favorite shows were “Saved by the Bell”and “Full House”.
“I liked ‘Saved by the Bell’ so much because that’s what I thought high school was really like,” Anderson said.
Kevin Holgate, a sophomore in public relations, said when he watches shows like “Step by Step”, “Family Matters” and “Full House”, he remembers the time spent together as a family watching these shows with his younger siblings.
“When I see some of these shows I get a little nostalgic thinking of the memories these shows captured,” he said.
Holgate has also been able to use some of the cartoons of his childhood to bond together with his daughters.
“One of my daughters is hooked to Spiderman,” Holgate said. “I feel like I’m passing on some of my interests to my girls.” He said watching shows with his daughters helps him to bond with them.
Many students said the ’90s reminded them of shows like “Saved by the Bell”, “Family Matters” and “Full House” as well as cartoons like “Duck Tales” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. Some said these shows had moral messages, something not seen as much in today’s television.
JD Rutledge, a senior in public health, said, “It seems like TV is more about nothing these days. It just for entertainment.”
Many of the shows of the ’90s were popular because people could relate to the characters. Anderson said she really liked the character Stephanie on “Full House” because she was the middle child who was overlooked sometimes. Anderson said she felt the same way being a middle child also.
Rutledge said he felt like the character AC Slater on “Saved by the Bell” represented him well because AC was an athletic guy, as was Rutledge.
Television in the ’90s reflected how life was back then, and for these students, seeing these reruns from time to time lets them go back for a moment to their own youth and remember how things used to be.