Friday Night TV Shows I used to Watch as a Kid Growing Up in the ‘90s

Just like any other kid, from any other generation, I couldn’t wait for Friday night to arrive. It signaled the end of the school week, it meant I could sleep longer, and I could play the whole weekend. Going back to my favorite TV shows, yes, I get to watch cartoons every afternoon when I come home from school.

However, Friday nights were different. The shows that were broadcast on TV were, shall I say, more premium, more action-packed, and more intriguing. Anyway, here is a list of the Friday night shows I used to watch in the ‘90s:

This animated series follows the adventures of paranormal investigators and ghost hunters Dr. Peter Venkman, Dr. Egon Spengler, Dr. Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore, their secretary Janine Melnitz and their mascot ghost Slimer.

This iconic ‘90s series is set in New York City and follows the adventures of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, namely, Raphael, Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and their sensei, Master Splinter, as they battle the Shredder, Krang, and numerous other villains and criminals.

The Simpsons family – Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie – is a typical American family living in Springfield, a fictional town, and their lives tackle everyday society, culture, issues, and events.

This is one of my most anticipated TV series because of its science fiction stories (there was even a two-part horror episode, which I reckoned was quite unforgettable because I used to search for it on YouTube).

This animated superhero show was based on the Marvel Comics team with the same name. It ran in the U.S. for five seasons, from October 1992 to September 1997. In the Philippines, I recall this being shown on TV around the year 1995.

This show was also known as Star Wars: Ewoks. It brought back the lovable Ewok characters who first appeared in Return of the Jedi (1983). From there, their adventures continued in Caravan of Courage and Battle for Endor, and the show dove even deeper into their world with fun, family-friendly stories set on the forest moon of Endor.

This is an animated superhero series based on DC’s iconic Batman, brought to life by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski. It was produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and it aired on Fox Kids in the USA from 1992 to 1995, running for 85 episodes.

I remember the classic Batman series (which I also loved), but I thought the animated series was more avant-garde and, should I say, even trendy. I think the modern image of Batman is based on the animated series.

This superhero show first hit TV screens in the USA on August 28, 1993, as part of the Fox Kids lineup. What’s cool is that it actually used footage from a Japanese series called Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger, which was the 16th entry in Toei’s Super Sentai franchise. So while the action scenes came from Japan, the story and characters were adapted for American audiences.

In the Philippines, I think I was already in high school when Mighty Morphin Power Rangers began showing. I remember waiting for it to air after the evening news.

The original series first hit Nickelodeon in the U.S. on August 15, 1992, and ran until early 1996. It also aired on YTV in Canada. Fun fact—the pilot actually premiered as a Halloween special back in October 1991. The show was popular enough to spark two revivals: one from 1999 to 2000, and another much later from 2019 to 2022.

I consider this one of my favorite shows. I love the general eerie vibe minus the hardcore horror vibe. Many of the episodes were mostly about teen adventures with a spooky twist.

If you are like me, who grew up in the '90s, what TV shows do you love watching?

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