The 40 most popular 1990s drama TV shows, ranked. Click any show for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.


Law & Order
1990
country: United States
In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.


Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
country: United States
In the criminal justice system, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.


Among Friends
1998
country: Hungary
Miklós introduces viewers into the world of Money and Charm.


Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten
1992
country: Germany
Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten is a long-running German television soap opera, first broadcast on RTL in 1992. The programme concerns the lives of a fictional neighborhood in Germany's capital city Berlin. Over the years the soap opera tends to have an overhaul of young people in their late teens and early twenties; targeting a young viewership.


Young Hearts
1995
country: Brazil
Malhação is a Brazilian television series for the teenage audience. The soap started in 1995, and was set in a fictional Gym Club called Malhação on Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. Through the years the location varied slightly. Although the name of the soap remains the same, it is now set in the Múltipla Escolha High School.


C.I.D.
1998
country: India
A team of dedicated men and women in the Crime Investigation Department will risk everything to solve Mumbai's toughest, most complicated crimes.


JAG
1995
country: United States
Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr. is a former pilot turned lawyer working for the military's JAG (Judge Advocate General) division, the elite legal wing of officers that prosecutes and defends those accused of military-related crimes. He works closely with Lt. Col. Sarah Mackenzie, and together they do what needs to be done to find the truth.


Midsomer Murders
1997
country: United Kingdom
The peacefulness of the Midsomer community is shattered by violent crimes, suspects are placed under suspicion, and it is up to a veteran DCI and his young sergeant to calmly and diligently eliminate the innocent and ruthlessly pursue the guilty.


Touched by an Angel
1994
country: United States
Monica, an angel, is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives.


The Sopranos
1999
country: United States
The story of New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads. Those difficulties are often highlighted through his ongoing professional relationship with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi. The show features Tony's family members and Mafia associates in prominent roles and story arcs, most notably his wife Carmela and his cousin and protégé Christopher Moltisanti.


Secret Lives
1999
country: Finland
Salatut elämät (Secret Lives) is a Finnish television soap opera that premiered on MTV3 on 25 January 1999. The series' storylines follow the daily lives of several families who live in the same apartment block in Helsinki.


Charmed
1998
country: United States
Three sisters (Prue, Piper and Phoebe) reunite and unlock their powers to become the Charmed Ones, the most powerful good witches of all time, whose prophesied destiny is to protect innocent lives from evil beings such as demons and warlocks. Each sister possesses unique magical powers that grow and evolve, while they attempt to maintain normal lives in modern day San Francisco.


Family Affairs
1997
country: United Kingdom
Focuses on the lives of residents in the fictional London suburb of Charnham.


Holby City
1999
country: United Kingdom
Drama series about life on the wards of Holby City Hospital, following the highs and lows of the staff and patients.


Star Trek: Voyager
1995
country: United States
Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is 75 years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home.


Twin Peaks
1990
country: United States
The body of Laura Palmer is washed up on a beach near the small Washington state town of Twin Peaks. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is called in to investigate her strange demise only to uncover a web of mystery that ultimately leads him deep into the heart of the surrounding woodland and his very own soul.


Diagnosis: Murder
1993
country: United States
Dr. Mark Sloan is a good-natured, offbeat physician who is called upon to solve murders.


The West Wing
1999
country: United States
The West Wing provides a glimpse into presidential politics in the nation's capital as it tells the stories of the members of a fictional presidential administration. These interesting characters have humor and dedication that touches the heart while the politics that they discuss touch on everyday life.


Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993
country: United States
At Deep Space Nine, a space station located next to a wormhole in the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, Commander Sisko and crew welcome alien visitors, root out evildoers and solve all types of unexpected problems that come their way.


The Practice
1997
country: United States
A provocative legal drama focused on young associates at a bare-bones Boston firm and their scrappy boss, Bobby Donnell. The show's forte is its storylines about “people who walk a moral tightrope.”


Chicago Hope
1994
country: United States
Chicago Hope is an American medical drama television series, created by David E. Kelley. It ran on CBS from September 18, 1994, to May 4, 2000. The series is set in a fictional private charity hospital in Chicago, Illinois.


Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1997
country: United States
Into every generation a slayer is born: one girl in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number. She is the Slayer.


Beverly Hills, 90210
1990
country: United States
Follow the lives of a group of teenagers living in the upscale, star-studded community of Beverly Hills, California and attending the fictitious West Beverly Hills High School and, subsequently, the fictitious California University after graduation.


3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
country: United States
The high commander of an alien expedition lands on Earth -- what he considers to be the least-important planet -- in human form as Dick Solomon. Along for the ride are his alien compatriots Harry, Sally and Tommy -- who is the eldest of the group but is now angrily trapped in a teen's body.


ER
1994
country: United States
ER explores the inner workings of an urban teaching hospital and the critical issues faced by the dedicated physicians and staff of its overburdened emergency room.


That '70s Show
1998
country: United States
Crank up the 8-track and flash back to a time when platform shoes and puka shells were all the rage in this hilarious retro-sitcom. For Eric, Kelso, Jackie, Hyde, Donna and Fez, a group of high school teens who spend most of their time hanging out in Eric’s basement, life in the ‘70s isn’t always so groovy. But between trying to figure out the meaning of life, avoiding their parents, and dealing with out-of-control hormones, they’ve learned one thing for sure: they’ll always get by with a little help from their friends.


Melrose Place
1992
country: United States
Follow the lives of a group of young adults living in a brownstone apartment complex on Melrose Place, in Los Angeles, California.


El Desafio
1995
country: VE
El Desafio is a Venezuelan telenovela that was produced by and seen on Venezuela's Radio Caracas Televisión. Martin Hahn and Salvador Garmendia were the telenovela's writers, Salvador Garmendia was also in charge of dramatics, Carlos Lamus was its executive producer, Renato Gutierrez was its director, and Hernando Faria was the producer. This telenovela lasted 113 episodes and was distributed internationally by RCTV International.


NYPD Blue
1993
country: United States
Police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwined several plots involving an ensemble cast.


Sunset Beach
1997
country: United States
Sunset Beach is an American television soap opera that aired on NBC from January 6, 1997 to December 31, 1999. The show follows the loves and lives of the people living in the Orange County coastal area named Sunset Beach, on the coast of California. Although there is a town in California called Sunset Beach, the show's beach scenes were shot on nearby Seal Beach. The show was co-produced by NBC and Spelling Television. Sunset Beach won two Daytime Emmy Awards and was nominated another eleven times. The show also received twenty-two nominations for various other awards.


Wings
1990
country: United States
Brothers Brian and Joe Hackett attempt to run an airline on the New England island of Nantucket while surrounded by their various wacky friends and employees.


Madres egoístas
1991
country: Mexico
Madres egoístas is a Mexican telenovela produced by Juan Osorio for Televisa and originally broadcast on Canal de las Estrellas from February 4 to June 7, 1991. It is a remake of the 1963 telenovela of the same name produced by Valentín Pimstein. Created by Mimí Bechelani and adapted by Josefina Palos y Romo, the telenovela stars Julieta Rosen, Enrique Novi, Orlando Carrió, and Chantal Andere. The story follows Raquel Rivas Cantú, a young orphan and heiress who is raised by her housekeeper Mariana, a woman who secretly carries resentment against the Rivas Cantú family. After marrying Pablo, a widower with a daughter, Raquel's life becomes marked by tragedy, family conflicts, and betrayal. As secrets from the past emerge, Raquel and her loved ones must face revenge, ambition, and the search for justice and happiness.


Third Watch
1999
country: United States
The exploits of a group of men and women who serve the City of New York as police officers, firemen, and paramedics, all working the same fictional 55th precinct during the 3pm to 11pm shift - the 'Third Watch'.


Sex and the City
1998
country: United States
Based on the bestselling book by Candace Bushnell, Sex and the City tells the story of four best friends, all single and in their late thirties, as they pursue their careers and talk about their sex lives, all while trying to survive the New York social scene.


WWE Heat
1998
country: United States
Feel the heat of the Attitude Era as WWE Superstars such as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock compete in exclusive matches.


Babylon 5
1994
country: United States
Babylon 5 is a five-mile long space station located in neutral space. Built by the Earth Alliance in the 2250s, its goal is to maintain peace among the various alien races by providing a sanctuary where grievances and negotiations can be worked out among duly appointed ambassadors. A council made up of representatives from the five major space-faring civilizations - the Earth Alliance, Minbari Federation, Centauri Republic, Narn Regime, and Vorlon Empire - work with the League of Non-Aligned Worlds to keep interstellar relations under control. Aside from its diplomatic function, Babylon 5 also serves as a military post for Earth and a port of call for travelers, traders, businessmen, criminals, and Rangers.


Initial D
1998
country: Japan
Takumi’s job as a tofu delivery boy has turned him into one of the most formidable drivers around. Behind the wheel of his Eight-Six, he’s one with the road—and his life shifts into high gear when the underground street racing world takes notice. Drivers from across the region are lining up for a shot at the new guy. Takumi’s not just focused on winning—he’s out to prove he’s the best.


Silent Witness
1996
country: United Kingdom
A team of exceptional forensic pathologists and scientists investigate heinous crimes and use their skills to catch the people responsible.


Party of Five
1994
country: United States
Five brothers and sisters are determined to stay together following the tragic loss of their parents.


Alarm for Cobra 11: The Motorway Police
1996
country: Germany
A long-running German television series about a two-man team of highway police, originally set in Berlin and later in North Rhine-Westphalia.
1990s television was the last era of true mass audiences, when a network sitcom or a season finale could be a shared national event.
Television drama is where the medium made its case as film's equal, from the cable era's antihero epics to the current streaming wave. Long-form gives character change room to actually happen.