• last year
Any 90s kids will recognize these characters. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the characters that defined the childhood of kids from this decade.

Category

🗞
News
Transcript
00:00 "Okay, you have to stop the Q-tip when there's resistance."
00:03 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today, we'll be looking at the characters that defined the
00:08 childhood of kids from this decade.
00:10 "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
00:11 "That's right, not Philadelphia, Bel-Air."
00:14 "Well yeah man, but you know, you know my mom's not a fan."
00:19 For this list, we won't include cartoon characters.
00:21 "Kids, would you step outside for a second?"
00:26 Number 10.
00:27 Clarissa Darling.
00:28 Clarissa explains it all.
00:30 "But mark my words, after this year, school picture's never going to be the same.
00:37 And that's before one week."
00:39 Adolescence is one of the most confusing time periods you'll ever experience in life.
00:44 It's awkward, heartbreaking, and life-changing.
00:46 Luckily, 90s kids had Clarissa to give them awesome advice.
00:51 The sitcom follows an everyday teen as she breaks the fourth wall to discuss her growing
00:55 pains and lessons she's learned.
00:57 "Wait, how do I ever get stuck in the middle of something I'm not even supposed to be
01:01 a part of?
01:02 Since I haven't been able to work on any math problems lately, I've been trying to
01:05 work out my own problems."
01:07 It was the first program on Nickelodeon to have a female protagonist, which was super
01:12 inspiring for kids wanting more representation in the media.
01:16 Her relatability appealed to all kinds of children, regardless of gender.
01:21 This helped break the stigma that MCs that are women will only have a female demographic.
01:25 "Well, I better start sharpening those reporter skills, because I'm about to get
01:29 my first real reporter assignment.
01:31 Clarissa, I'm darling here, card-carrying member of the daily dispatch."
01:35 If your witchy aunts told you that you had magical powers on your 16th birthday, it would
01:45 probably be the best gift ever.
01:47 "Wow, he is really cute."
01:48 "Well, we do nice work.
01:50 But if you don't want to go to the dance…"
01:52 "Hey, never mind.
01:53 I'll go.
01:54 I'm ready.
01:55 All set.
01:56 Gotta go."
01:57 Although most people can't relate to the supernatural elements of her life, at the
02:01 end of the day, Sabrina was still a relatable girl.
02:05 Whether she mentioned the latest hit song or referenced a rock band, kids were able
02:09 to keep up with 90s trends because of this cultural queen.
02:13 "How about one bite to celebrate?"
02:15 "What do you take me for?
02:20 I passed and I got some color on my cheeks."
02:23 They also grew alongside her as the show followed her from high school to adulthood.
02:27 She felt like a friend more than a fictional character.
02:30 "One way or another, I'm gonna get ya, I'll get ya, I'll get ya, get ya, get ya,
02:38 get ya, one way or another."
02:40 Number 8.
02:41 George Feeney - Boy Meets World
02:43 "Alright.
02:44 If you let people's perception of you dictate your behavior, you will never grow as a person."
02:52 You can't talk about 90s sitcoms without mentioning this popular coming-of-age show
02:57 that follows a boy as he navigates his youth and approaches adulthood.
03:01 With such vibrant characters, it can be easy to get lost in the sauce.
03:05 I mean, who wasn't inspired by Topanga's intelligence and confidence?
03:10 "I see.
03:11 That's rather an unusual costume for a president, isn't it?"
03:14 "We all wear togas now.
03:15 It removes the hostile competition that fashion often creates."
03:19 But we can't ignore the impact of Mr. Feeney's life lessons.
03:23 They were not just for kids, but for adults as well.
03:26 Whenever he spoke, you just knew he was going to drop nuggets of wisdom.
03:31 The 90s was an era that saw many changes, and it was easy to feel lost.
03:35 Thank goodness this teacher was here to guide us through the chaos.
03:39 "No, I shall remain here.
03:41 No, you'll always be with us.
03:45 As long as we live, okay?"
03:49 7.
03:50 Fran Fine - The Nanny "Are you sure he held you like this for this
03:54 long?"
03:55 "Well, I'm taking a little dramatic license.
03:57 I mean, it is a reenactment of an actual event."
04:02 The F in Fran stands for fashionista, because her outfits inspired style fanatics all over
04:08 the country.
04:09 While she had crazy adventures taking care of well-off family in NYC, her fits never
04:14 stopped slaying.
04:16 With such a distinct wardrobe, who wouldn't want to start experimenting with their clothes?
04:20 Polka dots and stripes?
04:22 Yes, please!
04:23 "It's obviously been doctored.
04:24 I mean, those shoes are white.
04:26 The crime took place after Labor Day.
04:28 There goes the whole timeline."
04:31 Besides her brilliant designs, her infatuation with celebrities and disastrous dating life
04:36 made her relatable to young fans in the 90s.
04:39 Her outgoing nature definitely encouraged children to break out of their shells, no
04:43 matter how scary the situation may seem.
04:46 "I'm telling you, Maxwell Sheffield, I am good for you.
04:52 So I take it there's gonna be a second date?"
04:55 "Hmm, you bet."
04:58 Number 6.
04:59 Zack Morris - Saved by the Bell Any group of friends in high school has gotta
05:04 have a class clown somewhere in the mix.
05:06 On this show, look no further than Mr. Morris.
05:09 "To get away from the old ways where learning is full of stress and for once, make it fun."
05:14 "Well good, but how do we do that?"
05:17 "By getting rid of the pressures."
05:19 Besides being a major heartthrob for teens in the 90s, this hooligan could not stay out
05:24 of trouble for the life of him.
05:26 While kids laughed at his shenanigans, they also saw how his plans frequently caused him
05:30 major problems.
05:31 "I have the enemy in my sights.
05:34 Take this!
05:35 Take that!
05:36 And this!
05:37 It's a vicious fire fight, man!
05:39 Machine guns!
05:40 D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d!"
05:41 They began to learn vicariously through him that they should be mindful of their actions,
05:46 love him or hate him.
05:48 Viewers simply couldn't resist his 90s charm.
05:52 "Come, come, come, come into my heart.
05:58 We, darling, we will never part.
06:03 I need you, darling, so come go with me."
06:04 Number 5.
06:05 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
06:07 "All they ever did was give me orders."
06:09 "Ever obey them?"
06:12 "Sure.
06:13 The ones I was going to do, anyway."
06:16 Being one of the Chosen Ones isn't always what it's cracked up to be.
06:20 This teenager wanted nothing more than to live a regular life instead of battling supernatural
06:25 forces.
06:26 But when she eventually honed in on her identity, she became a fierce warrior.
06:31 "Do you find yourself a good anger management class?"
06:32 "No!"
06:33 "Oh, come on!"
06:34 "Oh, come on!"
06:35 "And I'll jam this pokey wood stick through your heart."
06:38 Her wit, agility, and sensibility made her an icon for 90s feminism.
06:44 Buffy's morals struck a chord with young girls around the world and had them channeling
06:48 their inner fighter in everyday lives.
06:51 She managed to handle both human and paranormal issues skillfully and well.
06:56 What a girl, boss!
06:57 "You may not see it, but I do.
07:02 I do."
07:03 "I believe in you, Spike."
07:08 Number 4.
07:09 Dylan McKay - Beverly Hills, 90210
07:12 "Yeah, well, I just don't believe in winning through intimidation."
07:16 We'd all be a bit culture shocked if we went from humble beginnings to attending high
07:21 school with rich classmates.
07:23 That wealth disparity isn't the only surprise the twins of this drama faced.
07:28 There was also the magnetic Dylan McKay, who was… not okay.
07:32 "All my life, she threw money at me and called it love.
07:37 I didn't ask for love, but to ask for money."
07:39 90s babies felt drawn to his mystique and fell hard for his tortured soul.
07:45 Luke Perry's portrayal of this bad boy caused his career to explode.
07:50 At one point, 10,000 fans attended a signing in hopes of meeting him.
07:55 He was so overwhelmed by the quantity of attendees, he had to leave within two minutes.
08:00 "You'll look back years from now and I'll just be a girl you knew in high school."
08:03 "No you won't.
08:04 No you won't, Brad.
08:05 Not after everything."
08:11 Regardless of the questionable choices McKay made throughout the decade-long series, teens
08:15 were head over heels in love with him.
08:18 Number 3.
08:19 Chandler Bing - Friends
08:20 "I just, I just, I just want to be married again."
08:26 "And I just want a million dollars."
08:31 It's hard to choose which NYC roommate is your favorite out of this hit's core six.
08:36 But 90s kids found everything they could possibly need in Chandler.
08:40 Children envied how easily he came up with such hilarious wisecracks.
08:44 Comedy isn't his only impressive quality.
08:47 He was extremely loyal to his best friends no matter what got thrown the gang's way.
08:51 "You always believed in me, man.
08:53 Even when I didn't believe in myself."
08:55 "I always knew you were gonna make it.
08:56 I'm so proud of you."
08:57 "Thanks.
08:58 That means a lot to me."
09:02 Out of everyone, he's the most well-rounded, which is also why he's incredibly relatable
09:07 to youngsters in that time period.
09:09 He's not perfect, but it's nice to see a role model with flaws.
09:13 We love the realistic reputation.
09:15 "Please promise me that you will never leave me, that we will grow old together and be
09:20 with each other for the rest of our lives."
09:22 "I promise."
09:23 Number 2.
09:26 Will Smith - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
09:39 After being shipped off to live with his wealthy relatives in California, this ragtag teen
09:44 has to adjust to life among the rich.
09:47 His working class wits, combined with his adaptability to fit in with his new environment,
09:52 created the perfect recipe for awesome main character energy and hilarious situations.
09:58 Whether it was his bright '90s clothes, cool lingo, or cheerful nature, he's just so stinking
10:03 lovable.
10:07 Every kid wanted to be him or have him as a cool friend.
10:10 Although he's always down to clown, he knows when to take matters seriously.
10:15 He taught viewers how to work hard and play hard.
10:17 "You can be with your father whenever you want.
10:20 You can eat with him and argue with him.
10:22 He's there for you.
10:23 You know where my father is?
10:26 No?
10:27 Neither do I."
10:28 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:33 Randy Taylor - Home Improvement
10:35 Randy Taylor?
10:36 More like Randy Troublemaker.
10:38 "Oh really?
10:39 It's a beauty."
10:40 "Help me, dad!
10:41 It's sucking me!"
10:42 "No it's not.
10:43 No, I don't know where they get these ideas."
10:46 Blossom Russo - Blossom
10:48 Learning life lessons through this smart teen.
10:51 "Blossom, my heart has already been captured like the way the caged bird flies."
10:56 "Sings.
10:57 If a caged bird flew, it would hit its stupid head against the bars."
11:03 Tia Landry and Tamara Campbell - Sister Sister
11:07 Double the sisters, double the trouble.
11:09 "Hey, you let go of my baby!"
11:10 "Hey, what do you mean your baby?
11:11 Hey, hey, what's that now?
11:12 What?
11:13 What's the matter here?
11:14 What?
11:15 What?
11:16 "Dad?
11:17 Mom?
11:18 What's the matter with you?"
11:19 "That girl has my face!"
11:20 Moesha Mitchell - Moesha
11:23 Always ready to stand up for what she believes in.
11:26 "Just my homies.
11:27 It's not like I'm going on a date or something."
11:29 "Bet not, because you ain't dating till you're 25."
11:31 "You said 16."
11:32 "21."
11:33 "16."
11:34 "18 and I'll throw in a 7."
11:35 "16 and I will be walking.
11:37 Thank you very much."
11:39 Kenan Rockmore and Kel Kimball - Kenan and Kel
11:43 You never know what these tricksters will get up to next.
12:11 Number 1.
12:12 Steve Urkel - Family Matters
12:14 Originally following a household in Chi-Town, the creators of the show decided to introduce
12:19 a super eccentric neighbor to the mix.
12:22 What a great decision!
12:23 "Steve, you were right.
12:24 Anything's possible.
12:25 Will you marry me?"
12:26 "Except that."
12:29 He was only supposed to have a small role, but he gained so much popularity that he became
12:34 a lead.
12:35 As a kid, it can be easy to try to change yourself to fit in, but lo and behold, the
12:40 quirky teen's confidence never wavered, which is lovely to see.
12:44 "And I honestly did not mean it.
12:46 And I'm sorry."
12:47 "Apology accepted.
12:48 Thanks, big guy."
12:49 He taught kids that if they stay true to themselves, they can still have a great life.
13:00 Plus, let's be real, who didn't try to copy his dance moves?
13:06 "Everybody, do me a favor."
13:13 Do you have a TV character that altered your brain chemistry when you were younger?
13:18 Let us know in the comments below.
13:19 "You sure he's gonna be able to crack that code?"
13:23 Do you agree with our picks?
13:24 Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo, and be sure to subscribe and ring the
13:28 bell to be notified about our latest videos.
13:31 [Music]
13:38 (upbeat music)
13:40 (upbeat music)

Recommended