Nostalgia for 90s shows has grown immensely in recent years. 90s kids might dig into their favorite cartoon to relive the Saturday mornings of their childhoods, while others just enjoy watching the quality shows broadcast during the decade. Whatever the reason, there's just something fun and comforting about watching 90s television today.

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Some of the best shows of the 1990s were superhero shows, which often brought new special effects and animation styles to favorite heroes and heroines. Some shows even invented new characters and universes for audiences to enjoy. With lots of innovation and interesting takes on what it means to be a hero, 90s superhero shows are not just an entertaining watch but exciting parts of television history.

10 The Flash Was A Campy 90s Treat

John Wesley Shipp as Barry Allen stands in front of smoke in The Flash 1990 TV series

The early 90s saw the Flash's first solo TV series, The Flash, which featured the Barry Allen version of the popular DC hero. The show follows Allen's daily existence as a forensic scientist while depicting his secret life as the crime-fighting Flash. Like many superhero shows of the decade, Danny Elfman contributed to the show's musical landscape by composing the theme song.

The Flash definitely has a campy energy, but the effects aren't too terrible by today's standards. With John Wesley Shipp bringing his soap opera acting to the world of Spandexed superheroes and plenty of great action scenes, it's a tragedy that the show was canceled after just one season.

9 X-Men: The Animated Series Is A Memorable Classic

Jubilee and Wolverine standing aghast in X-Men: The Animated Series

One of the most popular and well-rated animated shows of the 1990s, X-Men: The Animated Series, aired on Saturday mornings from 1992 to 1997. The show's journey to popularity was a little rocky, however, with animation errors, delays, and a short-staffed studio almost stopping the show in its tracks before it even aired.

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Luckily, X-Men: The Animated Series did come to fruition and has remained a fan-favorite ever since. The show gained praise for a daring take on some pretty mature themes for a children's show, like divorce, the AIDS crisis, and even the Holocaust. It was so memorable that it's set to be revived in 2023 in a Disney+ show titled X-Men '97.

8 Lois And Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman Ended On A Cliffhanger

Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain as Lois Lane and Clark Kent in Lois and Clark  The New Adventures of Superman

Another long-running 90s series, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, followed the titular hero in his crime-fighting exploits, but also centered on the relationship between Superman's alter-ego Clark Kent and his girlfriend, Lois Lane. The show took an unconventional approach to the structure of a superhero show by placing romance at the center, but it paid off, as the show was critically praised and very popular.

Despite its successful run, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was unexpectedly canceled after four seasons. The production staff – including the writers – believed there would be a fifth season and were unprepared, meaning that the show ended in a season four finale cliffhanger that was never resolved.

7 Spawn Is A Deeply Dark Delight

Spawn in Todd Mcfarlene's Spawn animated series

Based on the Image Comics character of the same name, Spawn was an animated series that aired on HBO from 1997 to 1999. The show followed Spawn, an undead anti-hero with a complicated and twisted origin story, as he attempted to protect his former wife from dangerous forces.

Deeply dark and complex, Spawn was a groundbreaking show that brought grotesque and graphic content to animation–a medium often reserved for light-hearted kid's television. Its philosophical themes and high-stakes storylines keep the show from becoming mindless gore, and its stunning animation helps it retain its role as one of the most beloved superhero shows of the 90s.

6 SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron Was Canceled Too Soon

Razor and T Bone in SWAT Cats the Radical Squadron

What could be better than a group of anthropomorphic cats piloting fighter jets to defeat nefarious villains? That's the idea behind the Hanna-Barbera cartoon SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron. The idea might sound outlandish, but the show was incredibly successful, becoming the highest-rated syndicated animated show of 1994.

Despite its popularity, the show was canceled after 25 episodes, presumably because Hanna-Barbera executives took issue with the show's violence. Since its cancelation, the show made a few failed attempts at a revival series, until it was announced in February 2022 that a revival is finally in the works.

5 Freakazoid Was A Slapstick Superhero

An image of Freakazoid!

Created by animation legends Paul Dini and Bruce Timm and produced by Steven Spielberg, Freakazoid! was an over-the-top animated comedy about an erratic and bizarre teen superhero. Although its original Saturday morning run was only mildly successful, the show has become a cult classic, partially thanks to reruns on Cartoon Network.

Freakazoid! leaned heavily into absurdism and parody, and often poked fun at other popular superheroes of the era. The show also featured mini-segments of other odd, parodic heroes like Toby Danger, a satire of Jonny Quest. The show's unique and spoof-like take on a superhero makes it stand out among other shows of the decade.

4 Space Ghost Coast to Coast Brought A 60s Hero To The 90s

Space Ghost was a popular Hanna-Barbera Saturday Morning hero in the 1960s who might have become a vintage relic...if he wasn't revived in the 1990s to host his fictional talk show. Space Ghost Coast to Coast took on a surreal and outrageous tone aimed at older audiences. It featured Space Ghost "interviewing" heavily edited clips of celebrities doing (mostly) pre-existing interviews.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast used pieces of the original 60s show and laid them over a talk show setting, and the crude animation and continuity errors simply became a part of the joke. The show is a classic example of the subversive and experimental comedy shows produced by Adult Swim and Cartoon Network during the 90s.

3 The Powerpuff Girls Is An Iconic Part Of 90s Culture

Blossom, Buttercup, and Bubbles from The Powerpuff Girls in front of a red heart background.

Although The Powerpuff Girls premiered almost 25 years ago, the show's characters are still popular today. Bubbles, Buttercup, and Blossom represent a combination of both power and femininity in a way that appeals to people of all genders, even in the modern day. Plus, the show's 1950s jazz-inspired animation style is a visual delight.

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When The Powerpuff Girls premiered in 1998, it was the highest-rated Cartoon Network premiere to date. The show's popularity continued from there, consistently proving to be the most-watched show on the network through most of its six-season run. Today, the show is almost synonymous with late 90s/early 2000s animation, and continues to sell merchandise all over the world.

2 Batman: The Animated Series Is An Unforgettable Masterpiece

An anguished Bruce Wayne stands beside Thomas Wayne in Batman: The Animated Series.

One of the most beloved superhero series of the 1990s, Batman: The Animated Series, captured The Dark Knight in a gritty, film noir-infused interpretation of Gotham. The show's animation and score by Danny Elfman are two of its most iconic properties. It has also been praised for featuring darker, more philosophical storylines than earlier Batman shows.

Batman: The Animated Series has left a long and powerful legacy. It created the entire DC Animated Universe, including Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, and multiple feature films. Plus, it has the distinct honor of having invented Harley Quinn, who is now an incredibly popular character in her own right.

1 Batman Beyond Was A Fresh Take On Batman

Batman Beyond 1999 comic cover in DCAU continuity

Premiering in January of 1999, Batman Beyond was a futuristic and fresh revamp of the Batman franchise. Set in the same universe as Batman: The Animated Series, the show follows a teenage incarnation of Batman named Terry McGinnis as he attempts to follow in an elderly Bruce Wayne's footsteps.

The innovative show was infused with cyber-punk and science fiction-inspired themes as it examined the effects of evolving technology on Gotham and its citizens. It also touches on Bruce Wayne's psyche as he ages and explores coming-of-age themes through a teenage version of Batman. There are plenty of generic takes on Batman, but Batman Beyond provided a fresh perspective on the hero.

NEXT: Every '90s Batman Movie, Ranked According To IMDb