
When VH1 introduced its I Love the 80s and I Love the 90s mini-series, few expected them to gain as much popularity as they did. Both shows are based on short BBC series of the same name. The series explore their respective decades and offer short interviews with celebrities and other guests about the popular culture of the time. These shows frequently appear in syndication on VH1, which is available through most TV service providers, including Direct TV.
VH1 first introduced I Love the 80s in December of 2002. The series included ten episodes aired over four days. Each episode explored a year from the decade and popular topics from that year. While the episodes varied in their guest appearances and topics, there were some recurring hosts and segments. For instance, every episode included the same celebrity presenting lists of top events and celebrity facts from that year. Each episode also featured a Public Service Announcement and a clip from a popular music video from that year. The show has become so popular largely due to its varied perspectives and wide scope. Each episode discusses not only pop cultural topics but also politics, news stories, and fashion of the era.
Following the popularity of the first series, the network aired I Love the 90s in July of 2004. The series also aired over a four day span. The format was similar to that of its predecessor, with ten episodes exploring each year. This sister series also featured recurring segments, though they varied in theme and subject matter. They included more technologically-based segments, such as email responses with the “Snapple Lady.” While these episodes also focused largely on pop culture trends and incidents, interviewees also discussed crime, society, and advancements of the era. A “Part Deux” of the second series premiered in early 2005 featuring more topics related to the 90s. While it was released to relative popularity, it has not been quite as successful as the first two series.
What is it about these shows that prompts such interest? They are rife with nostalgia, and the current generations of twenty and thirty somethings all can relate. These clips bring them back to their childhood, when they were steeped heavily in the televised, broadcasted culture. The events, songs, and personalities of the past unify our experience. A unification now so lacking in our technological, atomized world. These shows remind us of a sentimental and simpler time, which may only exist in retrospect. The effect of VH1′s efforts may be slightly more profound than might be implied by such a ridiculously shallow commentary show.