Thursday Thirteen

This past week a friend and I were talking about shows we used to watch when we were younger (I think we were comparing the story lines of the shows we watched to the ones of shows today). I remember when a teenager smoking a cigarette or drinking alcohol was the most "scandalous" thing you would see on TV. I think I miss those days. My how times have changed!

So, for my Thursday Thirteen I thought I would reminisce on some of my favorite shows from my childhood (in no particular order).

1. Saved By The Bell: Long before Team Edward or Team Jacob, there was Team Zack Morris and Team A.C. Slater (I was "Team Zack"). I'll be honest, even today if I come across an episode, I'll stop and watch it.  How many of you remember the show started out as "Good Morning Miss Bliss"? Oh yes, I'm a well of useless knowledge!

One of the more "scandalous" episodes. Jessie gets hooked on caffeine pills!

2. California Dreams: Okay, so this was really a rip off of Saved by The Bell, except they were all in a band. It had a GREAT theme song though! Jimmy Fallon recently had a California Dreams reunion on his talk show. Click here for that.

3. Hey Dude: For fellow Nickelodeon watchers, you might remember this show about a group of teenagers who worked on a dude ranch. I LOVED this show. Ted was so cute!!! And you might recognize actress Christine Taylor from it (A.K.A. Mrs. Ben Stiller). I may, or may not, have recently watched a few episodes on YouTube. ;) Aw memories!

4. Fifteen: Okay, I'm really embarrassed to admit that I watched this (forgive me, I was 12 when it came out). It was another Nickelodeon show. It was basically a soap opera for teenagers. They dealt with issues like divorce, teenage drinking, smoking, etc. The now gorgeous Ryan Reynolds actually started out on this show. See below for a clip with him. OMG, it's SO cheesey!! And he's so little!

5. Sweet Valley High: Based on the popular book series from the 80s, this show followed identical,  yet totally opposite, twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield.

6. The Babysitter's Club: Another show based on a popular book series. I LOVED these books. No seriously, I had all of them. I think I even tried to start my own babysitter's club (yes, I was a nerd!)

7. The Torkelsons: A show about a southern single mother raising her five kids. It only lasted two seasons, then they did a spin off called Almost Home (co-starring Brittany Murphy, R.I.P.) but it only lasted one more year.

8. Eerie, Indiana: I'll be surprised if anyone else remembers this show. I think it lasted maybe one season. It was sorta like The X-Files but for kids. It starred one of my many childhood crushes, Omri Katz (you might remember him from the movie Hocus Pocus).

9. You Can't Do That On Television: A sketch comedy show that aired on Nickelodeon throughout most of the 80s. Anytime someone said "water", they had water dumped on them. And if they said "I don't know", they got green slime poured on them. I know, sounds lame, but it kept me entertained!! And most fans will remember singer Alanis Morissette from it!

10. Are You Afraid of The Dark?: Part of Nickelodeon's Saturday night lineup called "Snick". A group of teenagers sat around a camp fire and told made up scary stories. Again, sounds lame. But I remember being 13 years old and sitting in my living room with the lights off watching this show. It would sometimes freak me out!

11. Kids Incorporated: Before she was Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas, Stacy Ferguson played Stacy on this show about a group of kids in a band (what's up with all these kid rock stars in the 80s?) Jennifer Love Hewitt later joined the cast. And Mario Lopez was a back up dancer (this was before his days as A.C. Slater). Again, I'm a well of useless knowledge! AND I still stand by my statement that Ryan was my favorite on this show! :) He was so cute!

12. Clarissa Explains It All: Before she was Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Melissa Joan Hart starred on this Nickelodeon show (I think it was also part of the "Snick" line-up). I remember her best friend Sam always used a ladder to get through her bedroom window.

13. The New Mickey Mouse Club: I dreaded putting this one on here, but yes, for a few years I watched this show. I don't remember Justin Timberlake or Britney Spears being on it, so I stopped watching before they were on it. I do remember the episode where The New Kids on the Block were the musical guests though. 

OMG, did I really like this??