Top 11 Best Sitcoms of the 90s to Learn English

At the top of my favorite list for watching and learning English is 'Cheers.' You'll love it from the start with its iconic theme song - 'Where Everybody Knows Your Name' - a song that will stick in your mind. Even though it's an old song, you'll still want to sing it wherever you go.

Sam Malone is the main character of the show. He's a famous baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Due to a drunken mistake, he had to end his career and later bought a bar named 'Cheers'.
The story revolves around a group of people who meet at the bar. Diane Chambers is a young waitress left stranded by her fiancé. As a result, she leaves with no money and ends up working as a waitress. She finds herself in an unusual relationship with the bar owner - Sam.

Other characters include:
- Sam's old coach.
- Woody, a very naive farm boy whom Cliff thinks knows everything.
- Carla, the waitress, who always sees things negatively.
- Psychiatrist Dr. Frasier.
- Norm, a funny guy.

Why 'Cheers' is great for learning English: It's set in one location, so you're not distracted by different settings. Therefore, it's easier to focus on the plot. It's witty and humorous, very easy to understand. You'll learn how to use phrases at the right moments, making speaking English easier and more enjoyable.

Of course, almost everyone knows 'The Simpsons.' It is perhaps the longest-running television series in history, still being produced and broadcast today. However, 'The Simpsons' truly rose to prominence in the 90s, which is when the show really became famous.

'The Simpsons' is an animated sitcom about the lives of a highly dysfunctional and non-normal family. A family we are all familiar with: Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie. Homer, lovable but somewhat incompetent, struggles to survive in his crazy family and at work at the local nuclear power plant. Marge is a well-intentioned but irresponsible mother. Bart is a fourth-grade student who does not want to study and is also the school principal's nemesis.

For his mischievous behavior, he has been imprisoned many times in class. Lisa, Bart's sister, is the complete opposite of her brother and is the family's super-smart member. And then there's Maggie, the family's baby, who is often forgotten because of all the other craziness happening in the household (mostly due to Bart).

Although this is an animated show, the dialogues between the characters are very realistic and often touch on family themes that we can relate to. 'The Simpsons' is the perfect show to learn real-life phrases more naturally than any phrases you learn from textbooks or CD-ROMs.

If you've watched 'Cheers,' then Frasier is its spin-off focusing on the life of the famous psychiatrist in Boston, Frasier Crane.

He was last seen at the bar 'Cheers,' but after divorcing his wife, he decides to return to his hometown of Seattle. There, he starts a new job as a radio psychiatrist on a famous radio station in Seattle.
In his radio show, he gets the chance to communicate with listeners and share all his wisdom and knowledge. Frasier is a quirky character, but extremely intelligent and witty, and you can't help but love him.

He lives in an apartment with his father, Martin, a retired police officer, and his father's health care assistant, Daphne. A regular face on the show is Frasier's brother, Niles, who is also quite eccentric. The odd mix of characters and some very bizarre situations occur, and you can't help but laugh. This is a wonderful show that uses a lot of intelligence and humor that will surely make you laugh.

Why choose this show to learn English: Frasier, Niles, and Martin all have clear, understandable voices. There's a lot of clever humor used in 'Frasier,' and after watching a few episodes, you'll start to understand what it means to be witty (smart and funny at the same time).

You're probably familiar with 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-air'. This is the sitcom that quickly catapulted Hollywood actor Will Smith to fame.

The troubles of young man Will begin when he is sent from Philadelphia to live with his wealthy uncle and their family. Life in Bel-air is completely different from what Will has experienced, and the story revolves around Will's attempts to fit into the wealthy household and the constant troubles he encounters. Hilarious, with excellent performances, it remains one of the most popular sitcoms from the 90s with today's youth.

First off, you'll be enamored with the characters of the show, and Will Smith's character will be your favorite. He's lively and humorous, but his story is very clear and understandable. Additionally, it's a great way to learn English slang and recognize how Americans from different social classes speak English.

The character Kevin Arnold in 'The Wonder Years' is an adult looking back on his life as an awkward teenager in the 60s and 70s. It's perhaps the best show depicting all the challenging moments a teenager goes through transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. It narrates the daily struggles and pains of being a teenager, something we've all experienced.

Kevin lives in a quiet middle-class neighborhood with his family. His best friend Paul and sometimes-girlfriend Winnie live not too far away. We see Kevin go through middle school and high school and get a profound look into all the terrifying moments that come with these years. We see how he copes with puberty. The show is full of humorous moments and embarrassing seconds.

His older brother, Wayne, is a thick-skinned bully who spends most of his time teasing and tormenting Kevin, making his family life sometimes unbearable. The situations in the show are seen and narrated through Kevin's eyes, and when you watch it, you'll just nod and say 'Yes, I totally get you, Kevin!'

We've all gone through similar issues as Kevin and his friends, so we can naturally relate to the storyline, helping you understand what's going on even more. It's a great way to learn how young people communicate in English. You'll also learn how to resolve conflicts in English from interacting with Kevin and all the other characters.

You may have never heard of 'Ren & Stimpy' before, but during its airing time, it was one of the most popular animated sitcoms on American television. It follows Ren, emotionally unstable, and Stimpy, a friendly yet dimwitted cat. Ren and Stimpy become pals, and together they come up with some crazy schemes, often landing them in hilariously tricky situations.

The wacky and often perilous situations are why it quickly gained fame with American audiences. Many during its era hailed it as a brilliant and equally famous show as 'The Simpsons.' To diversify your English learning through shows, you might consider this one.

The show 'The Married With Children' revolves around the Bundy Family with plenty of issues. Al Bundy, the father, is a shoe salesman who loves to reminisce about his famous 20-second football touchdown. Al's wife, Peggy, a lazy woman, spends much of her time lounging at hair salons and shopping centers, burning through Al's hard-earned money. They have two children: Kelly, stunningly beautiful, social and party-loving, and Bud, a self-centered young man who rarely pays attention to others' feelings.

It's a hilarious show about a dysfunctional family trying to cope with the everyday issues of life.
The acting is superb, and what you don't understand in the dialogue, you'll grasp through the performances. The Married With Children is an engaging choice when you want to learn English while being entertained.

“Hanging with Mr. Cooper” is set in the city of Oakland, California, and follows Mark Cooper, a former NBA basketball star who decides to return to his hometown of Oakland to coach basketball at his old high school. Initially, he shares a house with his old high school buddy, Robin, who is a music teacher, and Vanessa, a very attractive and alluring woman.

The stories revolve around the adventures and misadventures in the dating lives of the three household members. It also focuses on Mark's new career as a teacher. The language is simple and typical of ordinary high school students in America. So, you'll be able to learn the everyday language that students use with each other, and it's also appropriate language to use when communicating with teachers.

'Family Matters' portrays the Winslows family - a fairly ordinary everyday family with one exception: their annoying and somewhat eccentric neighbor, Stephen Urkel. They are a middle-class family living in the suburbs of Chicago. Stephen is very intelligent, but at the same time prone to silly accidents and always seems to have avoidable mishaps. He enjoys inventing peculiar things and spends his days causing trouble for his neighbors, the Winslows.

He is the epitome of a 'nerd,' with his favorite attire consisting of high-waisted pants and a shirt tucked into his trousers. His voice is grating, but at the same time, it will make you burst into laughter, especially when he messes up and repeatedly says his famous line, 'Did I do that?' Stephen means well, but always manages to get himself into trouble, especially with the father figure of the Winslow family, Carl, a police officer.

You'll be enamored with the character of Stephen Urkel. He's quirky and performs brilliantly, making you laugh. And of course, you'll find it easier to understand what's going on. The acting is superb, with plenty of expressions and gestures used to make it perfect for any English learner. Clear and understandable voices (except Urkel), the actors use everyday English idioms related to family.

The storyline of 'Friends' begins with Rachel Green fleeing from her wedding and seeking refuge with her childhood friend Monica Geller, a chef living in New York City. They become roommates, and Rachel joins Monica's circle of single friends, including: Joey Tribbiani — an aspiring actor struggling with his career, Chandler Bing — a corporate employee, Phoebe Buffay — a masseuse and musician, and Monica's brother, Ross Geller, a recently divorced paleontologist. To make ends meet, Rachel becomes a waitress at Central Perk, a coffee shop in Manhattan where the group often hangs out. When they're not at the coffee shop, the six friends frequent Monica and Rachel's apartment near the West Village or gather at Joey and Chandler's apartment across the hall.

Episodes of 'Friends' primarily revolve around the romantic relationships and comedic career issues of the friends, such as Joey's continuous auditioning or Rachel's frequent job-hunting in the fashion industry. All six characters go through multiple love interests and serious relationships, like Monica with Richard Burke or Ross with Emily Waltham. The complex relationship between Ross and Rachel always remains a focal point throughout the 10 seasons.

'Friends' is an immensely popular sitcom in the United States spanning 10 seasons, widely used in English language teaching centers across the country and now adopted by many nations for educational purposes. Importantly, the English subtitles of Friends have provided audiences from other countries with a highly accurate, authentic insight into American society, lifestyle, and behavior. In Vietnam, Friends is a commonly sought-after series for self-study to enhance English listening, speaking skills, and reflexes.

The plot of 'The Nanny' revolves around Fran Fine, hailing from a Jewish family in Flushing, New York. She gets fired and simultaneously dumped by her boyfriend, leaving her with nothing. Forced to work as a cosmetics saleswoman in Manhattan to make ends meet, her sales job leads her to the home of the wealthy and renowned Broadway producer, Maxwell Sheffield.

Maxwell resides in a lavish mansion in one of Manhattan's most affluent neighborhoods, recently widowed. He needs to hire a nanny to look after his three children. Fran rings the doorbell intending to sell cosmetics, and Maxwell mistakes her for a nanny candidate, so he hires her for his three children.
Despite not seeking this job and the whole situation being a big misunderstanding, Fran grows close to Maxwell's children, Maggie, Brighton, and Gracie. She also becomes good friends with Maxwell's butler, Niles. However, her relationship with Sisi, Maxwell's personal assistant, is strained due to Sisi's jealousy.

Firstly, you'll see and hear different accents, helping you become accustomed to the diversity of English accents. It's also great for learning English because of the natural language used. You'll also gain insight into how the wealthy speak compared to ordinary folks.