10 Best Shows Turning 30 in 2025 (original) (raw)
Neon Genesis Evangelion.
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Published Jan 18, 2025, 10:09 AM EST
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1995 was a great year for television. While many may not remember some of the shows that were released that year, there's some genuine quality present in those 365 days. Some great franchises found their start this year and continue to be remembered and noted to this very day. Whether it be in the realm of animation or live-action, for adults or children, 1995 had some astounding stories hit screens.
There are some shows from '95 that the viewers of the modern era have probably not seen that are worth checking out 30 years later. While 3 decades may have aged some series, some are good, even in 2025. So, if people are looking for more shows to watch, checking out the era of '95 is a great place to go look.
10 'The Single Guy'
Release Date: September 21, 1995
TV Insider promo image for The Single Guy with the cast in front of a marbled backdrop.
Image via TV Insider
The Single Guy is another 1995 series that unfortunately ended up flying under the radar as time went on, as it's not really talked about in the modern day zeitgeist. However, it was a great show because it was, at its core, a story about something almost everyone can relate to: struggling to find love.
However, it was a great show because it was, at its core, a story about something almost everyone can relate to: struggling to find love.
The show is written very "by-the-book" and doesn't venture much outside of standard sitcom tropes, but that doesn't make it a bad show at all. It's still quite enjoyable and when it leans on classic sitcom-isms, it does so quite well. With great performances from Jonathan Silverman, Joey Slotnick and Ming-Na Wen, the 43 episodes are a fun watch.
The Single Guy is currently not available for streaming or purchase.
9 'The Naked Truth'
Release Date: September 13, 1995
Téa Leoni leans toward the camera and grins in a promo image for The Naked Truth with print graphics behind her.
Image via ABC
The Naked Truth is a far more niche series to debut in this year, but it got great ratings from critics. After getting a divorce, Nora Wilde (Téa Leoni), gets blackballed from the photojournalist industry by her ex-husband. With no other options, she gets a job at a tabloid. It's a comedy that seems to have never gotten the chance it deserved.
Pretty much no one remembers this show, besides those who probably watched it when it first aired. However, the series managed to run until 1998, finding enough success to stay on the air. It's an absolutely hilarious show, with some quirky comedy and characters that can have people chuckling, even today.
The Naked Truth
Release Date
1995 - 1998-00-00
Network
Directors
Robby Benson, Arlene Sanford, Matthew Diamond, Peter Bonerz, Michael Lessac, Pamela Fryman, Alan Myerson, Gail Mancuso, Dennis Erdman, Chris Thompson, Leonard R. Garner, Jr., Michael Lembeck, Shelley Jensen
Cast
Alex Trebek, Antony Alda, Barry Wiggins, Bill Ferrell, Bob Saget, Catherine Bell, Charo, Christian J. Meoli, Christopher Darga, Conchata Ferrell, David Lee Smith, David Wells, Dean Fortunato, Dom DeLuise, Don Sparks, Eric Fleeks, Frankie J. Allison, Garry Marshall, Gary Coleman, George Hamilton, George Segal, Gerry McIntyre, Holland Taylor, Jeri Gaile, Jim Rash
Writers
Tom Martin, Ken Keeler, Rachel Sweet, Paul Lieberstein, Leslie Caveny, Tom Palmer, Mark Wilding, Allan Heinberg, Jon Sherman, Jenny Bicks, Matthew Weiner, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jon Vitti, Jeffrey Klarik, Robert Cohen, Drake Sather
Seasons
3
Producers
Bernie Brillstein
The Naked Truth is not currently available for streaming in the US.
8 'The Drew Carey Show'
Release Date: September 13, 1995
The cast of the Drew Carey Show poses for a promotional photo in a bar.
Image via ABC
Based on the life of Drew Carey, The Drew Carey Show was an incredibly fun sitcom with a great cast. So funny that it ended up running for a whopping 233 episodes. It has a certain '90s corny charm that can only be found in a show like this. Not only did it star, of course, Drew Carey, but it also brought on the likes of other comedy titans like Ryan Stiles and Craig Ferguson.
It's clear by its massive number of episodes that the show was massively successful during its time on air. The entire series was just recently made available to the public on streaming platforms, only having the first season watchable before. So, now is the perfect time for people to check out or reminisce on The Drew Carey Show.
The Drew Carey Show
Release Date
1995 - 2004-00-00
Cast
Drew Carey, Ryan Stiles, Diedrich Bader, Christa Miller, Craig Ferguson, Cynthia Watros, Kyle Howard, Kathy Kinney, John Carroll Lynch, Karen Kilgariff, Patrick Kerr, David Cross, Keene Curtis, Gregory Jbara, Amanda Bynes, Blake Clark, Christopher Darga, Francesca Marie Smith, Jenny O'Hara, Dave Winfield, Brian Haley, Mike Hagerty, Peter Krause, Michael Taliferro, Peter Scolari
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
11
Creator(s)
Bruce Helford
7 'The Hardy Boys'
Release Date: September 23, 1995
Promo image for 1995's The Hardy Boys with a cast member on the phone and the other wearing a leather jacket.
Image via Prime Video
Being the second adaption of the incredibly popular book series, The Hardy Boys was something that was super fun to see on television again. It only ran for one season, but that is certainly not a reflection of the series' quality, as it is quite enjoyable. It also contains two episodes that happen to be crossovers with another massively popular kid-detective series, Nancy Drew.
The show was a fun endeavor to try and make the franchise a bit more modern, with a plethora of the 1990s era shoved into it. But rather than totally dating the show, it makes for a fun nostalgic charm that one can't help but smile at. It's hard not to love projects like The Hardy Boys because of how fun and endearing they are.It's a very rewatchable mystery series.
The Hardy Boys
Release Date
1995 - 1995-00-00
Directors
Jon Cassar, Ron Oliver, Don McCutcheon, Clay Borris
Cast
Paul Popowich, Colin K. Gray, Tony Ning, Fiona Highet, Tracy Ryan, Mark Lutz, Ron Bell, Craig Gardner, Elizabeth Lennie, John Liddle, Brad Milne, Claudette Mink, Norma Clarke, Karen LeBlanc, Robbie Rox, Ron Small, Aron Tager, Angela Asher, Jason Blicker, Matt Heney, Catherine Blythe, Krista Bridges, Damon D'Oliveira, Laura de Carteret, George King
Seasons
1
Creator(s)
David Cole
6 'Xena: Warrior Princess'
Release Date: September 4, 1995
Lucy Lawless as Xena holding a weapon with a burning building in the background in Xena: Warrior Princess.
Image via Renaissance Pictures
When it came to strong female protagonists on television, no one did it quite as well as Xena (Lucy Lawless) in 1995. Executive produced by the one and only Sam Raimi, Xena: Warrior Princess found itself being a favorite almost immediately after airing on September 4th. It was cheesy, campy and action-packed.
Many consider Xena the first big female heroine on the small screen and that should have made the franchise far bigger than its considered today. It tells the story of someone who was once evil, but now dedicates her life to helping others. This makes her plot compelling and very engaging to watch throughout the entire 134 episode tenure.
Xena: Warrior Princess
Release Date
1995 - 2001-00-00
Network
Syndication
Cast
Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, Ted Raimi, Kevin Smith, Hudson Leick, Karl Urban, Meg Foster, Musetta Vander, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Christopher Mayer, Andy Anderson, Kate Hodge, Michelle Ang, Victoria Pratt, Claire Stansfield, Caleb Ross, Kathryn Morris, Jacqueline Kim, Alexandra Tydings, Amy Morrison, Angela Marie Dotchin, Bruce Campbell, John Sumner, Ebonie Smith, Tim Thomerson, Tony Todd, Claudia Black, Jay Laga'aia
Showrunner
Directors
Garth Maxwell, Rick Jacobson, Mark Beesley, Josh Becker, Charles Siebert, T.J. Scott, John Fawcett, Michael Hurst, Michael Levine, Oley Sassone, Charlie Haskell, Doug Lefler, Gary Jones, John Laing, Bruce Campbell, Jace Alexander, John T. Kretchmer, Paul Lynch, Renee O'Connor, Stephen L. Posey, Chris Martin-Jones, Christopher Graves, Allison Liddi-Brown, Anson Williams
Writers
R.J. Stewart, Adam Armus, Nora Kay Foster, Emily Skopov, George Strayton, Hilary Bader, Terence Winter, Tom O’Neill, Carl Ellsworth, Chris Black, Peter Allan Fields, Jeff Vlaming, Alan Jay Glueckman, Eric Morris, Gene O'Neill, Gillian Horvath, Katherine Fugate, Linda McGibney, Melissa Blake, Noreen Tobin, Ashley Gable, Brenda Lilly, James Kahn
Seasons
6
Story By
Sam Raimi
Streaming Service(s)
5 'Goosebumps'
Release Date: November 3, 1995
A closeup of the Haunted Mask on Goosebumps.
Image via 20th Century Fox Television
Based on the absurdly popular series of the same name by R.L. Stine, Goosebumps was a staple of the '90s decade. The profoundly successful book franchise was already so popular that kids and adults alike flocked to see the show when it released on Fox Kids. It would go on to run for 4 seasons.
Horror is typically a genre that kids don't get to enjoy, as it typically includes pretty heavy topics and visuals. But this television series does what made the books so great and makes the genre palatable for children while keeping things actually scary for them. This made Goosebumps a monumental show.
Goosebumps
Release Date
1995 - 1998-00-00
Network
FOX
Cast
R.L. Stine
Writers
R.L. Stine, Billy Brown, Dan Angel
Franchise(s)
Goosebumps
Seasons
4
Story By
R.L. Stine
Streaming Service(s)
4 'Pinky & the Brain'
Release Date: September 9, 1995
Pinky and the Brain (white laboratory mice) from 'Animaniacs'.
Image via Fox Kids
This comedic and lovable cartoon is still iconic in 2025. While people may not think of the show on the daily, if they saw the two charming protagonists they would know exactly what it was. The series has some incredible characterization and compelling writing. The contrast between the two characters' personalities makes for the perfect dynamic.
The show was so good that it even went on to win an Emmy. A lot of people ended up watching it, too, due to it being a spinoff of the extremely popular Animaniacs. It's considered to be one of the best cartoons of the millennium and for very good reason. It was an enjoyable romp for both kids and adults alike. It deserves a movie revisit, at the least.
Release Date
September 9, 1995
Main Genre
Seasons
4
3 'Star Trek: Voyager'
Release Date: January 16, 1995
The cast of 'Star Trek Voyager' in their Starfleet uniforms looking up at the camera.
Image via UPN
There aren't many sci-fi franchises out there that are as important and favored as Star Trek. Said effects make Star Trek: Voyager a great television series and one of the better projects in the entire Star Trek franchise. The show also finds itself being quite unique for its central plot line.
Rather than surrounding the likes of Captain Kirk, as most big Star Trek stories do, Star Trek: Voyager follows Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her starship crew. Being detached from the characters that most people know the Star Trek franchise for made it feel unique and interesting compared to what people would have expected going into a new show in this universe.
Star Trek: Voyager
Release Date
January 16, 1995
Network
UPN
Showrunner
Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor, Brannon Braga, Kenneth Biller
Cast
Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Robert Duncan McNeill, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo, Tim Russ, Garrett Wang, Majel Barrett, Jeri Ryan, Jennifer Lien, scarlett pomers, Martha Hackett, Tarik Ergin, Manu Intiraymi, Nancy Hower, Alexander Enberg, Dwight Schultz, Josh Clark, Simon Billig
Directors
David Livingston, Winrich Kolbe, Allan Kroeker, Michael Vejar
Writers
Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor
Franchise(s)
Main Genre
Sci-Fi
Seasons
7
Story By
Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor
Streaming Service(s)
Paramount Plus
2 'Pride and Prejudice'
Release Date: September 24, 1995
Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth in BBC Pride and Prejudice.
Image via BBC
When most people think of the Pride and Prejudice title, they typically think of the 2005 film starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. While both the movie and this British television series are based on the same story, the latter finds itself being a lot closer to the book, taking less creative liberties.
Starring the ever-talented Colin Firth, Pride and Prejudice is an absolute classic and needs a rewatch or first time watch from anyone who likes the film or romance plots in general. It can't even really be compared to the movie because of how much it manages to set itself apart and have an identity vastly different from the project to come 10 years later.
1 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'
Release Date: October 4, 1995
Shinji and Asuka look over red water as a face fills the sky in Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
Image via TV Tokyo
Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the best television series to come out of the 20th Century and one of the best anime of the '90s. It made a huge impact on both the Japanese and American television spaces with its profound messages, writing and animation. It also happens to be one of the most imaginative mecha franchises out there.
People continue to return to the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise in the modern day, and it continues to be widely appreciated, with a 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes 30 years later. The love for this series seems to be never-ending. It remains a staple of the 20th Century and will certainly not stop doing so.
Cast
Megumi Ogata, Kotono Mitsuishi, Megumi Hayashibara, Yuko Miyamura, Yuriko Yamaguchi, Fumihiko Tachiki, Motomu Kiyokawa, Miki Nagasawa, Mugihito, Junko Iwao, Tetsuya Iwanaga, Takehito Koyasu, Tomokazu Seki, Koichi Yamadera, Hiro Yuuki, Akira Ishida, Mika Doi
Main Genre
Seasons
1
Studio
Gainax, Tatsunoko
Creator(s)
Hideaki Anno
Number of Episodes
26
Streaming Service(s)
Japanese Title
Shinseiki Evangelion
MyAnimeList Score
8.35
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