EW Appeals to 90s Kids and Wildly Misses the Mark

Why does the Internet appeal directly to 90s kids? I mean, it's kind of a no-brainer. The Internet itself is a 90s kid, and all those self-absorbed teens we associate with the Internet? All molded from the Web 2.0 prototype who learned HTML and made Geocities pages with blinks and marquees to tell the world about themselves. 90s kids have always been here, so it doesn't take much effort to grab their eyeballs.

Appealing to a 90s kid is multi-layered click-bait. First, it plays on the emotions of those who identify as 90s kids - but if a 90s kid deems an article to be on the mark, all is easily forgiven. However, appealing to 90s kids also appeals to those outside of the generation so they can tell you how the list also appeals to them. Genius marketing tactic really- if you do it right.

Entertainment Weekly's The Community posted "9 kids' shows that also deserve a 'Full House'-type revival," which I do have to give them credit - that title is not that click-baity. But, this is how it was presented on Facebook:

They even changed the title to "9 nostalgic shows that deserve a reboot" and appealed directly to 90s kids - and they ultimately do not deliver on either.

It started okay. The article said that since Duck Tales and Full House are getting reboots (shows that came out in the 80s, but I digress), other shows should, too. They appeal directly to 90s kids in the article - "it sure is a great time to be a 90s kid" - and though they try to make it more general in the same sentence with "or just a fan of quality children's entertainment," the bait has already been set.

The list starts off just fine. I know I wouldn't be opposed to an Eerie, Indiana reboot - though being one of the ones who saw The Other Dimension, I would hope it would have adult Marshall, Simon, and Dash X. Then it ventures to the borderline. I'm an older 90s kid, and I watched new Nicktoons and Disney channel shows into my mid-20s, so I can assume younger 90s kids really would claim things like The Proud Family as their show.

But then it just gets straight up hinky. Isn't Class of 3000 strictly a 2000s kids' show? And Young Justice ran from 2011 to 2013. That's not even nostalgic, not even kid nostalgic. I remember asking my friends if they remembered shows from 1991 in, like, 1996 - but 5 years is a big deal in kid years. Two years isn't.

What had potential to be a fun entertainment article was marred by it's choice of bait. Sorry, EW, your article is 79% click-bait.