I Love the '90s: Part Deux

The original "I Love the '90s was not very good so I wasn't really looking forward to "I Love the '90s: Part Duex", but when it premiered I had nothing better to do so I decided to check it out. To my surprise, it actually wasn't bad. In fact, it was enticing. The first episode I saw was the 1991 episode and it was quite funny. Many interesting topics were covered in that episode include TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, Planet Hollywood, the CAPE FEAR remake, the collapse of the USSR, and beepers. The 1991 episode ended up being the best episode of the series in my opinion. The rest of the episodes were also quite enjoyable as well, but they didn't seem up to par with "I Love the '80s", "I Love the '80s Strikes Back", and "I Love the '70s". The problem I had with "I Love the '90s: Part Duex" was the same problem I had with the original "I Love the 90's": the lack of good commentators. There were some good ones (regulars Hal Sparks, Rich Eisen, and Mo Rocca are great), but for the most part, they weren't as amusing to listen to as the commentators on "I Love the '80s" and "I Love the '70s". Still, "I Love the '90s Strikes Back" is the best thing VH1 has aired so far in 2005 and I have a feeling it will end up being the best thing that VH1 airs all year. It may not be up to par with some of the previous entries in the "I Love..." series, though at least it's better than the original "I Love the '90s". I give it 6/10. Recommended.

"I Love the '90s: Part Deux" is a year-by-year reminiscent fest in which b-grade actors and other assorted personalities, which expands on the earlier series that reviewed assorted moments in the 1970s and 80s. For the most part, the geek-natured commentators, a handful of whom supplied the commentary for the earlier decade reviews, mostly berate the pop culture, political, and other popular moments of the decade. And for the most part, it's just looking back on television shows, music, movie, and "fashion." Think of these shows as though have invited a few people into a room that you don't really know and haven't really spoken to. And then, someone makes a funny reference to something from your childhood. A toy, perhaps. Then, everyone joins in and for about an hour or so, they start to reminisce about things that they too remember from the decade. "Oooh! I used to have a fanny pack. A pink one!" or "Boy, the Nelson twins got fat." That's about what you get with the VH1 series reminiscing the decades. It is even more droll when you don't know who the commentators are or why they have to explain the most obvious things to you (someone actually explained what caller ID did, even though the title is pretty much self-explanatory).

There appears to be no end in sight for these VH1 fillers. Even when they get done with the 90s, I don't doubt that they'll continue to find something else to create hour long mini-ads for. But, it really says something of our own present culture and state of entertainment when we are so desperate to place all of our energy and attention on the old days. Since modern pop culture (and political hype and other popular moments) are basically nothing more than a recycling of the past, VH1 asks us not to struggle for something new, but instead, to place all of our energies in the past. And to remain there. What's the point to all of these shows? To think, with all of the money VH1 used to license all of those nauseating clips of even the most seemingly insignificant things, they could have bought some decent music videos or something.

I didn't catch the first I Love the 90's series (maybe I did and it just didn't catch my attention the first time around), but I've seen almost all of I Love the 90's part Deux (a reference to the Hot Shots sequel of course). It's still got the same humor, terrific and surprising guests, and clips that take me back aways...seven or eight years ago. It's a little staggering in a way to see how and why they would do an I Love the 90's when it's not even a decade ago that it happened and ended. Basically, they take apart the pop culture, the news of the day, the little items, the products and ads, music videos (of course), and numerous great (or bad) movie clips. It doesn't hold up on repeat viewings unless there's nothing else to do, but for a first go around I didn't look away too much.

I can't believe no one has commented on this so far. VH1 has done OK job of showing washed up comedians, media journalists, and B-List actors providing their witty remarks on past decades. Part deux is pretty cool, but they got some pretty stupid guys on there now (Erm...the one who grew that crusty beard and now looks like a bum eagle)They REALLY need to show more of Godfrey...as he is the comedic gold of the whole ILT decade series. Not only that, but they rush too many new episodes at a time. I guess VH1's getting desperate to fill up airtime slots quickly.

Another peeve is Jay and Silent Bob. As much as I love their movies, they are the only thing that prevents me from watching this with my family and everything. It's incredibly distasteful (Especially that David Duke segment...it could have been much funnier) Michael Ian Black...you gotta turn it up a notch this series.

Favorite moments so far: *Samuel L Jackson as a crack-head *When that one guy mutilates the talking Barbie *Public Enemy and Anthrax segment