And the Winner of the Best Show of the ’90s Bracket Is …

Meredith Jacobs July 11, 2022, 10:48 am

The Cast of ER, The Cast of Friends — © NBC / Courtesy: Everett Collection; Courtesy: Everett Collection

When TV Insider announced our new section, the nostalgia-filled vertical Throwback, we also announced our upcoming 90 Best Shows of the ’90s list (#71-90 are now live!) and launched our ’90s TV Show Bracket, inviting readers to vote on their favorite series of the decade. It was like March Madness, but for TV, with 64 shows from the ’90s facing off, bracket-style. (Note: In order to qualify, the show had to air more than one season in the decade, which took some possible favorites like The West Wing and The Sopranos out of the running).

Over the course of five weeks, readers cast 44,939 total votes, as shows like Seinfeld, Sex and the City, My So-Called Life, Beverly Hills, 90210, Northern Exposure, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Freaks and Geeks faced off. Participants first narrowed the group down to an Elite 8 of Cheers, Friends, The Simpsons, 3rd Rock from the Sun, ER, Law & Order, The X-Files, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

90 Best Shows of the '90s

Then, after beating 3rd Rock from the Sun and The X-Files respectively in the Final 4, Friends and ER faced off in the championship. Maybe the biggest shocker? Sure bets to make it far like Seinfeld, Frasier, and Twin Peaks did not, while 3rd Rock from the Sun did!

And the moment we’ve all been waiting for, the champion was finalized on Monday, July 11 at midnight ET. And the winner is…

ER, with 51 percent of the vote!

ER premiered in 1994 and ran 15 seasons, with the series finale airing on April 2, 2009. The cast, which changed multiple times over the years, included Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Sherry Stringfield, Noah Wyle, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle, Gloria Reuben, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Goran Visnjic, Maura Tierney, Ming-Na Wen, and Angela Bassett. It is the second longest-running primetime medical drama, behind Grey’s Anatomy.

Over its 15 seasons, it won 23 Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series in 1996, Margulies for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1995, Ray Liotta for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2006, and Sally Field for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2001.

Head over here to check out the first 20 shows in our 90 Best Shows of the ’90s list, now live!

ER, Streaming now, Hulu