The BEST episodes of Dark Side of the 90's

Every episode of Dark Side of the 90's ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Dark Side of the 90's!

A deep dive into the decade's untold history, revealing secrets, and prespectives.

Last Updated: 4/22/2024Network: VICE TV (US)Status: Continuing

7.80

25 votes

#1 - Arseniooo Hall!

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/14/2022

Arsenio carves out a niche in the white, late-night world by showcasing hip hop artists and emerging talent. Despite his success, Arsenio becomes a casualty in the late-night wars.

Watch Now:Apple TV

7.61

23 votes

#2 - UFC Pt. 1: No Holds Barred

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 7/5/2022

Ken Shamrock and the UFC are joined at the knuckle. Dubbed “human cockfighting,” the UFC will fight senators and scandals in a battle that almost ends the sport before it begins.

Watch Now:Apple TV

7.48

23 votes

#3 - MTV & The Real World

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 6/21/2022

MTV's The Real World is television with something to say--with a soap opera twist. But when MTV gets rich from reality TV, they trade in realness for fart jokes and hot tubs.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

7.45

33 votes

#4 - Beanie Babies Go Bust

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/5/2021

90's parents and kids bonded over collecting playful plush toys known as Beanie Babies until the toy's creator, Ty Warner, used the internet's power to create a frenzied market.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

7.45

20 votes

#5 - Tabloid TV

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 7/12/2022

With sex, attempted murder and betrayal, nothing personifies the tabloidification of '90s America better than the story of how Amy Fisher shot Mary Jo Buttafuoco in the head.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

7.38

55 votes

#6 - The Viper Room: Hollywood's Sanctuary

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/22/2021

The Viper Room was a refuge for Young Hollywood to hide from the prying eyes of the press, until one fateful night when the death of a rising star instantly made it headline news.

Watch Now:Apple TV

7.33

18 votes

#7 - Secrets of the Runway

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 9/9/2021

90's supermodels were part rock stars, part royalty, and all dusted in cocaine. But off the runway, many were abused by men using their power to conceal an ugly secret.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

7.31

29 votes

#8 - Baywatch: Sex Sells

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/19/2021

The world’s first influencer was a TV show. Baywatch’s Southern California sun, action, and laser focus on beauty made it appeal to more than a billion people worldwide.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

7.26

27 votes

#9 - Internet 1.0: Don't Believe the Hype

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 9/16/2021

In the 90’s, the surge of internet-exclusive companies captured the dreams and greed of American investors. In its wake, one beloved mascot was killed — the Pets.com puppet.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

7.23

26 votes

#10 - Hip Hop: The East vs West Media War

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/2/2021

90's hip hop had an uphill fight for airplay and recognition. When the media finally caught on, they told a story that twisted the narrative with sometimes dangerous consequences.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

7.22

64 votes

#11 - Trash TV: Dirty and Deadly Talk

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/15/2021

As 90's Talk TV evolved from the cerebral (Donahue) to the trashy (Jerry Springer), the new format fused combustive relationships, shock and violence to entertain the masses.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

UFC Pt. 2: To Live or Die in the Octagon

7.20

20 votes

#12 - UFC Pt. 2: To Live or Die in the Octagon

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 7/5/2022

36 states have banned “no holds barred” fighting, and the UFC’s future is grim. Star fighter Ken Shamrock is also in trouble and needs a guardian angel to get him back on his feet.

Watch Now:Apple TV

7.17

24 votes

#13 - A Tale of Two Cults

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 8/26/2021

Doomsday cults emerged in the '90s, seizing on Y2K fears. While we watched the tragic Waco massacre on TV, Heaven's Gate leader Marshall Applewhite made his own plan.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

7.08

25 votes

#14 - Cops: Bad Boys, Bad Boys

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 6/28/2022

When COPS hits the airwaves, the gritty reality of police work becomes a phenomenon. Despite being the longest-running prime-time live-action series, COPS is mired in controversy.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

7.00

40 votes

#15 - TV for Teens

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/29/2021

The Fox Network made its mark by grabbing the attention of the nation's youth.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

6.97

37 votes

#16 - Grunge and the Seattle Sound

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/12/2021

SubPop's classic 90's indie ethos was tested when they chased mainstream money. The story of grunge told through the eyes of the little label that started it all.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

6.96

24 votes

#17 - Y2K: Paranoia Will Destroy Ya

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 8/2/2022

At the end of the decade, the fear of an apocalypse looms. Two men become the stars of the real-life action thriller known as the Y2K scare.

Watch Now:Apple TV

6.95

20 votes

#18 - The Rise of Rush Limbaugh

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/26/2022

Rush Limbaugh is conservative radio's first megastar, claiming to have "talent on loan from God." He creates a divide in America that we see unfolding today.

Watch Now:Apple TV

6.65

20 votes

#19 - Morning Show Wars

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 8/9/2022

Morning TV is the profit center of the news divisions that produce them; "Today" and "Good Morning America" battle for dominance where there's no room for failure.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV

6.61

23 votes

#20 - Black Sitcoms' Last Laugh

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 7/19/2022

Black comedies explode in the 90s, with sitcoms written and produced by Black creators, featuring Black casts. But no culture is immune to the toxicity of fame and power.

Watch Now:Amazon Apple TV