It used to be when a show was retired from television, it was gone forever, destined to slip from your memories and out of the pop culture scene (unless you loved it enough to purchase it on VHS).
Thankfully, the streaming age has brought back some of the past's greatest hits through instant video services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Our generation now gets to enjoy an amazing lineup of children's shows that are making a comeback.
In honor of this amazing technological advancement, here are five of the most nostalgic series you can watch instantly on Netflix.
"Bill Nye the Science Guy"
You know that sense of validation you get from watching documentaries? Although the plot isn't very interesting, you're bettering yourself and learning more about the universe. "Bill Nye the Science Guy" was one of very few shows to achieve that sense of personal fulfillment while still managing to entertain its audience.
If anyone could make science interesting and relatable, it was Bill Nye. Best known for his quirky style paired with visual experiments and explanations, his show made concepts like gravity, magnetism, light optics, evolution and genetics approachable for young kids. The first 31 episodes are available on Netflix now.
"Pokémon"
In elementary school, it seemed popularity was often defined by how many rare Pokémon cards you had tucked away in your backpack. Looking back on it, however, that misconception may have been why I was never popular. Pokémon is one of the most successful international media franchises in the world. It includes video games, comic books, trading cards, TV shows, toys and more.
Netflix includes seasons from the 2000s TV series "Indigo League," as well as more recent series and movies in the franchise. Just the first few notes of the iconic theme song will remind you of days spent trying to be the very best, like no one ever was (and avoiding tall grass whenever possible.)
"Powerpuff Girls"
"Sugar, spice and everything nice ... These were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect little girls."
In Cartoon Network's hit show from 1998-2002, superhuman protagonists Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup joined forces to defend Townsville from the evil monkey Mojo Jojo and his fellow villains. It's a quintessential superhero show with cheeky elements you might have missed while watching it as a kid.
The franchise has been retired for over a decade, but fans can expect a revival. A reboot of the series was announced to air starting in 2016, with much the same art style but a new voice acting cast.
First look at The ALL-NEW Powerpuff Girls, debuting on Cartoon Network in 2016! Actress Kristen Li is the v... https://t.co/rMWoU95WRB
— Cartoon Network (@cartoonnetwork) June 8, 2015
"Teletubbies"
Do yourself a favor and watch the first episode on Netflix. No matter how bizarre and trippy you remember this show being, it's actually way weirder than that.
If you didn't grow up with it, the show centers around four aliens in Teletubbyland who live in a superdome surrounded by bunnies. The sun is a giant baby, the characters have TVs in their stomachs and almost every episode's plot revolves around mishaps with an anthropomorphic vacuum cleaner named Noo-noo.
That seemed like a perfectly reasonable plot when it premiered in 1997. It's a little concerning that our generation accepted the premise so easily. Weird or not, it makes for great entertainment.
"Phineas and Ferb"
If you're going to spend summer days sprawled on the couch flipping through Netflix, you might as well embark on adventures vicariously through the exploits of kids with the time, ideas and resources to pull off amazing feats.
Phineas and Ferb have done it all, from traveling through time and space to reuniting their parents' favorite 80's band. And let's not forget the hijinks of Perry the Platypus, their docile pet and secret superhero for the "Organization Without a Cool Acronym." (O.W.C.A.)
Phineas and Ferb ended this year as Disney Channel's longest-running series after almost eight years starting in 2007 and ending with 222 episodes. The first three seasons and the movie are available now on Netflix.
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Reach the reporter at skylar.mason@asu.edu or follow @skylarmason42 on Twitter.
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