Dark Side of the 90's

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.

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

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.

90s 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Friends is must-see TV but some of the cast struggle under the weight of sudden and massive fame with painfully public addictions, and at least one near-death experience.

Robert Downey Jr. turns his troubled backstory into a superpower. While battling a string of addictions, Downey reinvents himself into one of the most celebrated actors today.

Infomercials mark the Golden Age of the Con Job. These shameless 90s scam artist vie to become top dog in a cut throat industry--leaving a trail of misery in their wake.

Enfant terrible Andre Agassi leads a handful of prodigies to shake up the stodgy sport of tennis. Athletes become international celebrities, but their fame comes at a cost.

Rave culture is a euphoric cocktail of electronic dance music, synthetic party drugs and optimism. But where there are drugs there is also exploitation, violence, and moral panic.