If you grew up in the 90s, you probably remember the family TV being more like a piece of furniture than just a screen. Back then, the bigger the TV, the more respect it commanded—kind of like the family dog, but without the shedding. It was a proud, giant box that sat at the center of the living room, and it weighed as much as your dad’s old car.
And let’s not forget the golden rule: “Don’t touch the TV!” My parents said it like the TV was some sacred relic or an ancient beast that might wake up if I so much as breathed near it. Looking back, it makes sense. That TV probably cost them a month’s salary and one wrong button press could have messed up the settings forever. Remember when just getting the picture to line up correctly was an art form?
The CRT Beast: Big, Heavy, and Full of Static
Ah, the CRT TV—the king of the 90s living room. It wasn’t just a TV; it was a statement. When friends came over, there was always this quiet nod of respect when they saw your 32-inch screen. Sure, it stuck out from the wall a good three feet, but that just added to its charm (and danger—better not let it fall on anyone’s foot).
These things weighed a ton. Moving a big CRT was a two-person job, sometimes involving rope, sheer willpower, and the occasional prayer. And once it was in place, it was not moving again. Rearranging the living room? Forget it. The TV had already claimed its territory. It was staying right where it was, and you would just have to adapt your furniture to it.
Rear-Projection: When Bigger Wasn’t Always Better
For the truly bold, there was the rear-projection TV. These monsters were the size of small refrigerators, and while they boasted a giant screen (sometimes over 50 inches!), they weren’t exactly known for their picture quality. If you were sitting anywhere other than dead center, the screen would look like you were watching it through a foggy window.
Still, having one of those in your living room made you feel like you were running your own personal cinema—just one where the picture could get weirdly dark and fuzzy if you turned on a lamp. But that didn’t matter! You had the biggest screen on the block, and that was something to be proud of.
“Don’t Touch Him!”
Here’s a scene that played out in many households: You’re sitting too close to the TV, minding your business, when suddenly, your parents yell from across the room, “Don’t touch him!” Like the TV was a living, breathing entity that might zap you with some static electricity if you got too close. I’m convinced they thought we could somehow damage it by just grazing the side. (It probably wasn’t an unreasonable fear considering how expensive these things were.)
And the buttons on the TV itself? Forbidden territory. You might mess up the color, the brightness, or worse—switch the input to something your parents couldn’t figure out how to change back. Remote controls had finally become the norm, but the idea of your curious fingers anywhere near the TV still freaked them out.
TV Cabinets: The Throne for the Big Guy
Big TVs in the 90s didn’t sit on stands—they had entertainment centers. We’re talking elaborate wooden cabinets with room for not just the TV, but also your VCR, gaming console, and that massive collection of VHS tapes you were slowly building.
These entertainment centers were often bigger than the TV itself. It was a whole piece of furniture, designed to make the TV feel even more like the centerpiece of the room. Moving it required strategy and planning, like an indoor version of Tetris. It wasn’t just about having a big TV—you needed the right setup to make sure it looked good, too.
The Remote Control: Modern Magic
Let’s take a second to appreciate the remote control. This was the era when remotes became essential. No longer did you have to walk across the room to change the channel like in the 80s. You could just sit back, point, and click. Though with a big 90s TV, pointing was more like aiming—you had to get the angle just right or the TV wouldn’t respond. And when the batteries were low, it was like playing a game of “how many times can I press this button before I give up?”
The Beginning of the End: Flat Screens on the Horizon
By the late 90s, we started to hear whispers about flat-screen TVs. What sorcery was this? A TV that could actually hang on the wall? It sounded like something out of “The Jetsons.” At first, the idea was hard to believe. How could anything possibly replace our beloved, giant, boxy TVs?
But it didn’t take long for flat screens to take over. By the early 2000s, those big CRT and rear-projection models started to disappear from living rooms, quietly replaced by thinner, sleeker, more efficient models. But there will always be something special about the 90s and those giant TVs. They were more than just appliances—they were family members (ones you weren’t allowed to touch).
So, the next time you switch on your ultra-thin, 4K TV with one click, take a moment to remember that giant CRT that ruled the living room—and how you were never, ever supposed to touch him.
