Article first published on my personal blog at HIVE. (Spanish Original)

Hello friends, I hope you are having a lovely day. Today I want to share with you an anecdote and a bit about five favorite series that marked my childhood and still mean a lot to me today. Additionally, I believe that watching these series from such a young age helped shape my current tastes in cinema and audiovisual content in general.

At that time, watching television in my country was extremely difficult. There were only four official channels with programming based on propaganda and some adult series proposals at very difficult times. VHS tapes were scarce and hard to come by, except for some classics and famous movies that were passed from hand to hand or rented illegally.

My parents were not very strict about what television or programs I watched, so from an early age, I acquired a taste for watching adult series. I remember that in the newspaper of that time, there was a breakdown of the weekly television programming, and every Sunday I would keep it, marking the programs I would watch. I could stay up very late waiting for a new series, many being poor-quality copies that I can't imagine how they reached the national television.

Today I want to share with you 5 of those series that marked my childhood, series that I haven't seen in a long time but enjoyed at the time and helped me escape from the reality I was living.

Seinfeld

If my memory serves me right, it was the first sitcom I watched. Following the daily life of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, it showed us his relationship with his friends and the most outrageous situations possible. It tackled any possible topic with absurd humor and good doses of sarcasm, from romantic relationships, work problems, even social issues, all set against the backdrop of New York City. The situations intertwined with each other, making the characters very memorable and to a certain extent complex. I really liked the character of George Costanza, a man about to turn forty, hypochondriac and neurotic, with very bad luck who always found himself trapped and dragged by his friends or his bad luck in life.

Without a doubt, it helped me develop an appreciation for this type of comedy and appreciate a different kind of humor than what I saw in my daily life.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Both the original series and the spin-off CSI: Miami marked my taste for police and crime series. Each episode was a new case to discover, with a plot that didn't allow you to get up from your seat and kept you attentive to every step in the investigation and the outcome, always finding the culprit in the least suspected person. Without a doubt, the focus on investigation, science, and the use of technology sparked a deep curiosity in me. I followed this series for a long time, watching its new spin-offs and the emergence of a more linear story, with characters that gained depth and development throughout the episodes. On many occasions, my whole family would gather to watch it, so I have many fond memories.

Roswell

Without a doubt, science fiction marked a before and after in my life with this series. Its main story centered on a group of young aliens living in Roswell, New Mexico. After an incident where Max, one of these young aliens, saves a girl's (Liz) life, his powers are revealed, and the secret is shared. As the plot progresses, the characters face challenges not only typical of adolescence but also of their double life as aliens, trying to discover their own identity, acceptance, and past, all while trying to keep their secret safe. Special mention to the song that introduced the episodes Here With Me by Dido, a song that today cannot be missing from my playlist.

Without a doubt, from a critical perspective, it doesn't escape being a series for teenagers, with its plot problems and quick solutions to conflicts, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable for a second.

The X-Files

Continuing with science fiction and aliens, I think many of my tastes are already being reflected. But X-Files undoubtedly kept me up at night, and I mean that literally. Many episodes left me questioning the line between fiction and reality with their well-crafted and to a certain extent complex plots, and it's because “I want to believe”. The theme moved between the acceptance of an unknown reality and skepticism, exposing conspiracy theories, unexplained phenomena, and extraterrestrial encounters while trying to seek the truth. Those investigations into the unknown were a must-watch, keeping me on the edge of my seat and even closing my eyes at some parts.

Charmed

Without a doubt, I hold a special place in my heart for this series. Following the Halliwell sisters closely, in the discovery of their powers and their destiny as the most powerful witches in the world, was an unforgettable experience and set the bar very high for television programs. The sisters dedicated themselves to using their powers to protect the innocent from demons and supernatural dangers while discovering their destiny. The episodes filled with magic and challenges, both human and supernatural, were enriched with wonderful performances. The sisters' journey to discover their powers and learn to control them always showed the value of teamwork, family, and emotional control. Without a doubt, a series that, despite attempts to emulate it, has too many factors that make it unbeatable.

Exposed

Without a doubt, having a child watch these series is not entirely good. Many themes and situations are often inappropriate for their age, but I don't regret having a childhood surrounded by these characters and moments. They helped me develop my tastes and critical skills, greatly stimulated my imagination while exposing me to various themes and situations of a more complex world than the reality I lived in. I also learned many values and life lessons through the skin of these characters.

I sincerely want to thank you for taking the time to read this article. Your support means a lot to me and motivates me to continue sharing content that can be useful and interesting for you. If you found this article useful or enjoyed reading it, I would greatly appreciate your comments. Best wishes.

The series covers used in this article were obtained from the FilmAffinity website. They are used under the fair use policy for the purpose of commentary and review.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
I apologize if there are any grammatical errors, English is not my native language, I have tried to be as careful as possible.
All assets and banners have been created by me and are original content, unless otherwise specified.
The illustrations for this article were created using Copilot
The GIFs used are powered by GPIHY