Cynical edginess

Why is this show, which lasted six seasons and had a 12 episode revival in 2019, mostly forgotten today? Unlike many other Clinton-era sitcoms, it never had an extended re-run in syndication, and while it still has a small but passionate fanbase, it dwells in the long shadow of so many other shows from the same time period.

Yet what makes this show much harder to watch today (in spite of its undeniably good episodes) is its edgy self-consciousness: it's trying way too hard to be hip and push boundaries. There's nothing wrong with the premise of a young married couple dealing with "life in the big city", but when they almost scream out, "Isn't real life just like this, folks?" it's no longer funny and just becomes depressing. By the end of the third season, I can't imagine anyone identifying with any of the characters, and the only point of watching was to see what kind of trouble they could struggle through in the next episode.