I'VE rediscovered the ultimate '90s show that I was addicted to when I was a tween.

And it's not as good as I remember.

Back when I was 20 years younger, I was a slave to Party of Five.

The coming of age story focussed on the five Salinger siblings as they struggled to make their way in the world after the death of their parents.

Don't get me wrong; it's still entertaining.

But I'd forgotten how angsty the adolescent drama is, how much cheating goes on and how the music sounds like something out of a Lifetime movie.

On the plus side, I reckon the hairsty

Maybe it's because television has become so sophisticated these days.

There are times when the storylines seem a bit hokey and times when you wish that the adolescent drama wasn't so manufactured.

It was a reminder that issues like homosexuality and teen pregnancy were quite taboo at the time and there are special feature-type episodes devoted to exploring those issues.

I'm wondering if I should revisit other dramas from my past, like Dawson's Creek, or if they are better left to my no doubt rose-coloured memories.