MTV brings back '120 Minutes,' revives '90s nostalgia
If this is "classic MTV," we're totally old: on Thursday, MTV announced that "120 Minutes," the alternative music showcase that premiered back in 1986 and ran through 2000, with a brief revival from 2001-2003, will return to MTV2 as a monthly show beginning later this year and as a weekly online show, "120 Seconds," beginning Friday morning on MTV Hive. Onetime host Matt Pinfield will also be back to show his favorite videos. Yes, it's official: the '90s are back, so get that Violent Femmes concert tee ready.
"I am elated and proud to be part of bringing back one of the most influential and longest-running music shows in the network's history," Pinfield said in a statement. "Everywhere I go, people from all over the world talk about how much '120 Minutes' shaped their musical tastes and how much they missed it. The show helped expose, and ultimately, break new artists. MTV's historical role in breaking artists of all genres can never be underestimated."
All of which begs the question: Decades after the show debuted, do we even have an "alternative music scene" anymore? MTV2 already covers indie bands quite well on shows like "Subterranean." Maybe this is their chance to tap into the wealth of Gen X nostalgia.
"120 Minutes" isn't MTV's first throwback to the alt-era: this week, Nickelodeon, which is operated by MTV Networks, was cheered by thirtysomethings everywhere when it announced that it would run episodes of "Pete & Pete," "Clarissa Explains it All" and other favorite '90s fare in a new midnight-to-2 a.m. programming block dubbed "The ’90s Are All That." And earlier this year, MTV announced that it would update "Beavis & Butthead" with new episodes. Meanwhile, "Daria" fans are demanding that their favorite monotone-voiced heroine return to the air. ("Daria back on MTV" even has its own Facebook page). What, no demand for reviving "Remote Control"? Where's Kari Wuhrer when you need her?
--Melissa Maerz
Photo: Matt Pinfield. Credit: Charles Sykes / Associated Press
120 minutes was/is the only good thing about MTV.
Posted by: Joseph | March 17, 2011 at 09:47 AM
M TV. Mean music television, What happend to the music? It's all reality stuff.
Posted by: mikesgirl | March 17, 2011 at 09:56 AM
I guess Mtv probably wasn't getting the best tv rating and views like they were back in the 90's. About time somebody did something right. I will probably watch it now. Who doesn't love bevis n butthead. Oh they should also bring back liquid television.
Posted by: eroc | March 17, 2011 at 10:21 AM
I LOVED Remote Control, but even if they wanted to bring it back, it would not be the same without Ken Ober, since he's dead. I seemed to remember Adam Sandler on that show too. Probably, he won't be returning.
Posted by: Leroy Chin | March 17, 2011 at 10:28 AM
I loved Remote Control...but didnt' the host die not too long ago?
Posted by: johnnyjismhead | March 17, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Hey, if MTV goes back far enough maybe they can bring back.... MUSIC VIDEOS.
Posted by: ThompsonTwin | March 17, 2011 at 11:15 AM
I'm 36, and I assure you there's no nostalgia factor for Clarissa, All That or Pete & Pete (never even heard of the last one). Perhaps the author meant twentysomethings cheered Nickelodeon's decision?
Posted by: Brad | March 17, 2011 at 11:56 AM
Music on MTV? Wow, how original!
Posted by: Tom | March 17, 2011 at 05:28 PM
Yes, yes, but what about Dave Kendall? ;)
Posted by: a13 | March 17, 2011 at 09:47 PM
Bring baxk Head Banger Ball with Ricky Ratman and Cain. I know that VH1 Classic runs Metal Mania but I still miss the Ball.
The interviews. Heck just run the old shows so that I can relive the great times.
Posted by: Captain Howdy | March 18, 2011 at 01:15 PM