These '90s Heartthrobs Need To Come Back

Who among you '90s kids can forget your first foray into passion via TV and movies? It's impossible to forget the first time you saw the handsome jawline of someone like Freddie Prinze, Jr. or the excitement you felt when Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Tom Sawyer in Tom and Huck pointed his mischievous eyes at the camera. The '90s was a decade filled with male heartthrobs, and while many of those dreamboats are still doing the acting thing (see: Fresh Prince, Will Smith) plenty of others have left their lives in front of the cameras for quieter pursuits. And OK, sure, I respect their decisions, but at the same time I can't help but think that having these men not be on our TVs and movie screens any more is a travesty of the highest caliber.

There are an ungodly amount of '90s heartthrobs who need to return to acting ASAP, and perhaps if they do, '90s kids everywhere will understand what love feels like again. The decade provided many great pop culture gifts (Friends, Pretty Woman...) but the 12 heartthrob men below might be the best thing it actually ever gave us.

1. Jonathan Taylor Thomas

It's time JTT comes back to reclaim his rightful place on the throne of television. He's been in a few episodes of Tim Allen's show Last Man Standing (because, of course) but it's simply not enough.

2. Freddie Prinze, Jr.

Sure, The Prinze of our hearts is still around, as he has been working in voice acting for several years on shows like Robot Chicken and Star Wars Rebels. But it's not nearly as much attention as he deserves, and I long for a Sarah Michelle Gellar/ Freddie Prinze sitcom to come into existence.

3. David Charvet

Charvet has been busy with his Dancing With The Stars wife Brooke Burke and their children, but that doesn't mean I don't wish he (and his abs) were back on-screen.

4. Erik von Detten

Von Detten is pictured here with his child at the Toy Story 3 premiere, and yet he looks like he hasn't aged at all since his days on Brink. If the show ever got a reboot, he could play the same character and no one would bat an eye.

5. Andrew Shue

This Melrose Place actor has moved on to different career choices like co-founding DoSomething.org, and his work is commendable. But that doesn't mean I still don't want him to make a return to TV or film ASAP.

6. Zachary Ty Bryan

The bully older brother from Home Improvement is all grown up, and looking good. I would be down for a Zachary Ty Bryan and Jonathan Taylor Thomas sitcom... who's with me?

7. Will Friedle

This screamer of "Feeeeeny" has done a good deal of voice acting after his tenure on Boy Meets World for comic book series like Teen Titans Go! and Marvel's Guardian of the Galaxy, and he's also been on a few episodes of Girl Meets World. But I long for more of this goofy guy than that.

8. Jason Behr

There was once a time when Dawson's Creek ruled the world and Jason Behr was a mega-star. Now, though, he seems to have taken a break from acting, but I have high hopes that he will get back into the game one day.

9. Matthew Lawrence

Like his Boy Meets World costar, Will Friedle, Lawrence made an appearance recently on Girl Meets World, and it was wonderful. He also has acted in a few movies and television shows throughout the years, but someone needs to give this guy a leading role, stat, so he can return for real.

10. Sean Patrick Thomas

The Cruel Intentions and Save the Last Dance star hasn't stopped acting — he was in AHS: Asylum and has a movie coming up later this year — but his career has definitely slowed down. He's in need of a major role ASAP.

11. Kirk Cameron

The last movie Kirk Cameron was in was Saving Christmas two years ago. The guy who once was Mike Seaver on Growing Pains deserves better, dammit.

I know it's hard for us all to admit that the '90s are over, we are no longer as young as we once were, and our first forays into passion through the faces and actions of teen heartthrobs are long past. Now if they could just make the whole process a little easier by being adult heartthrobs we can now swoon over that would be great. I wouldn't say no to one movie in which they all happened to do the ensemble cast thing. I'm just throwing that out there.