In the 1990s, television shows like "Boy Meets World" and "Party of Five" depicted the lives of orphaned or parentless children, reflecting societal attitudes towards poverty, class, and family structures. These narratives often used orphan characters as a vehicle to explore coming-of-age stories, with varying degrees of realism and sensitivity. Through these depictions, viewers were introduced to characters whose lives diverged significantly from the middle-class, nuclear family norm that dominated popular culture at the time.

One of the most memorable orphan characters from this era was Shawn Hunter, best friend of Cory Matthews in "Boy Meets World." Unlike Cory, who grew up in a stable, middle-class household, Shawn's life was marked by instability and poverty. His parents' absence and his residence in a trailer park set him apart from the other characters. This stark contrast highlighted the socioeconomic disparities between the two friends and offered a glimpse into a world unfamiliar to many viewers. Shawn's character arc followed a familiar trope: the poor, troubled youth who finds redemption through the support of a better-off family or mentor. However, this narrative also perpetuated harmful stereotypes about poverty and suggested that Shawn would be better off without his parents.

Meanwhile, "Party of Five" presented a different take on orphanhood. The Salinger siblings, orphaned after their parents died in a car accident, were left to navigate adolescence without adult supervision. Unlike Shawn, they came from a middle-class background and had financial resources from their parents' estate. This allowed them to avoid foster care and stay together, despite the challenges they faced. The show delved into the complexities of grief and responsibility, exploring how the siblings coped with losing their parents while trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy. Episodes focused on typical teenage dilemmas, but the underlying tension was always the delicate balance between freedom and responsibility.

Both shows reflect broader cultural attitudes towards orphanhood in the 1990s. While "Boy Meets World" reinforced stereotypes about poverty and class, "Party of Five" offered a more nuanced portrayal of loss and resilience. However, both series ultimately treated orphanhood as a plot device rather than addressing the real-life implications of losing one's parents. In doing so, they mirrored a common trend in media: using orphan characters to tell stories of redemption and transformation, often overlooking the deeper issues surrounding child welfare and foster care.

These depictions highlight the evolving nature of orphan narratives in television, revealing both progress and persistent shortcomings. While shows like "The Fosters" and "This Is Us" later attempted to diversify these stories, they often fell back on familiar tropes, suggesting that there is still much work to be done in portraying the realities of orphanhood and foster care authentically. Ultimately, these narratives serve as a reflection of society's complex relationship with childhood adversity, offering both comfort and critique.