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Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Tuesday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best show currently on TV?” can be found at the end of this post.)

This week’s question: When was the first time you saw a TV character that you felt represented you or your experience? Who was it? How did you feel? (This is jumping on the #FirstTimeISawMe hashtag about representation.)

Eric Deggans (@deggans), NPR

This is a tough question, because I don’t think I’ve seen a character like me yet on television (black comics nerd who loves playing drums, has a thirst for pop culture, spent his teens grooving to Frank Zappa and Parliament/Funkadelic and has a passion for racial issues and opposing stereotypes in media. Nope, haven’t seen that character yet). But the first time I saw...

They seemed ageless as camp counselors, Goodburger employees and dude ranch handlers, but even '90s Nickelodeon stars couldn't stay teenagers forever. One went on to marry Ben Stiller) while others quit acting altogether. But 30-year-olds around the world can rejoice, because Amanda Bynes, 27, has yet to join the club.

Danny Tamberelli from "The Adventures of Pete and Pete" is 31.

Irene Ng from "The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo" is 38.

Katrina Johnson from "All That" is 31.

Yes, that little girl who played H. Ross Perot.

Alisa Reyes from "All That" is 32.

Lori Beth Denberg from "All That" is 37.

Larisa Oleynik from "The Secret World of Alex Mack" is 32.

Jason Zimbler from "Clarissa Explains it All," 35.

Melissa Joan Hart from "Clarissa Explains it All" is 36.

Michael Ray Bower from "Salute Your Shorts" is 38.

Kenan Thompson from "All That" is 35.

Christine Taylor from "Hey Dude" is 41.

Michael Maronna from "The Adventures of...

Most gay children probably don't realize they're gay, but if they're anything like I was at age 5-14, they knew exactly what kinds of TV they cared about. And for those of us who came of age in the '90s, Nickelodeon was truly the ne plus ultra of kid programming. The orange-splashed network routinely featured characters who were self-possessed, unashamed, and totally weird. That's the gay kid hallmark right there. Join us as we revisit nine particular characters who thrilled me and many others during the glorious '90s.

Angelica Pickles from Rugrats

The bossiest brat in the playpen happened to be the funniest female cartoon character to appear on TV, let alone Nickelodeon, in years. When three-year-old tantrum expert Angelica debuted on Rugrats in 1991, she reclaimed Lucy Van Pelt's callous humor for little kids everywhere. She was both diabolical and insufferable, and what self-respecting gay child can't relate to that?...