Take 5: TV moments from the first Bush era

The June 14 HBO documentary "41" takes a look at the life and legacy of George H.W. Bush, America's 41st president. While we're just as eager to recall the years that brought us Desert Storm, the fall of the Soviet Union and A Thousand Points of Light, our TV-centric mind prefers to focus on these five memorable tube moments that took place between Jan. 20, 1989 and Jan. 20, 1993.

1. STEVE URKEL (Dec. 15, 1989) -- Jaleel White's character with oversized glasses and high-rising pants showed up for a one-shot guest appearance on "Family Matters." But he was so popular that he was asked back and soon becomes the face of the show as well as one of TV's most iconic characters.

2. 'AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS' (Jan. 14, 1990) -- Coinciding with the growth of camcorder usage, this show featuring viewers' tapes of their adorable kids doing wacky stunts (and their even-more-adorable cats doing even wackier stunts) became an instant hit. And, remarkably, it's still airing (even in the age of YouTube).

3. 'SEINFELD' (May 31, 1990) -- After its pilot aired the previous July, NBC added the sitcom about nothing to its schedule almost a year later. It started slowly, grew by word-of-mouth, and as Bush handed over the keys to the White House to Bill Clinton, it was poised to become one of TV's biggest hits.

4. LATE-NIGHT SHUFFLE -- After 30 years, Johnny Carson retired (May 22, 1992) and Jay Leno took over "The Tonight Show" (May 25, 1992). The odd man out: David Letterman, who soldiered on at NBC for another year before taking his show to CBS.

5. 'MURPHY BROWN' (May 1992) -- Candice Bergen's character gives birth and decides to raise her child without a father. That doesn't sit well with Bush's vice president, Dan Quayle, who briefly turns it into a hot-button political issue.