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Definition Of "Classic TV"

F

Fakeem

How old does a show have to be to be considered "Classic"? What about the ratings history? Syndication History? Can a show be called a "Classic" while it's still "First Run"?

Seems that a lot of younger people throw that word around much too freely.
 
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"Classic" as it pertains to cars is anywhere from 25-50 years. Anything older is usually called "antique".

"Classic" music, usually depending upon genre, is about the same although there is no "antique" designation. Some classic (classical) music can be hundreds of years old (written, not recorded).

TV shows don't have the lifespan of either cars or music so a classic show might mean a very popular one that is only a decade old or something from the "Golden Age of TV" which goes back to the late 1940's.

The term is somewhat flexible and vague but I think most people would agree that "classic" means both older and popular no matter what its exact age.
 
Fakeem said:
How old does a show have to be to be considered "Classic"? What about the ratings history? Syndication History? Can a show be called a "Classic" while it's still "First Run"?

Seems that a lot of younger people throw that word around much too freely.
Click to expand...

The word "Classic" has been degraded for decades, so it's really kind of meaningless. When I was a kid (1960s), the late unlamented American Motors Corp (run by Mitt Romney's dad) sold a car called the Rambler "Classic." It was kind of a boring homely car, was new, and hardly classic. It's like the word "gourmet." The crappiest fast food restaurants sell "gourmet" burgers these days. And don't get me started on "All Natural" foods. I guess if your processed food includes feces, you can say it's "all natural," as long as there aren't evil chemicals in it.

Rant aside, if "Classic Hits" on the radio are around 30-40 years old, I'd say "Classic" TV should be at least 20. Also, "classic" is in the eyes of the beholder, and should denote something valuable or of quality. Do I want to see a "classic" episode of Golden Girls? Sure. Do I want to see a classic episode of Hunter from the same era, with wooden actor Fred Dryer, where his hot female partner gets raped practically every episode? No thanks!
 
Much like the accolades of "legend" and "icon" are routinely used for any currently prominent person. When ESPN's Stuart Scott died, I saw repeated references to him being an "icon"...
 
BD Sullivan said:
Much like the accolades of "legend" and "icon" are routinely used for any currently prominent person. When ESPN's Stuart Scott died, I saw repeated references to him being an "icon"...
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Good point. I don't even know who he was (not a big sports fan), so he certainly couldn't have been a legend or icon to me. Yes - as a society, we tend to overuse superlatives, and advertising & marketing are the worst offenders.

Marketing for local TV news is the worst offender - at least here in the Bay Area. One station will be The Bay Area's Most Watched News Station," another is "Number One at 11:00," another is "Rated Number One in Northern California," another is "The Bay Area's News Station."

All those slogans imply that they are most popular. Each station probably has some statistic they can quote to back up their claim, but c'mon - they can't all be in first place at the same time.
 
LKellerIII said:
Marketing for local TV news is the worst offender - at least here in the Bay Area. One station will be The Bay Area's Most Watched News Station," another is "Number One at 11:00," another is "Rated Number One in Northern California," another is "The Bay Area's News Station."
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And KTRK in Houston had its 13 Eyewitness News to, at first, be "#1 in Texas," and then later, as it is now (IINM), to be "Houston's News Leader."
 
LKellerIII said:
Good point. I don't even know who he was (not a big sports fan), so he certainly couldn't have been a legend or icon to me. Yes - as a society, we tend to overuse superlatives, and advertising & marketing are the worst offenders.

Marketing for local TV news is the worst offender - at least here in the Bay Area. One station will be The Bay Area's Most Watched News Station," another is "Number One at 11:00," another is "Rated Number One in Northern California," another is "The Bay Area's News Station."

All those slogans imply that they are most popular. Each station probably has some statistic they can quote to back up their claim, but c'mon - they can't all be in first place at the same time.
Click to expand...

For a time in the mid 80s Virginia had three radio stations claiming they were number one in the entire state. K92 in Roanoke, Richmond's Q94 and Z104 out of Norfolk/Virginia Beach. Granted they may very well be tops in their market but for VIRGINIA ?? To be fair I suppose not too many people from Virginia Beach travel to Roanoke or vice versa so K92 and Z104 got away with it but Richmond and Q94 ??
 
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