The Good Old Days of TV

[azumanga]

Laugh-In didn't really age very well.

That was evident to me when Laugh-In went into syndicated reruns in 1983 (the eps were split into half-hour segments, which WPHL-17 Philadelphia (don't know about other markets) aired IIRC at 10:00p every weeknight...

In Tampa Bay, WTVT ch.13 carried "Laugh In" weeknights at 11:30PM, after the late news, in a time slot formerly held by Benny Hill.

And I believe that the rerun series was edited into half-hours, which was the only option available for stations -- it did not appear again in its original hour format until Trio aired the series in the early 2000s (I think).

 

[landtuna]

the key to watching an old tv series and old movie is not to compare the technology and times with today.the key to enjoy those shows and movies is to look at the times as they were .

Indeed. That is largely why I like watching old films/shows and seeing the master actors and directors at work. The only problem is it will tend to kill one's appetite for much of the drivel that passes for motion pictures and TV shows today.

 

[Chris36]

I liked the older shows then most of the shows that are on today just my opinion. It was nice back 15 years ago to get locals from other parts of the country before the rules came into effect with commercials being shown out of market. I don't think it's a big deal if you want to watch another local channel from somewhere else I would think they would be happy that people are viewing that channel. Just my thoughts. But now I look at different markets basically they have all the same shows now no variety in programming at all. Maybe a few here or there but not much though.

 

[FRR]

Perhaps it's a good thing you are 38 and not 68 because then you'd be remembering the Golden Age of Television and you'd REALLY be disappointed in today's offerings as compared with the talent then. ;D

So true. So damn true

 

[BRNout]

To me, there were two "golden eras" of television. One was during the mid/late 1960s and early 1970s; the second was during the period from the early/mid 1980s into the early 1990s. During the first period, you had entertaining sitcoms, movies, dramas, etc. Then came the very mediocre middle to late 1970s which brought us the likes of Happy Days (after the first 2 seasons), Welcome Back Kotter, etc. Kotter was a lousy show and, even as a kid, I wondered what the fuss was about. I never cared for Maude and AITF and MASH had gone serious on us by then.

TV was in a bit of a funk for a while, but came back like gangbusters with the likes of The Cosby Show, Cheers, and other shows that radiated the energy of the 1980s. And, remember, you had the first cable channels at that time so MTV was MTV and then there was the new Fox network. Not to mention that your old favorites from the aforementioned 1960s were more readily available than ever before on a slate of local and national (via cable) independent stations.

To me, the bullet that killed TV as we knew it was the "cable reform bill" of 1996 which knocked off a lot of OTA channels and foist the entertainment-killing virus known as "syndex" on an unsuspecting public. Thanks to John McCain for that one! And remember it the next time they propose regulations to "help" you. Cable costs have gone up, what?, 10-fold since then? Anyhow, I digress.

Admittedly, my opinions of the "good old days" are skewed by my age and personal experiences. But, if you look at it in an unbiased fashion, you'll at least admit that I make a good point. The 1950s had a lot of wonderful acting, but rough production. The early 1960s did have a lot of fine dramas, but TV was still in its relative infancy. Things really got going with color and the energy of the mid 1960s. The Carter years of the later 1970s were the doldrums for TV as well as music and, even as a kid, I noticed. Then the last hurrah before things went nuts.

What really killed TV for me was the reality craze. Ever since then, it seems that the offerings - even on scripted shows - are weak and filled with gimmicky elements.

Well, that's just my 0.02!