- “And after that, after gratitude for friends and family, and for those who protect us, after that something small. I love TV, and the other day it occurred to me again that we are in the middle of a second golden age of television. I feel gratitude to the largely unheralded network executives and producers who gave it to us. The first golden age can be summed up with one name: "Playhouse 90." It was the 1950s and '60s, when TV was busy being born. The second can be summed up with the words "The Sopranos," "Mad Men," "The Wire," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "ER," "24," "The West Wing," "Law and Order," "30 Rock." These are classics. Some nonstars at a network made them possible. Good for them.“
Over the years we’ve enjoyed Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966) both when it was current and later in reruns; Mary Tyler Moore (1970-1977) and the spin-offs Rhoda and Phyllis; Love Boat (1977-1986) was great for seeing all the stars not usually seen; Cheers (1982-1993); the Bill Cosby Show (1984-1992) and still laugh and identify with the family situations and love the fashions; Murder she wrote (1984-1996) with Angela Lansbury was never missed and we enjoyed it in reruns too; Golden Girls (1985-1992) although I think I saw this mostly on reruns; Murphy Brown (1988-1998)--great ensemble cast; Frasier (1993-2004) again mostly seen in reruns; Ellen (1994-1998); some of the movie channels like TNT and AMC for the movies I never saw when they were current; Third rock from the sun (1996-2001)--hard to believe Tommy is almost 30; we enjoyed Dharma and Greg (1997-2002); Monk (still current and watching it tonight); The Closer (now in the 5th season).
And remember the great variety shows--Sonny and Cher (1971-1974), Donny and Marie (1976-1979), The Captain and Tennille (1976-1977), Hee Haw (1969-1993) and now we even watch Lawrence Welk, which we never would have done in the 1950s and 1960s, as archives were dusted off with added interviews from the “Welk family” (1986- current) for its old time slot on Saturday evenings (tomorrow will be the Thanksgiving special on PBS).
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7 comments:
Hi, Norma, Growing up, I saw my share of Gilligan's Island, Man from Uncle, Twilight Zone and the like. Not really classics, but a sampling of what was out there. Now, when I think about tv, I inevitably feel like a little goes a long ways for relaxation, or information (endless C-Span speakers). But I wonder if, close to the end of life, I would regret the time that went into viewing the flickering screen. It used to be people gathered round the flickering fire, now it is these screens. The firelight drew out what was inside people and they shared stories and closeness. The flickering screen creates a different dynamic with the focus on what the screen is doing, not each other or the moment of being here, now. Just a few rambling impressions about tv.
That's an interesting thought--the flickering screen instead of firelight. Our pastor the other night mentioned that with the addition of the 5th child they needed to reduce spending, so discontinued cable. And then TV altogether. He says he misses some things--but the trade off has been in increased family time.
Still, I suspect like a lot of myths, families really didn't spend a lot of time gathered around the fireplace in some happy time before TV. Mine didn't--we kids had our favorite radio shows; mom was reading; dad was going over customer billing in his office or studying for a business class. The closest we got to a fireplace was hearing dad stoke the coal furnace in the winter and listening to the pipes expand as we got out of a warm bed.
Both sets of grandparents had hugh fireplaces in their country homes and many fond memoriers of gatherings around those cosy fires. We actually popped corn over those fires and buttered it with home churned - you can believe it-real butter. Mother often said she pushed to buy our childhood home because it had a fireplace.Many Christmas pictures have the fireplace a center of posed photots.Now we still gather around a fireplace, and we are old it now feels good to my old bones after a long day. I find it such a comfort I don't even mind playing "Cinderella"with the cleaning and laying a next days fire. Gas logs just aren't the same.It is an experience of something real in a fake everything world.. Gosh, we even mess with a "real" tree how old fashioned is that!
What a lovely image. When our children were small we had hot cider on x-mas eve near the fireplace, but it was always so messy (chimney leaked, had birds, raccoons, etc.) and sucked up the heat, we didn't do it often. Thought of another TV show I love--Antiques Roadshow--watched it last night.
Also rarely missed Book TV on c-span when Brian Lamb was in charge.
The closer tv show is very good. Its 5th season is very good. Some time I miss episodes of it, Then I watch the Closer online. Actually I cannot miss any episode of it....
The never-missed TV shows from my childhood were Wagon Train, Rawhide, Red Skelton, Ed Sullivan... later Carol Burnett and Bonanza and on a color TV finally!
I am a big fan of TV shows. I like to watch all my favorites online. The Closer TV Show is one from them. Its really an amazing show. And I never miss any episode of this show.
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