Growing up in the Chicago suburbs in the ‘60’s and the ‘70’s, I was a full-fledged member of the “TV Generation”, and spent many after-school afternoons watching a wide variety of sitcom reruns, mostly broadcast on the original superstation, WGN. And what a lineup it was: Gilligan’s Island; I Dream of Jeannie; The Andy Griffith Show; Bewitched; The Dick Van Dyke Show; Hogan’s Heroes; The Munsters; The Beverly Hillbillies; Get Smart; Green Acres; The Addams Family; Leave it to Beaver; Batman; The Brady Bunch; Mister Ed; My Three Sons; The Monkees; Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.; My Favorite Martian; McHale’s Navy; F Troop; The Lucy Show; That Girl; Petticoat Junction; Father Knows Best; Hazel; The Flying Nun; Dennis the Menace; Family Affair; The Flintstones; The Donna Reed Show; The Patty Duke Show; and Mayberry R.F.D., just to name a few.
Whew, that list reads like the lyrics to Billy Joel’s, “We didn’t start the fire,” which begins, “Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray, South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio,” and continues on through several decades, ending in, “cola wars.” Not terribly imaginative, eh? Simply a list of people, and events, and things; and he’s an acclaimed lyricist. My list is intended to provoke warm memories of being camped out in front of the massive, 26-inch television screen, embedded in an enormous piece of furniture, which had to be dusted weekly with Pledge, just like the rest of the fine furniture in ‘70’s homes, and enjoying the endless parade of mindless sitcom reruns, while snacking on a Hostess Ho-Ho. Admit it, reading this list of sitcoms is like reconnecting with old friends on Facebook; the memories flow.
And, primetime TV in those days was something special - there were only three networks back then: ABC, CBS, and NBC. They each had their primetime lineups of hit shows, and launching the new season each fall was a happening - new shows appeared with tremendous fanfare, and old favorites held on for another season as long as possible. Don’t worry, I’m not going to list all the primetime shows which came and went during those years - you can simply Google it - you really don’t need me for that.
But, TV-watching now, in the streaming age, is a vastly different experience, and is much more complicated. Regardless of whether you’ve cut the cord, or if you maintain the cable-TV existence, you face the challenge of where to locate a show you’d like to watch. Let’s say, for example, that a friend has recommended that you watch, “Yellowstone,” because you might enjoy it. So, you utilize your search function to determine which service carries the show - perhaps Netflix, or Showtime, or Hulu, or Amazon Prime, or Apple Plus. And, you note that a couple of different services do, in fact provide, “Yellowstone”. But, and here’s the rub, each option comes with an additional fee, usually $3.99 or so per episode. This after already paying monthly fees for: Netflix, and Showtime, and Hulu, and Amazon Prime, and Apple Plus.
It’s a classic “bait-and-switch.” Or is it a “pig-in-a-poke” scam? I don’t know what to call it. There are such colorful terms for sales scams. That tradition continues even today - “phishing” is an example. Nonetheless, it makes me angry, and I usually step back and settle for watching a show which is not deserving of paying for twice, at least in the eyes of those in charge of programming for these streaming services.
Which is not to say that I haven’t stumbled upon some worthwhile shows. Some that I can recommend include: Breaking Bad; Homeland; Madame Secretary; Curb Your Enthusiasm; and The Morning Show. Binge-worthy shows, all. But, I am just as likely to seek out one of my old sitcom rerun favorites from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. Settling-in to watch a couple of Mr. Ed episodes is comforting and takes me back to a time when things, including TV-watching, were simpler. Just don’t make me pay $3.99 per episode to watch - I’m not doing it.
I love it, it definitely brought back memories and you gotta love a big console TV! I still enjoy watching a Dick Van Dyke episode or two to wind down before bed.
I do have to call you out on one thing though as mom wouldn’t spring for the authentic hostess Ho Hos, so we got little Debbie Swiss Rolls instead!🤣