What did I miss - Television Edition

Replaced later by the NBC Thursday lineup (with various shows, but always great).

I was a teenager in the 70's, and the thing that stood out to me from that time period was the miniseries. There were some great ones - Roots, Rich Man Poor Man, Centennial are three that come to mind right away. I saw all three of them and each caused me to read the books.

There are no miniseries any more. I would put those three miniseries right up there with Sopranos today (and Sopranos was probably the closest thing to a miniseries in recent years, along with Deadwood).

 

And come to think of it, I think Ed Asner was in all three of the miniseries I mentioned. (not 100 percent sure he was in roots).

 

You missed the crown jewel of the miniseries, then:

 

I'll third this. BM might be the most underrated sitcom ever. The 70s Bob Newhart Show is another great show that's becoming forgotten.

 

Not every show is everyone's show. Full House is one of my favorites, no matter what anyone else deems quality. It's a sentimental show for me, which is the biggest reason I like it. I've said on many occasions that I don't watch television mainly for quality or artistry -- though it's a great perk. I watch television for entertainment. And when Kimmy says something stupid, I'm going to laugh every single time.

D.J.: Can you guys believe this parking ticket?
Kimmy Gibbler: D.J, your dad is gonna flip when he sees this.
D.J.: I can't believe this. I'm gonna become a pedestrian.
Kimmy Gibbler: D.J., how can you be thinking of religion? You're gonna have to walk.

That's funny, guy. Funny. And what I like most about those shows is that I can relate to them in a way, and that they were a part -- a big part -- of my childhood. And I love that. I love reliving those parts and the memories that come with each episode.

Is The Office a better show? Maybe. I've never seen The Office. But few shows will ever hook me like Saved By The Bell, Boy Meets World, Full House, Home Improvement and Fresh Prince, among others. It's just the way I am.

So you can have your quality. I'll take my family entertainment.

 

I always felt "Boy Meets World" was fairly underrated.

But IMO, they're all looking up to "M*A*S*H." And I'm a little younger than most who think highly of the series.

 

Good call. At least five of those are in my must-DVR list. Dying for The Closer to start again. Phenomenal show.

 

This thread hasn't exactly elicited the respone I was after, so I'll ask again what I meant.

For example, CHiPS fans...what made you enjoy the show? I know why everyone loves Seinfeld, I've been around to see it live aand on syndication. The same can't be said for the original Sid Caeser show.

 

I'll try. I watched CHIPS, but I'm not sure why. It was definitely an enjoyable show, it may have just been that to me, it was better than whatever else was on at the same time.

I'm not sure if I would spend a whole hour watching it now ... there's too many alternatives (I'd probably choose something on the History Channel or something like American Justice or Cold Case Files on A and E, or even "Little People, Big World''. But at the time, Chips delivered a predictable hour with some action, maybe a laugh or two, and resolution.

But I shouldn't be talking about CHIPS at all, it wasn't a show I'd say I was a fan of now.

I'll try something like Hill Street Blues, or Picket Fences, I guess - those were shows I really thought were great, and would probably watch again now.
Both those shows had great characters, and also great writing, too me. You cared about the people, you could never be sure what was going to happen. I think both could be top shows now, if they were to start over.

 

LOL - I didn't necessarily mean ChiPS, but that was definitely what I was looking for. It's always interesting to me to find out why people liked some of the shows of the past. I , for one, don't get the draw of some of the shows. Sure, All in the Family is classic. But, like I said, Rowan and Martin doesn't even make me smile.

 

I was rather young in the '70s, so my All in the Family memories pretty much consist of my parents and grandmother watching it.

Years later, I can understand why it was considered ground-breaking. It tackled a lot of sensitive subjects, like the Vietnam War, race, and rape.

While watching some episodes, I couldn't help but think that a show like that wouldn't even make it on the air today, at least with the networks.

 

It used to come on TBS every weekday around lunch time, but hasn't for a while.