The Golden Age Of TV Programs, What Do You Think Was The Best Decade?.

**Garrett** · 25-06-2005, 5:05 PM

With all the rubbish on today I think back to when I though TV was a lot better for its time. And for me the best time for TV was in the 60’s.

ITV was not afraid to put American programs on and we had our own home grown series that easily competed with the American show. Look what we had in the 60’s

The Avengers
Danger Man
The Prisoner
Callan
Public Eye
Man in a Suitcase
And some goodies from producer Monty Berman
The Saint
The Baron
The Champions
Department S
Randell and Hopkirk Deceased
Strange Report

Doctor Who started in 63

The BBC had some fairly decent drama series on and the outing in to the spy genre were:
The Mask of Janus and the follow up series The Spies both staring Dinsdale Landon.

Comedy classics like;
Steptoe and Son
Till Death Us Do Part
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Dads Army

For the children there were Gerry Andersons;
Fireball XL5
Thunderbirds
Stingray
Captain Scarlet.

From America we had;
The Outer Limits
The Twilight Zone
The Fugitive
The Man From UNCLE
Star Trek
Mission: Impossible
The Invaders
I-Spy
Also there were plenty of cowboy series still on, one I enjoyed was Branded
There were always some comedy program on from America on like
Bewitched
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Adams Family
The Munster’s.

OK the production values where not up to today’s standards but as I said in the opening line for its time I think the 60’s was TV’s finest hour.

Mep · 25-06-2005, 5:19 PM

and all of those shows are still really watchable!

TonyA · 25-06-2005, 6:15 PM

Have to agree with Garrett on his choice.

All those shows are still watchable today.

**Garrett** · 25-06-2005, 6:17 PM

Most of them are cult as well even if you disagere I'm sure you will not find a dacade with as many cult programs.

**Garrett** · 25-06-2005, 6:28 PM

Just added some more to the original list and thought of some more cult TV although some may be a bit iffy depending on your taste.
Batman
the Irwin Allen productions
Voyage to the Bottom Of the Sea
Lost in Space
Time Tunnel
Land of the Giants.

*G Canavan* · 25-06-2005, 6:30 PM

Even Hollywood will agree with your choice judging by how many have been made into movies, although somtimes not to there credit.

Tight Git · 26-06-2005, 8:50 AM

When thinking back to TV programming in the past, the problem is that we all have selective memories.

It's not the best programmes that should be considered, but the worst.

We may remember, for example, The Avengers.

But what else was being shown that evening?

I suspect that today's programmes overall, are no better/worse than they've always been.

We just remember our favourites and forget the dross!

**Garrett** · 26-06-2005, 9:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tight Git

When thinking back to TV programming in the past, the problem is that we all have selective memories.

It's not the best programmes that should be considered, but the worst.

We may remember, for example, The Avengers.

But what else was being shown that evening?

I suspect that today's programmes overall, are no better/worse than they've always been.

We just remember our favourites and forget the dross!

Good point but I took that into consideration, all decades had there dross it what was shown besides the dross that made things entertaining, you can switch the dross of but if there is nothing to entertain well it is not realy worth switching the TV on.
If you want to champion an other decade fair by all mean and name name’s.

I could list other programs that were highly entertaining in the 60’s that where still good viewing then such as Dr Finlay's Casebook, Z-Cars Softly Softly, Adam Adamant, Maigret, Riviera Police, Crane, The Rat Catchers, No Hiding Place, Ghost Squad. Sunday nights the was a big show Sunday Night at the London Palladium where international stars appeared from around the world, Top of the Pops started in the 60’s, Tomorrows World, World at War, there was even a forensic program long before CSI called The Expert.

Friday nights always seem to gave some violent drama series on like The Gold Robbers, Spindo, Big Bread Winner Hog.

Some more American programs The Untouchables, FBI

How many night now with all the channels available and you can only pick one good program all night's to watch?

smelly · 26-06-2005, 10:35 AM

I think the 70's were pretty good too, look at the classics that were on then - fantastic comedy, some good amercian shows and some good home grown drama...

Two Ronnies
Liver Birds
Last of the Summer Wine
Some Mothers Do Ave Em.
Porridge
Fawlty Towers
The Sweeny
Starsky and Hutch
Knight Rider
Happy Days
Colombo
Blake's Seven
The New Avengers
Sapphire and Steel

I know there's some in there that people will disagree with

and a lot I've missed out but I definitely think the good TV from the 60's split over into the 70's

**Stuart Wright** · 26-06-2005, 11:02 AM

Hmmm. Who's going to list Love Thy Neighbour, Mind Your Language and the Black and White Minstrel Show amongst their favourites?
Times have changed and some programmes age better than others. Some, obviously have become totally unacceptable in a more PC correct multicultural society.
I doubt that in 20 years time people will look back as fondly at Pop Idol, Love Island, Big Brother, The Farm or I'm A Celebrity. Reality TV obviously has an appeal, but I don't think it's a lasting one. I think in 20 years time, we'll still be watching the same repeats from the 60s, 70s and 80s as we are now. Except we'll be looking at Starskey's Ford Torino as a bit of a romantic relic.

**Garrett** · 26-06-2005, 11:58 AM

I think Love Thy Neighbor, Mind Your Language and the Black and White Minstrel Show were made in innocence and the first 2 poked fun at white people as much as people from other origins in fact Love Thy Neighbor showed the black family as being normal people where as most of the white people were either stupid or scroungers and were progs from the 70's.

As for the Black and White Minstrel Show I hated it then.

Andy3 · 26-06-2005, 12:05 PM

Yup, agreed with all the above. The 60's were great - Gerry Anderson stuff, all the ITC series (Randall & Hopkirk, The Pris, Dept S etc), and of course the comedy. The 70's were good for some brilliant sitcoms (The Good Life. Fawly, Sweeney) and decent science series like Horizon.
The 80's were good too - Yes Minister, To the Manor Born etc and the science continued to be good - Antenna, Equinox.
Since then, we seem to have headed downhill. Sitcoms have become crude and juvenile and the science programs have turned into 'WOW!' shows, concentrating on how we are going to be destroyed bt massive tidal waves/unstoppable diseases/asteroids and so on.

(goes back to chuntering at Daily Mail...

)

**Garrett** · 26-06-2005, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smelly

I think the 70's were pretty good too, look at the classics that were on then - fantastic comedy, some good amercian shows and some good home grown drama...
I know there's some in there that people will disagree with

and a lot I've missed out but I definitely think the good TV from the 60's split over into the 70's

Yes there where some goodies in the 70's probably the best next decade.
I think UFO was being produced in 69 but started airing in 1970.
I think the Two Ronnies were set up in the 60's when they both appeared in the Frost Report with John Cleese which I must say was an other good program, along with The Braden Beat, That Was The Week That Was all 60's BBC Saturday night viewing in the 60's.
An other 2 to your 70's are Space 1999, and although not everyones favorite but was must viewing for me was Barnaby Jones.

lovemunkey187 · 26-06-2005, 12:12 PM

As I was born in 1976 I'd have to go with the 80's.

The A-Team
Airwolf
Automan
Blue Thunder
Manimal
B J & The Bear
The Dukes of Hazard
Streethawk
Knight Rider
Mr. Merlin
Battlestar Gallactica
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Tales Of The Golden Monkey
Bring 'Em Back Alive
The Scarecrow & Mrs King
MacGyver
Cover Up

Okay I know a couple of these shows had their first season in 78/79 but what more could a young boy want from telly?

JohnG · 26-06-2005, 12:14 PM

The thing that strikes me about the best of the 60s and 70s stuff was that is was very well written and very well acted mostly. A lot of the "comedies" these days just leave me cold as they are poorly written and the "actors" seem to think that talking slowly and loudly for the punch lines and jokes is enough.
I would also like to add Rising Damp to the list of great ITV comedies from the past.

lovemunkey187 · 26-06-2005, 12:19 PM

Porridge and Open All Hours. Two of the best comedies ever far, far, far better than Only Fools & Horses will ever be.

Another 80's one I forgot Allo Allo(Francesca Gorshon

)

PoochJD · 26-06-2005, 12:25 PM

HI,

I'm with LoveMonkey on this one - the 1980's for me!

Star Fleet
Magnum PI
Miami Vice
Blue Thunder
Airwolf
Manimal
Dogtanian And The Three Muskehounds
Airwolf
Doogie Howser, MD
Terrahawks
Dick Spanner PI (Gerry Anderson)
The Mysterious Cities Of Gold
Ulysses 31

Pooch

KoThreads · 26-06-2005, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnG

The thing that strikes me about the best of the 60s and 70s stuff was that is was very well written and very well acted mostly. A lot of the "comedies" these days just leave me cold as they are poorly written and the "actors" seem to think that talking slowly and loudly for the punch lines and jokes is enough.
I would also like to add Rising Damp to the list of great ITV comedies from the past.

I bought the box set just after Christmas, along with Black Adder 2 and 3, the funiest comedies that spring to mind, apart rom the old Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore shows that I have only ever seen bits of, and they make me crack up beyond belief.

Best TV decade for me must be the 70's as it's the last time I can remember watching a large amount of TV.

KoThreads · 26-06-2005, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett

Just added some more to the original list and thought of some more cult TV although some may be a bit iffy depending on your taste.
Batman
the Irwin Allen productions
Voyage to the Bottom Of the Sea
Lost in Space
Time Tunnel
Land of the Giants.

Used to watch them all as a kid and loved the lot, and from memory most if not all were on at kids tv time. Look at what kids have to watch now.

KoThreads · 26-06-2005, 1:01 PM

Changed my mind from above.

As a kid 60's

As an adult looking back 70's

What a cop out because I can't decide. One things for sure todays TV is very very poor compared to either.

Marc · 26-06-2005, 2:11 PM

a lot can be said for the 90's too, think Friends, Frasier, Buffy, Charmed (The good years), The X Files, Seinfeld. Of course these are all American, but the UK had a few gooduns like Cracker and Touch of Frost, Ab Fab, Red Dwarf (the bulk of the series), and probably lots more I can't remember off the top of my head.

**Garrett** · 26-06-2005, 2:54 PM

One thing; which has been missing for a very long time is a UK adventure series it is mostly now made up of very slow moving cop shows like Inspector Morse, A Touch of Frost and although more realistic are very plody the last best UK action adventure series has to be The Professionals.
UK drama is taken up by police, hospital/doctor dramas, although I must say my favorite drama from the BBC for years has been Judge John Deeds.

KoThreads · 26-06-2005, 4:45 PM

Martin Shaw complex Garrett

**Garrett** · 26-06-2005, 4:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idoexist

Martin Shaw complex Garrett

Never thought of that but he is a fine actor, and he does pick some good dramas such as Rhoads.

TonyA · 26-06-2005, 6:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Wright

Hmmm. Who's going to list Love Thy Neighbour, Mind Your Language and the Black and White Minstrel Show amongst their favourites?

A friend of mine hails from Kashmir, and he said that Mind Your Language is shown there, is endlessly repeated, and is one of the top programmes!

Although there were the Indian and Pakistani characters that were endlessly bickering - which is probably why it goes down a storm in Kashmir!

It's not "PC" for us - but its still damn funny to them!

phelings · 26-06-2005, 9:29 PM

Did you know the Rising Damp dvd "complete" box set actually has the Xmas episode that was shown last Xmas on FIVE missing?

KoThreads · 27-06-2005, 8:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phelings

Did you know the Rising Damp dvd "complete" box set actually has the Xmas episode that was shown last Xmas on FIVE missing?

No I hadn't, bugger

sbowler · 27-06-2005, 9:29 PM

its interesting reading the responses to this thread, it would be interesting to know if the favourite decades were linked to our age at that time. most people were most reseptive to new ideas and got these from tv during ther teens or early twenties. ie I am 45 and my favourite decade is the seventies, so if we began taking an interest in tv at that age, then any proceeding programs we would probably say yeah seen it before, we always tend to remember things fondly from our first impressions.

Kevo · 28-06-2005, 9:48 AM

Documentaries have also suffered in recent years.
BBC, Channel 4 and even ITV (hard to believe) used to make some really good docs.
Now they just seem to copy each other and rely heavily on CGI or 'peoples misfortunes' (like the 'From Hell', 'One Life' series).

Thank God for C5 who are the only channel who consistently make quality docs.

Gary D · 28-06-2005, 10:26 AM

i dont think any decade can be held up as the best - they have all had their high spots and there massive lows.

Personally i quite like this one (the Sheild, The wire, CSI, 24, Alias, state of play, Carnivale, Deadwood, boomtown, band of brothers)

as for the rubbish of the late 70's early 80's christ was dire - have any of you tried watching the A team since you grew up - airwolf god save us all its rubbish. yes they were great when i was 15 - but now - oooooh their bad.

Gary