Let’s face it. Life today is hard and television is either too dramatic, too realistic or doesn’t teach us anything about this so-called life. For me, television and movies need to be like an escape from my life because, as I said earlier, this darn life is hard enough. Television programs used to be uplifting, teach lessons about life without being too dark and scarring and provide a positive escape for people of all ages. AND every show on television was squeaky clean, so everyone could watch shows together without being ultra embarrassed in front of their parents. Do you really want your little sibling or future child to see most “adult” shows nowadays? I thought not. Step back with me to a time where television was a place to escape from your problems, not make you realize them even more. Here are five must-see vintage television shows.
1. “That Girl” (1966-1971)
“That Girl” follows the life of Ann Marie, a beautiful and charming girl who has just left the nest to live alone in an apartment in New York City and become an actress. She is classy and charming, with a solid set of morals that take her far. I was in the 7th grade when I started religiously watching “That Girl,” and I truthfully feel like Marie made a huge impact on my life. She has manners, style and sensitivities towards others. She is always struggling with money but never down about it – she never, ever quits. She has a family that loves her endlessly but bickers, and her best friends and next-door neighbors always have issues. Her boyfriend, Don, is an excellent example of the kind of man all us women should wait for – he takes her out to lunch almost every day, always makes time for her and always cares for her when she isn’t having the best of days. Thinking about this show is making me itch to watch it all over again – it is that wonderful and inspiring.
2. “The Monkees” (1966-1968)
Now, “The Monkees” isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but the group sure will get you laughing. The Monkees are a band who also had a successful television show and outsold the Beatles, Elvis and the Rolling Stones combined at one point. They were assembled via auditions, and there once was a rumor that Charles Manson tried out to be a Monkee. Their show is very silly and there is no continuing plot, except that the band is ever struggling to get gigs. Each new episode is totally different from the last, usually with a whole new setting, such as a pirate ship or a medieval fair in England. The Monkees are comprised of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith and the three remaining members still tour (Micky, Peter and Mike). I was lucky enough to see them play when I was in 6th grade with Jones *swoons.*
3. “The Beverly Hillbillies” (1962-1971)
There is a reason this show ran for almost a decade. “The Beverly Hillbillies” follows the lives of the Clampett family, who get rich quick when Jed Clampett (the father) finds oil on their hillbilly property. Once moving to Beverly Hills, they find that their country folk ways majorly collide with their rich, suburban neighbors. Elly Mae (the daughter) was always my favorite, as she played the beautiful tomboy who always brought home animals – even a chimpanzee with a diaper. And we cannot forget Jethro and his smart, smart mind (a joke) and Granny with all of her hard, southern sass. Watch this show if you’re looking for a big helping of hot southern laughs.
4. “The Twilight Zone” (1959-1964)
Though “The Twilight Zone” isn’t quite as cheery as the TV show options above, it is certainly both entertaining and full of truths about society. Each episode is completely different, with an entirely different set of actors, some of which you may recognize from other old shows and movies. “The Twilight Zone” is extremely creative and promises to get your mind churning with deep, dark ideas. Each episode takes place in a distinct world titled the same as the show, and things are possible there which are not possible on our planet. Just watch – it’s truly a sci-fi masterpiece featuring many realistic elements.
5. “Bewitched” (1964-1972)
Samantha Stevens seems like your everyday housewife – until you learn that she is a witch. I don’t know why the 1960s had such an obsession with witches, genies and monsters, but it did. Stevens has a loving, non-witch husband named Darrin who works at an advertising firm and hates his mother-in-law (Samantha’s witch mother, Endora). The conflict between them is both realistic and hilarious, and the couple truly does have amazing chemistry. Some other iconic characters from this show include Gladys Kravitz, Samantha’s nosy next door neighbor who always sees strange happenings at the Stevens house from her window. It’s always fun to see how the shows that began in the early 1960s adapted to the changing tides of the later 1960s, usually featuring wildly psychedelic outfits and the concept of hippies. “Bewitched” certainly does this, without losing its charm.
Well, what are you waiting for? Most of these television shows are available on either YouTube or DVD, so get searching and lighten up your television experience once and for all!