Redefining Classic Television
What defines classic television? Are shows produced in the golden age of television with historic names like I Love Lucy, The Milton Berle Show, The Twilight Zone, Father Knows Best qualifiers for the title of classic television?
How about shows produced in the golden age that were somewhat less critically acclaimed or socially relevant, like The Munsters, The Addams Family, and Mister Ed?
Then there are those shows that demand to be called classic even though they were produced far after the age of classic television like All In The Family, Hill Street Blues, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and MASH?
How about speciously classic shows that left an impact on their zeitgeist no matter their popularity like The Brady Bunch, I Dream Of Jeannie, Charlie’s Angels, Monty Python’s Flying Circus or Dallas?
Does longevity qualify a show for classic television status, such as long running variety or news programs like 60 Minutes, The Tonight Show, or Sesame Street?
Finally, there are the new age classics from the 80’s, 90’s and even early 21st century. The Cosby Show, Murphy Brown, Seinfeld, Frasier and The Simpsons. Are they “classic television” just the same as the products of the golden age? Most of us wouldn’t think of them that way.
If we are defining it as a “television creation of the highest excellence according to a generation’s standards” then any of those previously mentioned shows could be considered a classic. Whereas inferior products will be forgotten quickly, popular shows will always be remembered by fans and admirers.
Thanks to the creation of DVD technology, television from days gone by can now live on to entertain a whole new generation of fans and keep longtime admirers happy. Now all the great shows from the golden age to even the modern day classics can be purchased on DVD, restored to the highest quality and kept safe on file for repeated viewings. Thanks to modern technology we no longer have to remember classic television—we can watch it any time and relive the good old days. Children can sit in and watch the same programs that their parents did when they were exactly the same age.
One hundred years from today programs like The Simpsons might be remembered just as fondly as the golden age’s I Love Lucy. By that time of course, shows from 2010, 2020 and 2050 will surely be fresher in mind and more appreciated than even our current favorites. High quality shows that set the standard for excellence in their time will always be collected, remembered, and enjoyed by viewers who appreciate great entertainment—that is, classic television!
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