TV What TV Shows from the 20th Century Do You Watch/Heard of?📺

Some time ago, my family's internet had to be rationed. So I had to watch local TV channels. The channel I mostly watched was MeTV, a channel that shows mostly old TV shows from the '50s to the '70s or '80s. Honestly, the shows were really interesting to watch. Just because something is really old doesn't mean that it's not cool anymore. It made me wonder what life was like for people living in the 20th century and how I could adapt to that era. But of course, I am happy that I'm a kid in the 21st century.

Anyway, I was wondering what are some TV shows or movies from the 20th century you've seen or currently watching. If you haven't seen any, I would recommend watching some.

Extra: What show do you wish to see to get remastered, rebooted, or a sequel? Or maybe made in color?

I have a fascination for 50's-early 60's TV, so here's a list of some I've liked.

The Rifeman
Mister Ed
Dennis the Mennis
Leave It To Beaver
Twilight Zone (my favorite of these).

I heard great things about the Andy Griffith show, but I couldn't personally get into it.

The A-Team is the first that comes to mind. Aired back in the eighties, so I mainly watched reruns. Eleborate plans, mandatory (I feel like pretty much every episode had something being made either to escape or enhance their van or w/e) contraption making MacGyver style, ridiculous amount of bullets flying around and the bad guys always missing. It was fun to watch when I was smaller though.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Aired in the 90's (probably watched reruns too as I was like 5 when this stopped airing new episodes). Was just a fun family show to watch. Carlton being a geek. Will being more 'ghetto'. Uncle Phil always tossing Jazz out pretty much every single time he showed up in their house. Ah.... good times.

Might be more, but these two came to mind instantly =3

Fresh Prince and Friends are obvious candidates for me (although Friends was only 20th century for 60% of its run). I'm in England, where the iconic 70s show Dad's Army is pretty much always on somewhere. Its still funny too. If I'm in the right mood and happen to flick on to one of the repeats of 'Allo 'Allo that can also be amusing. I've seen quite a few British police shows like The Professionals and The Sweeney.
America-wise an older one that I know I've seen a lot of is Quantum Leap, great show. Might've only seen one of The Saint (Roger Moore's first big role, I believe), but I've seen quite a few of The Persuaders with him and Tony Curtis.
Per OP's query about a potential remake, I'm sure if anyone is familiar with - or just reads the premise of - The Persuaders they could think of some great modern fan-casting for a remake.

I have to say, the '70s had some pretty catchy opening theme songs. Like "Making Our Dreams Come True".🎶
If you haven't heard it before give it a listen, it sounds great.

I see that there are some folks of exceptional taste in this thread! I absolutely love The Twilight Zone. I like the Outer Limits too.

The intros are epic to both.You are about to enter another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!

I get excited just thinking about them.

There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: There is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits.

Was scrolling through a list of TV shows from the 20th century and saw some more I know I've watched:
-The Dukes of Hazzard. Saw a couple seasons of this, not all of it. It was usually being aired at inopportune times. I don't remember much more than the two of them being in their car and running from the... Sheriff I think it was?
-Knight Rider. Also faded into oblivion for me. Don't remember much beyond the dude talking to his car and like rolling into the truck with a workshop for it in the back while moving.
Also the red light thingy on the front of the car that would continuously go back n forth.
-The Nanny. The voice of the nanny is easily the most memorable here as it will stick in your ears whether you want to or not xD
Anyway I just remember this as being a family show with some romance in it as she moved in as a nanny and grows closer to the kids and single father and they fancy each other.

ZeoStar said:

I have a fascination for 50's-early 60's TV, so here's a list of some I've liked.

The Rifeman
Mister Ed
Dennis the Mennis
Leave It To Beaver
Twilight Zone (my favorite of these).

I heard great things about the Andy Griffith show, but I couldn't personally get into it.

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I watch Leave it to Beaver and sometimes Twilight Zone on MeTV. I always thought Ms. Cleaver was really beautiful.😊 My parents are pretty much fans of the Andy Griffith Show and its spin-off.

As well as most of those above, I watched a lot of these growing up:

The Avengers, Charlie's Angels, The Saint, Mission Impossible, The Persuaders, The Muppet Show, Quantum Leap, Mork & Mindy, Only Fools and Horses, Murder She Wrote, Columbo, Fraggle Rock, Thundercats, just about anything else 80's (a lot already mentioned) and most cop / detective shows!

Unfortunately, a lot of old shows aren't always suitable for modern audiences imo.

I'm not always a fan of remakes tbh, a lot of the time they just feel like poor imitations or rip offs. With that said though, I really wouldn't mind some being rebooted, especially if they make them more inclusive and remove some of the more problematic elements these old shows often have.

I will eagerly keep an eye on this thread to see if people mention any more of the many that I've surely forgotten!

Ash Ketchup said:

As well as most of those above, I watched a lot of these growing up:

The Avengers, Charlie's Angels, The Saint, Mission Impossible, The Persuaders, The Muppet Show, Quantum Leap, Mork & Mindy, Only Fools and Horses, Murder She Wrote, Columbo, Fraggle Rock, Thundercats, just about anything else 80's (a lot already mentioned) and most cop / detective shows!

Unfortunately, a lot of old shows aren't always suitable for modern audiences imo.

I'm not always a fan of remakes tbh, a lot of the time they just feel like poor imitations or rip offs. With that said though, I really wouldn't mind some being rebooted, especially if they make them more inclusive and remove some of the more problematic elements these old shows often have.

I will eagerly keep an eye on this thread to see if people mention any more of the many that I've surely forgotten!

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I remember watching some Charlie's Angels when it was on MeTV. That may be true that older shows may not be suitable for modern audiences, but you might be surprised by those who would find those shows interesting. Strangely, Cartoon Network recently aired an episode of Family Matter, a sitcom from the mid-'80s on a Sunday. It was pretty surprising.

I hope anyone is still interested in sharing their thoughts.

Other than Friends, I haven't really watched that much 20th century shows. I've been thinking about getting into Seinfeld, Cheers, and That 70's Show. If I'mma watch anything from that era, it's probably just sitcoms lol.

Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are must-sees for alien/futurism cheesy drama lovers.

OH AND BABYLON 5. A better version of Star Trek, really.

Lived in the 20th century. Naturally watched some of it.

Watched plenty of (older) Looney Tunes as a child. Caught some on television more recently. Remembered just how much gags were reused. Occasionally ran black and white cartoons too.

Owned some old Mickey Mouse cartoons on VHS. May or may not have included Moving Day (1936) and Mickey's Trailer (1938). Searched them up just now. Recalled them quite well.

Names The Brady Bunch, Seinfeld, Saved by the Bell, Sabrina the Teenage Witch (mostly the ones before the 2000's), Home Improvement, and Full House on the non-cartoon side. Preferred some more than others, of course.

Rebooted some of these shows. Never got into them (or gave them a chance, in fairness). Does not care to see a revival.

The Andy Griffith Show
M*A*S*H
The older Looney Tunes
Cartoon Network shows from the 90's
I Dream of Jeannie

Roni said:

Other than Friends, I haven't really watched that much 20th century shows. I've been thinking about getting into Seinfeld, Cheers, and That 70's Show. If I'mma watch anything from that era, it's probably just sitcoms lol.

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My parents really like watching Seinfeld, Cheers, and That 70's Show. I've been recently watching Seinfeld on Comedy Central and Friends on Nick@Nite. They're pretty great shows to watch and I would recommend them. Try watching more shows from that era if you can. They're pretty interesting, classic, and most of them have some catchy opening theme songs.

Right now, I have nothing else to watch. So I'm currently watching a show called "Gidget" on MeTV. It's a show from the mid 1960s that's pretty entertaining.

There are a number of older animated shows I really love watching.

Ever since Paramount Plus decided to start working again, I've been able to stream stuff like Daria and Rocko's Modern Life.

I've also been watching tons of the old Looney Tunes cartoons on HBO Max. On that same token, The Flintstones and The Jetsons.

Even though I've seen most of them a million times, I will never get sick of the classic episodes of The Simpsons.

Rest in peace, Penny Marshal and Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley
I really didn't know them too well, but I watch their show whenever MeTV shows it. The show's theme song is really catchy. "Making Our Dreams Come True" Because of Cindy's recent passing, it's very likely that they will do a marathon in her memory. 🙏