Different Days

"Just two good ole boys …"

I was a young kid in the '70s. And TV was a different entity back then.

Enokson borrowed from Flickr. 

I remember Friday nights in the '80s when my parents would go bowling. But in the non–bowling seasons, we would watch The Dukes of Hazzard, then they would watch Dallas and Falcon Crest. Back then there were only three channels (CBS, NBC, and ABC) and cable wasn't as common place as today.

I remember the "Who Shot J.R.?" craze. I think one whole summer that was the most common phrase uttered. Everyone wanted to know. Is that where the cliff hanger originated? I also remember when Bo and Luke Duke headed off on the NASCAR circuit and Coy and Vance joined for part of a season. I also remember when Fonzie "jumped the shark" on Happy Days — and I have to think that Bo and Luke leaving may have been when the Duke boys jumped something other than a river themselves.

Shows were different back then. CHIPS is stil a favorite. Silver Spoons was ok. Even Diff'rent Strokes. How about the original Mr. H — on The Greatest American Hero … Back then, you could watch an episode (did you know they had titles back then?) and hope to see it in syndication someday. You might be able to catch a rerun in the summer, but that was about it. Who would have thought that we would be able to buy TV seasons on DVD and Blu–ray — let alone watch them streaming on Amazon Instant or Netflix.

TV today is so different. Programs are on so many channels — not just the networks, but cable channels, HBO, Showtime, etc. It's hard to decide what to watch, and when. Now, you can DVR or TIVO your shows (you don't just have to tape them on a VHS tape anymore). Great shows are still produced. Television, the great American opportunity. This post is mostly about prime time shows, but sometime we can talk about Saturday mornings and my addiction to sugary cereals. Now, that might be a good discussion, especially when the Sugar Bear gets wind of things.