It is a shame 
there aren't but a few situation comedy series' on regular broadcast network television that would be considered fit for family viewing (including for children to watch) by the standards of even the 1980s, let alone the great family TV era of the 1950s and '60s.
Wouldn't it be great if some smart
production company could come up with a few new series' of as high a quality as "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet," "The Andy Griffith Show." "The Donna Reed Show," "Family Affair," "Father Knows Best," "I Love Lucy," "The Jack Benny Program," "Leave it to Beaver," or "My Three Sons?"
I realize there are cable channels, such as Nickelodeon and Teen Disney, etc. which have programs that cater to children and teens. But not every home may afford cable TV service. Plus some of the series' on those channels are so inane adults wouldn't wish to watch them with their kids. TV networks have either forgotten how or just don't care to produce what was once thought of as "wholesome family entertainment," television series' that are generally inoffensive but also don't insult the intelligence of an average adult. About the only currently produced sitcom I may think of that is relatively inoffensive is "The Middle" on ABC.
But the most popular sitcoms on CBS--"How I Met Your Mother," "The Big Bang Theory," especially "Two & A Half Men," and "The Millers," are loaded with sexual innuendo, if not outright vulgarity. I am not saying I haven't watched some of these series', nor that there may not be a place for them too. But they don't belong in early evening viewing times, and would be considered by most to be unfit for children under the age of about 14 years old. Of course it is up to parents what their children watch on television. The TV networks could also help by producing at least a few more family-friendly TV series'. Never has there been a time when so few family-friendly TV series' have been in production, even as we have more TV shows, overall, than ever before.
For that matter, what about television networks producing more high quality drama series' that would be equal to the quality of such series' as "Lassie," "Flipper," "Little House on the Prairie," and "The Waltons?" These programs are also fine examples of series' that could be viewed by the whole family.
And wouldn't it be great if there could be a revival of that other family-friendly format of television--the variety show? Why couldn't some versatile entertainers of today (Tony Danza, Hugh Jackman, Fran Drescher, Jane Krakowski) host a series that featured comedy, musical guests (bands and singers), dancing, magic, circus acts, etc.? I'm not talking about talent search shows and competitions such as "American Idol" and "Dancing With The Stars," though those are fine too. What about 21st Century versions of "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Hollywood Palace," "The Danny Kaye Show," "The Red Skelton Hour," or "The Carol Burnett Show," featuring the talents of today hosted by currently popular celebrities who actually have talent themselves? The only thing approaching this type of show today is "Saturday Night Live" and the late-night talk-variety shows ("The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," "The Late Show with David Letterman," and "The Arsenio Hall Show,") etc. But those are on too late for many to enjoy, also too risque for children anyway.
Another idea
is maybe the affiliates (your local TV stations which affiliate themselves with one of the major TV networks) could decide to allow the TV networks an extra half-hour each evening, or even one or two weekday evenings per week, to broadcast some more family-friendly series' at an earlier time in the evening, when younger children would be more likely to be watching television. There was a time, that I am old enough to recall, when prime time began on all networks at 7:30 p.m. EST. Then, in the 1970s, there had actually been a policy of the "family-viewing hour," when series' that were intended for general audiences would be scheduled. But the FCC and networks seem to have lost sight of this practice.
Currently, only Sunday evenings is prime time network programming begun at 7 p.m. And even then, one would hardly consider such shows as "60 Minutes," "Dateline NBC," or the adult cartoons "Bob's Burgers" and "American Dad," (on FOX) to be appropriate family viewing. Only "America's Funniest Home Videos" on ABC might be considered good family fare in that so-called family-viewing block.
But consider that, in 1963-64, this same viewing block of 50 years ago featured such great classic TV series' as "Lassie," "Dennis the Menace," reruns of "Father Know Best," "The Jetsons," and "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color." And the family sitcom "McKeever & The Colonel" aired on NBC beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST that season, the next year "Mister ED" aired at that same time on CBS, so actually an hour and a half early evening devoted to family-viewing.
Unless some better quality family comedies and dramas are produced soon, 20 years from now MeTV, Antenna TV, RTV or whatever other classic TV channels exist will still be showing only classic TV series' of the 1950s through '70s. In order for there to be good quality classic TV shows for tomorrow, they need to be produced and written today. Today's' great TV shows are the ones that become tomorrow's classics!
Fortunately, this website, 1-Link.org, has made video of many fine TV series' of the past available, in addition to episodes of newer TV series'. But the broadcast TV networks are no longer so broad-based in their thinking. If you feel as strongly about this as I do, maybe it wouldn't hurt to send ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC an e-mail about this issue either.
Just some food for thought. But we all love
good television, which is why we are here. 
there aren't but a few situation comedy series' on regular broadcast network television that would be considered fit for family viewing (including for children to watch) by the standards of even the 1980s, let alone the great family TV era of the 1950s and '60s.Wouldn't it be great if some smart
production company could come up with a few new series' of as high a quality as "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet," "The Andy Griffith Show." "The Donna Reed Show," "Family Affair," "Father Knows Best," "I Love Lucy," "The Jack Benny Program," "Leave it to Beaver," or "My Three Sons?"I realize there are cable channels, such as Nickelodeon and Teen Disney, etc. which have programs that cater to children and teens. But not every home may afford cable TV service. Plus some of the series' on those channels are so inane adults wouldn't wish to watch them with their kids. TV networks have either forgotten how or just don't care to produce what was once thought of as "wholesome family entertainment," television series' that are generally inoffensive but also don't insult the intelligence of an average adult. About the only currently produced sitcom I may think of that is relatively inoffensive is "The Middle" on ABC.
But the most popular sitcoms on CBS--"How I Met Your Mother," "The Big Bang Theory," especially "Two & A Half Men," and "The Millers," are loaded with sexual innuendo, if not outright vulgarity. I am not saying I haven't watched some of these series', nor that there may not be a place for them too. But they don't belong in early evening viewing times, and would be considered by most to be unfit for children under the age of about 14 years old. Of course it is up to parents what their children watch on television. The TV networks could also help by producing at least a few more family-friendly TV series'. Never has there been a time when so few family-friendly TV series' have been in production, even as we have more TV shows, overall, than ever before.
For that matter, what about television networks producing more high quality drama series' that would be equal to the quality of such series' as "Lassie," "Flipper," "Little House on the Prairie," and "The Waltons?" These programs are also fine examples of series' that could be viewed by the whole family.
And wouldn't it be great if there could be a revival of that other family-friendly format of television--the variety show? Why couldn't some versatile entertainers of today (Tony Danza, Hugh Jackman, Fran Drescher, Jane Krakowski) host a series that featured comedy, musical guests (bands and singers), dancing, magic, circus acts, etc.? I'm not talking about talent search shows and competitions such as "American Idol" and "Dancing With The Stars," though those are fine too. What about 21st Century versions of "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Hollywood Palace," "The Danny Kaye Show," "The Red Skelton Hour," or "The Carol Burnett Show," featuring the talents of today hosted by currently popular celebrities who actually have talent themselves? The only thing approaching this type of show today is "Saturday Night Live" and the late-night talk-variety shows ("The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," "The Late Show with David Letterman," and "The Arsenio Hall Show,") etc. But those are on too late for many to enjoy, also too risque for children anyway.
Another idea
is maybe the affiliates (your local TV stations which affiliate themselves with one of the major TV networks) could decide to allow the TV networks an extra half-hour each evening, or even one or two weekday evenings per week, to broadcast some more family-friendly series' at an earlier time in the evening, when younger children would be more likely to be watching television. There was a time, that I am old enough to recall, when prime time began on all networks at 7:30 p.m. EST. Then, in the 1970s, there had actually been a policy of the "family-viewing hour," when series' that were intended for general audiences would be scheduled. But the FCC and networks seem to have lost sight of this practice. Currently, only Sunday evenings is prime time network programming begun at 7 p.m. And even then, one would hardly consider such shows as "60 Minutes," "Dateline NBC," or the adult cartoons "Bob's Burgers" and "American Dad," (on FOX) to be appropriate family viewing. Only "America's Funniest Home Videos" on ABC might be considered good family fare in that so-called family-viewing block.
But consider that, in 1963-64, this same viewing block of 50 years ago featured such great classic TV series' as "Lassie," "Dennis the Menace," reruns of "Father Know Best," "The Jetsons," and "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color." And the family sitcom "McKeever & The Colonel" aired on NBC beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST that season, the next year "Mister ED" aired at that same time on CBS, so actually an hour and a half early evening devoted to family-viewing.
Unless some better quality family comedies and dramas are produced soon, 20 years from now MeTV, Antenna TV, RTV or whatever other classic TV channels exist will still be showing only classic TV series' of the 1950s through '70s. In order for there to be good quality classic TV shows for tomorrow, they need to be produced and written today. Today's' great TV shows are the ones that become tomorrow's classics!
Fortunately, this website, 1-Link.org, has made video of many fine TV series' of the past available, in addition to episodes of newer TV series'. But the broadcast TV networks are no longer so broad-based in their thinking. If you feel as strongly about this as I do, maybe it wouldn't hurt to send ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC an e-mail about this issue either.
Just some food for thought. But we all love
good television, which is why we are here.
![[Image: UUjhCH5.gif?2]](http://i.imgur.com/UUjhCH5.gif?2)
