prime time - 5/6 - Retroland

Back in the 70s, the residents from the City of Angels could rest a little easier knowing that paramedics Gage and DeSoto were on the job. And viewers across the country tuned in each week to watch them dutifully, and often heroically, come to the assistance of injured citizens in the hit television show, Emergency!

The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries

Mr. Belvedere

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One of the more charming sitcoms to air in the 80s, Mr. Belvedere told the story of a proper English gentleman employed as a nanny/housekeeper for a typical American family. Starring Christopher Hewitt in the title role, the series was an overnight success and proved that Hollywood still had the ability to come up with new and original concepts.

The Wonderful World of Disney

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Once upon a time, a kindly old gentleman appeared in our collective living rooms on Sunday evenings. He offered a glimpse into his imaginative world featuring a literal treasure trove of family entertainment. Offering a mixture of classic live-action films, nature segments, and the company's iconic animation, the show went by many names over the years, appearing on just about every channel at one time or another. Most fondly remember it as The Wonderful World of Disney.

Home Improvement

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Tim Allen enjoyed a rapid rise in stardom in the late 80s/early 90s as a stand-up comedian. He owed his success to a hilarious routine that revolved around power tools and the primeval grunting males that covet them in their never-ending quest to be the king of all home repairs. Network execs at ABC thought that made for an interesting premise for a sitcom, and the foundation was laid for Home Improvement. Over the next decade, the series rose in popularity like a mighty skyscraper under swift construction.

Growing Pains

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A family-based sitcom is dangerous territory. If the kids are annoying, if the writing falls flat, if the family doesn’t seem real – all can lead to a quick demise. But every once in a while a show like Growing Pains comes along and proves that when everything clicks, the rewards can be substantial. This 80s series, which would go on to become one of the longest-running and most watched of the decade, seemed to have it all – clever humor that could elicit an unexpected guffaw, a cast of likable characters of all ages, and a family that never seemed too “Hollywood.” Growing Pains captured the trials and tribulations of raising a family, while never easing up on the laughs.

That’s Incredible!

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In 1979, a lighthearted primetime talk show, featuring a herd of perpetually happy hosts, offered American audiences glimpses of the regular folks scattered all around the country who had an interesting or comical tale to tell. That show, Real People, became a quick hit for NBC and it wasn’t long before other networks wanted to hitch a ride on the popularity wave. The biggest competition would come from ABC, who upped the ante a bit, and rather than show ordinary folks in the everyday lives, chose to focus on the remarkable and extraordinary among us, in the 1980 series, That’s Incredible!

Cartoon Sitcoms

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Back in 1960, a new cartoon concept was introduced to television viewers - the animated sitcom. Designed for a prime-time viewing audience, these shows offered an equal number of laughs for parents and kids alike. And when the original experiment proved to be an overwhelming success (see below), it started a trend in television programming that continues to thrive. Today, we offer up some of the most memorable animated families to ever invade our living rooms, and then we want to hear who your all-time favorites are.

TV Flashback 1985 (Wednesday)

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It’s time again to take a look back at the television shows we were watching 25 years ago. This time, we’ll see what was on the tube on Wednesday nights. Starting with ABC, viewers could check out a less-bionic Lee Majors portraying a Hollywood stuntman on The Fall Guy, then see what the dastardly Carrington [...]