When considering the “Golden Age of
Television,” shows considered today to be “oldies” initially came to my mind.
Television shows such as M*A*S*H, I Love Lucy, and Happy Days—wholesome, family
oriented, All-American, shows even—are classic, timeless programs that serve as
fundamental building blocks for today’s television shows. However, upon reading
the article, I came to realize that this is the reason that these programs are
seen as “golden.” Like any pioneers in any industry, they are seen as timeless,
but I find that archetypical TV shows are simply generational.
I took the liberty of calling my
fourteen-year-old brother to ask him what he considered to be TV’s “Golden”
programs. As I expected, he listed shows such as Boy Meets World, Even Stevens,
and Lizzie McGuire. These are the shows that he grew up on in the early 2000’s,
and, to him, were a key component of his childhood. Those programs, along with
the likes of Full House, Spongebob Squarepants, and Don’t Be Afraid of the
Dark, are what are most reminiscent of my early years and, consequently, became
a part of my developmental years and life as a whole.
People search for escapism when
watching TV. Their “Golden Age” likely reflects which shows bring them life’s
sweetest memories—for many, their childhoods or other times of simplicity and
contentment. Though it is evident there are subliminal messages of racism,
sexism, and political propaganda in television of all generations, people
typically value TV shows for their surface components—their characters, plot
lines, stories, and morals. After examining this subject extensively, I have
concluded that the “Golden Age of Television” is, in fact, a number of ages,
valued differently by each individual TV fanatics.
Well said, I like how you included different generation's perspectives on what their "golden age of television" was. It seems as though the term is more nostalgic and is defined differently over time to the point where we can't really pick out a universal "golden age".
ReplyDeleteCullen, I had thought about how different generations have different shows that make up their "golden age" of TV. However, when I stop and think about it, it makes perfect sense that that would indeed be the case. Great observation. Well done. I can relate to the shows you picked that made up your "golden age." I used to watch "full house" also. It is sad that the kids who used to star in that show are so screwed up now.
ReplyDeleteI, too, used to watch Full House. Indeed, that show had long ended by the time that many of you would have been first watching it. It's as much a classic of my generation as yours.
ReplyDeleteSo I wonder if there is not some objective criteria we can establish for these various golden ages? Many critics talk of three golden ages: is this organization just a result of nostalgia, or is it defensible?
Perhaps the question of a timeless, intergenerational classic is a different one altogether. A timeless TV show can exist in any environment, even if it is a relatively lonely voice out of place with its peers.