Best old television show?

[undeterred]

Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He does amazing things with a half hour story. On the RTV channel.

[kentauros]

1. The Ernie Kovacs Show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyckP1Sjjoc :rofl:

[old mark]

31. I loved the Nairobi Trio - I used to laugh to tears at that sketch....

It amazes me to realize that Ernie was trying to find his kidnapped children when much of that show was made. The strain on him must have been crushing.

Jack Lemon, a friend stated that Kovacs was hard for many people to understand because he was 15 years ahead of his time.

I used to watch his live show from Philly every morning and still remember it.

mark

[bookworm65t]

2. tie-Carol Burnett show, The Twilight Zone

:D

[Throd]

10. Twilight Zone

[schmuls]

3. Green Acres. I bel;ieve it is the funniest sitcom ever made. Makes

today's seem pathetic.

[kentauros]

11. I wholeheartedly agree on that one

:D

You know there are university-level classes that have studied this show? A friend of my brother's spent a full semester studying humor of it and why the show worked so well :)

Oh, here's something you might appreciate, too ;)
Green Haze

[Maccagirl]

14. I can't pin-point it with concrete examples

but did you get the feeling that there was something a little bit subversive about Green Acres-and the writers and actors were pulling something over on the public (or at least the network)?

[kentauros]

15. I haven't seen any episodes in many years

but it does have a kind of background subversion to it, now that I think about it. It would make sense if there were, otherwise the show might not have worked with the situation it had...

[triguy46]

17. We're living that show...

every time I get a tractor stuck, or broke down, and wife has to help, she comes along singing the theme song. Like having to dig a tractor out of the mud, leaving the nice little pond behind.

[kentauros]

34. Nice ot keep a sense of humor about serious business

:D

I see lots of juniper trees. At first I thought you might be in Central Texas, but not so according to your profile. Is there an infestation in Oklahoma, too?

[triguy46]

35. Officially they are Eastern Red Cedar...

and yes they have infested much of the untilled ground in OK. I was cutting the big ones, all the little ones have been taken care of. You will find sections of land (literally 640 acres) totally covered in ERC about 7-8 feet tall. Too expensive to cut, too much work to bulldoze. Absentee landowners have caused major problems.

In the pic, what you don't see is my old ford 8n that I had gradually worked down to its belly. As I dug it out, water started seeping in. 4 hours total to get it out. It was nice to have wife's company.

[kentauros]

36. I don't know what a "ford 8n" is

;)

As for the cedar, seems like it would be marketable as lumber and for clothing storage. If nothing else, as a beautiful wood for hobby-woodworkers :)

[triguy46]

40. Funny you should mention that...

A ford 8n is a tractor built from 1948 to 1952.

A week after this I answered an ad on Craigslist of some guys wanting to cut cedars. Now most of these offers are to come and clear small ones, 1-4 inch trunks. But all I had left were monsters, 16-24 inch diameter. That was exactly what they were looking for. They had a small sawmill and had a contract for cedar planking for interior paneling. They cut down 80, and hauled them off. Your point of there ought to be something positive to do is to a point true, the problem is that there are so many millions of them and most are too small for anything.

The reason for such mayhem is that cedars suck nutrients from ground, you can't pasture anything. Plus I hay my fields and this makes it so much easier.

[kentauros]

41. Thanks for the clarification on the old tractor :)

And those are some big trunks! That's cool you were able to make some money off of an invasive species.

I would think, though, that even the little trees would be good for something, like, say, chipped and shaved into animal-cage bedding and kitty litter. The branches are too full of seeds to do much with except bury in one spot really deep, landfill, or burn. Landfills might actually be the best place as they likely would not sprout way down inside. Future humans can deal with them in a hundred years when we're digging up the landfills for the plastics buried there :P

[texanwitch]

44. The cedar trees used to be used for fence posts.

They last forever, never rot.

[triguy46]

54. I didn't make a buck, they did all the work in return for the trees.

I think I got the better end of the deal.

[Awsi Dooger]

49. Green Acres was my first thought

Earlier tonight on a golf forum I posted one of my favorite lines from Mr. Haney, "Well let me put it to you another way...how come you always need what I show up with?" :rofl:

I wish TV comedy frozen in the '60s forever. Well, maybe some drift into the early '70s.

[Art_from_Ark]

67. That's exactly how I feel

I still enjoy a lot of the comedies from the '60s, but they sure fizzled out in the '70s. My favorite '70s comedies were basically Carol Burnett and Sanford and Son. I also watched All In The Family, but could never understand what was so funny about it.

[Ishoutandscream2]

50. Yes! Spot on!

The absurd comedy was ahead of its time. Brilliant.

[deutsey]

72. This is wonderfully surreal show

:thumbsup:

[Bucky]

4. Dramas that hold up: Twilight Zone, The Untouchables, Perry Mason; Comedy: I Love Lucy

A lot of that older, one-camera stuff doesn't hold up over time. The more stilted acting style of mid century was broken by TV in the late 50s, but it took a while for writing talent and dropping taboos to bring content up to the challenge that better acting inspired. Some of the stuff the Untouchables got away with is amazing, though.

I Love Lucy is still the yardstick for comedies. I don't think that will ever change.

[gmoney]

5. The Dick Van Dyke Show was pretty awesome

[BlueJazz]

6. Ed Sullivan Variety show

[Rambis]

7. Smothers Brothers comedy hour

their work inspired John Stewart so....

[CBHagman]

16. I loved them.

When I was a kid, we laughed for days over the attempted duets by Tommy and Dick. Of course I didn't quite get all the politics, but it was still a good time.

[Hangingon]

21. Rowan and Martin's "Laugh IN" and TW3

[msu2ba]

53. Great show!

Tom and Dick were pioneers!

[Paper Roses]

8. Barney Miller, Twilight Zone

[MichiganVote]

9. Laugh In. Flip Wilson was great. Geraldine, nobody like her.

"The devil made me do it"....

[Demoiselle]

12. I love most of them. But I have to vote for Carol Burnett.

The sense of "occasion" when that show came on still affects me today.
The cast was wonderful.. There was a joy in it.

[pokerfan]

13. Out of the blue of the western sky comes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LBEJiOZKNs

[XemaSab]

18. All in the Family is FUNNY

:rofl:

[NoFace]

19. Ahh the Golden Age of Television is behind us. The Adventures of Robin Hood (UK 1955-1959)

""Blacklisted writers
The Adventures of Robin Hood was produced by Hannah Weinstein, who had left-wing political views. Weinstein hired many blacklisted American writers to script episodes of the series: these included Ring Lardner Jr., Waldo Salt, Robert Lees and Adrian Scott. Howard Koch, who was also blacklisted, served for a while as the series' script editor. The blacklisted writers were credited under pseudonyms, to avoid the notice of the House Un-American Activities Committee.<1>

After the blacklist collapsed, Lardner said that the series' format allowed him "plenty of opportunities to comment on issues and institutions in Eisenhower-era America". In addition to the redistributive themes of a hero who robs from the rich and gives to the poor, many episodes in the programme's first two seasons included the threat that Robin and his band would be betrayed to the authorities by friends or loved ones, much as the blacklisted writers had been.<1>""
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Robin_Hood_(TV_series)

[WinkyDink]

28. May I just tell you: I was a child madly in love with Richard Greene. Never fell out of it, either!

To me, he "is" Robin Hood, Errol Flynn notwithstanding, as Basil Rathbone "is" Sherlock Holmes!

[valerief]

20. I Love Lucy. Never fails to entertain. nt

[joeybee12]

30. Yes! I also just bought the 1st season of The Lucy Show...

...not up to I Love Lucy, but some of the episodes are classics.

[valerief]

32. The Lucy Show doesn't compare with I Love Lucy. The latter is soooo much better. nt

[Rhiannon12866]

42. I read a book on "I Love Lucy," while watching it nightly on Nick at Nite...

That was a groundbreaking show on so many levels and is responsible for the television that came afterwards. :thumbsup:

[BlueIris]

22. "Bewitched," ALL THE WAY. So cute. nt

[wysimdnwyg]

23. The Honeymooners

Honorable mention to:

M*A*S*H
Barney Miller
All in the Family
Twilight Zone
Hill Street Blues (does this qualify as "old"?)

[insanity]

24. Batman

[Art_from_Ark]

68. Another vote for Batman

I always loved the fight scenes with their comic book "sound effects"

[Arkansas Granny]

25. Soap was one of my favorites and Laugh In was another.

[orion007]

55. Yes, Soap and also Mary Hartman

Lasted a few seasons then puff.....
Mary Hartman...Never forget the guy who took too many valiums and drowned in his bowl of chicken soup at the dinner table.

[bikebloke]

26. The Fugitive

That's good drama.

And I saw an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents recently. The first one with Vera Miles. The ending caught me by surprise.

[undeterred]

27. Petticoat Junction

Wow, this post is making me feel old!

[Tabasco_Dave]

43. I always wanted to swim in that water tower

but i'd throw that dog out first.

[Art_from_Ark]

69. I could never figure out why two of the girls

were called "Bobby Joe" and "Billy Joe" (especially since the name of the little brat boy who lived next door to me was called "Bobby Joe")

[WinkyDink]

29. Because it presented so many levels of popular culture to the public: The Ed Sullivan Show.

Where do you ever see OPERA SINGERS on television today?!

But because it presented Robert Conrad, "The Wild, Wild West." ;-)

[dysfunctional press]

33. twilight zone, dick van dyke show, and....the beverly hillbillies.

max baer is a comedy genius.

[Auggie]

52. Rarely does someone mention Max Baer Jr. in that regard. I totally agree.

It's a shame he became typecast as he did -- it's the curse of great comedic acting. Jason Alexander (George) falls into the category. Ted Knight too. And Larry Linville. There are enough to start a new thread, actually.

[blueamy66]

37. All in the Family

Gotta love Bunker

[datasuspect]

38. route 66

or delvechio

[begin_within]

39. Upstairs, Downstairs

In fact it was the best television show made so far.

[SCantiGOP]

75. I forgot about that one

I remember that Rose, one of the maids, was the principal writer of the series.

[slay]

45. Hill Street Blues

1981-1987. Over 20 years ago. Damn. Qualifies as old enough in my book. :)

Hey! Let's be careful out there!

[SCantiGOP]

73. agreed

I looked to see if anyone else had already listed it. It was the first show I ever made plans to watch every episode. When the hot lady lawyer walked out of the head detectives bathroom and you realized they were doing it; when Ed Marinaro's character was murdered by a junkie - just some incredible scenes. I liked it even when my wife pointed out that I was basically watching a soap opera about cops.

[Broken_Hero]

46. define old tv show? nt

[martymar64]

47. Night Gallery

Scared the pee outta me as a child.

[Zavulon]

48. A vote for Hogan's Heroes here.

I realize the quality of the show overall doesn't match up to previous mentions, but c'mon - Colonel Klink was one of the best characters in TV history. Sergeant Schultz wasn't far behind.

[LeftinOH]

51. Fernwood 2Nite - haven't seen it since it aired briefly many years ago .

It was the best mock talk show ever. I'd love to have this series on DVD.

[Mudoria]

56. Mission: Impossible

[undeterred]

57. How about The Man From UNCLE?

David McCallum was the star... now he's on NCIS.

[texanwitch]

58. Yes, Illya.

How little girls had their first crush on him.

Now Duckie doesn't do a thing for me.

[undeterred]

59. Illya Kuryakin, a Russian-born secret agent

He was hot. And there was that song "Secret Agent Man".

[texanwitch]

60. He was hot.

If you like UNCLE there are fan zines on the internet.

Some good stuff.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

61. Alfred Hitchcock HOUR, because that one with the nurses...

...THAT was his single most amazing TV moment. Terrifying stuff. The half hour shows rocked, yes...but THIS one...as a kid it scared the hell out of me.

"An Unlocked Window"...you can watch the entire episode on Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/watch/34689/alfred-hitchcock-hour-an-unlocked-window

:toast:

[undeterred]

63. Thanks, I will watch

There's one with a little boy and a gun that was also excellent. Hitchcock was a true genius.

[dixiegrrrrl]

62. Interestnig..."old" represents about a 30 year span, looks like.

I gotta go with MASH, Carol Burnett, Taxi.

[IDemo]

64. Is Northern Exposure old enough?

Before that, The Bob Newhart Show.

[undeterred]

65. Its old enough for those who missed being born

in the fifties and sixties... :shrug:

[OneMoreDemocrat]

66. Quincy....

Love it. Love it. Love it.

[Art_from_Ark]

70. The Wild, Wild West

The coolest Western ever made

[WinkyDink]

82. Robert Conrad was to die for!!

[Art_from_Ark]

83. Robert Conrad was super cool

Great wit, and great at outwitting the bad guys.
And the ladies, I hear, really liked the way his clothes fit so... snugly.

[deutsey]

71. I like many of the shows here, but I'd have to add Taxi to the list the first couple seasons of WKRP

[geardaddy]

74. Monty Python's Flying Circus

Leave it to Beaver (only for drinking)

[blueknight]

76. i love lucy

and andy griffith. just wonderful

[muffin1]

77. There's a "Leave it to Beaver" drinking game?

Go on...

[geardaddy]

78. Sure,

Any time you hear "Beaver"

Or anytime you hear "the business"

[muffin1]

79. Might give it a try this weekend!

We are supposed to get oodles of snow here in Virginia.:hi:

[geardaddy]

80. I wish it would snow here.

I could use a warm-up.

Farging Minn weather. :(

[muffin1]

81. Well, I like snow in theroy...

but I'm supposed to work all weekend. And nobody wants to call in with the job market the way it is...but nobody wants to be injured in a car accident with no insurance...what to do...

Hang in there - spring's just around the corner.:D

Until then, wrap up in a warm blanket, grab your bottle, and watch "The Beav".

[pinniped]

84. Twilight Zone