Imagine a family, all sitting around the TV, probably the only TV in the house. Dad is holding a remote control, which everyone calls a "clicker." The remote has only two functions. One of the functions is to turn the TV on and off. Other channels, all 7 or 8, change with the click of a button. Now try to imagine what the family is seeing. Can you imagine watching a classic TV show from the 1970s?
In the 1970s most families had one, maybe two, televisions in the house, and the other television was usually hidden in mom and dad's room where they could watch classic shows while the kids were still in mood or soap. Could not see Home television will also show programs in black and white.
What kept families away from televisions that had only a handful of channels, an old clinker, and often no color? Definitely a classic TV show of the 1970s. There were a lot of family-friendly shows in different genres.
For families who enjoy comedy, there were some memorable sets in the 1970s. Families of the '70s learned all about families by watching the hugely popular Happy Days of the 1950s and the equally popular Spin of Lauren and Shirley. Happy Days also marked the beginning of the career of comedian Robin Williams, who went on to star in another spin-off of the show - Mork and Mandy.
Other 1970s family-friendly classic television shows include The Partridge Family (teenage heartbeat with David Cassidy), the show that introduced us to John Travolta, Welcome Back Cutter, One Day at a Time, Chico, and the Man. Introduced by The Odd Couple. Good Times, WKRP in Cincinnati, What's Happening, Threes Company, and The Jefferson.
Families with older children enjoy comedy with a social conscience, such as All in the Family, Mood, Barney Miller, or Mash. These classic 1970s sets deal with the social issues of the day in a passionate but humorous way.
Families also had a variety of shows to choose from. Classic shows such as The Donnie and My Show and The Sony and Cheer Show featured music, comics, and famous guest stars each week. The Carol Burnett show brings together some of the 1970's comedians every week, and The Muppet Show combines Jim Hansen's brilliant creations with musical and comedy guest stars who take to the stage with Kermit, Miss Peggy, and Animal.
There was also a lot of one-hour family drama. Eight is Enough, Little House on the Prairie, and The Waltons were just a few of the classic television dramas that brought families together in front of the television each week.
Classic TV shows from the 1970s also featured crime and action heroes. The world has learned what The Billionaire did in The Six Million Dollar Man and his Spin of the Bionic Woman. Each week, families will tune in to see how Lee Majors and Jamie Somers will use their bionic eyes and ears. CHiPs showed us a glimpse into the lives of California Highway Patrol officers. Starsky and Hutch chased the bad buy in their hot rod and BJ and Bear tracked the bad guys in 18 wheelers.
The other two classic television shows of the time that could not be compared to any of these other genres were The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. The show has seemed a bit unfocused in recent episodes, with stars from the past and stars from around the world showing off at one time or another. For years, families stayed home on Saturday nights just to see who would get off the plane or join the Julie Cruise director's guest list.
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