The Draw of Cable TV
We have not had cable or its kin for our TV for about 4 years. Before that we had it for around 2 years--for the first time in our lives. Before that, we either watched the 3 1/2 channels that came in with the antenna, or we made good use of free sources for videos and DVDs.
When my MIL came to "visit" (her term, not ours!), she gave an ultimatum: "If you expect me to stay, you're going to have to get cable." Of course we were trying our best to make her comfortable, so we ordered the basic package. Then, two weeks later she left.
We now have custody of the cable. We were able to get a month-to-month contract (we suspected she was going to bail on us!). After she left, I was all for cancelling right away. Husband, however, mumbled something about football and the Super Bowl. We still have the cable.
I'm not innocent in this. I love me some DIY shows, for example. I also enjoy seeing the old shows that were mostly "snow" on the 3 1/2 channels I had when they originally aired. Though enjoyable, we're still going to cancel it . . . soon, I hope!
That got me thinking about TV when I was growing up. (Cue the fuzzy going-back-in-time filter.)
Back in the dark ages when I was little, ALL the shows were in black in white. Sometimes we had a little B/W set, most times we had nothing. Then, when I was around 9 years old, my dad brought home a BIG, white, "space-age" looking . . . COLOR TV!
We still had only 3 1/2 channels, but now you could make out more images in the snow than before! The shows that were in color looked so great. We had arrived.
So, just for nostalgia purposes, I'm going to do a quick list of the shows I remember watching during the 70s, snow and all:
- Family Affair (I was not a fan of Mrs. Beasley. She kind of scared me.)
- Mr. Rogers (I would run and hop on the couch like I was riding on "Trolley.")
- Bugs Bunny
- My Three Sons
- I Love Lucy
- Laurel and Hardy
- Lassie (Hated, and still hate, the theme song.)
- Wonderful World of Disney (Sunday nights with bowls of spaghetti for supper!)
- Petticoat Junction
- Green Acres
- The Love Boat
- Dallas (I was in high school by this time.)
- Fantasy Island
- The News (Wait, that was my mom.)
Now, with the cable, we can see nearly all of those, practically any time. Clearly. Sometimes even in a marathon!
(Excuse me. I have to go find that remote. . .)
6 comments:
I used to marathon watch Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart and then the Carol Burnett show on Saturday night. Positively addicted, I was. Then, when those programs were canceled, I never started watching any other shows to replace them. I found it was really great to be free of television. I never purchased a tv when I left my parents' house and I sure don't miss it.
We have been without TV (cable) for ??? years. I did miss the DIY shows. And, then at Mom's I got hooked on HGTV, and now that is gone. If I really need a fix, I watch something on the internet. We have television sets and rent movies once in a while. If a TV dies, I doubt it will be replaced. Anyway, I hope you can get cable cancelled right after the Super Bowl.
Some of the shows in no particular order:
Get Smart
Batman
Saturday morning cartoons including Tom & Jerry, Mighty Mouse, Underdog, Top Cat, Casper the Ghost, The Chipmunks, Bugs Bunny, etc.
Captain Kangaroo
Combat
Lost in Space
Star Trek
Ed Sullivan show
Lawrence Welk - I hated this show, but we always had to watch it.
Disney of course!
Sadly, I was not allowed to watch American Bandstand.
haha... I used to watch reruns of Family Affair with my mom as we were getting me ready for school. My mom had a Mrs. Beasely doll, too. It was very entertaining.
I don't remember Family Affair at all. Guess I'd better do some research. lol
Beth--LOVE the marathons! I will miss those when we cut the cable. I found that I had no interest in any of the newer shows. I just didn't want to find something else to "have" to watch. That's why it has been YEARS since I watch American Idol or Survivor. They took up way too much time.
Packrat--I'm definitely pushing for cutting it off right away. I'm already seeing how it can eat up time.
LOL about Lawrence Welk! My parents and grandmother liked to torture us with that, too!
Here's a link to Family Affair:
http://www.tvparty.com/recfamily.html
Tess--She still has her Mrs. Beasley doll? That's cool! Is it in good condition or "well-loved?"
Roxanne, thanks. I found the episodes on YouTube! Tonight, I have watched 6 of them. I vaguely remember this, but we must have watched something else at the same time or something. I was in the seventh grade when this show started, so I would have remembered it. If you get a chance, check them out. (J would probably like them, too.) LOVE the clothes! 'Course we here in the West never dressed like that.
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