What are your favorite older TV shows?

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

I find that I don't enjoy modern TV at all. It feels foreign and unrelatable to me. Almost too hip, if you will. I'm just not that dynamic and fun.

As much as I like some of the older classic sitcoms like Frasier, Becker and Seinfeld as well as older British comedy like Fawlty Towers, there is one show that will remain my all-time favorite. It was called To Catch a Predator, and it was basically a sting operation set up by MSNBC in the mid 2000's. They would put hidden cameras in houses and wait for guys to show up that had set up dates for sex with minors online. These "minors" were actually adult decoys who chatted to the potential predators, with the whole setup designed to rope these guys in and expose them on TV.

Long story short, these creepos would stumble into the sting houses and get themselves into all kinds of hot water. They would make up bullshit excuses that were so stupid and implausible, and the host, Chris Hansen, would tear them to shreds in an amusing way.

As ominous as the show might sound, it was fucking hilarious. The predators would have classic chat conversations like this with the decoys/fake minors:

I guess it might be hard to appreciate the humor if you've never seen the show before. But there was something about the spelling mistakes and general creepiness/embarrassment these guys faced that had me rolling on the floor sometimes.

Tell us about your favorite shows!

 

[Koal]

A sitcom I really enjoy from the same time period of To Catch a Predator is Arrested Development.
Also the original run of Futurama and seasons 3 - 8 of The Simpsons.

 

[wxtyubidi7y]

Monkey Dust, a very dark British animated black comedy sketch show from the early 2000s. Bleak, satirical jokes and a variety of animation styles tied together with moody downtempo music.

 

[journeytotheend]

I enjoy Seinfeld, Twin Peaks, Oz, Six feet under, and most older HBO shows really. If I am in the right mood I can easily binge on To catch a predator, satisfying to see the creeps squirm.
Oh, and Black Books! Brilliant show!

 

[Chinaski]

Quantum Leap.

(Here endeth the thread)

 

[Misanthrope]

I used to very much enjoy Tomorrow's World. As it explored potential inventions of tomorrow and tested some inventions live. Which was great as I was very into writing sci fi at the time. I also enjoyed the Bruce Forsyth Show. I barely watch any TV now.

@Chinaski Samuel Beckett, naked in front of a crowd of thousands... "Oh boy." Classic.

 

[Dor]

I grew up watching the Simpsons, loved seasons 3 to 10 as someone said.

Married with children was really funny.

Stargate SG-1, pure scifi.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Angel, spinoff of Buffy the vampire slayer.

Sabina the teenage witch, I believe it was called this, watched it as kid.

Smallville, kinda lame show but have some memories watching with my childfood friend.

John boy, I don't know if it's called that, but the protagonist name was John Boy, watched it as a kid.

Days of our lives, horrible cheesy show my mother used to watch when I was kid, would never watch it now, but I have really fond memories with my mother as a kid watching that stupid show.

 

[ReadyasEver]

I really enjoyed the first three seasons of MASH when they were very original. I also enjoy Seinfeld, China Beach, Modern Family, and the Office.

 

[Jon]

Doctor Who (the seventh doctor was in my teens but the forth was also very good which I watched on my dad's VHS).

James Bond, Roger Moore being my favourite, especially Moonraker and The Spy who Loved Me, but now I prefer the older ones like Dr. No and From Russia with Love.

Father Ted, The Office (UK), and anything with Alan Partridge were my favourite comedies.

When I was very young I loved Going Round the Twist (an Australian show for children), Inspector Gadget, and Stoppit and Tidy-up (narrated by Terry Wogan).

Tomorrow's World I liked as well, just seeing it mentioned above.

 

[Deleted member 4993]

One foot in the grave - Victor Meldrew > reminds me of someone here :-)

 

[Johnnythefox]

One foot in the grave - Victor Meldrew > reminds me of someone here :-)

I don't believe it!

 

[Mrs.O'Leary'sCow]

I enjoy Seinfeld, Twin Peaks, Oz, Six feet under, and most older HBO shows really. If I am in the right mood I can easily binge on To catch a predator, satisfying to see the creeps squirm.
Oh, and Black Books! Brilliant show!

Thumbs up for Six Feet Under.

 

[Mrs.O'Leary'sCow]

I grew up watching the Simpsons, loved seasons 3 to 10 as someone said.

Married with children was really funny.

Stargate SG-1, pure scifi.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Angel, spinoff of Buffy the vampire slayer.

Sabina the teenage witch, I believe it was called this, watched it as kid.

Smallville, kinda lame show but have some memories watching with my childfood friend.

John boy, I don't know if it's called that, but the protagonist name was John Boy, watched it as a kid.

Days of our lives, horrible cheesy show my mother used to watch when I was kid, would never watch it now, but I have really fond memories with my mother as a kid watching that stupid show.

The Waltons was the show with John Boy.

I watched Married with Children, but considered it a guilty pleasure. Some episodes really cracked me up

 

[Mrs.O'Leary'sCow]

Fernwood/America 2Nite (Well, you did say old)
Hawaii Five-0 (old school)
Hill Street Blues
Taxi
Night Court
Newhart
Rockford Files
Hunter
Police Squad
Young Ones
Cheers
Northern Exposure
The Larry Sanders Show
The Simpsons
Daria
Get a Life
Seinfeld
NYPD Blue
The Drew Carey Show
X-Files
Father Ted
The Office (UK)
Arrested Development

I've obviously wasted my life watching TV.

 

[Norest4thewicked]

Used to love Black Adder and The Young Ones. Top notch British comedies

 

[NoOneKnows]

Married with children ( I w atched all 12 seasons through and through, I know the lines by heart, but I still laugh at it)

'' dont you want your last minute instructions?'' :DDDDD

 

[Smilla]

Fernwood/America 2Nite (Well, you did say old)
Hawaii Five-0 (old school)
Hill Street Blues
Taxi
Night Court
Newhart
Rockford Files
Hunter
Police Squad
Young Ones
Cheers
Northern Exposure
The Larry Sanders Show
The Simpsons
Daria
Get a Life
Seinfeld
NYPD Blue
The Drew Carey Show
X-Files
Father Ted
The Office (UK)
Arrested Development

I've obviously wasted my life watching TV.

Oh man. Night Court was great.

How about Moonlighters?

Remember China Beach?

 

[Smilla]

Thumbs up for Six Feet Under.

Remember the episode where they threw his ashes over the balcony instead of driving to his beloved beach because "fuck it, he was a bastard and traffic is a bitch"...forget the characters name.

 

[Smilla]

Twin Peaks. Favorite series of all time.

 

[Johnnythefox]

• Kung-fu
• Starsky and Hutch
• Taxi
• Barney Miller
• Married with children
• Futurama
• Dave Allen show
• Tales of the unexpected
• The twilight zone
• The outer limits
• Lost in space
• Star Trek (original series)
• Land of the giants
• Batman (original series)
• The Addams family
• The Avengers
• The man from uncle
• Mission impossible
• Father Ted
• The Old Grey whistle test
• The Tube
• Anything by Dennis Potter (no relation to Harry)
• The Prisoner
• Spike Milligan
• Scotch and Wry

 

[Mrs.O'Leary'sCow]

Oh man. Night Court was great.

How about Moonlighters?

Remember China Beach?

Is it possible you mean Moonlighting? (Cybill Shepherd, Bruce Willis) If so, yeah, I used to watch that as well. It was good. I can't find anything for Moonlighters except some sort of video game and a series of books.

I never watched China Beach. (hangs head in shame) I'm sure it was good.

 

[Smilla]

Is it possible you mean Moonlighting? (Cybill Shepherd, Bruce Willis) If so, yeah, I used to watch that as well. It was good. I can't find anything for Moonlighters except some sort of video game and a series of books.

I never watched China Beach. (hangs head in shame)

Sorry, yes Moonlighting. I was a kid and used to "sneak watch" it. Shepard and Willis had incredibly sexual chemistry...

 

[Mrs.O'Leary'sCow]

• Kung-fu
• Starsky and Hutch
• Taxi
• Barney Miller
• Married with children
• Futurama
• Dave Allen show
• Tales of the unexpected
• The twilight zone
• The outer limits
• Lost in space
• Star Trek (original series)
• Land of the giants
• Batman (original series)
• The Addams family
• The Avengers
• The man from uncle
• Mission impossible
• Father Ted
• The Old Grey whistle test
• The Tube
• Anything by Dennis Potter (no relation to Harry)

I forgot Barney Miller. That was good. I saw Steve Landesberg (Sgt. Dietrich) do an hour of stand up comedy in person shortly after the series was cancelled.

I loved Lost in Space, The Twilight Zone and Batman, but didn't want to go back quite that far.

 

[ParamitePie]

Hornblower
Sharpe
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
I, Claudius
Band of Brothers
The Wire
The Sopranos
Deadwood
Batman: The Animated Series
Poirot
North & South (American Civil War, not the BBC one)
The Great War
The World At War
NHK Taiga dramas (& Jidaigeki in general)
Monkey Magic
Iron Chef (Japanese)
1 Litre of Tears
Oshin (I just like Asadora in general, being honest)
Kekkon Dekinai Otoko
Kinpachi-sensei (it finished this decade, but it started in 1979)

 

[Mrs.O'Leary'sCow]

Remember the episode where they threw his ashes over the balcony instead of driving to his beloved beach because "fuck it, he was a bastard and traffic is a bitch"...forget the characters name.

Yes, I remember. Thanks for the reminder. Bernard (I think) Chenowith, father of Brenda (of the 185 IQ) and Billy, husband of Margaret.

For some reason the scene I remember best concludes with Margaret telling Brenda "You know that new blouse might actually work if you got rid of the bra," to which Brenda responds "Yeah?, Well that skirt might actually work if you got rid of that ass."

 

[Soon4me]

The X-Files
The twilight zone
Sliders
The 4400
The Wonder Years
Married with children
That 70's show
The Young Ones
ALF
V:the series
The Equalizer
Fraggle Rock
MacGyver
Mork & Mindy
The greatest American hero
21 Jump Street
3rd Rock From The Sun
Home Improvement
Friends

 

[Roulette]

Sex and the City!!! Been meaning to re-watch this sometime
And ghost whisperer

A lot of aussie shows but I don't remember many names. Neighbours, Round the Twist, something about parallel worlds, Jeopardy, Russell Coight's Aventures...

 

[throwaway777]

malcolm in the middle

 

[therhydler]

Friends...

 

[waived]

A comprehensive list.

firefly
american gothic (1995)
my so called life
xfiles
strange luck
david the gnome
aeon flux
land of the lost (90's)
clarissa explains it all
CBS sunday morning (90's)
dino ryders
the wonder years
captain planet
perfect strangers
reading rainbow
are you afraid of the dark
The adventures of the little prince
bill nye (the science guy)
murder she wrote
columbo
cheers
inspector gadget
eureeka's castle
northern exposure
salute your shorts
wild america with marty stouffer
3-2-1 Contact!

Spoiler: an unmedicated rant

i'm pretty tired of looking up various tid bits of info on 90's subculture and media while hoping to go down a pleasant rabbit hole of nostalgia, and seeing that an uncanny amount of the results are late 90's. Upon further investigation, most of the time, a particular subset of a particular generation is responsible for this desperate saturation of rewritten historical fact, to make sure the memories that they do not actually have shine the brightest. While outside of the purview of this early morning rant, they have even allowed video games to become about as fun as going to work. The post 90's generation is the living embodiment of a death rattle.

First of all, you've had about 18 years to get it together and produce something objectively measurable as good, or at least iconically bad, you haven't. What you've allowed is a cluttered mess of banal music and super hero movies. You've also successfully allowed for the destruction of what is probably two dozen legendary stories and lore from the previous two decades. You're a generation of starving vampires who despite being professional narcissists cannot look your own faces in the mirror no matter how hard you try and with nowhere else to turn you have abandoned your posts and fallen upon the world to feast. If only that was the quick death it sounds like but there is nothing quick about trough fodder like the walking dead or game of thrones.

Second, i'm genuinely sorry that you are spiritually destitute from being born into an increasingly self created desert but being four or five years old by the time the 2000's arrived doesn't make the cut on a technicality. Instead of carrying the brightly lit 80's and 90's torch through the rain you immediately sat down, dropped it into a puddle and filled your mouths with mud. Well done. w/e n/m stay off our turf. *throws gang sign*

-genuine 1990's overlords


P.S. Twin Peaks actually sucked.