For her "Thursday 13" today PJ ran a selection of TV shows about the teenage years, and that got me thinking. I've done a post about high school movies, but never TV shows. So...
(To keep it interesting, at least for me, I decided to limit myself to shows which actually aired while I was a teenager. For better and for worse, these are the shows my generation looked to. God help us.)
Married...With Children
One of the greatest, most underrated sitcoms of the past 15-20 years.
Roseanne
It's ironic, but I really think you can trace the decline of this show by how much power Roseanne had over her character.
In the first years, Roseanne Conner is a strong, funny, loving woman. At the end, she's controlling, grim, and hateful.
But man, the writers and actors on this were so strong...before she destroyed it all.
Happy Days
Happy Days is more interesting for what it tells us about the '70s and '80s (Scott Baio -- what were we thinking?), than about the '50s. Just as That '70s Show will tell future generations more about what passed for entertainment around the turn of the century than the 1970's.
But hey, I watched it, you watched it...
One Day At A Time
All I really remember right now about this series is that bouncy theme song...
Alf
What always used to aggravate me about this series is that the puppet was so much funnier than the family they put around him. That is why he is still working now and most of them are not.
I think I did have an early crush on Andrea Elson, though.
The Cosby Show
Well, let's face it. If you grew up in the '80s, this pretty much defined sitcoms for you. But that doesn't mean I don't agree with the Simpsons satire of the episodes in which one of the grandparents (all of whom were great jazz musicians) played...
Growing Pains
Ok, Kirk Cameron turned out to be a clueless born-again, but this show was actually funny...three or four times...
Gimme a Break!
See One Day at a Time. But, Nell Carter did have a fine voice.
Family Ties
I have darn fond memories of this series, though I think I'd be hard-pressed to tell you why. Guess it's another '80s thing. At least, I don't think it was just because Justine Bateman was so hot...
Charles In Charge
Come to think of it, why hasn't anyone put together a"Charles In Charge curse" theory? Look at the facts.
Scott Baio appeared in a "reality" series that showed him to be an uncommonly boring asshole.
Willie Aames has now found God and appears in a series of videos for children as the scripture-spouting superhero Bibleman.
Nicole Eggert dated Corey Haim.
Josie Davis does fully nude scenes in poorly-reviewed, barely released movies directed by actors who are apparently better at that.
Jennifer Runyon retires to San Clemente.
Tell me somebody on that show didn't desecrate a shrine somewhere along the way.
A Year In The Life
This was a miniseries I loved followed by a regular series I only liked, but I remember both were incredibly well-acted.
Silver Spoons
Okay. This isn't exactly the best show in history...
Parker Lewis Can't Lose
Why do I have the feeling there may have been more to this series than I can remember at the moment? (Besides the fact that a quick Yahoo! search just revealed to me that Milla Jovovich was in the pilot)
Plus these series about which I've got little or nothing to say:
Call to Glory (or, Elisabeth Shue: Who knew?), The Facts of Life, Who's the Boss? (or, Alyssa Milano: Who knew?)
Head Of The Class (or, Robin Givens: Who knew?), My Two Dads, It's Your Move, Kate & Allie (or, Allison Smith...), The Hogan Family, The New Adventures of Beans Baxter...
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