I grew up in the 1960s. And TV was really becoming quite a thing by that time. We didn’t watch a lot of TV, but when we did? I loved every moment.
But it seems to me that television in the 1960s did more than entertain. It was a bit of an escape. I mean, I was too young to know it, but our world had big troubles back then. The 60s was a decade marked by war, protests, assassinations, and rapid cultural change.
So. TV had a way of soothing all of that. If nothing else, it was a distraction. It soothed. I think that comfort was the point, because most of the shows were wholesome and good-natured.
The Vietnam War escalated. The Civil Rights Movement was struggling to reshape the nation. So during that time, television created stories that felt stable and reassuring.
Sitcoms gave us humor that was mostly rooted in domestic life and workplace absurdities. The Dick Van Dyke Show. The Lucy Show. The Mary Tyler Moore. And so many more.
Westerns were all about moral clarity, big heroes, and a sense of order. Even though people were shooting each other right and left in Dodge City. You know. Gunsmoke. And then there was Bonanza.
Fantasy provided a big escape from reality, in worlds that were magical and good. I Dream of Jeannie. Bewitched. My Favorite Martian. The Twilight Zone. And more.
Together, these shows might have been saying that we were in a decade that needed laughter. They gave the viewers a bit of relief and maybe some confidence. Sometimes they offered “inner” reflections. And every once in a while, it gave us newfound wisdom.
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“Comedy is acting out optimism.” — Robin Williams
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“Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can’t remember who we are or why we’re here.” — Sue Monk Kidd
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“Laughter is an instant vacation.” — Milton Berle
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“Stories are a communal currency of humanity.” — Tahir Shah
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TV in the 1960s. That’s right. We loved it.
