Television, in my opinion has gone downhill. I am in my twenties and people would probably think I am a weirdo for watching older re-runs, but I dont care. I like the older shows. The older shows had more creativity, they cared about each other on the show, and they had a lot of life relatable story lines. Todays TV is a bunch of people being sarcastic, mean, sleeping around with strangers, and having sex when ever they can get it. If I had kids, I would certainly NOT let them watch shows like Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, South Park, Sex And The City, and Boston Legal. One thing that REALLY bothers me is how they are saying they are making more game shows and reality TV to cut costs. That is a bunch of CRAP! If an actor/actress can spen $800 on a pair of shoes ( I wouldnt even spend $40), they sure as hell can afford to make sitcoms and other good shows again. You know something, I would not doubt it in the later future if TV and cable was obsolete and people started to buy DVD's instead. Im not trying to post this to be mean, everyone has different opinions about different things and I respect that. I just wanted to write how I feel about this.

I argee! I don't care to much for reality shows. Only one i really watch was fear factor. I couldn't watch it all the time. they had some gross stuff on that show. I wish they would go back make more like the older show. my favorite older shows are: I love lucy,the hoonymooners, f-troop, my favorite martian, get smart, and the odd couple. My two favorite shows are family ties and Quatam Leap. I been watching Quatam leap on Ion televesion.

The days of good TV have long gone away. I remember having multiple shows that I wanted to watch and usually at least 2 came on at the same time and I would flip between channels at commercial (back when commercials were only 2 min. intervals). Now I find myself flipping through the channels trying to find something to entertain me for more then 5 sec.

It seems that TV as well as everything else goes through phases (not counting the sitcom):
70's - Variety shows (Sonny/Cher, Brady Bunch Hour, Donnie/Marie)
80's - News shows (20/20, Primetime, 60 Minutes)
90's - Teen dramas/Dramas (L&O, 90210, Melrose, Dawson, 7th Heaven)
Current - Reality (Just turn on your TV if you really need examples)

Of course I know some of these type of shows were around in other eras of TV but it just seems that in my life those are the crazes per decade aside from the sitcom.

All the good shows are now stored away in a vault awaiting to be released when some top executive decides to lean towards public desire. Networks dont care about what the general public desires they care about what the sponsers will pay to advertise during a crappy show. They see $$$ in reality, they only have to pay a small fee to reality personalities rather then put out $$$$ for sets, clothes, actor salaries, etc.....Do you really think its the same cost to pay the chics on the Hills for some so-called reality or the contestants of The Apprentice for example as it is to pay a true actor. Of course not so when that formula was figured out TV became a way for average Joes to get fame and networks to make money they could keep for themselves so out went any good viewing.

The days of good TV have long gone away. I remember having multiple shows that I wanted to watch and usually at least 2 came on at the same time and I would flip between channels at commercial (back when commercials were only 2 min. intervals). Now I find myself flipping through the channels trying to find something to entertain me for more then 5 sec.

It seems that TV as well as everything else goes through phases (not counting the sitcom):
70's - Variety shows (Sonny/Cher, Brady Bunch Hour, Donnie/Marie)
80's - News shows (20/20, Primetime, 60 Minutes)
90's - Teen dramas/Dramas (L&O, 90210, Melrose, Dawson, 7th Heaven)
Current - Reality (Just turn on your TV if you really need examples)

Of course I know some of these type of shows were around in other eras of TV but it just seems that in my life those are the crazes per decade aside from the sitcom.

All the good shows are now stored away in a vault awaiting to be released when some top executive decides to lean towards public desire. Networks dont care about what the general public desires they care about what the sponsers will pay to advertise during a crappy show. They see $$$ in reality, they only have to pay a small fee to reality personalities rather then put out $$$$ for sets, clothes, actor salaries, etc.....Do you really think its the same cost to pay the chics on the Hills for some so-called reality or the contestants of The Apprentice for example as it is to pay a true actor. Of course not so when that formula was figured out TV became a way for average Joes to get fame and networks to make money they could keep for themselves so out went any good viewing.

I find your observation, by decades, holds true in my lifetime, too. Going back
even further:
The '50s - Westerns
The '60s - Fantasy Sitcoms
Right now--for better or worse--we're in a "reality" cycle.

I find your observation, by decades, holds true in my lifetime, too. Going back
even further:
The '50s - Westerns
The '60s - Fantasy Sitcoms
Right now--for better or worse--we're in a "reality" cycle.

And don't forget the Police/Detective shows of the 60's and 70's. Quinn/Martin ruled the airwaves back then.

Television, in my opinion has gone downhill. I am in my twenties and people would probably think I am a weirdo for watching older re-runs, but I dont care. I like the older shows. The older shows had more creativity, they cared about each other on the show, and they had a lot of life relatable story lines. Todays TV is a bunch of people being sarcastic, mean, sleeping around with strangers, and having sex when ever they can get it. If I had kids, I would certainly NOT let them watch shows like Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, South Park, Sex And The City, and Boston Legal. One thing that REALLY bothers me is how they are saying they are making more game shows and reality TV to cut costs. That is a bunch of CRAP! If an actor/actress can spen $800 on a pair of shoes ( I wouldnt even spend $40), they sure as hell can afford to make sitcoms and other good shows again. You know something, I would not doubt it in the later future if TV and cable was obsolete and people started to buy DVD's instead. Im not trying to post this to be mean, everyone has different opinions about different things and I respect that. I just wanted to write how I feel about this.

You know, the looming obsolescence of broadcast TV seems to be the biggest problem the networks know they're facing. The old shows were made for pretty well "everybody", and were financed accordingly, from ad revenues during other shows that "everybody" watched. Without the ad revenues, the new shows seem to be made on a lower budget than in the past, once the inflation's taken into account. And the fragmentation of the audience nowadays reflects not only the hundreds of channels out there, but something fairly deep in the society itself. (I'm writing from Canada, but in this respect I can't see much of a difference between your country and mine.) The anger and meanness you're talking in many of the network shows turns me off just as much, but frankly I don't see any way out of it.

I think the '10's might bring back the era of great sitcoms. Shows like Back to You and Big Bang Theory are new but give that old sitcom feeling!
Idol ratings are dropping, less new reality shows are making it than they did just a few years ago! I just cant bare to see American Idol and Survivor!

It seems that TV as well as everything else goes through phases (not counting the sitcom):
70's - Variety shows (Sonny/Cher, Brady Bunch Hour, Donnie/Marie)
80's - News shows (20/20, Primetime, 60 Minutes)
90's - Teen dramas/Dramas (L&O, 90210, Melrose, Dawson, 7th Heaven)
Current - Reality (Just turn on your TV if you really need examples)
I would say that the 80s also was the golden decade for big time sitcoms like "The Cosby show", "Family Ties" and "Cheers" and big time soaps like "Dallas", "Dynasty" and "Falcon Crest". But otherwise, I think that analysis is very interesting.

the only current shows i watch are everybody hates chris and ugly betty. tv has gone downhill indeed. there is absolutely no variety whatosever, nowadays. it's mostly dramas and reality tv. there aren't that many good sitcoms and cartoons that are worth watching. i prefer the classics over today's tv shows any day of the week.

this is how i view each decade in terms of tv genres

00s- today- reality tv, dramas
90s- sitcoms, soap operas, teen shows
80s- sitcoms, cartoons, soap operas, music shows
70s- sitcoms, dramas, game shows, cartoons, variety
60s- sitcoms, game shows, cartoons, variety
50s- sitcoms, cartoons