I wasn’t sure which forum to place this—-mods, feel free to move to the proper one.

As someone born in 1959 and having watched a lotta TV in my lifetime, I know that there was a period of time, I’d say around 1968 to 1992-ish, where the shows we see now on MeTV and other channels, were in syndication, mainly on local independent TV stations—but also some shows were rerun in daytime on networks, mainly CBS 1968-72ish.

Quite a few shows that had BOTH color AND B&W episodes had the B&W’s scratched off in these rerun packages. CBS during this period ran only COLOR eps of Lucy Show, Beverly Hillbillies, and Gomer Pyle. Syndie packages of classic sitcoms refused to show B&W episodes of these sitcoms, which one must admit are funnier, generally, due to the formation of characters.

As a toddler I remember Bub on My Three Sons—but in these packages the first episode shown was Mike getting married/Uncle Charley/Ernie adopted.

I didn’t enjoy the funny Hillbillies B&W eps until the mid 70s or so on an indie station.

Petticoat Junction B&W eps sat on shelves nearly 30 years before TV Land broke it out.

There are other examples I’m sure. Why was it that B&W was so “ewwww!” during this period? Everybody knows that color facilities weren’t available in many cases for many shows.

Why was this?

cd

I think it was METV that showed the entire run of Petticoat Junction, Mannix, Gunsmoke, Bonanza and My Three Sons in syndication. TVLand was bigtime notorious for skipping certain seasons of classic shows.

Bewitched is another example. Shown on TBS for years in the early morning, but the color episodes only. I'm sure many local stations did the same, by choice or availability.

But TBS couldn't skip the first season of Gilligan's Island due to so few episodes; so, Turner had them (badly) colorized.

Another odd thing I remember happening, not involving color but maybe more popularity and ratings: on local TV, the first two seasons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show were normally skipped, but aired in the summer.

Bewitched is another example. Shown on TBS for years in the early morning, but the color episodes only. I'm sure many local stations did the same, by choice or availability.

But TBS couldn't skip the first season of Gilligan's Island due to so few episodes; so, Turner had them (badly) colorized.

Another odd thing I remember happening, not involving color but maybe more popularity and ratings: on local TV, the first two seasons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show were normally skipped, but aired in the summer.

The weirdest part, is that METV still shows the badly colorized Turner prints from the late 80's.

I think it's generally true that television industry people tend to underestimate the intelligence of the audience. On pretty much any programming issue, they make decisions based on style rather than quality.

I think it's generally true that television industry people tend to underestimate the intelligence of the audience. On pretty much any programming issue, they make decisions based on style rather than quality.

Sadly I have to agree. Glad that these B&W shows saw the light of day in my lifetime.

Re the Gilligan/Turner colorization—how many of you remember, it was around the same time (1989) that “McHale’s Navy” started getting the same colorization treatment? I looked it up and found out that only a small percentage of episodes were colorized, and the company that was working on it ran out of money.

Again, WE KNOW, WE KNOW that color wasn’t available at the time. I don’t hold that against all the great staff that worked on these shows. (I have to think that the lack of B&W repetitions cost the staffs bookoo $ in royalties.)

cd

Why was it that B&W was so “ewwww!” during this period? Everybody knows that color facilities weren’t available in many cases for many shows.

Why was this?

cd

Changing the family TV set from B&W to Color was a definite status symbol. And In that context I believe the networks were stroking people's egos.....reinforcing the viewers notion that they had evolved.

The swinging 1960s were "happening" and being ~forced~ to watch B&W was akin to losing a turn on a board game. Being banished to the 1950s while all your friends moved ahead...etc

That was also the reason why some absolute fool programs got pilots in the late 60s. The producers hired idea chasers who were supposedly able to see what was going to be popular 2-3 years down the road. And there were as many misses as hits.

The future was seen as "with it" , while the past was seen as "squaresville". And B&W was definitely seen as the past.

I think you meant allergy to black and white shows.

I wasn’t sure which forum to place this—-mods, feel free to move to the proper one.

As someone born in 1959 and having watched a lotta TV in my lifetime, I know that there was a period of time, I’d say around 1968 to 1992-ish, where the shows we see now on MeTV and other channels, were in syndication, mainly on local independent TV stations—but also some shows were rerun in daytime on networks, mainly CBS 1968-72ish.

Quite a few shows that had BOTH color AND B&W episodes had the B&W’s scratched off in these rerun packages. CBS during this period ran only COLOR eps of Lucy Show, Beverly Hillbillies, and Gomer Pyle. Syndie packages of classic sitcoms refused to show B&W episodes of these sitcoms, which one must admit are funnier, generally, due to the formation of characters.

As a toddler I remember Bub on My Three Sons—but in these packages the first episode shown was Mike getting married/Uncle Charley/Ernie adopted.

I didn’t enjoy the funny Hillbillies B&W eps until the mid 70s or so on an indie station.

Petticoat Junction B&W eps sat on shelves nearly 30 years before TV Land broke it out.

There are other examples I’m sure. Why was it that B&W was so “ewwww!” during this period? Everybody knows that color facilities weren’t available in many cases for many shows.

Why was this?

cd
I can remover CBS re-running the black-and-white episodes of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES weekday mornings in the mid-60s and ABC re-running the black and white episodes of BEWITCHED also on weekday mornings in the mid 60s, also CBS re-running the B?W episodes of MY 3 SONS (even though those originally aired on ABC)

I think you meant allergy to black and white shows.

You’re absolutely right! Thread title changed. Oops.

cd

I recall time period 1961-1963 one of our local network affiliates ran a block of I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, The Real McCoys, and Pete & Gladys daily in the AM, (Think it was CBS, and at least a portion of that was network rebroadcast of their prime time offerings).....as well as afternoon showings of the Rifleman and Wagon Train on a different network affiliate......but of course at this time there were no color versions of these shows to offer. BUT obviously B&W reruns were happening

And then in the late 60s I recall one of our affiliates were showing Leave it to Beaver (my first exposure to that show, in fact)...and it seemed like a gyp that no color versions were available. They also ran afternoon reruns of Gilligan's Island, and I recall feeling slighted when they'd go through the B&W era....wondering if the TV was busted.

As far as Beverly Hillbillies is concerned, I only recall seeing the color episodes in day time late 60s reruns, for a long long time, only seeing the B&W shows, much later

Changing the family TV set from B&W to Color was a definite status symbol. And In that context I believe the networks were stroking people's egos.....reinforcing the viewers notion that they had evolved.

This was very true. I was in grade school in the '60's. I remember my family going to buy our first color TV. The appliance store had a room, problem a sales rep's office, with one color TV in a living room setting. We bought it and I remember the day it was delivered. It was a Saturday and it was up and running by the time to watch cartoons.

My dad wasn't one to flaunt his belongings. So he was a bit embarrassed when others found out about the new TV. Yet during the 1971 World Series final game he invited our Pastor over to watch the game. I was in shock seeing the Pastor getting so excited about the Pittsburgh Pirates winning the series. I always saw him as very reserved.

The only down side to the TV was that it was a console with the TV near the floor. I spent a lot of time sitting on the floor with mom constantly saying " Don’t sit so close to the TV, you'll go blind"

It gets cloudy because I was so young, but I think my first exposure to McHale's Navy was in nightly showings at dinnertime...which MUST gave been reruns because they were showing Monday-Friday. This was probably just local programming in that slot between evening news and prime time, where the locals were on their own.

And, I think TBS was my first exposure to the Munsters, B&W Beverly Hillbillies, and likely even B&W I Dream of Jeannie.....in the late 1970s...once we had cable.

LOL, we didn't get a color set till after my dad died in 1965....so to me even the early years of Bonanza were part of the B&W era....didn't know any better.

NOTE: the first episode of “The Wild Wild West” is at 10 am EST on MeTV tomorrow Jan 7, 2023. I used to watch TWWW reruns in the mid 70s, and I don’t remember seeing the first (B&W) season on that run, either.

cd

The only down side to the TV was that it was a console with the TV near the floor. I spent a lot of time sitting on the floor with mom constantly saying " Don’t sit so close to the TV, you'll go blind"

It's funny how our TVs used to sit on the floor and now we hang them on the wall. It is more comfortable with them on the wall.