Why are there no TV networks for shows from the 50s and 60s? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bencasey · 03-24-2008, 01:31 AM

500 channels of crap and there isn't a market for one network that would show 50s and 60s series 24 hours a day. And I don't mean all of the same old shows that have aired to death. Stuff like Topper, People's Choice, Love That Bob, Burns and Allen, Make Room for Daddy, Bilko, Gale Storm Show, Our Miss Brooks, December Bride, The Lineup, The Millionaire, Farmer's Daughter, The Patty Duke Show, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Pete and Gladys, Daktari, Gentle Ben, Medical Center, Dr. Kildare, Mr. Novak, Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Room 222, Nanny and the Professor, Julia, Felony Squad, Judd for the Defense, Bracken's World, Wagon Train, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Virginian, etc. And that's not even taking into account all of the really good one season shows. There's more to television from that era than Leave it to Beaver, Lucy and Andy Griffith.

tv star collector · 03-24-2008, 07:47 AM

I'd like to see some of those shows again, too (and--thanks to home video and DVD--I still can). But let's face it: it's all about ratings; and it's Lucy,
Andy, and the Beaver (and a few other shows) that bring in the big numbers.

AB · 03-24-2008, 02:10 PM

It is a shame we can't have a network for those older shows, Its like people who like those shows don't exist to the networks.

Jude The Obscure · 03-24-2008, 03:30 PM

And that reasoning that only Lucy, Andy, and Beaver are the only things that can attract viewers--well, they never put anything else on to even find out!
They don't even want to try. It's all about maximum buck for as little investment as possible.

comedyfreak · 03-25-2008, 04:57 AM

I'd like to also see Car 54 Where Are You?, Hazel, and The Phil Silver's Show, McHale's Navy.

tv star collector · 03-25-2008, 08:44 AM

Nat Hiken gave us both The Phil Silvers Show (a.k.a. Sgt. Bilko)
and Car 54, Where Are You?. He was one of the underrated comedy geniuses. Brilliant. Car 54 was one show that I couldn't wait to see every Sunday night on NBC (during its original run). Hilarious!

clj2 · 03-25-2008, 11:16 AM

RTN airs a lot of older shows. They air some things from the 70s, but they have some sitcoms that haven't been seen in syndication anywhere for at least a few years.

megamanj2004 · 03-25-2008, 01:28 PM

Quote:

500 channels of crap and there isn't a market for one network that would show 50s and 60s series 24 hours a day. And I don't mean all of the same old shows that have aired to death. Stuff like Topper, People's Choice, Love That Bob, Burns and Allen, Make Room for Daddy, Bilko, Gale Storm Show, Our Miss Brooks, December Bride, The Lineup, The Millionaire, Farmer's Daughter, The Patty Duke Show, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Pete and Gladys, Daktari, Gentle Ben, Medical Center, Dr. Kildare, Mr. Novak, Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Room 222, Nanny and the Professor, Julia, Felony Squad, Judd for the Defense, Bracken's World, Wagon Train, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Virginian, etc. And that's not even taking into account all of the really good one season shows. There's more to television from that era than Leave it to Beaver, Lucy and Andy Griffith.

Me-TV used to once have Sgt. Bilko before.

They still have Burns and Allen and The Patty Duke Show (on Me-Too).

they had Maverick and 77 Sunset Strip among others in the odd '50s/'60s range.

I would also like to see Route 66 as well.

Mr. Television · 03-25-2008, 07:26 PM

By the time I get Me TV or Retro they will have sold out too. I get these networks near the end of their greatness...always.

Ireneparalegal · 03-25-2008, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jude86

And that reasoning that only Lucy, Andy, and Beaver are the only things that can attract viewers--well, they never put anything else on to even find out!
They don't even want to try. It's all about maximum buck for as little investment as possible.

True. And even the ones that are/were geared towards classic shows are sticking it to us by changing their formats and putting on crap.

bencasey · 03-27-2008, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

By the time I get Me TV or Retro they will have sold out too. I get these networks near the end of their greatness...always.

I feel your pain. I didn't get TV Land for 7 years and by that time all of the rarities were gone and everything was cut to 44 minutes. I didn't have cable until 1990 so I missed out on CBN. I never got HA. Missed most of the good stuff on TNT. Missed all of the good stuff on USA, Lifetime, A&E, BET, etc.

By the way, the problem is not only viewership, it's advertising. Advertisers don't want older viewers so even if the ratings are good but the audience is all over 40, they have a hard time selling spots. They can get people to watch, they just can't sell ad time.

noveel · 03-27-2008, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annball1957

It is a shame we can't have a network for those older shows, Its like people who like those shows don't exist to the networks.

They don't seem to exist according to advertisers and ad dollars

noveel · 03-27-2008, 05:48 AM

Many of these shows are cheap or in the public domain. Some are on archive.org. The problem is that a channel look this couldn't get any viewers that are dersireable to advertisers (people under 50). Most of the people who were the original viewers of these shows are dead or in nursing homes. A lot of these shows are too old to appeal to even baby boomers. One season shows of any age don't really air anywhere in syndication

TVFactFan · 03-27-2008, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comedyfreak

I'd like to also see Car 54 Where Are You?, Hazel, and The Phil Silver's Show, McHale's Navy.

I would like to see Mchale's Navy and Gomer Pyle.

Jude The Obscure · 03-27-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bencasey

I feel your pain. I didn't get TV Land for 7 years and by that time all of the rarities were gone and everything was cut to 44 minutes. I didn't have cable until 1990 so I missed out on CBN. I never got HA. Missed most of the good stuff on TNT. Missed all of the good stuff on USA, Lifetime, A&E, BET, etc.

By the way, the problem is not only viewership, it's advertising. Advertisers don't want older viewers so even if the ratings are good but the audience is all over 40, they have a hard time selling spots. They can get people to watch, they just can't sell ad time.

I loved the old CBN Cable--it was the BEST! That is where I discovered Patty Duke, Farmer's Daughter, Hazel, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Burns & Allen, Jack Benny, etc.

USA--great old USAam comedy block--That Girl, He&She, The Second Hundred Years, The Girl with Something Extra.

Lifetime--haven to shortlived series such as E/R (the sitcom), Two Marriages, etc.

03-24-2008, 01:31 AM	#1
bencasey Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: Long Beach Posts: 1,692	Why are there no TV networks for shows from the 50s and 60s? 500 channels of crap and there isn't a market for one network that would show 50s and 60s series 24 hours a day. And I don't mean all of the same old shows that have aired to death. Stuff like Topper, People's Choice, Love That Bob, Burns and Allen, Make Room for Daddy, Bilko, Gale Storm Show, Our Miss Brooks, December Bride, The Lineup, The Millionaire, Farmer's Daughter, The Patty Duke Show, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Pete and Gladys, Daktari, Gentle Ben, Medical Center, Dr. Kildare, Mr. Novak, Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Room 222, Nanny and the Professor, Julia, Felony Squad, Judd for the Defense, Bracken's World, Wagon Train, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Virginian, etc. And that's not even taking into account all of the really good one season shows. There's more to television from that era than Leave it to Beaver, Lucy and Andy Griffith.

03-25-2008, 04:57 AM	#5
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,058	I'd like to also see Car 54 Where Are You?, Hazel, and The Phil Silver's Show, McHale's Navy.
	__________________ www.facebook.com/comedyfreak

03-25-2008, 07:26 PM	#9
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,128	By the time I get Me TV or Retro they will have sold out too. I get these networks near the end of their greatness...always.
	__________________ Sonny

03-24-2008, 07:47 AM	#2
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	I'd like to see some of those shows again, too (and--thanks to home video and DVD--I still can). But let's face it: it's all about ratings; and it's Lucy, Andy, and the Beaver (and a few other shows) that bring in the big numbers.

03-24-2008, 02:10 PM	#3
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,429	It is a shame we can't have a network for those older shows, Its like people who like those shows don't exist to the networks.

03-24-2008, 03:30 PM	#4
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,519	And that reasoning that only Lucy, Andy, and Beaver are the only things that can attract viewers--well, they never put anything else on to even find out! They don't even want to try. It's all about maximum buck for as little investment as possible.

03-25-2008, 08:44 AM	#6
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	Nat Hiken gave us both The Phil Silvers Show (a.k.a. Sgt. Bilko) and Car 54, Where Are You?. He was one of the underrated comedy geniuses. Brilliant. Car 54 was one show that I couldn't wait to see every Sunday night on NBC (during its original run). Hilarious!

03-25-2008, 11:16 AM	#7
clj2 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2005 Location: SC Posts: 3,501	RTN airs a lot of older shows. They air some things from the 70s, but they have some sitcoms that haven't been seen in syndication anywhere for at least a few years.

03-27-2008, 05:48 AM	#13
noveel Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 13, 2005 Posts: 534	Many of these shows are cheap or in the public domain. Some are on archive.org. The problem is that a channel look this couldn't get any viewers that are dersireable to advertisers (people under 50). Most of the people who were the original viewers of these shows are dead or in nursing homes. A lot of these shows are too old to appeal to even baby boomers. One season shows of any age don't really air anywhere in syndication