They don't make them like the used to....pt. 1

Ok. So I know I'm only currently 26, however I feel quite a few years older, and most of the time I wish I was. If only so that I could have lived in the past and experienced the new, innovative, and cultural changing events that occurred during the present.

Today's 'They don't make them like they used to...' is in regards to the television programming of yesteryear.

Now, like I mentioned, I didn't get to experience the high quality programming first hand, but I did get to watch the Re-Runs in prime time. Back when I was younger, in the early to late 80's there were maybe 19 channels. That was a lot back then mind you. I may have even over counted.

I do recall having only 13 at one point, and then it getting bumped to 19 at another. This obviously was all possible due to the technological advancement that came in the form of a wood paneled cable box with three different sets of numbers that multiplied the number of channels you could receive. I vividly remember this because channel 19 was MTV! This of course was back when MTV played only music videos.

This also was when the local hospital we'll call Bay Medical Center also broadcasted some form programming on the same channel 19 frequency so all my household could get was some new form of a remix that merged Doctor chatter with that of The Beastie Boy's Fight for your Right. We heard the new style of hip hop while we unwillingly watched a prostate exam just hoping it would glitch and we would get a eyefull of the hottness known as Martha Quinn.

Anyways, before I got super nostalgic on you, I was talking about re-runs. One of the channels we had was called Nickelodeon, it is still around, however as Eric Burdon from the Animals once said "when I was young" was when Nickelodeon was the best. They not only had quality animated cartoons for my age group, but they also had quality night time programming. They aired re-runs of the olden days in PRIME TIME. It was known as NICK At NIGHT(which debuted in 1985), I was 3. Now, I'm told they still have this, however they air less than stellar programming. When I was a child, NAN aired shows from the fathers childhood(the time of the era that only channels such as NBC, ABC, & CBS). Sitcoms and Dramas that made an impact and really set the standard. I am of course referring to shows such as:

-My three suns
-The Donna Reed Show
-Leave it to Beaver
-The Dick VanDyke Show
-Dennis The Menace
-Route 66
-Mr. ED
-I Dream of Jeanie
-Bewitched

To me these were great programming and still are.

In todays iphone, xbox, bluetooth, ps3, hd, Bluray, wii, 1080dpi, Flatscreen world I often miss the simpler times. When a talking horse back talking his owner, or when breakfast was on the table the minute you got downstairs. The re-runs for me, helped me feel like I grew up in the heyday of the ever popular CONVERSE ALL STAR. When they weren't just worn because they looked cool with a Don Ed Hardy overpriced T-Shirt. Nick At Night also Had quality commercials that were really at the forefront of the propaganda we are forcefed today(mind you, I am a huge fan of propaganda, and in no way disapprove of it's use). They also used to have a series of shorts titled "How To Be Swell" I've had trouble locating them but I found one link that wasn't embed enabled, here is is below.

http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/2950/

I'm thinking about doing some of my own in Homage to the satirical genius that N.A.N. provided me in my youth.


Here are a few N.A.N. promos along with some intros to quality programming that proves 'They don't make them like they used to...'


Stay Tuned For Part 2.