Blast from the Past: ABC TV Shows of the 70s!

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TV series in the 70s were much simpler than they are today. Dramas--except for soap operas--didn't require much attention, and typically had no b-story (or c-story), no subplots, no story-arcs, and almost no character development. Comedies were played as if they were on stage, were loud and harshly lit, and characters were cartoonish. If a show had a lovable ditz character in season one, they'd be an utter moron by season three.

There were exceptions of course, like M*A*S*H, All in the Family and the like, but for the most part the "idiot box" was aptly named in the 70s.  I loved it anyway. I got the idea from this post while up very early this morning (my sleep schedule is way outta whack), watching Three's Company on TVLand.  These were early episodes, before Chrissy was a drooling idiot. Anyway, ABC TV went from an also-ran network into a full-blown hit at exactly the same time I was becoming a pop culture junkie. The shows of that decade set me on the road to being a Trivial Pursuit savant, and have a central role in my childhood memories.  Here are some of my favorites of the era.








1. Happy Days - This show is likely the reason ABC had their big showing through the decade. It started the ball rolling, brought "The Fonz" into pop culture, and lasted 11 seasons.
2. Laverne & Shirley - Spun-off from Happy Days, this show was and remains a personal favorite. Unappreciated by critics, it was nevertheless a huge hit with viewers.
3. Soap - Considered "too dirty" for prime time (at least briefly), they actually aired it at night for a while in some markets. Marvelously loopy, and completely hilarious. Also, Billy Crystal played--I believe--the first scripted, regular gay character on television.
4. Mork & Mindy - Another spin-off of Happy Days, this one was of course about an alien from Ork crash-landing in Colorado, and moving in with a pretty career woman. It put Robin Williams on the map, and was a monster hit. . .until the network effectively killed it with scheduling and cast changes.
5. Barney Miller - I didn't appreciate this one much at the time. It was a little over my head at the time. But the theme song rocks.
6. Charlie's Angels - This show solidified ABC's dominance, and created "Jiggle TV." Jaclyn Smith, Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and later Cheryl Ladd were the definitive angels. None of the later TV or movie angels even came close.
7. Wonder Woman - Like the angels, Lynda Carter was and remains the definitive Wonder Woman. I frankly liked the updated, CBS version of the show better, but the ABC World War II version started it all.
8. The Love Boat - Probably the silliest of the list, this one was inexplicably a hit for many years. And it provided b-list actors a place to work, a role now filled by CSIs, Law & Orders and all the other procedurals out there.

Oddly enough, I couldn't find a Three's Company clip that was postable. Which is kind of strange. But there you go!

Happy Monday!