Baby Boomers and the Boob Tube
Boomers, having been known as the first “TV Generation,” have always enjoyed a special relationship with the remarkable box that brought entertainment into our very own living rooms. The earliest versions were placed with pride in the corner so that couches and chairs could be arranged to provide optimum view of the small screen. And that screen, sturdily encased in a huge wood-veneer cabinet, was small!
Nevertheless, we eagerly turned on the tube (back when TVs actually had tubes) and flipped the dial (back when TVs actually had dials) to watch our favorite shows in grainy, blurry, black and white.
Although some shows were focused on adults and grown-up interests, almost all were kid friendly and many were aimed just at us. We had our early favorites: Howdy Doody, Captain Kangaroo, and the blockbuster show no one would ever miss, The Mickey Mouse Club. Who can forget waiting with excited anticipation for “Anything Can Happen Day” or the latest adventures taking place at the Triple R Ranch with Spin and Marty?
The family sitcom shows were just as great. The kids would generally experience a problem at school, or with a friend, or endure some type of crisis of conscience. But, just when the dramatic tension reached its zenith, Mom or Dad would step in and impart a valuable life lesson—resolving the situation over a plate of cookies and a glass of milk.
No question that there were plenty of social inequities back then and TV reflected these in the lack of people of color on the screen. Families came only in one way: a wise (but sometimes goofy) dad, the ever-nurturing mom who happily dusted the house in her shirtwaist and pearls, and two or three well-adjusted kids.
However, as trite and role restrictive as these shows often were, they did try to provide us boomers kids with some positive messages about how to live productive and happy lives. I realize I’m sounding old, but looking at the reality fare out there today, what kinds of messages are children getting now? I wonder what Father Knows Best or Donna Reed might say about The Bad Girls Club or Jersey Shore?
Considering the “reality” being displayed in reality shows of today, I’ve just developed a hankering for a plate of cookies, a glass of milk, and some words of wisdom from Mom and Dad.
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October 12th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Yeah I miss those shows. I’m a late ‘boomer’ but I remember Lassy and who could forget the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights or Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom? Love that stuff. I stopped watching television news a long time ago… and I flip past the ‘reality’ junk. To me, reality is not putting a bunch of smart mouthed brats in a mansion and listening to their ignorant drama. That’s ‘un’ reality. Want some reality.. send a camera crew to my house.. and watch as I go to work each day and pay my bills and volunteer at my church and take my aging parents out to dinner. I agree though.. there needs to be more boomer images and portrayals on the small screen. And I mean more than Sam Waterston on Law and Order. Thanks Eileen.
October 11th, 2010 at 9:08 am
I would enjoy watching a new Golden Girls series – maybe the Midlife Gals could make this happen!
I would also love to see Lucy and Ethel amassing a serious collection of wine corks in a new I Love Lucy series.
Seriously, I was taught that if you envy the way a person’s life is going, duplicate what they are doing. That was the beauty of the old Leave It To Beaver type television programs. We watched and copied (the best we could) as we grew up – meals on the table… not so much vacuuming in pearls.
Were these programs stifling to women? Sometimes yes. But there were shining moments and I can’t say that June Cleaver and Donna Stone were doormats. They seemed smart to me.
Would I rather watch Donna Stone direct her husband and children through their daily lives than watch some of those Jersey shore nymphets do their ‘thang’? Oh yeah.
I would also like to see 50+ year old Donna and June navigate around the empty nest, go thru menopause, and figure out they were duped to believe a clean house would give them security.
Thanks again for the GREAT fun and informative, and thought provoking, post! LOVE reading your stuff!
September 29th, 2010 at 5:19 am
The Midlife Gals are television sluts. We LOVE, LOVE it, AND have fruitful, productive, happy lives. It’s possible to do both. AND, we want more boomer content on TV. As a matter of fact, we think we’re the next Golden Girls (on steroids) or Lucy and Ethel after Fred and Ricky have died under mysterious circumstances. We want our own sitcom on cable, where we can curse and misbehave and can the canned laughter. Spread the news!!
September 5th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
I certainly watched TV once upon a time, but stopped about 15 years ago. Ever read that book by Jerry Mander titled Kill your TV? I am a pacifist so I didn’t kill it, just stopped watching it.
I want my entertainment in real life and real time, not canned. And I don’t mean this comment as critical of your blog either. It’s just my own womanifesto.