While television is primarily about entertaining, numerous shows have left an indelible impression on consumers. Television series that explored new ideas or forecasted future technologies had mixed reactions, but in retrospect, they typically stand out as innovators of the small screen. The fact that networks have subsequentlyrebooted previous series, particularly in the last several years, is a great tribute to how progressive many shows were for their time.
Consequently, it’s simple to observe how former successful television series inspired the shows we still see on TV and different streaming applications today. Not only did television give audiences honest dialogues that were indicative of the time period they aired in, but it also provided networks with clear guidance on what kind of programming viewers felt reflected and understood them. These shows were significantly ahead of the pack in terms of storytelling, genre, quality, and concept, and they are well worth seeing. Here are some examples of television shows that were far ahead of their time
13Family Matters (1989)
APerfect Strangersspin-off,Family Matterscenters on the Winslow family, a Black middle-class family from Chicago, Illinois. The geeky Winslows' neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White), who was initially intended to appear in a one-time role, was first presented to the audience halfway through the first season. Yet after joining the cast, he immediately emerged as the show’s standout character (and eventually its main protagonist).Family Mattersaired for nine seasons, behind onlyThe Jeffersonsas the second-longest-running live-action American sitcom with a primarily African-American cast. The show dealt with touchy subjects including race, religion, adolescence, family strife, and more.
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12The Degrassi Franchise (1987)
TheDegrassiseries actually started in 1979 withThe Kids of Degrassi Street, but as that program isn’t regarded as belonging to the same canon, it wasDegrassi Junior High, released in 1987, that really set the trend. Despite a ten-year gap betweenDegrassi Highand the revival ofDegrassi: The Next Generation, little is altered about the ongoing series. The goal of the show was always to depict teens dealing with both tough and commonplace situations, such as sex, drugs, violence, family conflicts, bullying, and many other things. Many of the topics are ageless as seen by the fact that the franchise is still active today (it is now available on Netflix in its fourth installment,Degrassi: Next Class). Nobody does it as well asDegrassidoes.
11The Golden Girls (1985)
Susan Harris developed the comedyThe Golden Girls, which ran for seven seasonsand 180 episodesfrom 1985 to 1992. The program centers on four elderly women who live together in a Miami, Florida, residence and features an ensemble cast that includes Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty. Over most of its time airing,The Golden Girlsearned favorable reviews and won several honors, including two Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Comedy Series. In addition, it received three Golden Globe Awards. Each of the four stars also won an Emmy, making it one of just four sitcoms in award show history to accomplish this. InThe Golden Girls, real-world topics including aging, sexual orientation, and harassment were addressed in episodes.
10Maude (1972)
Maude, anAll in the Familyspin-off, set a new standard for women’s independence. Bea Arthur portrays Maude Findlay inMaude, a politically liberal, outspoken middle-aged lady, who lives in a suburban area of Tuckahoe, New York, with her fourth husband, Walter Findlay (Bill Macy), who runs a home appliance business. Maude always casts her ballot for Democratic Party candidates and supports racial and gender equality as well as civil rights. Nonetheless, she frequently gets into difficulties while discussing these concerns due to her sometimes aggressive and bossy nature. The series changed the way many women viewed their rights and freedoms.
9All in the Family (1971)
From 1971 to 1979, there were nine seasons of the comedyAll in the Family. OnceAll in the Familyended,Archie Bunker’s Placecontinued the story for four more seasons, ending in 1983.All in the Family, which featured Carroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers, and Rob Reiner, was based on the British comedyTill Death Us Do Part.All in the Familytells the story of the life of a working-class guy and his family. It was innovative in handling topics previously deemed inappropriate for a US network television comedy, including racial discrimination, anti-Semitism, infidelity, homosexuality, women’s liberation, rape, religion, miscarriages, abortion, breast cancer, the Vietnam War, menopause, and impotence. The series rose to prominence as one of television’s most important comic shows, opening the door for later sitcoms to incorporate more dramatic scenes and genuine tensions.
8Turn-On (1969)
Turn-Onwas asketch comedy seriesthat cleverly envisioned a post-modern television aesthetic with cluttered overlay imagery, quick cuts, thought-provoking ideas, and progressive issues. Teresa Graves, Hamilton Camp, and Chuck McCann were members of the cast. Tim Conway served as the inaugural episode’s guest host and took part in a few skits as well.Turn-Ondid not survive after the 1969 airing of its debut episode. And because it was so far ahead of its time, it would live in dishonor as one of the few television programs in history to be canceled before it had ever finished showing! Indeed, a campaign to cancel the show was organized by a network station in Cleveland, perMeTV.
7He & She (1967)
The 1967 showHe & Shetook creative risks. The comedy is recognized for paving the way for 1970s classics likeThe Mary Tyler Moore Show, sharing many of its fundamental ideas with that program.He & Shewas a show about a television producer (played by Richard Benjamin), akin toThe Dick Van Dyke Show, who created a superhero show within a show calledJetman. Paula Prentiss, who is married to Benjamin in real life, played opposite him as his wife, a social worker. Allan Burns, who would later developThe Mary Tyler Moore Show, received one of the several Emmy nods forHe & She.
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6N.Y.P.D. (1967)
There was the police crime drama television seriesN.Y.P.D., which aired decades before popular shows likeNYPD BlueandHomicide: Life on the Streets. The show ran half-hour episodes that told stories of the 1960s New York City Police Department. Three New York police detectives who battle a variety of crimes and criminals are the focus of theN.Y.P.D.program. Jack Warden portrayed Lt. Mike Haines, Robert Hooks, who made headlines by portraying an African-American investigator, played Detective Jeff Ward, and Frank Converse portrayed Detective Johnny Corso. Along with episodes based on real New York City police cases, the show uses several real New York City locales. TheN.Y.P.D.scripts used actors of various races that would not often be seen on American network television for many years.
5The Star Trek Franchise (1966)
Gene Roddenberry is the creator of the science fiction media brand known asStar Trek. It debuted with the namesake television series in the 1960s and soon gained popularity around the globe. The franchise has grown to include a number of movies, TV shows, video games, novels, and comic comics. It is one of the most well-known andhighest-grossing media franchises everwith an estimated $10.6 billion in revenue.
No television program compares toStar Trekwhen it comes to cutting-edge technology, butStar Trekalso pioneered on other fronts. Captain Kirk and Uhura shared one of the first interracial kisses ever depicted on American television in the original series, just one of several times in which the show’s creator used political commentary.
4Slattery’s People (1964)
The introduction ofSlattery’s People, a drama about neighborhood politics, opened each episode with, “Democracy is a very bad form of government. But I ask you never to forget: All the others are so much worse.” James Slattery, an honorable state politician, was portrayed by actor Richard Crenna, who is arguably best remembered for his subsequent work in the Rambo film series. Ed Asner and Tol Avery also appeared in the series.
James E. Moser, the program’s creator, spent nine months researching the legislative procedure in Sacramento, California, the location of the series, which earned the show accolades for its realism from American legislators. A television series focused on the inner workings of the judicial system had never been attempted prior to this and the series would pave the way for future law shows to emerge. Gaining further accolades, a Golden Globe Award nomination was made forSlattery’s People.
