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A lazy day of couch potato homeschooling turned into a beneficial learning experience that we have repeated many times.
We took a few hours to watch a TV show from every decade in the 20th Century starting in the 1940s.
After we watched the shows we discussed the different decades and the differences between each decade.
We looked at HIS Story of the 20th Century to choose movies that would dovetail nicely with the material covered in each decade.
Let me take you decade to decade with popular TV shows you can watch with your children. You can find these shows on Vid-Angel, Net-Flix, or Amazon Prime. Or you can start your own collection of historic TV shows on DVD.
Here are some of the shows we’ve really enjoyed.
1940s
Watching TV Shows from the 1940s is like stepping back in time. Here are some popular shows from the 1940s:
- Howdy Doody Show (1947-1950)
- Kukla, Fran, and Ollie (1947-1957)
- The Milton Berle Show (1948-1956)
- Candid Camera (1948-2004)
- Lone Ranger (1949-1957)
- Jackie Gleason Show (1949-1957)
You can step back in time and watch The Best of Howdy Doody on your own TV.
1950s
The 1950s introduced the family sitcom that remained popular through the rest of the century. We also saw the introduction of westerns and lawyer/crime drama.
Here are some shows that were popular in the 1950s:
- I Love Lucy (1951-1957)
- Gunsmoke (1955-1975)
- The Honeymoooners (1955-1956)
- Father Knows Best (1954-1960)
- Make Room for Daddy (1953-1957)
- Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963)
- Ozzie and Harriet (1952-1966)
- Perry Mason (1959-1963)
- Wagon Train (1957-1965)
- The Rifleman (1958-1965)
- Bonanza (1959-1973)
- Dobie Gillis (1959-1963)
- Maverick (1957-1962)
- The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966)
- Amos & Andy (1951-1960)
- George Burns & Gracie Allen Show (1950-1958)
- Maverick (1957-1962)
Click on the photos to purchase TV shows The Best of I Love Lucy and The Donna Reed Show at Amazon from the 1950s.
1960s
In the 1960s, family sitcoms, westerns, and lawyer/crime dramas remained popular. Some comedies in the 1960s were super-silly like The Beverly Hillbillies, Gilligan’s Island, and Get Smart. Medical dramas were introduced.
Here are some of the popular shows from the 1960s:
- Gunsmoke (1955-1975)
- Perry Mason (1957-1966)
- Bonanza (1959-1973)
- The Flinstones (1960-1966)
- My Three Sons (1960-1972)
- The Andy Griffin Show (1960-1966)
- Mister Ed (1961-1966)
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966)
- The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971)
- The Jetsons (1962-1987)
- McHale’s Navy (1962-1966)
- Petticoat Junction (1963-1970)
- My Favorite Martian (1963-1961)
- Gilligan’s Island (1964-1967)
- Daniel Boone (1964-1970)
- Flipper (1964-1967)
- Gomer Pyle, USMC (1964-1969)
- Get Smart (1965-1971)
- F Troop (1965-1957)
- Lost in Space (1965-1968)
- Hogan’s Heroes (1965-1970)
- Green Acres (1965-1971)
- Mission Impossible (1966-1973)
- That Girl (1966-1971)
- Family Affair (1966-1971)
- Batman (1966-1968)
- Adam-12 (1968-1975)
- Marcus Welby, MD (1969-1976)
You can click on the photos below to purchase these popular TV shows Flipper and Lost in Space from the 1960s at Amazon.
1970s
In the 1970s, family sitcoms, lawyer/crime/medical dramas remained popular. Detective shows and superpowered hero shows become popular like The Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman and Wonder Woman. You also have the addition of “mild” cursing in the shows and some situations that would be inappropriate.
Here are some shows that were popular in the 1970s
- The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978)
- Brady Bunch (1969-1974)
- Partridge Family (1970-1975)
- Marcus Welby, MD (1969-1976)
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977)
- Sanford and Son (1972-1977)
- The Waltons (1972-1981)
- Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978)
- Happy Days (1974-1984)
- Good Time (1974-1980)
- Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)
- Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979)
- Wonder Woman (1975-1979)
- The Jefferson (1975-1985)
- Charlie’s Angels (1975-1981)
- Bionic Woman (1976-1978)
- CHIPs (1977-1983)
- Different Strokes (1978-1986)
You can click on the photos below to purchase these popular TV shows Brady Bunch and Six Million Dollar Man from the 1970s at Amazon.
1980s
In the 1980s, family sitcoms, lawyer/crime/medical dramas, and detective shows remained popular. Family sitcoms were sometimes blended families or dysfunctional families. You also have the addition of cursing inappropriate situations in the 1980s. I would watch most of these shows with Clear Play or Vid-Angel.
Here are some popular shows from the 1980s:
- Knight Rider (1982-1986)
- Newhart (1982-1990)
- The Cosby Shows (1982-1993)
- The A-Team (1983-1987)
- Murder She Wrote (1984-1996)
- Highway to Heaven (1984-1989)
- Growing Pains (1985-1992)
- Alf (1986-1990)
- Full House (1987-1995)
- The Wonder Years (1988-1993)
You can click on the photos below to purchase these popular TV shows Full House and Alf from the 1980s at Amazon.
1990s
In the 1990s, family sitcoms, lawyer/crime/medical dramas, and detective shows remained popular. Family sitcoms were sometimes blended families or dysfunctional families. Cursing and inappropriate situations were much more mainstream in the 1990s TV shows. I would watch most of these shows with Clear Play or Vid-Angel.
Here are some popular shows from the 1990s:
- Full House (1987-1995)
- The Wonder Years (1988-1993)
- Fresh Prince of Be Air (1990-1996)
- Home Improvement (1991-1999)
- Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005)
You can click on the photos below to purchase these popular TV shows Home Improvement and Fresh Prince of Bel Air from the 1990s at Amazon.
I hope you enjoy this very different history lesson! I call it couch potato history.
Until next time, Happy Homeschooling!
Meredith Curtis
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