a while back, I did a top ten tv shows post, and it seems like people enjoyed that. It's been a while since then, and I've discovered a few more shows worth being on my top ten list. But, for now I decided to just do an updated version of this post with only old tv shows. So, if you know me, you'll probably be shocked to see that Psych is not on this list. Remember - this is my Top Ten (Old) TV Shows.
And now, time to tell you all about my favorite shows. (I'll try not to talk too much about the shows that were on my old list - click here if you want to read what I said about them before)
|| Father Knows Best {1954-60}
Yes, this is still my favorite TV show. I really don't think I'll ever find a show that could top this. Everything about it is simply amazing, but don't just take my word for it. watch this show! pleaaassseeee???
This was on the top of my last list, so I don't want to blab about it too much, but just a quick review of what it's about:
Robert Young and Jane Wyatt star as the parents of three children - Betty (Elinor Donahue), Bud (Billy Gray) and Kathy (Lauren Chapin). Father Knows Best was a family sitcom. Personally Bud is my favorite character, but every character in this show is lovable and believable. Jim and Margaret are probably the cutest parents I've ever seen in a tv show. And well, it's a great show and you should watch it if you haven't already. *winks* and if you have . . . re-watch it *laughs*
Random quote:
Bud: "You've been around so long and seen so much and done so much, and still manage to look so good."
Jim: "Thanks a lot!"
Bud: "I think you look real young. Honest. Younger than Joe Phillips' dad, younger than Claude Mesner's uncle, why even younger than..."
Jim: "Bud, before you have me back in kindergarten, see who's at the door, will you?"
Favorite Character:
Bud Anderson
|| Laramie {1959-63}
For years I've wanted to watch this show. And I mean years. Ever since I was putting together my top ten couples post a while back and LaKaysha was helping me. I needed a picture of a cowboy to be Tyrel Sackett and LaKaysha suddenly gasped, "I know who's Tyrel!! He's perfect!" and she found me a picture of Robert Fuller (the one on the right in the above picture). And that was the beginning of the end. Because just looook at him!! #swoonsville
I needed to know who this guy was and what he played in. So, I'd watch a few random episodes of Wagon Train (more about that show later) on YouTube, but I really wanted to watch the show he first played in: Laramie. All I really knew was that he was in it, co-starring with John Smith, and it was a Western that took place in the town of Laramie, Wyoming.
Finally my library bought the entire show. My sisters and I have been working our way through it and gaaaahhhhh I love it *dies* We are now on season two, but two episodes into the show I knew it would be my new favorite western *winks*
Here's basically what it's about:
Slim Sherman owns and runs a ranch/stage relay station. Living on the ranch with him is his younger brother Andy (Robert Crawford Jr. aka Bobby) and an old friend Jonesy (Hoagy Carmichael). Along comes the drifter, Jess Harper (Robert Fuller). I'm not gonna spoil the first episode for you, but Slim takes a liking to Jess and offers him a job on his ranch, which he accepts (obviously xP). These are the four main characters for the entire first season. By the second season, however, it is explained that Jonesy and Andy go off to St. Louis so that Andy could get an education in a school there.
With Andy and Jonesy gone, Jess and Slim have a hard time keeping up with the household chores, but have no fear, in the third season an old widow, Daisy Cooper (Spring Byington) and an orphan, Mike Williams (Dennis Holmes) come. Since I am only on the second season I don't know these two characters, but I am sure I will learn to love them just as much as I loved Jonesy and Andy.
This is your typical western tv show of it's time, with bad guys causing trouble and the good guys shutting them down, and looking adorable as they do it *winks*
I love the way Slim's and Jess's characters even each other out. With Jess's temper, he's always needing Slim to calm him down before he does something foolish. And with Slim's trustworthy personality, he always needs Jess to remind him that not everybody who wanders onto the ranch is good. I also love how close of friends they become. *hearts* and they're both good with kids, so there's that *winks*
Both Slim and Jess are really good guys, and even though I wanted to watch this show because of Jess (Robert Fuller xP) I can see how some people could have a hard time choosing a favorite of the two. If you've watched this show, let me know in the comments which of the two characters is your favorite. I think you know mine xP
Random quote:
Slim: "Andy, you're going to school and you're going to get smart!" *puts Andy on the stage*
Andy: "But I don't want to be smart! I want to be like you and Jess!"
guys. Jess's face is priceless. *still laughing*
Favorite Character:
Jess Harper
|| My Three Sons {1960-73}
This show I came across on a road trip. Watched it on tv in a motel somewhere. Enjoyed it so much that I came home and looked into trying to watch it. I realized that only the first two seasons were released on DVD and I heard they weren't planning on releasing any more. But guys. When I looked this up to find the years that it ran I found that they have been releasing more!! All the way up to season four is now on DVD! *laughs* it's ridiculous how excited I got when I found this.
Maybe now I can slowly watch the whole show. I know that I'd really enjoy the later seasons because that's what we watched on tv that one time.
Anyway, My Three Sons is another sitcom much like Father Knows Best. Widower Steve Douglas (Fred MacMurrey) raises three crazy sons, Mike (Tim Considine), Robbie (Don Grady), and Chip (Stanley Livingston), with the help of his father-in-law "Bub" (William Frawley). Though later on in the show "Bub" leaves and is replaced with Uncle Charley (William Demarest). Mike later marries and also leaves the show. To stay true to the title they take in another son - Ernie (Barry Livingston).
Later on in the show Robbie marries and has three sons of his own.
Also, I find it crazy that this show went on so long that even Chip marries! *cries because that means he grows up*
Random Quote:
Robbie: "Do I offend you?"
Favorite Character:
It's a toss up between Mike and Robbie Douglas xP
|| Wagon Train {1957-65}
ok, so this show - I haven't watched the whole thing. I actually haven't watched that many, come to think of it. But every episode I've ever seen has been great, and I love that I can always find one I've never watched, while still enjoying the ones I have.
The show is about a wagon train traveling West, with each episode being about the guest stars (oddly enough) But it works, because there is a regular cast - the wagon master, the scouts, the cook, ect. Each episode is about the wagon master bringing a different wagon train to California.
The first wagon master (seasons 1-4), Major Seth Adams (Ward Bond), was replaced by Chris Hale (John McIntire) when Bond passed away during the fourth season. I watch the later seasons, so Chris Hale is the wagon master I know and love *winks*. Though I have watched a few episodes with the Major. The assistant wagon master Bill Hawks was played by Terry Wilson, and he was one of the two characters who stuck around throughout the entire show. The other was Charlie Wooster (Frank McGrath), the cook.
There were two scouts in the show; Flint McCullough (Robert Horton - seasons 1-5) and Cooper Smith (Robert Fuller - seasons 7-8). Then there's Duke Shannon (Scott Miller - seasons 5-7), I think he may be a scout as well, though I don't know if he's ever actually called that.
Barnaby West (Michael Burns) is an assistant to everyone I guess, since he just runs around and does whatever he's told to do *laughs*.
There's not much else you can say about Wagon Train. Each episode is different, and each episode is entertaining. So watch it *winks*
Random Quote:
Chris Finley (Robert Fuller as a guest star before he was Coop): "What do you think love is, Evie? Something that you feel only when everything is convenient and easy? For better or worse. We both said that remember?"
Favorite Character:
Cooper Smith
|| Bonanza {1959-73}
Bonanza. The show I grew up watching. At home. At Grandpa and Grandma's. At the Ranch. It's not the greatest western ever made *hides from my family*, but it sure is nice to watch sometimes. Relive the memories.
It's a show centered around The Cartwrights. Ben, the father (Loreen Green), Adam (Pernell Roberts), Hoss (Dan Blocker), and Little Joe (Michael Landon). They have a ranch in Nevada called The Ponderosa. and basically that's it *laughs*
If you want to watch this show, do yourself a favor and only watch to season 6. Adam leaves after that, and I guess he was the one keeping all the yuckiness out of the show, because it just gets bleh after that *laughs*
Random Quote:
Ben to Hoss after finding him dunking Little Joe in the trough for not taking him seriously: "Maybe if you acted a little more seriously, people would take you a little more seriously!"
Favorite Character:
Adam Cartwright
|| Father Murphey {1981-83}
Now, this show I used to watch at my great-aunt and uncles. Not many people know about this show, probably since Little House on The Prairie did so well. But this show was also created by Michael Landon. It only ran for two seasons, which I think is so sad, but I guess Little House on the Prairie really just stole this shows thunder. *sniff*
In the Pilot of Father Murphey you see John Michael Murphey (Merlin Olson) team up with Moses Gage (Moses Gunn) to go find gold in California. Along the way they pick up an orphan, Will Adams (Timothy Gibbs). In the mining camp there's a teacher, Mae Woodward (Katherine Cannon). While all the children are at school getting ready for a party the mining camp is attacked and all the parents are killed, along with the priest. To keep the children out of a workhouse, Mr. Murphey, Miss Woodward, and Moses bring them to an old mine and open up an orphanage, where Mr. Murphey is forced to pretend to be a priest. (which is where the show gets it's name *winks*)
It's a great show, and I love the story. A lot of the children stay throughout the show, but I decided not to list them here, so you'll just have to watch this show to get to know them *winks*
Random Quote:
Moses while looking in the mirror: "Now who in tarnation would want a picture of that?"
Favorite Character:
Moses Gage
*The rest of the shows on this list were also on my old list, so I may not say much about them*
|| The Rifleman {1958-63}
The Rifleman is a western set in North Fork, New Mexico, where Lucas McCain (Chuck Conners) raises his son, Mark (Johnny Crawford), on his own. His good friend, Marshal Micah Torrance (Paul Fix) also helps with raising Mark.
I guess you could say this show is more on the "cheesy" side since it was more made for kids than most westerns of this time, but I still love it.
Random Quote:
Lucas: "Name callin's a handy thing for some, Mark. They smack a label on somebody or something and that's it as far as they're concerned. It's kind of a special way of hating because they don't take the trouble to understand."
Mark: "Well you have to put a label on some things, like say a pickle jar!"
Lucas: "That's right! But you be mighty sure there are pickles in that jar first! You see most times snap judgment can be cruel, son."
Favorite Character:
Micah Torrance
|| Hogan's Heroes {1965-71}
Now here's a great comedy. I may put up a fight when my family decides they want to watch Hogan's Heroes, but it never fails to make me smile. I do own the first season, so that says something *winks* (I've very picky about what books and movies I put in my collection)
It's World War II and Colonel Robert Hogan (Robert Crane) and his men are "stuck" in a POW camp, with Colonel Wilhelm Klink (Werner Klemperer) as their commandant, and Sergeant Hans Schultz (John Banner) as their guard. Hogan and his men have an underground world, unknown to the Nazis, which they use to help aid Allied espionage and sabotage, also helping Allied soldiers escape to England.
Besides Hogan there is, Carter (Larry Hovis) - American, Kinch (Ivan Dixon) - also American, LeBeau (Robert Clary) - French, and Newkirk (Richard Dawson) - English.
Random Quote:
General Burkhalter *trying to get rid of Hogan*: "Schultz, Colonel Hogan is leaving!"
Schultz: "Yeah? Goodbye." *shakes Hogan's hand*
Favorite Character:
Peter NewKirk
|| Leave it to Beaver {1957-63}
This show is super lame if you watch it right after watching Father Knows Best, but I watched it first, so I still have a soft spot for it. *winks*
Another family sitcom, Leave it to Beaver is about Ward and June Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont and Barbara Billingsley) raising their two sons Wally (Tony Dow) and Theodore aka "Beaver" (Jerry Mathers).
Random Quote:
Richard Rickover: "Hey, Beaver, your mom is ok. How did she ever get so pretty?"
Beaver: "I don't know. I think she was that way when my father got her."
Favorite Character:
Wally Cleaver
|| Road to Avonlea {1990-96}
The only reason this show is the last on my list is because it's newer than all the rest and it was on my last list. This show is one of my favorite shows of all time. I could re-watch this show a million times and I wouldn't care. xP it's just. so. good.
Road to Avonlea is a show more about the town of Avonlea than it is about the King family. There so many characters I could never list them all. (I looked this show up when writing this post and the character list goes on for yearrrrrrssss *laughs*) So I'll only list a "few".
The King Family:
Alec (Cedric Smith) and Janet King (Lally Cadeau) and their children Felicity (Gema Zamprogna), Felix (Zachary Bennett), Cecily (Harmony Cramp and Molly Atkinson), and Daniel (Alex and Ryan Floyd).
Hetty King (Jackie Burroughs)
Olivia King (Mag Ruffman)
Sara Stanley (Sarah Polley)
Andrew King (Joel Blake)
The Pettibone Family:
Clive Pettibone (David Fox) and his children Arthur (Zachary Ansley), Morgan (Mark Bigney and Toby Proctor), and Isolde "Izzy" (Heather Brown).
Other:
Gus Pike (Michael Mahonen)
Rachel Lynde (Patricia Hamilton)
Marilla Cuthbert (Colleen Dewhurst)
Muriel Stacy (Marilyn Lightstone)
And that list of character is already too long *laughs*
So, yeah, in case you didn't notice, this show is about the town Anne Of Green Gables takes place in. With a lot of the same characters. So if you loved those movies, you'll love getting to know the other people of Avonlea. *smiles*
Random Quote:
Gus Pike: "You're amazing, you know that?"
Favorite Character:
*mind blown from trying to pick a favorite*
I'll have to go with Izzy Pettibone . . . and also Gus Pike *laughs*
You watch this show and try to pick a favorite character xP
Do you agree with my list? Have you watched any of these great shows? Who agrees with me that old shows are the best? If you've watched any of these, I'd love to know your favorite character! Let me know in the comments!
Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! *blows kisses*
