TV In The '60s: Three Channels, So Many Classic Shows

By | September 21, 2018

test article image
Rod Serling on 'The Twilight Zone;' Barbara Feldon and Don Adams on 'Get Smart.' Source: IMDB

In the 1960s, you didn't have the deluxe package of premium channels and six ESPNs and on-demand everything -- you had three channels and programming happened on a schedule. You didn't have DVR -- hell, the VCR wasn't even a consumer product yet. And even so -- the television was amazing. There's a reason so many '60s shows continued as re-runs for decades afterward. This was sharply-written, well conceived programming. Twilight Zone might stand as the best collection of writing in TV history, while Get Smart was satirizing popular cinema in real time. And was there a single character on Addams Family who wasn't portrayed perfectly? '60s television shows set a high bar for the entertainment that has followed since. Here's one fan's attempt at a shortlist -- what shows would you pick?

Ever heard of a talking horse? 

test article image
Mister Ed

There was one from 1961-1966 known as "Mister Ed” with Wilbur (played by Alan Young) as his owner. Quite a humorous sitcom about a man and his “talking” horse but, of course, Wilbur was the only one who could hear him talk. Whenever anyone else came around, he was just any other horse and would keep his mouth shut. The only time he would talk to someone else was on the phone or behind closed doors so they would not know it was a horse talking. Interesting to note though, how did Mister Ed dial the phone to call someone? Conveniently, that part was left out of the show and for the viewers to speculate on. Mister Ed would always have to get Wilber out of a situation that usually was originally caused by Mister Ed; but, of course, he was more than happy to oblige.