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World-Changing TV
Mental Floss, a great site for random information, recently presented its list of 10 TV Shows That Changed the World. When you look at the list provided, I think the writer makes some very good choices for shows that changed world history, such as General Electric Theater with Ronald Reagan as host.
Which series do you think changed the world? And do you think there are any shows today which might be influential as more than just entertainment.
Off the top of my head, 24, with its take on terrorism, the presidency and anti-terror tactics might join this list one day. What do you think?
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TVGuide Links:
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Mar 25, 2008 4:40 PM
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David, your link doesn't work for me and I would love to read it. I'll try later.
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Mar 25, 2008 5:19 PM
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Whoa. I think I broke it (man, I hope the Pottery Barn rule doesn't apply). 
Seriously though, I think the site's down. Tried to Google it and those links are broken too. The page was Dugg, so that might be doing it.
I've got to go now, but I'll check later and see if I can't reproduce for you.
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Mar 25, 2008 5:36 PM
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What is interesting about the list is the wide variety of shows. That's the first time I heard that about Dallas - how fascinating. I am not at all surprised about The Smother's Brothers Comedy Hour. I remember watching that show with a sense I was seeing something so different it would never go back to the way it used to be. Of course it gave us Steve Martin and Rob Reiner as writers who went on to do so much more. It has incredible musical performances by no less than The Doors, Cream (yowza!!), Jefferson Airplane and The Who with Keith Moon's exploding drum. It was my favorite show as a teenager and my favorite segment was the Tea with Goldie. I will never forget it.
Talk about Big Brother - CBS's enforced rules and censorship killed the show with their fascist tactics. Can you tell I'm a child of the 60's? The Smother's Brothers Comedy Hour was a show for my generation - and Lyndon Johnson hated it. Good.
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Mar 25, 2008 11:31 PM
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Glad to see the link's back. Phew! I think it's an interesting list of shows and certainly a hard one to argue with. I vaguely remember the Smothers Brothers and liked it a lot. I didn't always get the political humor, but I enjoyed the brotherly dynamic. I suspect there's other stories like this out there, but it's great to think that there's a chance that some program, just by its existence will change the world we live in.
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Mar 26, 2008 12:20 AM
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What a great article, David. I had expected a list that included shows like Room 222, but this list was not only different but also noble, in a way. I knew about Dr. King and Lt. Uhura, but the rest were all new to me. Except David Attenborough; I used to watch both Life on Earth and The Living Planet in my high school Environmental Science class (my teacher was a big fan). Thanks for sharing it!
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Mar 26, 2008 7:45 AM
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That was an interesting read. Thanks for the link.
With Dallas as the first listing, I thought that I surely had misunderstood something. Reading it cleared up my misconception.
Off the top of my head nothing that I am currently watching seems to have the power to change much of anything but, I could be wrong.
Thanks again.
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Mar 26, 2008 6:33 PM
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