Retro TV Channels: ”The Good Old Days of Television”

[chessiegal]

Damn! MeTV has taken Bob Newhart, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Taxi out of the early Monday morning broadcast. How dare they!!!

[Kemper]

I sure could do without all the westerns on these channels.  I grew up with them...my mother loved them.  It could be worse, I guess.  Full House would be worse.  At least with some of the westerns, you can catch some genuine movie stars when they were just starting out.  There is a channel..I think it is Comet...that shows the cheesiest horror movies I have ever seen.  Love some of the detective shows from the 60s and early 70's.  77 Sunset Strip; there was one called Roaring Twenties with Dorothy Provine as a nightclub singer..some others that I can't recall right now.  I think one where the detectives lived on a houseboat; then Hawaiian Eye?  Was that the one with Connie Stevens as "Cricket"?  Also played a nightclub singer, I think.  These would be good after Petty Mason at night instead of Twilight Zone.

[Jaded]

1 hour ago, Kemper said:

I sure could do without all the westerns on these channels. 

I could do without them too. When they tried to move or remove any I've seen people having fits on their Facebook page. When Antenna TV changed their schedule at the beginning of the year there were people there having fits over them airing Murphy Brown because of her being a single Mom. 

[chessiegal]

I happened to be watching Decades this afternoon and saw they will be airing Mary Tyler Moore and Bob Newhart weekday afternoons. Yeah!

[Jaded]

I wish we would get Decades here. I doubt it will ever happen though.

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Jaded said:

I wish we would get Decades here. I doubt it will ever happen though.

You could maybe get a stronger antenna (assuming we are talking about over-the-air access).

[Tom Holmberg]

20 hours ago, Kemper said:

I sure could do without all the westerns on these channels.  I grew up with them...my mother loved them.  It could be worse, I guess.  Full House would be worse.  At least with some of the westerns, you can catch some genuine movie stars when they were just starting out.  There is a channel..I think it is Comet...that shows the cheesiest horror movies I have ever seen.  Love some of the detective shows from the 60s and early 70's.  77 Sunset Strip; there was one called Roaring Twenties with Dorothy Provine as a nightclub singer..some others that I can't recall right now.  I think one where the detectives lived on a houseboat; then Hawaiian Eye?  Was that the one with Connie Stevens as "Cricket"?  Also played a nightclub singer, I think.  These would be good after Petty Mason at night instead of Twilight Zone.

 

"Have Gun, Will Travel" holds up well and "The Rifleman" is watchable, if awfully improbable.  The hour-long westerns are hard to watch (not to mention the hour and a half episodes of "Wagon Train"), even "Bonanza" which I liked at the time.  The half-hour "Gunsmoke" episodes are easier to watch that the hour-long.

Actually, I wish they'd bring back the half-hour drama. The tighter writing improves the shows (e.g., the half-hour "Twilight Zone" and "Alfred Hitchcock" episodes, compared to the hour-long).

[bad things are bad]

3 hours ago, Tom Holmberg said:

I sure could do without all the westerns on these channels

My recently retired husband would freak out if they took them off. However, maybe then he'd get some work done around the house :)

[Blergh]

On 3/11/2018 at 10:14 AM, chessiegal said:

Damn! MeTV has taken Bob Newhart, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Taxi out of the early Monday morning broadcast. How dare they!!!

Yeah, a new generation was  discovering the coolness of the late Suzanne Pleshette and they had just started MTM's First Season just weeks before . Not to mention we're having to scramble to surf all over again just to keep from being bored to death from Sunday night programming. Just BOO!

[Tom Holmberg]

ME-TV will start showing "WKRP in Cincinnati" again in April, apparently replacing "Mama's Family" (a show I never cared for, even when it was the Carol Burnett Show skits).  https://www.metv.com/stories/wkrp-in-cincinnati-joins-the-metv-weeknight-schedule-beginning-april-2

I would wish they will include the original music, but I'm sure they won't.

Edited March 21, 2018 by Tom Holmberg
Added information and opinion :)

[friendperidot]

Booger! Caught the first episode tonight. I have really missed the mighty 'KRP! But sadly, the only music that appeared original was the Mormon Hallelujah  Choir singing "Having My Baby."

[roseha]

For those who can get Youtube TV - which I currently use in place of cable, which I have dropped - Decades has just been added, so be sure to check it out.  I have put a series record on both of Bob Newhart's shows, YTTV has unlimited DVR (until it goes away after a period of months) and I have been binge watching Bob's first show quite pleasantly since I started Tivo-ing it over the air recently.

Edited April 5, 2018 by roseha

[chessiegal]

So - Decades decided to run regular CBS programming (The Talk, Dr. Phil, etc) instead of MTM, Bob Newhart. Blech!

[Tom Holmberg]

ME-TV will be showing the feature-length Rose Marie documentary 'Wait for Your Laugh' on Sunday, May 27, 11PM E, 10C

https://metv.com/stories/watch-the-wonderful-rose-marie-documentary-wait-for-your-laugh-on-metv-sunday-may-27

[Tom Holmberg]

Clint Walker, Star of TV's "Cheyenne" (and "The Dirty Dozen") dies at age 90. He and Chuck Connors should be noted for how often they managed to get out of their shirts on their TV shows.

http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/clint-walker-dead-dies-cheyenne-dirty-dozen-1202819083/

[Ohwell]

10 hours ago, Tom Holmberg said:

Clint Walker, Star of TV's "Cheyenne" (and "The Dirty Dozen") dies at age 90. He and Chuck Connors should be noted for how often they managed to get out of their shirts on their TV shows.

http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/clint-walker-dead-dies-cheyenne-dirty-dozen-1202819083/

Nooooo!  He was my childhood crush.  Those broad shoulders and that beautiful baritone voice.  This makes me so sad.

[Jaded]

Heroes & Icons decided to finally start airing some "new to their channel" shows. The problem is that they are going to air for 8 hrs straight one day a week starting on Monday the 28th. The ones that haven't aired before are Nash Bridges, Early Edition and JAG.




They're also going to start airing Relic Hunter from the 99' to 2002 that starred Tia Carrere tomorrow afternoon too. Looks like it will just be airing on Sundays.

http://www.heroesandiconstv.com/shows/relic-hunter

[Scout Finch]

Surprised to find that I'm really enjoying Our Miss Brooks on Decades. It really takes a lot to get a laugh out of me when I watch current sitcoms but despite this show's age, there are some genuinely funny moments.  

Edited July 3, 2018 by Scout Finch

[chessiegal]

8 hours ago, Scout Finch said:

Surprised to find that I'm really enjoying Our Miss Brooks on Decades. It really takes a lot to get a laugh out of me when I watch current sitcoms but despite this show's age, there are some genuinely funny moments.  

I remember watching it as a kid because my mother LOVED it.

[Tom Holmberg]

10 hours ago, Scout Finch said:

Surprised to find that I'm really enjoying Our Miss Brooks on Decades.

Eve Arden was the anti-Lucy.  Liked both shows, but "Our Miss Brooks" gets no credit nowadays (probably because it wasn't in permanent reruns since its original run). 

[Scout Finch]

I can't remember what I was reading recently that made it sound interesting but I'm glad I gave it a chance. I was thinking just this morning that she does remind me a little bit of Lucy but I prefer the snark and sarcasm of Eve Arden.

[opus]

Eve Arden cameoed on I Love Lucy once. Did Lucy ever return the favor?

[HyeChaps]

Lucy was guest star on The Jack Benny Show this morning; New Lucy with the pouffy hair and deeper voice. She was great, even though the material was not so funny by today’s standards. 

[Tom Holmberg]

On ‎7‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 12:27 PM, opus said:

Eve Arden cameoed on I Love Lucy once. Did Lucy ever return the favor?

According to IMDB she appeared on a few other sitcoms from the time, but not "Our Miss Brooks."  I'd like to see the "Make Room for Daddy" episode (Danny being his usual screamer and Lucy being her zany self seems like comedy gold).

Edited July 8, 2018 by Tom Holmberg

[shapeshifter]

On 5/26/2018 at 7:41 PM, Jaded said:

Heroes & Icons decided to finally start airing some "new to their channel" shows. The problem is that they are going to air for 8 hrs straight one day a week starting on Monday the 28th. The ones that haven't aired before are Nash Bridges, Early Edition and JAG. . . .

And now H&I is airing Numb3rs on Fridays Noon-8/11-7!
I hope they air the entire series. When it used to air on ION they didn't include some seasons.

Edited August 1, 2018 by shapeshifter
clarity

[Cobb Salad]

Decades is being replaced in September by StartTV, which will air dramas.  Checking their website it seems like it’s another Lifetime or Oxygen channel.  I like Decades, I’ll probably pass on this new channel.  

http://www.starttv.com

[HyeChaps]

!!!!! I am watching Mary Tyler Moore right now!

[Jaded]

1 hour ago, Cobb Salad said:

Decades is being replaced in September by StartTV, which will air dramas.  Checking their website it seems like it’s another Lifetime or Oxygen channel.  I like Decades, I’ll probably pass on this new channel.  

http://www.starttv.com

Here's an article explaining what @Cobb Salad is talking about. 
 

Quote

 

The new network will replace Decades, another Weigel-produced diginet, on most, but not all of the CBS O&Os. However, according to Weigel’s VP of Marketing Will Givens, Weigel remains committed to Decades and has already lined up new affiliates in Chicago, Los Angeles and elsewhere.

The CBS Television Stations carrying the new network are: WCBS New York, KCBS Los Angeles, WBBM Chicago, KYW Philadelphia, KTVT Dallas-Ft. Worth, KPIX San Francisco, WUPA Atlanta, WBZ Boston, KSTW Seattle, WTOG Tampa-St. Petersburg, WWJ Detroit, WCCO Minneapolis-St. Paul, WFOR Miami, KCNC Denver, KOVR Sacramento, KDKA Pittsburgh and WJZ Baltimore.

Start TV will also be seen on cable outlets in each of those markets.

Weigel Broadcasting-owned stations in St Louis; Cedar City, Utah; Milwaukee; Rockford, Ill.; and South Bend, Ind., will carry the Start TV Network.

Bahakel Communications will also be an initial launch group with affiliates in Charlotte, N.C.; Columbia, S.C.; and Montgomery, Ala. Combined, the Start TV Network will have 42% coverage of U.S. TV households at launch.

 

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, Jaded said:

5 hours ago, Cobb Salad said:

Decades is being replaced in September by StartTV, which will air dramas.  Checking their website it seems like it’s another Lifetime or Oxygen channel.  I like Decades, I’ll probably pass on this new channel.  

http://www.starttv.com

Here's an article explaining what @Cobb Salad is talking about. 

 

Quote

…Each of these acclaimed TV series is built around compelling female lead characters and portrayed by amazing award-winning actresses…

—includes The Closer, which I felt I could never watch too many times up until they stopped showing reruns on My50 when it became the CW—I wonder if I'll still feel the same way now.

And The Good Wife was a favorite, but I'm not sure I'd want to rewatch.
 

[chessiegal]

NOOOOO!!!!!! Do not take away my Mary Tyler Moore!!!

[kathyk24]

I'm so happy I'm going to watch Cold Case again! I haven't seen Profiler and Crossing Jordan in forever.

[jjj]

7 hours ago, Cobb Salad said:

Decades is being replaced in September by StartTV, which will air dramas.  Checking their website it seems like it’s another Lifetime or Oxygen channel.  I like Decades, I’ll probably pass on this new channel.  

Nooooo, I love the shows currently on Decades!  Right now, I am following "Family Affair", which I never saw when it ran originally, and most episodes surprise me with their array of topics and they way Brian Keith's character is written -- I know the show is available via streaming, but it is great to have it roll by on the television screen.  And "Newhart" early seasons are a treasure!  Oh, shoot.  

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

NOOOOO!!!!!! Do not take away my Mary Tyler Moore!!!

[jjj]

8 hours ago, Jaded said:

Here's an article explaining what @Cobb Salad is talking about. 
 

Oh, wow, if you want to see what a string of bot-generated "Comments" looks like, look at the comments for this article.  The first one looks legit, but all the others are the things that get sent to every blog.  But the article itself, so disappointing!  Those "woman-centric" dramas are a very mixed bag, some okay, some not.  Not a channel I will ever watch.  I guess it is possible that Decades will continue on some providers?  I can't really tell.  

Edited August 4, 2018 by jjj

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, jjj said:

12 hours ago, Jaded said:

Here's an article explaining what @Cobb Salad is talking about. 
 

Oh, wow, if you want to see what a strong of bot-generated "Comments" looks like, look at the comments for this article.  The first one looks legit, but all the others are the things that get sent to every blog.  .  

Here's the same article on what I believe (as a degreed academic librarian, FWIW, LOL) is the original platform: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/weigel-broadcasting-co-to-launch-new-start-tv-network-in-association-with-cbs-television-stations-300685969.html

I can't figure out what the revenue-generating model is behind those comments from east-Asian ESL writers on the tvnewscheck site. I'm sure it's some advertising revenue scheme, although I wish instead it was an assignment for English learners to post a blog comment, similar to the U.S. college assignments to post a Wikipedia article.

Anyway, I just caught a Dick Cavett interview with a 27-year-old Conan O'Brien on Decades. Get it while you can.
I guess.
It's not clear to me from the article that the Start TV station is replacing Decades.
Here in Chicagoland we have UToo at 48.1, The Jam at 48.2, regular CBS HD at 48.3 and at 2.1, and Decades at 48.4 and at 2.2.
So maybe Start TV will just be at 48.5 and 2.3 or something similar?
Maybe @chessiegal will still get her spunk fix from MTM?

Anyway, on Decades I just saw on the Ed Sullivan Show, Gary Pucket and the Union Gap doing a very abbreviated rendition of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," followed by a trained bear.

Edited August 4, 2018 by shapeshifter

[jjj]

38 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Here's the same article on what I believe (as a degreed academic librarian, FWIW, LOL) is the original platform: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/weigel-broadcasting-co-to-launch-new-start-tv-network-in-association-with-cbs-television-stations-300685969.html

It's not clear to me from the article that the Start TV station is replacing Decades.
Here in Chicagoland we have UToo at 48.1, The Jam at 48.2, regular CBS HD at 48.3 and at 2.1, and Decades at 48.4 and at 2.2

 

I also wondered what Start TV would be replacing -- the article originally link made a reference to it replacing Decades on CBS Television Stations -- I have no idea if my Decades channel is on that network system.  

Hey, I really appreciate having an MSLS librarian vetting the citations!!!  I read the more recent link you provided, and it was helpful, if not clear on the relationship to Decades TV.  But all fodder for this thread about ye olde tyme shows, for sure.  

Edited August 4, 2018 by jjj

[ratgirlagogo]

We don't get Decades through Charter Spectrum in NYC - so I don't know if we're going to get StartTV.   Those shows don't interest me - I either never liked them or watched them too recently.

The only Weigel stations we get are MeTV  and Heroes and Icons.  I love MeTV but Heroes and Icons broadcasts in this weird stretched/compressed format that drives me nuts - I hate having to keep correcting it on the remote.   

[Jaded]

I had been holding out hope for a long time that someone might finally pick up Decades here. StartTV will probably never make it to this area either. As far as retro channels go that are available here there's MeTV, Antenna TV and that movie channel This TV. U-verse carries MeTV and Antenna TV (before Antenna got here a couple years ago that one was This TV which moved down a slot and became unavailable) in their local lineup so I don't have to try to pick it up with an antenna. I was able to DVR episodes of some of the overnight shows until I had gone through all of their seasons which was nice. They carry Heroes & Icons as a national channel available to most of their TV subscribers. I might start watching H&I more since they've picked up some new for them shows that I never really watched previously. 

Sorry if posting that article with the spam in the comments was an issue. It was the one linked to as a source for the Decades wiki page concerning the carriage changes coming up and I didn't feel like looking for a better one at the time.

[jjj]

54 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Sorry if posting that article with the spam in the comments was an issue. It was the one linked to as a source for the Decades wiki page concerning the carriage changes coming up and I didn't feel like looking for a better one at the time.

Not a problem at all!  I was just fascinated by all the bot comments, and glad for the alert in the article. I hope Decades stays on the air.

[Cobb Salad]

It looks like per the article that Decades is still picking up affiliates even though many CBS O&O are airing Start TV.  Now I’m wondering if they’ll shop it to another channel around here in the NY/NJ area. 

My preference is for a channel with a wide variety of programming from over the years vs what this new channel offers - programming that’s been on other channels within the past number of years.  

I enjoyed the binges that Decades offered, I will miss them.  

[Kemper]

We get Metv and Cozi.  Then we get one that airs really terrible old horror movies.  Charge?  And then one called Comet.

[DXD526]

I can't tell from these articles if I'm going to lose Decades or not, but the prospect of it has me majorly bummed. I love Decades, half the stuff on my DVR is from Decades. No MTM, Newhart, Laugh-In, Dick Cavett or Ed Sullivan? No binge on the weekends? Say it ain't so. MAJORLY bummed. 

[Jaded]

7 minutes ago, DXD526 said:

I can't tell from these articles if I'm going to lose Decades or not, but the prospect of it has me majorly bummed. I love Decades, half the stuff on my DVR is from Decades. No MTM, Newhart, Laugh-In, Dick Cavett or Ed Sullivan? No binge on the weekends? Say it ain't so. MAJORLY bummed. 

You can look to see if your local channel is listed as one owned by CBS on the Decades wiki page where there's a list near the bottom.

[jjj]

50 minutes ago, Jaded said:

You can look to see if your local channel is listed as one owned by CBS on the Decades wiki page where there's a list near the bottom.

Major bummer -- Seattle is CBS-owned.  ??????

[ratgirlagogo]

9 hours ago, Kemper said:

We get Metv and Cozi.  Then we get one that airs really terrible old horror movies.  Charge?  And then one called Comet.

We get MeTV, Cozi, Antenna, GetTV, Movies!, and Heroes and Icons.  Terrible old horror movies?  Damn! I wish we got that one!  I also wish we got Comet because they have Mystery Science Theater 3000.

[Cobb Salad]

@ratgirlagogo,

Comet TV is available via their website for streaming for free. 

http://www.comettv.com

[Ohwell]

It's gotten to the point that I rarely watch my favorite old shows on the retro channels, because if I hear anymore talk about "final expenses," I'm gonna scream.

[ratgirlagogo]

13 hours ago, Cobb Salad said:

@ratgirlagogo,

Comet TV is available via their website for streaming for free. 

http://www.comettv.com

Thanks, that must be relatively recent, and probably the reason why they don't have MST3K on their schedule anymore.  :(

[Cobb Salad]

4 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

Thanks, that must be relatively recent, and probably the reason why they don't have MST3K on their schedule anymore.  :(

If you have an iPad/iPhone there is an app PlutoTV that has a channel for MS3TK that shows episodes all the time.   

[Tom Holmberg]

21 hours ago, Ohwell said:

if I hear anymore talk about "final expenses," I'm gonna scream.

I like that they think the people who watch the retro channels are on their last legs and have one foot in the grave already, what with all their moderate to severe ailments, lack of oxygen and fear of break-ins.

[shapeshifter]

11 minutes ago, Tom Holmberg said:

I like that they think the people who watch the retro channels are on their last legs and have one foot in the grave already, what with all their moderate to severe ailments, lack of oxygen and fear of break-ins.

Even more, they think the viewers are low hanging fruit for scams. If a woman can't afford a funeral, she needs to spend her limited resources on chocolate, not part of a casket. Just my opinion.