by Patricia Albers

Created on: June 01, 2009

Family life and TV entertainment were major parts of American culture in the 1960's. TV was a sign of the new prosperity in our country and it brought families together to share time at the end of the day. Family life was all about sharing and doing things together so it was natural that watching TV together as a family became a national pastime. Family dramas on TV were favorites they let us put our lives aside for a time and step into the lives and dramas of other families.

The 1960's were a time of change for America; the Vietnam War, protesting students, man walking on the moon and rapid advances in technology were making the headlines. People needed to have something that would keep them grounded and bring comfort and good times to their lives and watching TV shows with a family theme helped them to do that. TV had something for everyone weekly episodes gave everyone the chance to identify with a major character. It was a cultural wonderland!

Almost every family situation imaginable existed on TV in the 1960's; American culture was reflected in the themes of popular shows. The divorce rate was rapidly rising in our country and single fatherhood was becoming a reality. Shows like Bonanza, My Three Sons, and Flipper showcased the adventures of a single father and his children. Alternative family types were represented by shows like the classic Andy Griffith Show, which featured Aunt Bea in place of a deceased mother. Of course, there were also the traditional families like Leave it to Beaver and the Dick Van Dyke show. They all had something in common; they were learning adventures. The grownups learned from the grownups, the kids learned from the kids, and every generation was part of the experience. Family dramas were a classroom brought to life in our own living rooms.

The experience of watching TV family dramas didn't stop at the end of the show, either. Many viewers had good times the next day reviewing and talking about the shows they watched the night before. It was a phenomenon of the 1960's to be totally immersed in TV shows and characters and TV Guide was one of the biggest selling magazines. It was the Golden Age for family TV.

The best part is that we can relive the experience today; all we have to do is tune in to TV Land. Try watching a few episodes of one of the popular family dramas from the 1960's the plots and storylines are top quality and are still great entertainment today. So, the next time the kids don't know what to watch, tune in to 60's TV it can be just the answer you're looking for.

Works Cited:

Goodale, Gloria. Christian Science Monitor; 5/29/98.

http://classic-tv.com/1960sShows.html

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