how sad and bad and mad it was
but then, how it was sweet―Robert Browning
My nine-year-old is hooked on Gilligan’s Island.
I thought it was funny when I was a kid, I guess. I certainly watched a lot of it, on summer days and when I was home sick from school. You didn’t have a lot of choice, back then; I had channels 3, 6, 10, 12, 17, 23, 29 and 57. That was it. During the day at least half of those were judge shows, talk shows or soap operas. We all watched the same sitcoms; we all share that cultural heritage.
Back to Gilligan: the episodes drive me nuts now. I understand, rationally, that it’s an important device to drive the plot and keep them on the island, but good lord Gilligan is dumb. Maddeningly dumb. How could anyone so dumb be trusted with people’s lives on a tour ship? It was just a matter a time before the Minnow was lost.
To prove to the kids (and to my own memory) that not every show I liked as a child was insipid nonsense, I’ve been revisiting some on Netflix with them. (We have a Netflix streaming subscription as part of our participation in the Stream Team.) Right now, we’re making our way through The Wonder Years, which is just as funny and sweet as I recalled. Sometimes it’s really sad, too, something I don’t think I picked up then.
We’ve also made our way through Malcolm in the Middle, which is every bit as good as I remember if not even better. Cass discovered the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, The Smurfs and Garfield & Friends on her own (in my defense: I did not like any of those, myself. But Cass sure does.)
When we’re done with those, we’ve can stream:
- G.I. Joe
- Knight Rider
- MacGyver
- Quantum Leap
- Family Ties
- Mystery Science Theater 3000
- Transformers
- Jem and the Holograms
- Classic episodes of Sesame Street
You can also get Thundercats, The Greatest American Hero, Three’s Company, Wonder Woman, Perfect Strangers, Sledgehammer!, Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, The Cosby Show and The Tick on disc. Small Wonder is available too, if you wanted to check and see if it was as bizarre as you remembered.
Seriously, (cough other than Doctor Who and Sherlock), who needs cable? Netflix has everything I need except Bill Nye the Science Guy! (Hey Netflix, my birthday is in October, that would be the most awesome present ever!)
If you’re like me and filling the void until new episodes of Sherlock and Doctor Who start back up, or want to share those old favorites with your kids, or heck just want to rewatch them yourself— Netflix is offering one reader a three-month subscription! Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. You could totally make Shrinky Dinks or eat homemade Jell-o Pudding Pops while you’re at it (here”s the recipe).
I’ll choose a winner at noon on April 30th.
Obligatory nostalgic photo. I’m 12 or 13 here, my brother 5 or 6.
I go back a little further than you-Andy Griffith, The Munsters, The Mary Tyler Moore show
My little Margie
I like to watch I Love Lucy and the Munsters with my daughter
my mother the car
Simpsons, SNL, Full House…ha! Seinfeld, I’d just love to explore it!
The Andy Griffith show is one I like to watch.
the andy Griffith show
I love Lucy and The Andy Griffin Show!
How about Kids in the Hall or The State? Good laughs
I was a big fan of many of the shows you listed. I even watched some episodes of Quantum Leap recently. You have to add Saved by the Bell and The Fresh Prince to the list. Also loved the cartoons Strawberry shortcake, Rescue Rangers and Ducktales. Not sure if they’re on Netflix though.
I watched a lot of those too, on my black and white TV – hahahaha!! For my pick, I’ll go really obscure and say the Where’s Waldo cartoon from the 1990s, because I’m sure no one else will say that one. LOL!!
would love to see MacGyver again! you’re missing the cosby show
Your missing The Cosby Show and Family Matters.
My picks would be Father Knows Best, I Love Lucy and The Three Stooges.
I would love to watch the Cosby show, Thank you!
I would like to watch the Adams family and the Munsters.
We’d like to watch All in the Family & Mary Tyler Moore.
thank you
The A-Team! I loved Columbo too.
the adams family
Laverne and Shirley and Welcome Back Kotter.
My Favorite Martian
we’ve hopped down the rabbit hole of Dr. Who and Star Trek. The old Twilight Zones are something they’ve enjoyed as well.
Flipper and Lassie would be fun to watch with the kids.
I like the Andy Griffith show
I love watching Parks and Recreation and Drop Dead Diva.
Ooh! I forgot about the Wonder Years with my kids!
I would like to watch boy meets world and different strokes with my kids
Wonder Woman with Lynda Carter
I would like to watch The Munsters.
i would like to watch facts of life.
I would like to watch Lucy and The Adams Family. I loved these shows
I like the Magic School Bus
Don’t forget Buffy!
We love to watch Ant Farm.
Saturday night live
Wonder Woman
My youngest son would love to watch Thundercats. I watched it with my older kids when they were little.
use 2 like 2 watch the petticoat junction years ago and green acres
It would have to be Little House on the Prairie for me.
Full house was always a favorite of mine!
I enjoyed watching Saved by the Bell!
I like watching He-Man with my kids.
The Cosby show was a favorite of mine
We would watch boy meets world.
Some Alf and Saved by the bell
The adams family!
Punky Brewster
love watching the old Andy Griffith show
Buffy
Double Trouble and My Sister Sam.
I dream of Jeannie or Bewitched.
I loved The Cosby Show