Growing up, I heard my parents and other adults drop references to what they called “the golden age of television.” I never really understood, or even cared, what that meant or what they were referring to. Decades later, I still had no idea what this “age” was that they were talking about or what television shows were included. At my current age, I have likely forgotten more things than I will ever remember, but the phrase “golden age of television” stayed in my brain all those many years. So much so that I actually used the term a few years ago in reference to the current offering of shows on the television … and other devices.
My wife, daughter and I have always enjoyed watching television. My wife and I usually watch television together. While we don’t always like the same shows, there are many that appeal to both of us. Our daughter, obviously, has her own interests. Most don’t align with her parents, but she still would share with us what she happened to be watching on her laptop, iPad, Kindle or phone. Rarely, but sometimes, we would all watch something together. The advent of streaming opened a floodgate of possible choices, and we continuously were on the lookout for the next good program.
At some point while scrolling through one streaming service or another, I began to realize that almost all of the shows that we had recently watched were, for the most part, very good. It was then that I uttered to my wife that we were living in “the golden age of television.” She laughed. Rightly so. It seemed ridiculous. As we continued to live our lives and watch more television, whenever we finished a series or streaming an original movie that we enjoyed, I would occasionally mention again that we were living in a golden age of television. It became a running joke for quite a while. Then, out of the blue, she began agreeing with me. She mentioned my opinion on the quality of television to friends and after a chuckle and some deeper consideration, some of them began to agree with my assessment of the entertainment industry.
The “original” golden age of television is commonly considered to be between 1947 and 1960. This period included early anthologies such as Kraft Television Theater and The Philco Television Playhouse. Also prevalent were telecasts of Shakespeare plays, opera and ballet. This period ended with the dominance of a new network model that included more sitcoms and westerns.
The current golden age of television, in my opinion, first began with the rise of HBO and the organized crime drama The Sopranos. Highlighting the trials and tribulations of mob boss Tony Soprano, what made this show unique and important is that it played the long game with character development, exploring the main character’s struggle with balancing his job as a crime boss and being a family man, while also attending psychology therapy sessions. HBO, since it was not an “over-the-air” network, was able to push boundaries with regard to violence, language, and sexual content that would have been unacceptable on the traditional big three networks of ABC, CBS and NBC. Later great shows that followed The Sopranos model were The West Wing, The Wire, and Deadwood, all of which debuted before 2005.
As streaming options expanded and competition for viewers and subscribers became more heated, an increase in quality programming followed. Among these are considered some the greatest television shows of modern times. They include the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, small-town football in Friday Night Lights, advertising-centric Mad Men, drug-riddled Breaking Bad, zombie drama The Walking Dead, cultural touchstone Game of Thrones, Vikings, and my personal favorite, the strange and thoughtful world of Bojack Horseman.
More recent shows that I have enjoyed include Succession, Better Call Saul, The Queen’s Gambit, 3 Body Problem, Watchmen, What We Do in the Shadows, Slow Horses, Killing Eve, Hacks, Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Lessons in Chemistry, and Fargo. I highly recommend all of them, although not all may be age-appropriate for some of the younger members of the household.
Me and the family are currently in the process of watching Cobra Kai, Outer Banks, Reacher, Severance, and The Diplomat. There are many more on my “to-watch” list that I just haven’t had the time to start. To me, that is the defining characteristic of “the golden age of television”… so many good shows that I don’t have time to watch them all!
Of course, my taste in television may not be the same as yours, but if you put in some effort scrolling through your TV show options, I am quite sure that you, too, can find some thoughtful and entertaining fare to take your mind off real life for a while. n
