Sorry for the day off folks, just needed a break.
I’ve been getting some interesting feedback from people with some very good questions about the blog’s purpose, how I will be covering various shows and so on. It occurs to me that maybe I have not done a good job of explaining what I am trying to do, so consider this post an attempt to do that now, equal part F.A.Q, equal part mission statement.
Firstly, my intent is to go through my DVD library show by show, episode by episode, in chronological order according to air date, discus the show, analyze, and, if it’s a stand alone or the last episode of a series, sort of sum up impact, place in history and things of that nature.
In so doing, I will also discuss trends in television as we go along, what the networks are doing, how television may be reflecting or impacting the culture of the United States. Nothing exists in a vacuum, so it makes sense to explore this aspect.
Now, a question I get a lot is “will you just do a complete run of a show before moving to the next one?” The answer is: only if I don’t have any shows that would require me to switch back and forth. It’s not going to happen too much until we get into the mid-50s, but I am also attempting to reconstruct how the shows were programmed as well, so some give and take is to be expected. So, one post may be on an episode of I Love Lucy, the next would be Gunsmoke, the next could be Adventures of Superman, it just depends on two factors: airdate and if I have it in my library to cover.
How will order work? I’ll be working off broadcast times from the East Coast of the United States to establish time and the best record of what I can dig up and cross reference for dates. If we have a case where a show is on opposite another show that I’m going to cover (this will happen a lot more as time goes on), it will go by origin of the network. For example, NBC was established first, followed by CBS, ABC, DuMont and so on. So the show that aired on NBC would be done first followed by the show from CBS or ABC. Same formula works for any permutation of the above. As for syndication, since there is rarely a set network for that, syndicated materials will be covered before network programming since there’s a reasonable degree of certainty that they were aired before prime time on the East Coast anyway.
Of course, what that also means is if I get a show on DVD that takes place during a period I’ve already covered, it means I’ll backtrack to cover that show before returning to where we are in the “timeline”, if you will. Want to be fair and inclusive to everything. Also, as I’ve said, my library is going to change over time as I add in shows here and there and depending on what’s released and, most importantly, what I can afford. I am, after all, currently in college working toward a degree in history education, which means I don’t get a lot of money, which means I may not always have something I want to or someone else may want me to cover. Be assured, I try to be aware of what’s out there and, if I can, I’ll get to it when money and time allow.
Another question I’ve gotten is what “counts” as a TV show. The answer, as far as I’m concerned is – anything broadcast on a television network, be it a sitcom, a drama, a news program, a sporting event or a movie. All I need is for it to be on DVD and to have an airdate with a reasonable degree of certainty and it’s in. This also holds true for Blu-Ray releases – right now, I only have a season of Star Trek, a season of Lost and a season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Blu-Ray, but they still count and I imagine there will be more in time.
So, the logical next question is what is off limits? Firstly, any show or program of any kind not on DVD. Can’t expect to talk about something I can’t expect the average person to have access to. Next, I’m leaning against anything of a religious nature. Don’t worry, movies like Jesus of Nazareth and shows like Touched by an Angel are safe, I’m talking about stuff like Bishop Fulton Sheen. While he was a major part about television, I’m not sure I could honestly discuss it fairly. I mean, what am I going to talk about, production values? I’m not a theologian, so I can’t speak to if someone like Sheen is “right” or “wrong”. For the same reason, I’ll try to avoid political hot buttons. I would love to do Person to Person, but that’s interviews, not always political. We’ll see about the McCarthy era stuff. Want to do it, but only if I can do it with a reasonable degree of detachment.
What about movies? Well, TV movies are fine and to be expected. As for theatrical movies rebroadcast on television, it’s case by case. If I can find a date when they aired (ex. a Disney movie as part of the Disney anthology series or an annual broadcast of Wizard of Oz), sure, that’s fine. But, unless it’s a one-shot or made-for network movie, cable stuff will probably be avoided. I mean, honestly, you really want me to discuss the 27th time HBO aired Revenge of the Nerds? I didn’t think so.
Sporting events work the same way. If I have a segment, a date and a channel, I’ll discuss it. So much the better if I have a complete broadcast of the event. I'm especially grateful that we're getting more of these from Major League Baseball and the National Football League. I already suggested I’d do boxing if I could find any matches and yes, this also includes professional wrestling too. It’s a staple of television as much as anything, so it only makes sense after all.
As we progress, stuff like network trends and television “seasons” will come into play and naturally, those too will be addressed. I’ll try to be aware of all things at all times, but if I miss something, don’t hesitate to call me on it. I have a comments section, don’t be afraid to use it and I don’t bite.
I think I’ve covered everything fairly well. As I said, feel free to ask if you have a question on something or just to engage in debate. That’s something else I’m hoping for is to increase awareness of these products and discussion of television and what was on it at the time.
Next time, we’ll be back on track with a look back at 1948 and 1949.
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