What America Watched

Although television critics have often differed with the public with respect to the artistic and cultural merits of television programming, over the last half-century television has indubitably influenced popular culture and vice versa. No matter what reasons are cited--the characters, the actors, the plots, the music--television shows that were beloved by audiences in their time remain fondly remembered. This study covers the classic period of popular television shows from the 1960s through the 1990s, focusing on how regular viewers interacted with television shows on a personal level. Bridging popular and scholarly approaches, this book discovers what America actually watched and why through documents, footage, visits to filming locations, newspapers, and magazine articles from the shows' eras. The book features extensive notes and bibliography.

Marsha Ann Tate, Ph.D., is a central Pennsylvania-based freelance writer and college instructor. She lives in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface Part I. 1960s: Fun, Family, and Fantasy 1.-Only Yesterday 2.-The Mayberry Trilogy The Andy Griffith Show (1960-68) Mayberry R.F.D. (1968-71) Gomer Pyle, USMC (1964-69) 3.-Homespun Fun The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-71) Petticoat Junction (1963-70) Green Acres (1965-71) 4.-A Flurry of Fantasy Mister Ed (1961-66) Bewitched (1964-72) I Dream of Jeannie (1965-70) 5.-Cool Ghouls and Castaways The Addams Family (1964-66) The Munsters (1964-66) Gilligan's Island (1964-67) It's About Time (1966-67) Dark Shadows (1966-71) Part II. 1970s-90s: The Good, the Cunning, and the Clever 6.-Goodbye Hooterville, Hello Big City 7.-Murder, Mystery, and Intrigue The Magician (1973-74) Ellery Queen (1975-76) Murder, She Wrote (1984-96) 8.-Peacekeepers and P.I.s Nichols (1971-72) The Rockford Files (1974-80) Magnum P.I. (1980-88) MacGyver (1985-92) 9.-Television with a Twist Dark Shadows (1991) The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993-94) Stargate ­SG-1 (1997-2007) 10.-Same Place, Different Shows: A Quick Tour of Some Popular -Filming Locations Epilogue Chapter Notes Bibliography Index