# Syrupy Nostalgia: What TV shows do you miss? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 28, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288 "2002-07-28T22:38:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/1 "2002-07-28T22:38:12Z")
So I’m flipping channels and come upon the last minute or so of an older episode of **Homicide: Life on the Street** and suddenly get one of those pangs of nostalgia. This was probably my favorite show of all time, TV at its finest (I don’t watch much TV). Gripping, interesting, long-lasting stories, and characters you actually related with and cared about. And more importantly, believed. The stories didn’t always wind up happily, and often times you were frustrated at the way things turned out (just like real life). But this is not an homage to **Homicide**. I just realized that i missed it. So what TV shows do you miss? Miss in the sense that each Friday or Tuesday or whatever it was a new show and you would get back with the characters you liked (or disliked). In other words, forget the fact that the show may be in syndication (I don’t have enough time/patience even now to sit through a rerun of a show). Go back to when it was new…and which ones do you miss? And why? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/2 "2002-07-29T01:37:24Z")
I miss **Sliders** …☹ (well, most of it. The third season that Sci-Fi made for it sucked (by third season I mean once Jerry O’Connel left.)) I also miss **Babylon 5**. I think re-runs are still on Sci-Fi, but I never get to see them since I pretty much never watch TV, and when I do, it is usually after 8 PM. ---
**Author:** ![Pink\_Pussycat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Pink\_Pussycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pink_Pussycat)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/3 "2002-07-29T02:41:25Z")
For now, I can only think of some childhood shows I really loved - _“H.R. Puffinstuff”_ and _“Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.”_ Very surreal shows! Oh, waitaminute, I also miss _“Night Gallery.”_ -pinky ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/4 "2002-07-29T05:31:10Z")
Hill Street Blues - I never missed an episode - interesting characters, great stories. I miss the entire Saturday night lineup on CBS when I was a kid - Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, All in the Family, The Carol Burnett Show. I know I’m missing one - unfortunately I can’t remember it. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/5 "2002-07-29T11:00:41Z")
**Twin Peaks** **Due South** **Cupid** ---
**Author:** ![WV\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@WV\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WV_Woman)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/6 "2002-07-29T11:09:49Z")
**Cheers** **The Wonder Years** **The Cosby Show** **Designing Women** ---
**Author:** ![Pink\_Pussycat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Pink\_Pussycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pink_Pussycat)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/7 "2002-07-29T13:11:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WV\_Woman \* > \*\ ***Cheers** > **The Wonder Years** > **The Cosby Show** > **Designing Women** \*\* Good news for you, WV\_Woman, you can still see all these shows on _Lifetime_ and _Nick at Night_! (Unless you’re wanting to see NEW episodes, in which case, can’t help you there.) -p. ---
**Author:** ![Skewbald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Skewbald](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skewbald)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/8 "2002-07-29T13:16:00Z")
I really miss **Northern Exposure** , that was a special show. Also **Freaks & Geeks** and **Fraggle Rock**. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/9 "2002-07-29T19:09:09Z")
**Mork and Mindy** (the first season and a little of the third season only. No sane person misses the second season with the boring deli-owner, his boring sister and Mindy’s boring congressman(?) cousin. It’s been rumored (and I’ve verified) that the second season was a plot by Cthulhu to _destroy the minds of mankind!_ :eek: ) **Misfits of Science**. Yes. I know it sucked. I don’t care. I liked it despite it’s suckage. **Land of the Lost** , back when David Gerrold, Ursula K. LeGuin(??), Larry Niven(!) and other real science fiction writers were writng scripts for it (first season only) **Star Trek** : the **REAL** Trek, with flawed, human characters (as opposed to the smarmy more-enlightened-than-thou paragons of virtue and smugness from Next Gen) who quibbled, had weaknessess and had Klingons who didn’t look like they’d had lobster tails surgically implanted under their scalps) and scripts by REAL S.F. writers: David Gerrold, Theodore Sturgeon, Robert Bloch, etc. Sigh… Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Doubting\_Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@Doubting\_Robert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doubting_Robert)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/10 "2002-07-29T19:38:01Z")
Northern Exposure Picket Fences Alien Nation Quantum Leap Herman’s Head Werewolf (especially the earlier ones) Due South Sliders Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Is that eclectic enough? I’m sure I will be reminded of more when other people post to this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/11 "2002-07-29T20:23:43Z")
\*\*Batman: The Animated Series Animaniacs Freakazoid\*\* You know, the good cartoons they _used_ to show on the WB before the Pokemon infestation … ☹ **Highlander** Alas for the loss of the sword-fighting goodness. Alas for the loss of the handsome men. Oh yeah, and they used to put **Monty Python’s Flying Circus** on at 10 or 11 pm on my old PBS station. The don’t anymore. Jerks. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/12 "2002-07-30T00:56:53Z")
**St. Elsewhere** - In high school, watching this show was the undisputed high point of each week! **Cheers** **High Incident** **Leap of Faith** - this one was never given a decent chance. Weren’t there only four episodes? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/13 "2002-07-30T02:06:32Z")
**Mystery Science Theater 3000** - new episodes, that is. ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/14 "2002-07-30T02:36:40Z")
**Fame** - I know, I know - but I liked it anyway, OK? **Fast Forward** - at least I think that was the name - it was a science a technology show with a smart, but goofy, host. **Thirty-Something** - again, I know, I know - but I had a very, very close boyfriend at the time who really loved this show and we’d wathc it every week. **Mr. Wizard** - what can I say, I’ve always been a science geek - I’ve been watching **Nova** on PBS since its first season. ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/15 "2002-07-30T02:39:55Z")
**Salute Your Shorts** **Family Ties** **The Wonder Years** **Full House** – wow, did I just say that? **Sisters** and last, but not least **Once And Again** ABC sucks. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/16 "2002-07-30T03:43:49Z")
All right, how about these: **Tales of the Gold Monkey** Indiana Jones-type adventures in the South Seas. With Stephen Collins as the clean-cut hero, and Roddy McDowall as Bon Chance Louie. Another one here whose title escapes me. I thought it was “Ghost Chasers” or “Ghost Hunters” but the IMDB didn’t strike gold. It was another short-lived show that attempted to ride the coattails of “Ghostbusters.” I actually taped a few of the shows. It was silly, but I’m still wishing I could see it again. **Magnum PI** Never mind the final sucky season. I caught the previous two seasons and got hooked on it. The stories varied from serious to silly, and the second bananas got a chance to shine from time to time. Yeah, I could do with a Magnum movie. ---
**Author:** ![Baraqiyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@Baraqiyal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baraqiyal)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/17 "2002-07-30T04:31:18Z")
**Siskel and Ebert** because Siskel was Ebert’s equal in every way, and the tension caused by both of them thinking they were the better made it a great show. **Nowhere Man** just because it was original an unpredictable. ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/18 "2002-07-30T05:32:56Z")
**Dallas** - man, I loved that show. J.R. was one of my favorite villains. **Tonight Show with Johnny Carson** - I enjoy Leno, definitely prefer him over Letterman, but nobody compares to Carson. Sheri ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/19 "2002-07-30T06:46:41Z")
**Pink Pussycat** , I have some old episodes of H.R. Puffinstuff! I loved that show as a kid, and it’s even better with psychotropic substances, which I’m sure had something to do with it’s creation. My favourite bit is when the little townspeople are holding a hippie/anarchist demonstation, and chanting _“More Candy! No Work! More Candy! No Work!”_ The movie doesn’t hold a candle. (Got that too, though.) As for more recent shows, I really miss the late-eighties/early nineties sketch comedy show, [_Codco_](http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/C/htmlC/codco/codco.htm). Codco restored my shattered faith in television. It was funny as hell, but it was _smart_, too. (And I still have a mega-crush on [Cathy Jones](http://staging.snapmedia.com/openmike/vault/481/Wednesdayimage0.jpg)). The problem with nostalgia is it isn’t _really_ nostalgia until you get all maudlin and weepy. Thinking of [Tommy Sexton](http://www.nfb.ca/tommy/) does the trick for me. It sounds _cliche_, but he really felt like family. So bright. ---
**Author:** ![blinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@blinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinx)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288/20 "2002-07-30T07:04:02Z")
I’m afraid I’m not old enough to miss any of those classic shows 🙂 **Popular** (mmmh… Carly Pope) **Dark Angel** (mmmh… Jessica Alba) 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrupy-nostalgia-what-tv-shows-do-you-miss/121288.md?page=2)