# TV Land sucks now **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829 "2009-05-18T06:06:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/21 "2009-05-18T22:32:53Z")
I thought they took it too far when they were showing Scrubs, but other than that, the Jeffersons, All in The Family, and even early Roseanne/Cosby are fine. These shows qualify as old, especially to the younger set, and I can understand them bringing new shows in after airing the stuff from the 50s/60s for so long. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/22 "2009-05-19T02:24:19Z")
I’ve never been much on watching TV but back in college (mid '80s to early '90s) I got absolutely hooked on Nick at Night. Donna Reed, Dobie Gillis, Patty Duke, and I’m pretty sure Addams Family, and Leave It to Beaver. If I were to ever want to watch me some classic TV, that’s what I would be expecting. NOT Cosby or Roseanne, or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/23 "2009-05-19T02:27:12Z")
Hell yeah, Patty Duke. I almost forgot about that show. She was one of my earliest crushes, and I really thought identical cousins were possible as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/24 "2009-05-19T02:42:00Z")
I hope this isn’t too much of a hijack, but the same thing annoys me on oldies radio. Fifteen-twenty years ago, I’d tune in to the oldies station to hear Del Shannon, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, etc. Now, “oldies” radio is Jackson Browne and Billy Joel. I enjoy that music too, but where can I go to hear The Everly Brothers, dammit?! Yeah, yeah, I know… iTunes. It’s not the same if you’re not surprised by it on the radio. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/25 "2009-05-19T02:44:51Z")
Yeah . . . “classic rock” stations played stuff 20-35 years old my whole life, and then all of the sudden in the late '90s they started playing Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam. Stuff that was maybe 5-6 years old at the time. It was a big WTF. I don’t listening to terrestrial radio anymore but you know I’m not even sure if Sirius has an “oldies” station or what they play. I should check on that. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/26 "2009-05-19T02:55:44Z")
Face it, campers, yer gettin’ old and either dying off or becoming a demo that is not swayed by advertisements for products you don’t already buy. Your parents suffered this 25 or 30 years ago, when all of the elevator music stations started playing Soft Rock. Few kids these days watch programs from before they were born, and many are actively turned off by B&W. And the young and early-middleaged ones want shows from when they were younger. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/27 "2009-05-19T03:15:15Z")
> [@5-4-Fighting](#): > > I agree with you all, but you gotta admit George Lopez should know he’s a luck son of a bitch. No doubt about that. Apparently, reruns of his show on Nick at Nite are getting ratings way better than expected. He’ll even be starring in his own Nick movie. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/28 "2009-05-19T05:33:02Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > I’m not even sure if Sirius has an “oldies” station or what they play. I should check on that. I’m not sure where they are on the Sirius side, but channels 4 - 9 on XM always corresponded with decades, 4 for 40s, 5 for 50s, 8 for 80s, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/29 "2009-05-19T05:35:42Z")
That’s awesome, I’ll check for it, thanks. I’d love to listen to some 40s music just for the fact that I know very, very little from that era, apart from Billie. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/30 "2009-05-19T05:36:50Z")
Here’s what I had to say in a thread about [del]MILF Island[/del] the Cougar a month or so ago. > [@MILF Island 4/15 On TV Land](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milf-island-4-15-on-tv-land/493216/2): > > What the [del]fuck[/del] heck happened to TVLand, anyway? Remember when they actually used to show classic TV shows? > > Last time I tried to watch something on there, they were showing 3rd Rock From the Sun, which is not a bad show, just too recent to be on TVLand IMO. But it was just too damn annoying to watch because every commercial break there were so many friggin commercials for reality shit like this (or that horrible highschool reunion thing), or movies, or other things that have nothing to do with classic TV, like reruns of that show from ABC where they build houses for poor/sick people. And don’t even get me started on how horribly they chop up the classic shows they do still show. > > Fortunately I get RTN (I think it stands for Retro Television Network) on a digital subchannel now. They might not be as good as TVLand used to be, but they’re a lot less annoying than TVLand is now. In the time since that posting, I’ve also gotten rather sick of RTN, as it seems they only have about two dozen episodes each of the shows I was watching on there, and they just keep repeating them over and over and over. How many times do I need to see the Beaver learn about his damn pigeons getting eaten by a cat? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/31 "2009-05-19T11:33:43Z")
I find Sandford and Son tedious. They used to show Cheers here and I enjoyed that enough, but they rarely show any old shows that I want to see. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/32 "2009-05-19T12:03:16Z")
Another reason why I’m glad I didn’t sign up for cable after my last move. I don’t miss it at all. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/33 "2009-05-19T13:21:29Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Face it, campers, yer gettin’ old and either dying off or becoming a demo that is not swayed by advertisements for products you don’t already buy. Your parents suffered this 25 or 30 years ago, when all of the elevator music stations started playing Soft Rock. > > Few kids these days watch programs from before they were born, and many are actively turned off by B&W. And the young and early-middleaged ones want shows from when they were younger. And, get off of my lawn. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/34 "2009-05-20T08:43:25Z")
When Nick at Nite cane out in 1985, most of the shows that were aired were only about 20 years old or so. It just seems to be the natural progression of things. I do miss some of the shows on there, like Mary Tyler Moore, Family Ties and Cheers. Personally, I like Roseanne, and never get tired of watching it. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/35 "2009-05-20T12:39:45Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I hope this isn’t too much of a hijack, but the same thing annoys me on oldies radio. Fifteen-twenty years ago, I’d tune in to the oldies station to hear Del Shannon, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, etc. Now, “oldies” radio is Jackson Browne and Billy Joel. I enjoy that music too, but where can I go to hear The Everly Brothers, dammit?! > > Yeah, yeah, I know… iTunes. It’s not the same if you’re not surprised by it on the radio. Seconded. The Cleveland oldies station constantly plays the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, both of which I despise. They advertise their HD Radio affiliate that plays '50s music, but you need HD Radio to get it, and I haven’t bitten yet. I do listen to a tiny, tiny station that plays '20s-and-up music, which is a mixed bag, because sometimes they play awesome early jazz stomp stuff, and sometimes they play Patti Page. Unfortunately, they have about a 30-mile range. Re TV, there’s some good stuff on American Life Network, which I watch pretending I don’t know it’s owned by the Moonies. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/36 "2009-05-20T14:03:53Z")
Huh. I remember Chicago supposedly getting a “True Oldies” station back when 104.3 (the old oldies station) became Jack-FM but… well, apparently it was [WLS](http://www.947trueoldies.com/). Looking at their playlist, they’re close then most these days but I still had to raise my eyebrows at Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” or Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle”. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/37 "2009-05-21T09:46:43Z")
> [@Mudshark](#): > > When Nick at Nite cane out in 1985, most of the shows that were aired were only about 20 years old or so. Not quite “only 20” though. That was around the genesis of my insomnia/nocturnalism, and I remember very well that the first few years of Nick@Nite included “The Donna Reed Show” (1958), “Mister Ed” (1961), “The Joey Bishop Show” (1961), “The Ann Sothern Show” (1958), “Dennis the Menace” (1959) and eventually “My Three Sons” (1960). So more like 25 years old and cresting toward 30. So if we were talking about 25-30 year old shows _now_ then the Nick@Nite lineup would not have “The Nanny”, “Fresh Prince” or “Family Matters” and surely not “George Lopez.” It _would_ have “The Cosby Show” but _just_. Instead we’d have some shows that have come and gone on N@N years ago like “Cheers”, “Family Ties”, “Newhart” and “The Facts of Life” and others like “Night Court”, “Kate & Allie”, “Punky Brewster”, “Webster”, “Silver Spoons”, “Square Pegs”, “Gimme a Break”, “Too Close for Comfort” and “Bosom Buddies.” ---
**Author:** ![Genebug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@Genebug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genebug)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/38 "2011-05-29T17:58:23Z")
Sunday is my only downtime and I am sick and tired of there being nothing on tv. I agreee with the others - TV LAND is suppose to be re-runs of shows we LOVE and grew-up with, not more recent sitcoms. Whatever fool is in charge of the Sunday schedule line-up needs to be relieved of his/her duties immediately. Who in the hell wants to see 24hrs of Andy Griffith every Sunday? And if its not Andy Griffith, its The Nanny, or I Love Lucy. ALL super great shows! But not every damn Sunday for 24 hours. Apparently tv land is broke because they can’t afford to purchase additional shows. You should rename yourself to the 3-show Wonder. Whomever you are, you must lead one boring life!! Simply pathetic. Until shows change, my family are boycotting TVLAND and I’m asking everyone I know to do the same. Good Bye TV LAND - someone once had a wonderful idea. But you’ve gone to hell in a hand basket!! ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/39 "2011-05-29T18:43:41Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Agree 100%. To make matters worse, Roseanne was still in syndication on regular tv until a couple years ago. I want to see Dobie Gillis, Get Smart, Green Acres, Mr. Ed, The Honeymooners, Lucy, Gilligan’s Island, etc. …Life of Riley, Gildersleave, Jack Benney Show, Adventures in Paradise, Have Gun Will Travel, Lassie (with Jeff and Grandpa), Hennesey, I married Joan, Sea Hunt, Colt 45, Wanted Dead or Alive, Annie Oakley, Ernie Kovacs, Dream On, My Little Margie, Our Miss Brooks, Ozzie and Harriet, Abbott and Costello, Honey West, etc… ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829/40 "2011-05-29T19:06:50Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Roseanne was an awesome sitcom. (As long as we can pretend the last season never ran!) I just watched about three or four episodes in a row the other night (on tv land I believe) and thought to myself that Laurie Metcalf is one taleneted actress. Does that sound weird?.. No it doesn’t, in fact, Roseanne owes a HUGE portion of her success to Metcalf. She really was able to tie all the loose ends of each character and make them connect in ways no one else could. Roseanne would be 90% less funny if they didn’t have Metcalf. She wasn’t the funniest but she was the second banana that held the show and deserves far more credit than she ever got. You can also see this on _the Norm Show_ where she was a regular too [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-land-sucks-now/496829.md?page=3)