# What older TV series have aged the best/worst when watched in reruns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429 "2010-09-11T20:43:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/61 "2010-09-13T07:37:23Z")
M_A_S\*H definitely - at least the first five seasons or so, not that it is old, since it started when I was in college. We watched all of Danger Man, and it holds up quite well (except for the obvious reuse of sets). Drake’s bosses screwed him over several times, he said “be seeing you” and it was clear why he eventually resigned. Though don’t tell the owner of the rights to Drake about it. One show not mentioned that holds up is “Have Gun Will Travel,” with adult plots. some very timely, as when Paladin defended a school teacher who wanted to teach real history, not what some townspeople wanted to hear. They could use him in Texas, it seems. Hurt a bit by the requirement that there be a gunfight in every show, Biggest hoot - Paladin rescues Oscar Wilde, and says some pithy quotes which Wilde will steal. Who today would write a show where you need to know Wilde’s plays to get the jokes? Also, excellent writers, including Roddenberry, Irving Wallace, and Bruce Geller. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/62 "2010-09-13T08:22:58Z")
I’m a little disconcerted by seeing people discussing whether _Frasier_ and _Friends_ have aged well. These shows were still being made in 2004. How have they aged at all? I think the only issue at this point is whether they hold up in reruns as well as they did in their original broadcasts. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/63 "2010-09-13T09:47:58Z")
Aged pretty well IMO: The original 1950’s _Dragnet_. Good noir factor for a half hour TV show. Not aged well: The late 1960’s revival _Dragnet_, although it has its moments. I still love it as kitsch. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/64 "2010-09-13T11:19:04Z")
Whenever I am disappointed with a hot, new action movie I eventually follow it up with _Wild, Wild West_, to see it done right. Great show. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/65 "2010-09-13T11:37:36Z")
Slight hi-jack. Am I the only one in the world who has never seen a single episode of The Golden Girls? ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/66 "2010-09-13T11:45:43Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Slight hi-jack. Am I the only one in the world who has never seen a single episode of The Golden Girls? That was me until late last year when I embarked on a massive binge and consumed the entire series, one of the best TV-related decisions I’ve ever made. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/67 "2010-09-13T12:25:23Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Slight hi-jack. Am I the only one in the world who has never seen a single episode of The Golden Girls? Me too. I threw away my TV 20 years ago. i saw half an episode of _Seifeld_ once. All I have is a DVD player-screen combo. No antenna, cable or computer. I must be part-Amish. ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/68 "2010-09-13T15:08:35Z")
I watched the first two seasons of A-team recently and I thought that held up fairly well. The Twilight Zone seems to hold up I watched a couple of episodes last night. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/69 "2010-09-13T16:29:46Z")
_WKRP in Cincinnati_ and _Barney Miller_ are two that have held up very well. Although I’ve only seen a couple of episodes recently, I think _3rd Rock from the Sun_ would still hold up. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/70 "2010-09-13T17:10:19Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > > [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > > > Slight hi-jack. Am I the only one in the world who has never seen a single episode of The Golden Girls? > > Me too. I threw away my TV 20 years ago. i saw half an episode of _Seifeld_ once. > > All I have is a DVD player-screen combo. No antenna, cable or computer. > > I must be part-Amish. Then why are you reading this thread at all? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/71 "2010-09-13T17:20:11Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > > [@BMalion](#): > > > > Me too. I threw away my TV 20 years ago. i saw half an episode of _Seifeld_ once. > > > > All I have is a DVD player-screen combo. No antenna, cable or computer. > > > > I must be part-Amish. > > Then why are you reading this thread at all? This is the other part. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/72 "2010-09-13T18:34:46Z")
I still find SEINFELD funny. What doesn’t work at all for me, is those 60’s-70’s cops shows…like MANNIX. ADAM-12, DRAGENET-dated and awful! ---
**Author:** ![Lurking\_Quahog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lurking_quahog/32/21274_2.png) [@Lurking\_Quahog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lurking_Quahog)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/73 "2010-09-13T19:03:18Z")
I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned The Honeymooners. Certainly dated. Definitely still hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/74 "2010-09-13T19:16:40Z")
I was excited when I saw that the original **Battlestar Galactica** was on Hulu. Hoo boy, those are rough. Poorly drawn characters, some of the worst shooting in shootout history, thin plots…the works. And it certainly doesn’t help that the same five F/X scenes they reuse in every episode I still remember from when I was 8 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/75 "2010-09-13T19:31:53Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m a little disconcerted by seeing people discussing whether _Frasier_ and _Friends_ have aged well. These shows were still being made in 2004. How have they aged at all? I think the only issue at this point is whether they hold up in reruns as well as they did in their original broadcasts. Yeah. _Frasier_ and \*Friends \*are hardly “older” series. \*LOST \*& \*House \*deputed the same year that \*Frasier \*& \*Friends \*had their finales. Other than some of the clothing they wore during their earlier years, there’s nothing at all “dated” about those two shows. There may have been a few pop culture references in _Friends_, but \*Frasier \*could be set in 2010 and it would be the same. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/76 "2010-09-13T19:48:41Z")
> [@digs](#): > > > [@Shagnasty](#): > > > > I think shows with lots of really good character acting hold up well no matter what… > > Yes. As I’ve been re-reading this thread, I keep looking for common “themes” as to why some shows hold up and some don’t. > > I discovered it’s simpler than I thought: it’s the writing. I read an article about this recently (Jude Apatow?) where the writer said that in the Simpsons or South Park or the Family Guy, you aren’t going to catch the jokes in a few years, or the jokes aren’t going to be funny after a while. That’s the problem with topical humor. “Classic” humor is going to be funny at all times to all people. I would disagree. Imho, the whole art of storytelling means that each successive time you tell a joke is going to be less funny than the time before. Therefore, I think comedies, no matter how funny they were the first time, will never be as funny the 2nd time around. On the other hand, if it wasn’t funny the first time around, it will never be funny, ever. I think this is the appeal of the 80’s sitcoms that are still in syndication today: they tend to be character studies with a mix of drama, serious moments, and comedy (Full House, Cosby Show, etc.) The comedy is not the main point of watching the show, it’s the stories. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/77 "2010-09-13T20:57:45Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > > I’m a little disconcerted by seeing people discussing whether _Frasier_ and _Friends_ have aged well. These shows were still being made in 2004. How have they aged at all? I think the only issue at this point is whether they hold up in reruns as well as they did in their original broadcasts. > > Yeah. _Frasier_ and \*Friends \*are hardly “older” series. \*LOST \*& \*House \*deputed the same year that \*Frasier \*& \*Friends \*had their finales. Other than some of the clothing they wore during their earlier years, there’s nothing at all “dated” about those two shows. There may have been a few pop culture references in _Friends_, \*\*but _Frasier could be set in 2010 and it would be the same._ \ - and I think that is exactly what says that Frasier aged well - not so much in years, but that since it has been out of production, it is still watchable without too many pointers to ‘when’ it was made. Friends got old (to us) about as soon as it ended - I cant watch 10 minutes of it these days, but frasier is on the ‘season pass’ on the DVR. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/78 "2010-09-14T04:25:59Z")
> [@](#): > > I haven’t seen many episodes of Jack Benny because it doesn’t syndicate often It appears on most RTN stations, a network of digital subchannels that specializes in older shows. You might want to check if you have RTN in your area and what their schedule is. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/79 "2010-09-14T14:59:34Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I think M_A_S\*H has aged well, but I’m a fanboy so what do I know? 😉 I’m hardly a M_A_S_H fanboy (though Hotlips Houlihan was one of my first two tv crushes), but people who think M_A_S_H is anything but wonderful are blind. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429/80 "2010-09-14T15:11:20Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > I haven’t seen many episodes of Jack Benny because it doesn’t syndicate often > > It appears on most RTN stations, a network of digital subchannels that specializes in older shows. You might want to check if you have RTN in your area and what their schedule is. that would be over the air (terrestrial broadcast) network in the USA ( i dunno if any cable system carries it). the RTN network carries it though your local station may not show it if it is at some time like 3Am when they are doing infomercials. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-older-tv-series-have-aged-the-best-worst-when-watched-in-reruns/553429.md?page=5)