I think that's a consequence of reruns. My parents use Gilligan's Island or Columbo as background noise, because they know how they all go. The writers intend

I think that's a consequence of reruns. My parents use Gilligan's Island or Columbo as background noise, because they know how they all go. The writers intended for each episode to be the focus of the room's attention, but it didn't work out that way later.