5 ms·

It's always amusing when I see an old show described as a hit only to run for 3 years. Today's hits (Grey's Anatomy, The Simpsons, any sufficiently popular show

It's always amusing when I see an old show described as a hit only to run for 3 years. Today's hits (Grey's Anatomy, The Simpsons, any sufficiently popular show on Showtime) are milked until the bitter end. I know it doesn't apply in this case, as this was a political decision, just made me remember it.

anonymousiam 3y ago
The show was wildly popular. It ran for only three years because it was cancelled under political pressure. Interestingly enough, Star Trek TOS ran for the same period ('67-'69). You can watch this episode for more info. It contains an introduction and epilogue describing the controversy. Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ~ Never Aired Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdAVIKtiHY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdAVIKtiHY
- fsckboy 3y ago
  '64 to '74, UK & America, has to be one of the most intense 10 years of change in any culture ever, so for a TV show with any sort of a fashionable pop culture hook to survive very long would be really unlikely Yes, continental europe too, and the 50's also, but I wanted to choose a decade, and kick it off with Beatlemania and wrap it up with the end of Viet Nam, start of the energy (economic) crisis
  - jterrys 3y ago
    It's really hard to do these days but I suggest you try to find a U.S radio station that plays 60s songs. And I mean full 60s. With genre varieties. It's downright schizophrenic. Post 66 might as well just be a different universe as far as music was concerned. You had the 50s clean cut shit lingering around doused with 'controlled risqué' Surfer Rock and neutered Elvis doing films. Sinatra and the Rat Pack are in full swing gaining Second Wind, and ...suddenly it all gets blown the fuck out with psychedelic, progressive, and raga rock. Then two years later blues and heavy metal really start bubbling in. 60's counter culture was NOT a joke. The groundwork was laid in '64 like you pointed out, but by 66 it really went off the rails. Genuine night and day difference.
eesmith 3y ago
FWIW, Deadwood and Chappelle's Show were two other hits which ran for 3 years. "Deadwood: HBO's hit drama series that follows the evolution of an American frontier town, and the ruthless power struggle between its inhabitants." - https://www.hulu.com/series/deadwood-6baae385-fa66-4af3-953b-8272abecc8eb https://www.hulu.com/series/deadwood-6baae385-fa66-4af3-953b... "early 2000s comedy hit Chappelle's Show" - https://www.newsweek.com/chappelle-show-netflix-controversial-sketches-1543683 https://www.newsweek.com/chappelle-show-netflix-controversia... There's probably many more.
- jimbobthrowawy 3y ago
  Outside of the US it's pretty common for shows to end after, comparatively, very few episodes. Especially places like the UK. Though, lightly-scripted comedy and current affairs shows tend to go on much longer and it's quite surprising when they're cancelled.
  - eesmith 3y ago
    Another example; "telenovelas tell one self-contained story, typically within the span of a year or less", and there have been many hits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telenovela https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telenovela .
  - gerdesj 3y ago
    "comparatively, very few episodes. Especially places like the UK" OK - Fawlty Towers: 12 episodes. Now, look up the Two Ronnies, Morecambe and Wise, Victoria Wood, Absolutely Fabulous, French and Saunders, Lenny Henry, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Ben Elton, The Fast Show, ... oh and I'm watching Dawn French doing current stand up right now. Jo Brand, ... oh this is getting boring and I've missed out loads. That's just a few comedians. We have a few soaps that have stood the test of time too and a few current affairs programmes that have been around for a while: Coronation Street, East Enders, Have I got News for you, QI, The Archers, Panorama. The BBC alone has been running for quite a while and I'll finish with an honourable mention for Blue Peter. I haven't really refuted your argument but then that was pretty arse to start with. Gave me an excuse to reminisce for a while 8)

anonymousiam 3y ago

The show was wildly popular. It ran for only three years because it was cancelled under political pressure. Interestingly enough, Star Trek TOS ran for the same period ('67-'69). You can watch this episode for more info. It contains an introduction and epilogue describing the controversy. Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ~ Never Aired Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdAVIKtiHY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdAVIKtiHY

fsckboy 3y ago
'64 to '74, UK & America, has to be one of the most intense 10 years of change in any culture ever, so for a TV show with any sort of a fashionable pop culture hook to survive very long would be really unlikely Yes, continental europe too, and the 50's also, but I wanted to choose a decade, and kick it off with Beatlemania and wrap it up with the end of Viet Nam, start of the energy (economic) crisis
- jterrys 3y ago
  It's really hard to do these days but I suggest you try to find a U.S radio station that plays 60s songs. And I mean full 60s. With genre varieties. It's downright schizophrenic. Post 66 might as well just be a different universe as far as music was concerned. You had the 50s clean cut shit lingering around doused with 'controlled risqué' Surfer Rock and neutered Elvis doing films. Sinatra and the Rat Pack are in full swing gaining Second Wind, and ...suddenly it all gets blown the fuck out with psychedelic, progressive, and raga rock. Then two years later blues and heavy metal really start bubbling in. 60's counter culture was NOT a joke. The groundwork was laid in '64 like you pointed out, but by 66 it really went off the rails. Genuine night and day difference.

eesmith 3y ago

FWIW, Deadwood and Chappelle's Show were two other hits which ran for 3 years. "Deadwood: HBO's hit drama series that follows the evolution of an American frontier town, and the ruthless power struggle between its inhabitants." - https://www.hulu.com/series/deadwood-6baae385-fa66-4af3-953b-8272abecc8eb https://www.hulu.com/series/deadwood-6baae385-fa66-4af3-953b... "early 2000s comedy hit Chappelle's Show" - https://www.newsweek.com/chappelle-show-netflix-controversial-sketches-1543683 https://www.newsweek.com/chappelle-show-netflix-controversia... There's probably many more.

jimbobthrowawy 3y ago
Outside of the US it's pretty common for shows to end after, comparatively, very few episodes. Especially places like the UK. Though, lightly-scripted comedy and current affairs shows tend to go on much longer and it's quite surprising when they're cancelled.
- eesmith 3y ago
  Another example; "telenovelas tell one self-contained story, typically within the span of a year or less", and there have been many hits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telenovela https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telenovela .
- gerdesj 3y ago
  "comparatively, very few episodes. Especially places like the UK" OK - Fawlty Towers: 12 episodes. Now, look up the Two Ronnies, Morecambe and Wise, Victoria Wood, Absolutely Fabulous, French and Saunders, Lenny Henry, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Ben Elton, The Fast Show, ... oh and I'm watching Dawn French doing current stand up right now. Jo Brand, ... oh this is getting boring and I've missed out loads. That's just a few comedians. We have a few soaps that have stood the test of time too and a few current affairs programmes that have been around for a while: Coronation Street, East Enders, Have I got News for you, QI, The Archers, Panorama. The BBC alone has been running for quite a while and I'll finish with an honourable mention for Blue Peter. I haven't really refuted your argument but then that was pretty arse to start with. Gave me an excuse to reminisce for a while 8)