By Hannah Lynn, Staff Writer
Watching television is a popular way for people to pass the time, but with the rise of the competitive streaming service industry such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, many of the television series that were once a foundational part of American society have been tucked into a corner and have been replaced with more modern counterparts.
Television series such as the “Andy Griffith Show,” “The Waltons,” “Gilligan’s Island,” “Little house on the Prairie,” and “I Love Lucy” would have families around the dinner table every time they came on to see what their favorite characters were up to that week and served as a bonding moment between families.
The majority of these “hidden gem” television series can be described as lighthearted, family based, heartwarming and humorous. These qualities make them easy to get sucked into. You cannot watch one episode; you must watch them all!
Without these very influential shows on American society and even within the television industry, many shows that we know, and love today would not be the same. In the popular television series “Gilmore Girls,” the inn that the main character Lorelai runs is the Walton family’s house in “The Waltons” series.
Many students at Saint Leo have sound comfort in television series with these qualities.
Elizabeth Santos, a freshman majoring in business, recommends the classic television show “The Brady Bunch.” She feels that this series “is a classic and everyone should watch it at least once.”
With these television series, there is something for all ages, interests, and backgrounds to sit down and enjoy a cozy day, or when you need a break from today’s hustle and bustle of life.
With the rise of streaming services, episodes of a series come out all at once, and while it is nice to not have to wait for a series favorite, it can take the excitement out of a television series. Once you start, it feels like you are already finished.
It is important to not let these “hidden gem” television series be forgotten. Not only are they entertaining, but they also teach us what people of that period valued and how people perceived life to be. Happy watching, Lions!
