Nostalgia is the Name of the Game at GetTV

By Francine Brokaw

What’s wrong with nostalgia? Absolutely nothing. And with the state of TV these days, it’s fun to look back at the past, especially noting the simplicity of the stories and lack of technology. These were, to many people, the good old days. At least they were at the time. Now when we look at old TV shows, we remember our childhoods but also see how less complex life and the world were in those days.

GetTV is part of the Sony Company. The network offers plenty of old shows to take us back in time. Some of their shows take us way, way back, while others just bring back the 1980s.

The 1984-1986 series “Riptide” was fun and entertaining – in the day. I remember watching it religiously. Today watching the show definitely brings back memories. Pre-dating “The Big Bang Theory,” “Riptide” featured three young detectives, one of which was a technology genius with his own robot. Perry King, Joe Penny, and Thorn Bray starred in this show that took us on land, in the air, and on the sea.

“The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” ran on the airwaves from 1968-1970 and was a takeoff from the feature film. “Nanny and the Professor” aired from 1970-1971, “The Jimmy Stewart Show” from 1971-1972, “S.W.A.T.” aired 1975-1976, “Airwolf” from 1884-1986, “Hardcastle & McCormick” from 1983-1989, and “The Equalizer” from 1985-1989. These are only a few of the old series that are shown regularly on GetTV.

Viewers of the network can also see James Garner in his western series “Nichols,” Merle Olsen in “Father Murphy,” as well as other western series from the past.

And though variety shows are no longer popular among today’s viewers, there were plenty that through the years entertained millions of viewers with talented hosts and guests. “The Judy Garland Show” and “Dolly” are only two of the variety shows highlighted on the network. And the Merv Griffin show (1962-1986) brought us entertainment as well as political individuals of the day, including Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Movies are also part of the offerings on this network filled with old time entertainment, many of which are in black and white. Do you remember black and white? It’s kind of like asking if you remember cassette recordings and even LPs. They are part of our past and hold fond memories. Even though technology has improved and viewing sophistication has raised the bar on content, there’s something to be said for looking at the past. It’s our history as well as the history of television.

The GetTV website offers full schedules as well as background information and some fun quizzes to take to check your knowledge of actors and shows. You can also see where to find the network on your channel lineup. Go to www.gettv.com.