Raised on Television
Raised on Television
We grew up in a time when TV wasn’t just background noise – it was the main event. Raised in the era between bell-bottoms and big hair, we didn’t just watch history; we lived it through our TV screens. We witnessed television transform from angst-filled sitcoms and gritty hour long dramas to feel-good family comedies and hour long dramas that highlighted the excess of the 80’s. These shows not only entertained us but also reflected the shifting tides of the times. Our love for television runs deep – maybe a little too deep – but we’re okay with that. There was a ton of great TV when we were growing up, and we think those unforgettable episodes in our past, plus the ones that came before and after, deserve another moment in the spotlight. Whether it’s for the laughs, the lessons, or just a fat cup of nostalgia, these shows had that special something that keeps us coming back. That’s why we’re diving headfirst into the best episodes ever (handpicked by experts and some by our very biased selves), sharing our thoughts, a few laughs, and maybe even some trivia you didn’t know you needed. So, if you’re as TV-obsessed as we are, put down the remote, grab your buds (ear and otherwise!) and join us as we check out some binge, and sometimes cringe-worthy television!
May 1, 2025

#57 On the Air (1992) "The Lester Guy Show." and #56 The Burns & Allen Show (1954) "Columbia Pictures doing Burns & Allen Story."

#57 On the Air (1992) "The Lester Guy Show." and #56 The Burns & Allen Show (1954) "Columbia Pictures doing Burns & Allen Story."

It’s a two-fer kind of week, and we’re serving it up retro-style!


First on the lineup: a show you probably haven’t heard of—heck, even we hadn’t. It’s On the Air, a delightfully oddball ABC sitcom from the summer of ’92 that ran for a grand total of seven episodes—four of which didn’t even air in the U.S. (which feels like the TV equivalent of being ghosted mid-season).


Then we hit rewind for something truly timeless: The Burns and Allen Show, featuring the original comedy power couple, George Burns and Gracie Allen. Here’s the thing about us Gen X’ers—we grew up watching legends like George Burns, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Karen Carpenter, and Mary Tyler Moore (usually on a gigantic wood-paneled Zenith TV with only a 20-inch screen). We didn’t always know how great they were—we just knew they were popular with our parents and until we developed our own tastes, we liked what they liked and some of what they liked never left us

.

So join us as we unpack the forgotten weirdness of On the Air... and celebrate the enduring genius of George and Gracie, who could still teach modern sitcoms a thing or two.


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