THE WEEK OF JANUARY 1 - 7
Another fantastic pop art cover. This time TV Guide looks back at the previous year as it's first issue of the new year. This was something the magazine apparently did for the first couple years of the 1970s but for some reason discontinued. It looks like the biggest TV events of 1971 were Tricky Dicky, the new and controversial show ALL IN THE FAMILY, the still-fairly-new thing called a Super Bowl and blokes larking about on the moon-type-object.
THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 19 - 25
The huge and surprising news of the moment was President Nixon's hushed-up visit to China which many consider the crowning moment of his presidency. Little did anyone know at the time that Tricky Dicky would quite soon overshadow this event with some naughty shenanigans!
THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 3
Absolutely and positively another of my iron clad "comfort TV" shows is MARY TYLER MOORE. When I was a kid, I would often spend weekends at my grandparents' house and after my bath it would be time to watch MARY TYLER MOORE during it's original run. Much later, of course, I watched and rewatched the reruns and I own many seasons on DVD. One of the most classic of classic television shows and a lovely yet simple cover portrait!
THE WEEK OF MARCH 25 - 31
What was that I said before about not watching cop shows. Well, it appears that sweeping statement has a lotta holes in it because I've already stated THE ROCKFORD FILES was a constant viewing favourite and I even watched reruns of THE ROOKIES as I recall (and EMERGENCY! but technically they be firemen). However, I was also a bit of a fan of COLUMBO if truth be told. I mean, who could resist the great Peter Falk in his shabby raincoat purposely annoying the suspects and luring them into underestimating him . . . right before lowering the boom on them.
THE WEEK OF MAY 13 - 19
This is such a great photo of Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson, isn't it? SANFORD AND SON was a show I never missed and I even have a paperback photobook of the show I've had since I was a little kid back when the show was on the air. However, SANFORD AND SON just misses being considered one of my "comfort TV" immortals. Loved the show, watched it all the time but it's just one atom away from that "comfort TV" feeling for me. Along with ALL IN THE FAMILY, there is only one other Norman Lear TV show which makes the "comfort TV" cut and you'll be seeing it before too long.
THE WEEK OF JUNE 3 - 9
The immortal Rod Serling and his 1970s chill-fest NIGHT GALLERY. There's a slight controversy in my mind whether or not TWILIGHT ZONE makes my "comfort TV" list or not; most of the time I'd say yes it does but sometimes I think the fact that every episode is an entirely different story which has varying degrees of success disqualifies it in a way. After all, I love BORIS KARLOFF'S THRILLER as much as TWILIGHT ZONE and I don't consider that show in my "comfort TV" canon either. But for some reason, NIGHT GALLERY definitely IS comfort TV to me. I think the "70's thing" has a lot to do with it. I also think that the fact that I have been watching reruns of NIGHT GALLERY since I was a little tot clinches it; TWILIGHT ZONE I never saw until I was a teenager. And while TWILIGHT ZONE's theme song may be the more iconic, it's the NIGHT GALLERY theme which immediately fills me with waves of nostalgia whenever I hear it. It catapults me back to late-night UHF reruns right before I'd have to go to bed for school the next day.
THE WEEK OF JULY 22 - 28
I chose this cover because it's a really nice illustration. As a huge fan of old time radio, I have many episodes of DRAGNET on radio but I was never a fan of DRAGNET on TV. And I probably on saw a handful of episodes of ADAM-12 in my whole life. Although, as with many shows, I always liked the theme so I would watch that and then change channels when the actual show started!
THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 2 - 8
Once again we have the master of E.C. Comics and Mad Magazine Jack Davis providing another portrait: this time of THE ODD COUPLE. The previous post has me having my say about this TV show so I'll leave you to drink in the artwork like Oscar's can of "Slitz".
THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 28 - NOVEMBER 3
The Charlie Brown Specials. Ah, here's where I get all "old fogey" on you and bring up the constantly-told cliché of how we didn't have VCRs or DVDs or On Demand back in the 70's. No sirree bob, we had to wait until the TV network decided to air a show and that was our one and only chance to see it. As a kid growing up in the 70s, I would wait with keen anticipation like every other kid in the neighbourhood for the approach of each holiday which had it's own Charlie Brown special. Sponsored by Dolly Madison, of course, without fail! As the school year started and the wind turned colder, Halloween approached -- bringing with it IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN. Halloween's my favourite holiday so you can imagine how I loved that one! Then, of course, the approach of Thanksgiving brought A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING with it's introduction of Woodstock. And finally the year wrapped up at Christmastime with A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS. So can you guess which of these three specials was my favourite. The answer should be obvious. And, of course, it would be the WRONG answer. Nope, it's A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING. Coincidentally, the special that was made in the 70s! I love them all but there's something about A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING which is even more "comfort TV" for me than the others.
THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 11 - 17
Only last year I first discovered the extraordinary radio broadcasts of Alistair Cooke called LETTER FROM AMERICA which the man did weekly from the 1940s until the 2000s! That's one hell of an impressive record! So it was with particular glee that I discovered this TV GUIDE cover. And it doesn't hurt that it's a phenomenal illustration suitable for framing.
THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 23 - 29
A 1972 TV GUIDE Christmas. This rather quirky illustration caught my eye for some reason so I thought I'd end this post with it.
Make sure you come back after these commercial messages for the next installment in the series: 1973!
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