This popped up in my feed today. Lots of interesting information that might be of benefit.
Category: Classic TV
Update: MeTV & Free2View
I discovered a sad change to this great Roku channel last week and found the following:
https://streamfree.tv/article/watch-metv-free
Needless to say, I’m bummed about this, but am still watching the Free2View channels on Roku.
How To Watch MeTV and other Nostalgia Channels on Roku
I love TV channels that carry classic TV shows! These are usually the ‘extra’ channels that came along after the shift of over-the-air signals to digital from analog. You might know them as Antenna TV or MeTV. There are loads of others, too.
For those of us who use an antenna, however, watching these channels can be a bit of an issue if you don’t get a clear signal, if the weather is impeding the signal, or if you aren’t in an area where a local affiliate is available. In my case, weather has a huge impact on accessibility.
The other day I came across an article titled: ‘How to Watch MeTV on Roku‘. I checked it out and was thrilled to discover that I could get not only MeTV but quite a few other channels – many I had no idea existed. And, best of all, it was an easy load on my Roku device. The article explains it all.
This discovery was quite timely as we are in the middle of May Showers which in my case means heavy rains, wind, and thunderstorms. All of which impede over the air signals. I had the pleasure of being able to watch Decades TV’s Weekend Binge – which just happened to be ‘The Flintstones’! FWIW, we don’t get Decades TV in our area. 🙂
It also means that I can now watch COZI TV anytime I want without having to deal with signal drift. Lots more ‘Frasier’! 🙂
Check it out and see what other tidbits of information might be handy for you even if you aren’t a Roku user.
Is this article helpful? If so, give it a ‘Like’ to let me know.
Appointment TV: Perry Mason
One of my earliest memories is curling up in the daybed at my Grandmother’s home listening to (or occasionally watching) Perry Mason. The bed was in the dining room right next to the living room where the TV had pride of place. Perry Mason was a regular visitor to that home, my parent’s home, and as I left my parent’s home, my own home.
I can’t recall how many times I watched the original series with Raymond Burr, let alone the remake with Monte Markham, but I do know that I’ve seen all the original show’s episodes and when the Perry Mason Movies debuted, that was a cause for celebration.
Recently MeTV added the Perry Mason Movies to its Sunday lineup and, once again, it is appointment TV.
Check out THIS for more information about the original Raymond Burr series along with information about the subsequent series and the films.
Mason originated via books written by Earle Stanley Gardner. There was a radio series, too. The radio series was serialized, think soap opera, which portrayed Mason and company quite differently than the TV series. HBO Max has also created a prequel series, if you will that takes place prior to the time period in the 1957 series.
Perry Mason is intelligent TV. It is well written, well performed, and provides a high quality experience. It set the bar for the type of legal drama I watched over the decades.
I will be honest, I’ve never read the books and have limited knowledge of the radio series, so I don’t know how well they do, or don’t, hold up over the years. The Burr version of the series, including the movies, might be a tad dated, but they are a true reflection of the time they were produced.
Frankly, I’m just happy to have something to look forward to each week that is engaging, familiar, and a pleasant thing to watch that is family friendly.
Enjoy!
Rediscovering Old Favorites
Are you a fan of classic TV? It could be dramas, mysteries, comedies or any combination in addition to other shows that don’t quite fit those categories.
I have a fondness for quite a few classic TV shows. Some going back quite a few decades. 🙂
While I understand TVLand was one of the pioneers in what I call the formal rerun network programming, since I don’t have cable, it was never a possibility for me to watch. However, thanks to MeTV, Antenna TV, COZI TV, and various other networks, it is now possible to revisit old favorites without the expense of cable or streaming.
In my neck of the woods, and not having cable, over the air programming tends to be at the mercy of weather. In other words, when weather is bad, signal is bad. This is where streaming platforms come in to play and are very helpful.
I recently rediscovered ‘Murder, She Wrote’ along with several other favorite shows on COZI TV. They have a great line up with lots of great programing. The problems arise when weather isn’t great. After being caught in the middle of a two-parter, I found myself searching to find the second half of the two hour season finale. Turned out that I was able to not only find the episode guide (IMDB.com) but also find the series for free – and all the seasons – over on the Roku Channel.
Now I know that not everyone has a Roku box in their home. But this does not mean that they won’t be able to take advantage of free streaming services. It just means that there might be a bit more research involved.
For the record, I do wish that all the classic (rerun) networks/channels would have a streaming platform for those who can’t or don’t have access, but <shrug> …
In the meantime, I’m checking out all my options to determine what I can find and the best way to access it.
FYI: If you subscribe to streaming services like Paramount+, AcornTV, or any other service, be sure to check all their programming options. And do it regularly. Why? Because these services add movies and shows often and you never know what you might find that you already have access to.
But don’t limit the check to just those subscription services. Check all your platforms to see what is available. IMDB.com adds a lot of programming (new and old) quite often. You might score the entire series of a classic show that you can binge to your heart’s desire. You might also find shows or films that you forgot you wanted to watch.
I’m on the lookout for my Summer Binge. This is the series I want to deep dive into during the summer months when the rest of TV is up to its collective ears in reruns.
So far, I’ve found ‘Julia’ over on HBO Max, which has quite an array of other programming that I haven’t seen yet. I also have a lot to catch up on over on Disney+.
I do spend a lot of time over on PlutoTV where I can binge on some old favorites and discover new shows, too. And, it is free!
So, what are you looking to curl up with? Let me know!
The Evening Routine
As I write this, it is roughly that time of the evening where I am and the hour before Midnight in London, England. I mention this because it is at this time of day, Monday through Friday, when I sit down to listen to Pumpkin FM. Pumpkin FM has several channels that cover a variety of nostalgic radio, some USA based, some U.K. based.
At this time of the weekday (night?) I sit back to enjoy the latest episodes of ‘Allo, ‘Allo and Are You Being Served?. Both of the very old BritComs are aired audio only allowing the listener to occupy hands otherwise while listening to some rather fun shows. It also allows your imagination to run a bit wild filling in the images.
If you have never seen, let alone listened to, these shows, please note they are vintage 1970 or 1980 shows that are more parody and farce. Please keep that in mind. 🙂
If you need to learn more, or have a refresher, check the following links:
Check out the schedules for the rest of Pumpkin FM channels. Among the variety of programming you will find comedies, serials, variety shows and a collection of crime dramas There is something for everyone.
Enjoy!
P.S.: If you are interested in actually watching these shows, check out imdb.com who will have the latest places to watch.
Reconnecting with The Muppets
When I heard that “The Muppet Show” from the 1970s would be added to the Disney+ lineup I was thrilled. Any opportunity to visit with Kermit and Company is never wasted. Way back before I actually owned a working television set, I owned a TV Radio that played the audio from television channels. I would listen to the syndicated show every night and imagine what was going on. You could say I’m a fan. 🙂
I still watch Sesame Street to see the other part of the Muppet Family. Also, time well spent. (Like I said, I’m a fan.)
There is something timeless and classic about all the Muppet characters. Each is its own individual personality and together they are unique.
Check out this great article in the Los Angeles Times: HERE.
One thing I continue to comment on is the breadth and depth of material available on Disney+. Pretty much any and everything you can imagine is there. And if it isn’t… it wasn’t for lack of trying.
Visiting With Old Friends: “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”
I was lucky enough to be around when some wonderful classic television shows were on their first run. Watching them gave me a great sense of what quality could be. Shows like
- Star Trek
- Perry Mason
- Bonanza
- The Bob Newhart Show
- The Carol Burnett Show
- The Waltons
- Marcus Welby, M.D.
- Love, American Style
- The Odd Couple
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show
- The Doris Day Show
- I Love Lucy
- Hollywood Palace
- The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour
And these are but a few!
Back then there were only three networks: ABC, NBC, and CBS. PBS was a fledgling that showed up on UHF (if you were lucky). The rotations were predictable; what was the highest-rated show and genre? Copy that! And then there were the breakout shows that many thought wouldn’t survive but somehow did. Like Mary. Saturday nights with Mary Tyler Moore were a staple in my home.
A Breath of Fresh Air
When Mary Richards arrived in Minneapolis she was not only the new kid on the block, she was the new idea in the country. A thirty-year-old single woman (never married) who had left behind a bad relationship and was embarking on a new life. For those who thought Marlo Thomas’s “That Girl” was the epitome of single womanhood – who eventually married – Mary Richards was a totally different reality. Different decades will do that, you know.
Mary was a single woman who wasn’t afraid of being single. Not really. She also wasn’t afraid to be alone or try new things or figure out what she wanted for herself and not depend upon someone else to tell her what she wanted or how to live, etc. She was intelligent, well-read, thoughtful and a person who enjoyed her life. Mostly. 🙂
Mary had co-workers and friends who were just as ordinary and she was and they all had their quirks. Lou was the alcoholic newsman with a heart of gold. Murray was the frustrated author who wrote the news copy and needled the anchorman. Speaking of which, Ted Baxter was the nightmare of most professional journalists…who probably knew their fair share of Teds. I have to wonder if Walter Cronkite ever forgave Lou for introducing him to Ted.
Rhoda, who lived upstairs, was the other side of the coin that was Mary, but both were, in their way, very much alike. Phyllis was, well, Phyllis. Sue Ann Nivens was the archetype of the predatory female. Yikes!
For several years we got to spend time with these people. Suffer through bad times. Celebrate good times. Enjoy the camaraderie that comes with being around good people who are also good friends. We also got a chance to see life in a different way from what was on television and it changed attitudes, provided ideas, planted seeds of possibility and provided a touch of reality that was closer to real than many thought.
The show not only boasted an excellent cast but the behind the scenes folks were high caliber, too. Check out the list of awards the show won HERE.
I often look to find episodes of the show when and where I can. Oddly, I haven’t yet acquired the DVD sets but it is on My List. You can find the entire series on Hulu or purchase them on Amazon Prime. If you need a quick fix, however, go over to YouTube and see what comes up. Like this little gem:
Are you a fan of classic TV? I’d love to learn your favorites.
And, as always, if you like this post, please let me know by clicking the Like button below.
Another Saturday Night
When I was growing up way back in the 1970s there was one particular tradition in our home that was rarely missed: watching “The Lawrence Welk Show”. The show began back in the 1950s and was a network staple for decades.
Every week, no matter what, we all sat down to enjoy an hour of great music, exquisite costumes and sets, familiar faces with beautiful voices and a rather eclectic collection of genres.
My mother, in particular, was adamant about the weekly visit. She worked nights and often caught a late evening nap around the time the show was on. Saturdays, however, came with the explicit reminder that we make sure she was awake to watch and listen from her recliner in the living room. We did. (She often fell into a nap, but Mom being Mom she was also listening closely.)
Now, I get that some folks find the entire idea silly and feel like the music was hokey and way out of date. Accordions? Polkas? Orchestra music? Dancing?
I look back and recognize that for a time, I too, wasn’t aware of the treasure the show was. I have a decidedly eclectic taste in music that I can trace back to those shows.
Thanks to Oklahoma Public Television, the shows are once again available in my area. I may not catch it every week, but I do go out of my way at times to be sure to sit back and enjoy the show. Don’t forget to explore Amazon. I just told Alexa to play “Lawrence Welk Music” and the results are amazing, beautiful, wonderful. Mom would be pleased.
If you are curious about the show itself, here are some things to explore:
One thing I’ve always admired about Mr. Welk was his ability to listen to his audience and give them the music they wanted to hear. His shows were well crafted and beautifully choreographed, too. They were Appointment Television before there was such a thing.
Every week we were thanked for joining the party and reminded of something that Mr. Welk always said:
“Keep a song in your heart.”
Lawrence Welk
I don’t know about you, but I think this is an excellent idea.