What was the first can't miss TV show for you?
By John Roberts
@JohnRoberts (109846)
Los Angeles, California
August 3, 2018 1:56pm CST
Some of you enjoy television while most are indifferent. For those who are, what was that first TV show that you could not miss? Most likely it was during childhood, For those of us at a certain age, we had to be home to watch live. These days a show can be recorded or streamed at will.
What was mine?
“Bam!” “Kapow!” “Bang!”
Holy myLot, Batman. Yep, the Dynamic Duo. I was such a kid I do not remember much prior to being captivated by “Batman” starring Adam West as the Caped Crusader and Burt Ward as Robin, the Boy Wonder. The series only lasted a few years (1966-68) as it burnt out quickly after a red hot national mania. I did not know it was supposed to be campy. I did not know the word campy then. It was just live action cartoon fun I had to see. “Batman” was on ABC playing twice weekly on Wednesday and Thursday.
No Batman since has impressed me as much. You cannot beat the silly fun of West’s droll comments and Ward’s bad jokes. Awesome villains played by great actors: Penguin (Burgess Meredith), Riddler (Frank Gorshin), Joker (Cesar Romero), Catwoman (Julie Newmar), Egghead (Vincent Price), Mr. Freeze (Otto Preminger) and King Tut (Victor Buono). Batgirl (Yvonne Craig) came later.
I was so into Batman that I started collecting stuff. Neal Hefti composed the theme and I got the soundtrack album. I still have it! I bought new and used comics (new ones just 12 cents) and sold them long ago when moving. I had the Life Magazine with West on the cover. Had the Batman model figure. Those disappeared.
After “Batman,” I “graduated” to “The Monkees.”
So was your initial TV obsession?
21 people like this
22 responses
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
3 Aug 18
I would say the Lone Ranger. I really liked his adventures. I also liked Batman and the Monkees.
4 people like this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
4 Aug 18
@compslick Hey, hey we're the Monkees and I loved that show, especially the songs. They had so many great songs.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (92789)
• United States
3 Aug 18
Do you remember that old show, Emergency!? When I was three my mom said I was addicted to it. Back then shows were pretty clean, and not at all gory. They must have been reruns because it came on in the afternoon. My mom said when we'd go somewhere around the time of day it was to air I'd tell her I couldn't miss 'Mergency. She said I loved the character Roy, and was all of the time talking to her about plot lines. I must have been a weird kid. I vaguely remember watching it, but I only remember snippets now.
3 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Aug 18
Yes, I remember Emergency. My father watched it.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
4 Aug 18
There is only one programme I do enjoy it is the worlds longest running soap. It started the year I was born and I watch it regularly and have done all my life.. It is amusing comical and also has serious health issues running in it which also acts as a educational programme in getting the message across.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
4 Aug 18
@JohnRoberts Got it in one. I knew you would know it! Have you ever seen it? I know it is shown is Australia and some places in the USA but East coast I think? It might seem a bit odd to you because of the accents.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Aug 18
@garymarsh6 I have never seen Coronation Street and not ever shown in LA that I know of. Eastenders has played here. I watch a ton of British fare.
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@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Aug 18
@Kandae11 The character played by Mary Crosby as I recall.
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@Kandae11 (55035)
•
3 Aug 18
@JohnRoberts That was some cliffhanger - I don't recall who did it.
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@dgobucks226 (35615)
•
3 Aug 18
I can't think back that far with reasonable accuracy but I'll go with Leave it To Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Aug 18
Opie or Beaver Cleaver your favorite?
2 people like this
@dgobucks226 (35615)
•
5 Aug 18
@JohnRoberts They were both great characters. I'll go with Beaver, probably because he was central to many of the shows plots. His main competition came from Wally, whereas Opie, had to share plots with more of the shows main characters. I guess that made me more biased toward the Beav…. Great question 
2 people like this
@popciclecold (38738)
• United States
3 Aug 18
I would have to say The Little Rascals.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
3 Aug 18
The little Rascals were actually comedy movie shorts originally titled Our Gang made from the 1920s to early 1940s that were rerun a lot on TV. They are lots of fun to watch.
@BarBaraPrz (47334)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
3 Aug 18
I wouldn't call it an obsesssion, but I suppose my first "can't miss" would have been The Edge of Night because my mom would cross the road to watch it with her mom, so before I started school, I'd go with her.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
3 Aug 18
I watched Edge of Night on and off since my mother had it on.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (47334)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
3 Aug 18
@JohnRoberts It was the best soap... it was modeled on Perry Mason.
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@snowy22315 (180805)
• United States
4 Aug 18
The very first show I was hooked on was Johnny Quest, followed a few years later by Batman. JQ was on when I was in first grade..and it was shown in the evening..of course I insisted it be on. I think it was on at 7:30. My parents were cool with me watching it. Of course I watched Captain Kangaroo too. I do remember watching the old Soupy Sales show when I was a tot..and I mean really a tot..it is the fist thing I remember watching on TV.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Aug 18
I used to watch Johnny Quest cartoon.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
3 Aug 18
I think it was the 60s " Lost in Space " especially the scenes of Will Robinson, Dr.Smith and Robot
Another program that also fascinated me and never failed to miss was " Time tunnel "
Another program that also fascinated me and never failed to miss was " Time tunnel "1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
3 Aug 18
@JohnRoberts the time slots were different here in the Philippines, Lost in Space played Sunday nights, I remember cause our family went to parks, shopping and on beaches on Sundays, it was coming from beach outings that I would barely catch the program.
I also like Batman, think it also aired on Wednesdays here but remember we are a day ahead on the calendar, yes Green Hornet came out at almost at the same time. I was quite too young to remember everything.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
3 Aug 18
That's funny because Lost in Space played directly against Batman on Wednesdays.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Aug 18
I have watched most Criminal Minds episodes.
@LeaPea2417 (37355)
• Toccoa, Georgia
4 Aug 18
I remember, I could not miss watching "Little House on the Prairie". I really loved that show (loved the books too).
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Aug 18
I used to watch Little House.
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@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 Aug 18
@JohnRoberts Absolutely! I was always angry when Dad decided we were leaving Grandma's right when it came on. We went to Grandma's on Packer day because my parents had season tickets, and we always stayed until Lawrence Welk was over. That was my dad's go to show, along with Perry Mason. He never missed it. There were times when we stayed long enough to watch Bonanza and then left. It was an hour drive home.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Aug 18
You loved the Cartwrights on the Ponderosa!
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@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Aug 18
I watched pretty all the Gunsmoke episodes. They are still shown.
@Marilynda1225 (82789)
• United States
3 Aug 18
If I go back to early childhood it was Fury (a show that revolved around a,black stallion) and it was on Saturday mornings. I never wanted to miss it so I made sure my chores were done so my mom had no excuse to tell me I couldn't
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@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
3 Aug 18
That's a 50s series with Peter Graves.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
3 Aug 18
That's my favorite sitcom after I Love Lucy.
@MrsPumpkins (466)
• Philippines
4 Aug 18
My first tv obsession was "Thundercats". I just love how the character played their role. And i am fond of their drawings
1 person likes this
@Fliafaith (763)
• Nairobi, Kenya
4 Aug 18
i was really obsessed with WWE ..hehe... that was indeed crazy
1 person likes this
