The TV of 1968: Vast Wasteland or Just Bad Taste-land?

REWIND

This week’s episode of Rewind goes way back to a time when Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In was the #1 show on television, Star Trek was in its third and final season, and Mr. Rogers had just moved into his Neighborhood - 1968.

Pete and TV historian and NBCUniversal Research head Ted Linhart discuss how ‘68 was a turning point in TV, when the broadcast networks were starting to realize that “rural TV” (shows like The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres) may not be the best thing for their bottom line and when they were at least trying to put on shows that reflected the tumultuous world around them.

Plus, Pete and Adam discuss the sex appeal of both Get Smart’s Barbara Feldon and Andy Griffith’s Don Knotts, and the difference between all three of Lucille Ball’s TV shows of the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Was 1968 television a “vast wasteland”?? This episode of Rewind will try to figure it out.

And check out Ted Linhart’s website, DisneyDocs.net, which houses Ted’s vast personal collection of documents related to the development, creation, and evolution of Walt Disney theme parks.