Though the medium was very different decades ago, the best'50s TV showshave remained a part of pop culture all these years later. Home television was introduced years earlier, but it didn’t become common until the 1950s. As a result, the decade saw an explosion of shows being made. This includes a number of notable shows that had previously become popular as radio programs before being adapted to the visual medium.
Looking back on the best ’50s TV shows, it is apparent that there were certain types of series that were popular at the time. Audiences wanted to see wholesome sitcoms about family life, and they wanted to see Westerns with heroic characters fighting bad guys. However, there were other genres that were beginning to pique the interest of the mainstream and shows that were willing to be a little bolder in the type of stories they were telling. Indeed, some of these 1950s shows have remained popular enough to be reimagined in the 21st century.
The animated children’s show about an adventurous flying squirrel and his slow yet lovable moose friend followed them on various adventures, getting caught up with Russian spies. The variety show-like format of the series and the many memorable side characters, including Mr. Peabody and Dudley Do-Right,established the foundation of many wacky and zany animated series that followed.
Detective shows were beginning to come into popularity in the 1950s,so it makes sense that one of the most iconic detectives of all time had a show. Sherlock Holmes followed Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s brilliant literary hero on a television adventure alongside his trusted sidekick, Dr. Watson. The show cleverly paid homage to theSherlock Holmes bookswhile also delivering exciting original cases.
Dick Clark hosted this groundbreaking musical program that would feature some of the hottest new acts in rock n' roll performing live to an audience. WhileThe Ed Sullivan Showhad already been on air since the 1940s,American Bandstandwas instrumental in introducing the growing popularity of rock to the mainstream.
While the 1987 gangster movie might be the most well-known version of this story,The Untouchablesbegan as a television series, telling the fictionalized account of how Eliot Ness and a band of FBI agents sought to take down infamous gangster Al Capone. Long before the explosion of true-crime shows,The Untouchablesoffered a thrilling crime saga taken from recent history.
Real-life comedy couple Ozzie and Harriet Nelson brought along their real-life sons, David Nelson and Ricky Nelson, for this series about a wholesome family dealing with the various situations in their home life. What makesThe Adventures of Ozzie and Harrietso special is its longevity,becoming the first American sitcom to pass 10 years on the air,which allowed the audience to see this family grow over the years.
Captain Kangaroodelivered one of the most beloved children’s entertainers in television history as the titular host took young audiences on an exciting ride in his Treasure House, with skits, songs, and lessons.The mix of wacky fun and educational storytellingmade for an ideal series for young kids to enjoy and learn from.
Originating as a radio series,Our Miss Brooksmade for an innovative sitcom in the 1950s, following a witty and sarcastic English teacher, Evie Arden’s Connie Brooks, as she dealt with her students and fellow educators.The school setting for a sitcom, long beforeAbbott Elementary, made for a terrific opportunity for comedic situations with a hilarious female lead to guide the big laughs.
Sergeant Joe Friday narrates his own adventures as a police officer, leading a group of fellow cops as they take on various cases and attempt to take down the bad guys.The hard-boiled and gritty feel of the series worked well with the popularnoir movie genreof the period while the realistic look at the hardships of police work inspired many police procedural shows that followed.
Chuck Connors became one of the most endearing Western television heroes of the 1950s as Lucas McCaine, a widowed father who attempted to make a good life for himself and his son in the Old West while standing up to injustice whenever he saw it. The show wasan exciting Western adventure with a stoic and heroic lead, but it was also a touching father-son story that evolved over the years.
Comedian Red Skelton hosted this variety show in which he performed hilarious skits and debuted iconic characters alongside some big-name stars like John Wayne and Dean Martin. The show’slight and fun energy inspired many other comedy/variety shows that followed, but few captured how much fun everyone seemed to be having onThe Red Skelton Show.
