Although television critics have often differed with the public with respect to the artistic and cultural merits of television programming, over the last half-century, television hits have indubitably influenced popular culture and vice versa. No matter what reason is cited: the characters, the actors, the plots, the music, among many others, classic television shows that were beloved by audiences in their time remain fondly remembered.

This study covers the classic period of beloved television shows from the 1960s through the 1990s, focusing on how regular viewers interacted with television shows on a personal level. Bridging popular and scholarly approaches, discover what America actually watched and why through documents, footage, visits to filming locations, newspapers, and magazine articles from the shows' eras. The book features extremely extensive notes and bibliography.