Best 1960s TV Series ?

Star Trek

 

Hard to characterize "best"; I'd have to go with "Star Trek" as my decade favorite, perhaps with "The Prisoner" and "Mission: Impossible" close behind. Lots of quality espionage series in the 60's, no doubt my favorite genre of the decade.

Doug

 

The first season was in '59 but I still consider it a 60s series...The Twilight Zone.

 

For westerns, Gunsmoke, Have Gun, Will Travel and Cheyenne.
For comedies, Andy Griffith (b/w era), Dick Van Dyke, The Munsters and Bewitched (Dick York).
And those are just the ones I can think of.

 

way too many to list! best decade for TV shows ever!

 

exactly...the bulk was in the 60's...

 

What happened to the goldies?

 

Another vote for The Wild Wild West. Brilliant show.

 

After catching up with several episodes on GritTV cable channel I've got to say "The Virginian" has got to be one of the most underrated tv westerns. It's surprising me how some of this show's writing deals with social issues like racism and prejudice not in obvious fashion. Even though it's your over polished, clean look western, the writing, direction and cinematography of The Virginian is just stunning. The camera and lighting work of quite a few scenes is better than some movies.

One episode was about French Canadian Cree Indians migrating to the US some speaking french that dealt with the town's prejudice of their oddness and misfit looks and behavior. They were being grilled by the hotel manager attempting to refuse them room and board.

A frail thin woman of some wealth and culture was making suggestive looks at the biggest one as advances attempting to entrap him that spoke French directly to her (just to be careful) that got him accused of raping her later on when all he did was cut off part of her hair because he was testing her. The accused Cree who spoke French confronted her where she says this line to him..."Your dominant masculine authority disgusts me!"

...whaaah?! Who would think of writing a line like that as a comeback in a TV western?

And then there's a cavalcade of top shelf actors that play episodic parts such as Lee J Cobb, George Kennedy, Charles Bronson, Ed Begley and Robert Redford among others. Some of the episodes even have a broadway play tone and pace to them. I never knew The Virginian was like this but then I was 9 years old when this series ran and I wasn't interested in TV westerns, not even Gunsmoke.

 

Doctor Who
Avengers
Thunderbirds
Captain Scarlet
Prisoner

 

Mission: Impossible
The Avengers

EG.

 

The Fugitive
Burke's Law
The Andy Griffith Show (but really only the first four seasons)

 

Of course they are all series in the strictest sense, how could they not be?

 

"Rat Patrol" is currently airing on the H&I network if I remember correctly. (If not H&I, some other cable channel, but it's on as of late.) Also, I seen that Walmart is selling the complete series of "Rat Patrol" these days. So, it's still around.

 

The Adventures Of Rocky and Bullwinkle

 

Hollywood Cowboy ( Andy Griffith)

 

Thanks for the update. My GI Joe jeep fell apart years ago and I think most of the Joes of my generation either got immolated on the family barbecue or are hanging from a telephone wire somewhere, so I'll probably give it a pass, but it's nice to know it's there if you want it.

 

From wikipedia:
Television show - Wikipedia
A television show is also called a television program (British English: programme), especially if it lacks a narrative structure.
A television series is usually released in episodes that follow a narrative, and are usually divided into seasons (US and Canada) or series (UK) – yearly or semiannual sets of new episodes.

By the above definition, it appears that Monty Python's Flying Circus might be more accurately called a "show" (as would Rowan and Martin's Laugh In) rather than a "series" but will leave this for the more pedantic among us to sort out. Also, there is some question as to what actually qualifies as being specifically from the 1960s; I tend to agree with Pratt that The Twilight Zone seems more like a 60's series despite debuting in the 50's (Rocky and Bullwinkle likewise falls into this category), and had almost included both in my list, but instead considered programs that debuted in the 60's even though they may be more 70's identified (i.e. Monty Python, H.R. Pufnstuf, Sesame Street, etc.).

I'd say this is the statement I agree with most!

 

Oh, good call on “The Virginian”. The episode quality can vary (they were cranking out a lot of content every season, given the number of episodes and ninety-minute length). But the good ones are very good. And it was an expensive-looking series at a time when “Bonanza” and “Gunsmoke” were doing a lot of scenes against plywood scenery.

 

And the opening theme was quite catchy and energetic with a cinematic grandeur and style of "The Big Country" movie. But I had forgotten all these years how it sounded.

It's funny but I can't think of "The Best" of the '60's TV series even though I do remember watching TV back then. Most of the ones I can remember I watched in the '70's. I remember at that time I'ld listen for the ending theme of The Virginian, a TV series I thought was boring that told me that either Night Gallery was coming up next or some other show I wanted to see.

My parents started using me as their personal TV Guide on what was coming on next. I always knew and let them know standing close to their Lazy Boy's when Happy Days, Night Gallery, The Wild, Wild West and Dark Shadows was coming on and not to switch the channel.

 

Star Trek
Bewitched
The Twilight Zone
The Monkees

.....and many, many more.

 

I bought the complete series a couple of years ago and must admit it wasn't nearly as good as I thought it was when I was a young sprite; same way I felt when I bought The Adventures of Beany & Cecil.

 

Indubitably! : )

 

I'm into sitcoms from that era, so the top ones for me would be The Dick van Dyke Show, The Lucy Show, The Munsters and Bewitched. Dick van Dyke is probably the best.

 

Captain Scarlet
The Saint
Joe 90
The Avengers
Thunderbirds