Frequently Asked Questions About 70s TV
Why are some of these 70s TV shows so hard to find on streaming?
Finding classic television can be a challenge. There are several reasons. Sometimes, the original film prints haven’t been well-preserved or digitized. More often, the issue is rights. Music rights are a major hurdle; a show might have used popular songs of the day, and the licenses to use that music on streaming platforms can be prohibitively expensive. Complicated ownership rights between production companies, studios, and networks that may no longer exist can also keep these shows locked in the vault.
What made 70s television so different from today’s TV?
The biggest difference was the lack of choice. With only three major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) and a handful of local stations, a hit show could command a massive portion of the entire viewing audience. This created shared cultural moments that are rare today. The storytelling pace was also different. Without the expectation of binge-watching, shows were more episodic, with most problems resolved by the end of the hour. This made them ideal for syndication, where episodes could be aired in any order.
Were spin-offs as common then as they seem?
Even more so! The 1970s was the golden age of the spin-off. Producers like Norman Lear and Garry Marshall built entire programming blocks out of them. All in the Family led to Maude and The Jeffersons. Happy Days spawned Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy. It was a successful formula: introduce a popular character on an established hit, then give them their own series. It was a way to launch a new show with a built-in audience, a much safer bet for networks.
