Brooke Shields is an interesting choice I can see it she was a child model and appeared in her first movie around this time so maybe some time after that well long time after that since she's 11 at this point ITTL. So maybe after she does Blue Lagoon (Note I hope that ITTL with early Me Too movement they do a better job of protecting her while filming it) in the 80s she and Micheal maybe meet when he does a music video and she's either in the video or just visiting and it's kinda like a meet-cute thing where they're taken with each other at first site.
Blue Skies in Camelot (Continued): An Alternate 80s and Beyond
- Thread starter President_Lincoln
- Start date
Am loving these ideas for Michael Jackson. Elvis becoming a mentor to him, and him hopefully having better health and lifestyle.
Of course genius! With the So Have I Movement was getting started ITTL, I also hope that the film crew better care and protect her while they're filming. Hope their meet-cute be a better story ITTL. They never officially confirmed each other that they were a couple IOTL, but we're officially going to make them a couple ITTL and get them married once she gets into adulthood.
Now we're speaking the same language genius! Let's get this suggestion into a better life for Michael Jackson. To The King of Pop!
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Chapter 132
Chapter 132 - Video Killed the Radio Star: Television in the 1970s - A Retrospective
Above: The Bunker Family, stars of CBS’ hit comedy, All in the Family; Captain Hikaru Sulu (played by George Takei), captain of the Enterprise-II on Star Trek: Phase II, airing on NBC; George and Louise Jefferson, stars of The Jeffersons, an All in the Family spin-off, also on CBS.
“Oh, a, oh
I met your children
Oh a oh
What did you tell them?
Video killed the radio star
Video killed the radio star
Pictures came and broke your heart
Oh, ah whoa ah oh” - “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles
“'Star Trek' is about acceptance, and the strength of the Starship Enterprise is that it embraces diversity in all its forms.” - George Takei
“Nanu Nanu!” - Robin Williams as his iconic character “Mork”
“Just one more thing…” - Peter Falk as Lt. Columbo
At the start of the 1970s, long-standing trends in American television were finally reaching their end. For example, institutions such as The Ed Sullivan Show were canceled at long last after years of declining ratings. The “family sitcom”, usually identified with shows like Leave it to Beaver and Ozzie and Harriet likewise went the way of the Dodo. Though The Brady Bunch kept the flame of this subgenre alive for five years, from 1969-1974, it never took off the way those earlier shows did. Today, the Bradys are best remembered for syndicated reruns.
Nowhere was this push of “out with the old, in with the new” more strongly felt than at CBS. Tired of being called the “hillbilly network” (the majority of its hit shows - The Beverly Hillbillies; Hee Haw; Green Acres; etc. - were rural-oriented), the network decided to move in a new, more “socially conscious” direction. Guided by tv producer Norman Lear, sitcoms like All in the Family (Lear’s adaptation of the British show Til Death Do Us Part) and its spin-offs The Jeffersons and Maud became commonplace. This new breed of sitcoms was “hip”, it appealed to a younger, more urban demographic. When All in the Family first premiered in 1971, it was the first place that the slurs “fag”, “jigaboo”, and “spic” were ever aired on national television. The show quickly became the talk of countless dinner tables across the nation, and got many people talking about issues of socioeconomic import, including racial inequality and homophobia. Lear’s other shows, included One Day at a Time, which tells the story of a divorced mother trying to raise two kids in Indianapolis, and Good Times, arguably America’s first African-American family sitcom.
Another genre that wound down in popularity as the decade wore on was the Western. One by one, the proverbial reaper came for each network’s western tent pole. The Virginian and The High Chaparral, both NBC stalwarts, were canceled in 1971. Bonanza followed two years later. CBS’ iconic Gunsmoke lasted a bit longer, finally ending its run with a star-studded finale in 1975. The next generation of these, so to speak, NBC’s Little House on the Prairie and CBS’s The Waltons (which, admittedly, took place in Virginia during the Great Depression) filled in the “family drama” void.
The 1970s also saw the rise of the medical drama (Marcus Welby, MD for ABC and Medical Center for CBS), the police procedural (Columbo and The Rockford Files for NBC, Kojack for CBS, and Starsky & Hutch for ABC), and perhaps most controversially, a genre called “jiggle television”.
Pioneered by Fred Silverman, who had jumped ship as head of programming from CBS to struggling ABC, “jiggle television” referred to shows which rejected the “socially responsible” themes of the 1950s and 60s, replacing them with sexual gratification and bawdy humor. Charlie’s Angels, a crime drama starring up and coming sex symbols Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith, and Kate Jackson (Fawcett would be replaced in season 2 by Shari Belafonte), became a massive success for ABC. As did the risque sitcom Three’s Company, in which swinging single-man Robin Trip pretended to be gay in order to live in an apartment with two single women. Mildly controversial at the time, the show quickly became a Top Ten hit in the ratings.
Besides being “sexy” for titilation’s sake, tv in the 70s incorporated many of the lessons and themes of Second-Wave feminism. The Mary Tyler Moore Show featured its star playing a single, unmarried woman living and working on her own in the city. The aforementioned Maud embraced the tenets of women’s liberation. Its protagonist openly supported Democratic politics, advocated for civil rights and racial and gender equality. And though her overbearing, sometimes domineering personality (perfectly portrayed by star Bea Arthur) could be grating at times, her activism itself was seldom seen as the butt of the joke.
Generally speaking, tv in the 70s was grittier, more realistic, and more grounded than what came in the decades preceding it. It tackled real-world issues and rarely attempted to moralize.
Another major show of the era, M*A*S*H, began as a comedy with dramatic overtones but gradually shifted to a drama with comedic undertones. This fit its baby-boomer audience, who generally matured throughout the decade. Another change was the infusion of storylines based on actual events and medical developments that materialized during the Korean War. Considerable research was done by the producers, including interviews with actual MASH surgeons and personnel to develop storylines rooted in the war itself. Such early 1950s events as the McCarthy era, various sporting events, and the stardom of Marilyn Monroe were all incorporated into various episodes, a trend that continued until the end of the series. When its finale, “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” aired in 1983, it became the most-viewed television broadcast ever, a record it would hold for almost thirty years. Indeed, it remains the most-viewed final episode of any television program, with only 1993’s finale of Cheers seriously giving it a run for its money.
Another major trend in 1970s television was the wave of Science-Fiction shows that swept the airwaves. Capitalizing on the success of Star Trek, which ran on NBC from 1966 to 1971, and Star Wars, which captivated the country and the world in 1977, shows like The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Battlestar Galactica, and Fantasy Island joined others, inspired by comics like Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk.
Star Trek, which began the trend, continued it in 1976 with the premiere of Star Trek: Phase II, which told the stories of the Enterprise-II, helmed by Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) and First Officer Deckard (Morgan Freeman). This second series, which ran until the conclusion of its fifth season in 1981, was a major hit for NBC and co-promoted with a series of films for the franchise, beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1978. Young writer George R.R. Martin, a staff writer for Star Trek: Phase II would eventually go on to have a highly successful career, both in television and as a novelist.
Wonder Woman, which began its life on ABC before switching to CBS for its second and third seasons, starred Lynda Carter and eventually crossed over with DC’s major film project at the time, Superman starring Christopher Reeve and Carrie Fisher. Though a love triangle between the three was pitched for Superman II in 1980, Carter vetoed the idea, as it would be unlikely to be followed up on in her show, which Reeve and Fisher would almost certainly not appear on.
The Incredible Hulk starring Bill Bixby as Bruce Banner and professional bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno as his alter-ego was also something of a hidden gem for CBS, running until the conclusion of its fifth season in 1982. It has since gained a cult-like following and helped build momentum in Marvel for the launching of its tv/film division. This would come to bear fruit in the 1980s and 90s, as the superhero craze really started to hit the silver screen.
Above: Lynda Carter in Wonder Woman; Lou Ferrigno in The Incredible Hulk.
During the 70s, the soap opera moved from being a genre watched exclusively by housewives in the United States to having a sizable audience of men (who largely watched The Edge of Night) and college students; the latter audience helped All My Children gain a devoted following, as it was on during many universities' traditional "lunch period." In a Time article written about the genre in 1976, it was estimated that as many as 35 million households tuned into at least one soap opera each afternoon, the most successful being As the World Turns, which routinely grabbed viewing figures of twelve million or higher each day. Other successful “soaps” of the era included Ryan’s Hope, about an Irish-American family running a pub in New York City, and a debuting program called General Hospital, which, although nearly canceled in 1976, would become a ratings juggernaut in the decade that followed.
Other fixtures of television in the decade included daytime game shows: Hollywood Squares; Family Feud (the number one show by the end of the 70s); The Price is Right; Let’s Make a Deal; The $20,000 Pyramid; and numerous others. The nightly news was presented by well-respected anchors on the networks: John Chancellor and David Brinkley (NBC); Harold K. Smith (ABC); and of course, “the most trusted man in America” Walter Cronkite, who led in the ratings and in public esteem (CBS). Variety shows and TV movies made for major events, as did major sporting events like the World Series, Super Bowl, and Olympics, among others.
Saturday Night Live, which began on NBC in October of 1975, continued to grow and develop in both quality and popularity through the latter half of the decade. Creator and showrunner Lorne Michaels would depart the show in 1980, succeeded by Dick Ebersol, though he would later return in 1985. Below is a list of the notable cast members on the eve of 1980:
- Gilbert Gottfried
- Yvonne Hudson
- Gail Matthius
- Ann Risley
- Charles Rocket
- Patrick Weathers
- Eddie Murphy
- Joe Piscopo
- Brian Doyle-Murphy
Next Time on Blue Skies in Camelot: Music in the 70s - A Retrospective
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I love all this, but a Trek show in the 70s with George Takei in the lead role? Hell yeah!
Regarding TTL's Saturday Night Live:
1) Does the "Commie Hunting Season" sketch still exist?
2) Does Charles Rocket drop his F-bomb?
1) Does the "Commie Hunting Season" sketch still exist?
2) Does Charles Rocket drop his F-bomb?
Just something to ask, please don't make Sulu gay. My understanding is that George Takei doesn't like the idea of making the character gay solely because he is.
George Takei Reacts to Gay Sulu News: “I Think It’s Really Unfortunate”
Speaking exclusively to THR, the actor and LGBT activist says the 'Star Trek Beyond' development for his character is out of step with what creator Gene Roddenberry would have wanted.
www.google.com
I also hope the early 80s cast of SNL gets a better chance ITTL.
Love to read about pop culture. Especially with all time classics like All in the Family and Star trekChapter 132 - Video Killed the Radio Star: Television in the 1970s - A RetrospectiveAbove: The Bunker Family, stars of CBS’ hit comedy, All in the Family; Captain Hikaru Sulu (played by George Takei), captain of the Enterprise-II on Star Trek: Phase II, airing on NBC; George and Louise Jefferson, stars of The Jeffersons, an All in the Family spin-off, also on CBS.
“Oh, a, oh
I met your children
Oh a oh
What did you tell them?
Video killed the radio star
Video killed the radio star
Pictures came and broke your heart
Oh, ah whoa ah oh” - “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles
“'Star Trek' is about acceptance, and the strength of the Starship Enterprise is that it embraces diversity in all its forms.” - George Takei
“Nanu Nanu!” - Robin Williams as his iconic character “Mork”
“Just one more thing…” - Peter Falk as Lt. Columbo
At the start of the 1970s, long-standing trends in American television were finally reaching their end. For example, institutions such as The Ed Sullivan Show were canceled at long last after years of declining ratings. The “family sitcom”, usually identified with shows like Leave it to Beaver and Ozzie and Harriet likewise went the way of the Dodo. Though The Brady Bunch kept the flame of this subgenre alive for five years, from 1969-1974, it never took off the way those earlier shows did. Today, the Bradys are best remembered for syndicated reruns.
Nowhere was this push of “out with the old, in with the new” more strongly felt than at CBS. Tired of being called the “hillbilly network” (the majority of its hit shows - The Beverly Hillbillies; Hee Haw; Green Acres; etc. - were rural-oriented), the network decided to move in a new, more “socially conscious” direction. Guided by tv producer Norman Lear, sitcoms like All in the Family (Lear’s adaptation of the British show Til Death Do Us Part) and its spin-offs The Jeffersons and Maud became commonplace. This new breed of sitcoms was “hip”, it appealed to a younger, more urban demographic. When All in the Family first premiered in 1971, it was the first place that the slurs “fag”, “jigaboo”, and “spic” were ever aired on national television. The show quickly became the talk of countless dinner tables across the nation, and got many people talking about issues of socioeconomic import, including racial inequality and homophobia. Lear’s other shows, included One Day at a Time, which tells the story of a divorced mother trying to raise two kids in Indianapolis, and Good Times, arguably America’s first African-American family sitcom.
Another genre that wound down in popularity as the decade wore on was the Western. One by one, the proverbial reaper came for each network’s western tent pole. The Virginian and The High Chaparral, both NBC stalwarts, were canceled in 1971. Bonanza followed two years later. CBS’ iconic Gunsmoke lasted a bit longer, finally ending its run with a star-studded finale in 1975. The next generation of these, so to speak, NBC’s Little House on the Prairie and CBS’s The Waltons (which, admittedly, took place in Virginia during the Great Depression) filled in the “family drama” void.
The 1970s also saw the rise of the medical drama (Marcus Welby, MD for ABC and Medical Center for CBS), the police procedural (Columbo and The Rockford Files for NBC, Kojack for CBS, and Starsky & Hutch for ABC), and perhaps most controversially, a genre called “jiggle television”.
Pioneered by Fred Silverman, who had jumped ship as head of programming from CBS to struggling ABC, “jiggle television” referred to shows which rejected the “socially responsible” themes of the 1950s and 60s, replacing them with sexual gratification and bawdy humor. Charlie’s Angels, a crime drama starring up and coming sex symbols Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith, and Kate Jackson (Fawcett would be replaced in season 2 by Shari Belafonte), became a massive success for ABC. As did the risque sitcom Three’s Company, in which swinging single-man Robin Trip pretended to be gay in order to live in an apartment with two single women. Mildly controversial at the time, the show quickly became a Top Ten hit in the ratings.
Besides being “sexy” for titilation’s sake, tv in the 70s incorporated many of the lessons and themes of Second-Wave feminism. The Mary Tyler Moore Show featured its star playing a single, unmarried woman living and working on her own in the city. The aforementioned Maud embraced the tenets of women’s liberation. Its protagonist openly supported Democratic politics, advocated for civil rights and racial and gender equality. And though her overbearing, sometimes domineering personality (perfectly portrayed by star Bea Arthur) could be grating at times, her activism itself was seldom seen as the butt of the joke.
Generally speaking, tv in the 70s was grittier, more realistic, and more grounded than what came in the decades preceding it. It tackled real-world issues and rarely attempted to moralize.
Another major show of the era, M*A*S*H, began as a comedy with dramatic overtones but gradually shifted to a drama with comedic undertones. This fit its baby-boomer audience, who generally matured throughout the decade. Another change was the infusion of storylines based on actual events and medical developments that materialized during the Korean War. Considerable research was done by the producers, including interviews with actual MASH surgeons and personnel to develop storylines rooted in the war itself. Such early 1950s events as the McCarthy era, various sporting events, and the stardom of Marilyn Monroe were all incorporated into various episodes, a trend that continued until the end of the series. When its finale, “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” aired in 1983, it became the most-viewed television broadcast ever, a record it would hold for almost thirty years. Indeed, it remains the most-viewed final episode of any television program, with only 1993’s finale of Cheers seriously giving it a run for its money.
Another major trend in 1970s television was the wave of Science-Fiction shows that swept the airwaves. Capitalizing on the success of Star Trek, which ran on NBC from 1966 to 1971, and Star Wars, which captivated the country and the world in 1977, shows like The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Battlestar Galactica, and Fantasy Island joined others, inspired by comics like Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk.
Star Trek, which began the trend, continued it in 1976 with the premiere of Star Trek: Phase II, which told the stories of the Enterprise-II, helmed by Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) and First Officer Deckard (Morgan Freeman). This second series, which ran until the conclusion of its fifth season in 1981, was a major hit for NBC and co-promoted with a series of films for the franchise, beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1978. Young writer George R.R. Martin, a staff writer for Star Trek: Phase II would eventually go on to have a highly successful career, both in television and as a novelist.
Wonder Woman, which began its life on ABC before switching to CBS for its second and third seasons, starred Lynda Carter and eventually crossed over with DC’s major film project at the time, Superman starring Christopher Reeve and Carrie Fisher. Though a love triangle between the three was pitched for Superman II in 1980, Carter vetoed the idea, as it would be unlikely to be followed up on in her show, which Reeve and Fisher would almost certainly not appear on.
The Incredible Hulk starring Bill Bixby as Bruce Banner and professional bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno as his alter-ego was also something of a hidden gem for CBS, running until the conclusion of its fifth season in 1982. It has since gained a cult-like following and helped build momentum in Marvel for the launching of its tv/film division. This would come to bear fruit in the 1980s and 90s, as the superhero craze really started to hit the silver screen.
Above: Lynda Carter in Wonder Woman; Lou Ferrigno in The Incredible Hulk.
During the 70s, the soap opera moved from being a genre watched exclusively by housewives in the United States to having a sizable audience of men (who largely watched The Edge of Night) and college students; the latter audience helped All My Children gain a devoted following, as it was on during many universities' traditional "lunch period." In a Time article written about the genre in 1976, it was estimated that as many as 35 million households tuned into at least one soap opera each afternoon, the most successful being As the World Turns, which routinely grabbed viewing figures of twelve million or higher each day. Other successful “soaps” of the era included Ryan’s Hope, about an Irish-American family running a pub in New York City, and a debuting program called General Hospital, which, although nearly canceled in 1976, would become a ratings juggernaut in the decade that followed.
Other fixtures of television in the decade included daytime game shows: Hollywood Squares; Family Feud (the number one show by the end of the 70s); The Price is Right; Let’s Make a Deal; The $20,000 Pyramid; and numerous others. The nightly news was presented by well-respected anchors on the networks: John Chancellor and David Brinkley (NBC); Harold K. Smith (ABC); and of course, “the most trusted man in America” Walter Cronkite, who led in the ratings and in public esteem (CBS). Variety shows and TV movies made for major events, as did major sporting events like the World Series, Super Bowl, and Olympics, among others.
Saturday Night Live, which began on NBC in October of 1975, continued to grow and develop in both quality and popularity through the latter half of the decade. Creator and showrunner Lorne Michaels would depart the show in 1980, succeeded by Dick Ebersol, though he would later return in 1985. Below is a list of the notable cast members on the eve of 1980:
Though cable television had existed in some form or another since 1948, original programming wasn’t created exclusively for cable until deregulation of the industry under the Bush administration in 1972. Though cable would not truly take off until the 80s and 90s, its adoption commercially continued through the 70s.
- Gilbert Gottfried
- Yvonne Hudson
- Gail Matthius
- Ann Risley
- Charles Rocket
- Patrick Weathers
- Eddie Murphy
- Joe Piscopo
- Brian Doyle-Murphy
Next Time on Blue Skies in Camelot: Music in the 70s - A Retrospective
I remember reading that Takei said that. I did not have plans to do that. Though LGBT+ acceptance is better ITTL than in our own, this is still the 1970s we're talking about. NBC could probably just barely stomach the idea of a major show on their network starring, in one executive's words "An Asian guy, a Black guy, and a Woman". We will continue to see progress on LGBT+ representation, but it will take time.Just something to ask, please don't make Sulu gay. My understanding is that George Takei doesn't like the idea of making the character gay solely because he is.
George Takei Reacts to Gay Sulu News: “I Think It’s Really Unfortunate”
Speaking exclusively to THR, the actor and LGBT activist says the 'Star Trek Beyond' development for his character is out of step with what creator Gene Roddenberry would have wanted.
I also hope the early 80s cast of SNL gets a better chance ITTL.
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It probably won't be until the 90s when any major network will have the courage to have a Main openly LGBT+ character
Random question here but in the UK, how has British Rail getting on here? Interesting to see what changes we see here, maybe a less harsher Beeching axe or maybe the Great Central Railway surives just long enough to be turned into a true high-speed rail link which likely butterflies the infamous APT and would butterfly HS2? I do recommend the 12:08 TL which had a plausible path for British Rail that could use ideas for this TL too.
I 100% agree with this, it’s one of the few cases we’re I’d say “forced diversity” would actually apply and be appropriate. I respect Takei’s wishes here.Just something to ask, please don't make Sulu gay. My understanding is that George Takei doesn't like the idea of making the character gay solely because he is.
George Takei Reacts to Gay Sulu News: “I Think It’s Really Unfortunate”
Speaking exclusively to THR, the actor and LGBT activist says the 'Star Trek Beyond' development for his character is out of step with what creator Gene Roddenberry would have wanted.
I also hope the early 80s cast of SNL gets a better chance ITTL.
Yep yes indeed I remember that all the way back when that chapter was initially posted!
Another exciting chapter genius! The Television in the 70's were really starting to change its culture. I didn't know that CBS in the 60's were called "The Hillbilly Network", and I didn't know that All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Maud were related and connected to each other; of which I'm impressed and their shows were now iconic of all time. One Day at the Time an Good Times were now considered iconic too with their groundbreaking themes as the 70's rolling.
You forgot to add everything about Happy Days, and its spin-offs Laverne and Shirley, and Mork and Mindy; they're also iconic during the decade. And I almost forgot about Different Strokes, of which I'm hoping that the child stars were doing better that they deserved ITTL. How about The Love Boat and Taxi, you also forgot that both shows were iconic as well. The Mary Tyler Moore Show was another iconic show with the height of passing The Equal Rights Amendment early in the decade.
I respectfully told you to let Farrah Fawcett remain on Charlie's Angels until the shows end. Now I want to know why she was replaced and how is she doing ITTL now that they removed her from the show. Three's Company was controversial at first, but later became a hit and iconic as well. RIP Suzanne Sommers. M*A*S*H was also iconic that they're mirroring The Korean War of the 50's to the The Cambodian War of the 70's. Their final episode was is truly one of the most-watched television event in history.
Star Trek: Phase II was continuing its successful five-season run and their film franchises. I hope that they doing a movie trilogy for Star Trek if you're going to ask me geniuses. And I hope that Star Trek 3 got its deserving ending that it should be ITTL. Wonder Woman was a new hit for DC Comics during the decade, but it was really Superman that really changed the game and gave birth to the Superhero Genre thanks to the direction of Steven Spielberg, iconic music composed by John Williams, brilliant writing of Mario Puzo, and memorable performances by Marlon Brando as Jor-el, Christopher Reeve as Kal-el/Clark Kent/Superman, Carrie Fisher as Lois Lane, and Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. So it was Carrie Fisher all along as Lois Lane, that's what I'm talking about genius! I just hope that Superman II became one of the best sequel movies ever made ITTL because the first two were really connected to each other. Speaking of Mario Puzo and Francis Coppola, when are they deciding to direct The Godfather: Part III? I hope that they got the proper and best ending that it should've been ITTL, as well as make in the Early 80's. The Incredible Hulk was became a new hit for Marvel Comics in this decade, and served as the basis for their television and movie division in the future.
While you've covered everything from game shows, nightly news, sitcoms, soap operas, giggle television shows, and science-fiction, you forgot about morning shows like Today from NBC, Good Morning America from ABC, and CBS Morning from CBS; and you can't forget talk shows, especially late night with The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. By the late decade, Jay Leno and David Letterman got their first break and hit from the show. I strongly suggested that David Letterman should succeed Carson on The Tonight Show, and let NBC Executives do whatever Letterman wants after Carson personally picked him to succeed him when he retired on the same day he started the show, on October 1, 1992.
So Lorne Michaels still going to leave SNL in 1980, that is still sad news for readers like me. I just hope that the cast members of SNL remains strong as ever as the new decade arrived, and hope they remain until 1985-1986 Season. Did Elvis Presley and The Beatles appeared on SNL ITTL? I do hope that they became both as host and musical appearance, the ratings would skyrocketed just by appearing on TV. You forgot to include cable television stations like HBO, which was started in 1972; and TBS by Ted Turner in 1979.
Overall, another well-written chapter genius. Now we're off to The Music of the 70's - A Retrospective! Hope the music in the decade really changed everything ITTL.
You forgot to add everything about Happy Days, and its spin-offs Laverne and Shirley, and Mork and Mindy; they're also iconic during the decade. And I almost forgot about Different Strokes, of which I'm hoping that the child stars were doing better that they deserved ITTL. How about The Love Boat and Taxi, you also forgot that both shows were iconic as well. The Mary Tyler Moore Show was another iconic show with the height of passing The Equal Rights Amendment early in the decade.
I respectfully told you to let Farrah Fawcett remain on Charlie's Angels until the shows end. Now I want to know why she was replaced and how is she doing ITTL now that they removed her from the show. Three's Company was controversial at first, but later became a hit and iconic as well. RIP Suzanne Sommers. M*A*S*H was also iconic that they're mirroring The Korean War of the 50's to the The Cambodian War of the 70's. Their final episode was is truly one of the most-watched television event in history.
Star Trek: Phase II was continuing its successful five-season run and their film franchises. I hope that they doing a movie trilogy for Star Trek if you're going to ask me geniuses. And I hope that Star Trek 3 got its deserving ending that it should be ITTL. Wonder Woman was a new hit for DC Comics during the decade, but it was really Superman that really changed the game and gave birth to the Superhero Genre thanks to the direction of Steven Spielberg, iconic music composed by John Williams, brilliant writing of Mario Puzo, and memorable performances by Marlon Brando as Jor-el, Christopher Reeve as Kal-el/Clark Kent/Superman, Carrie Fisher as Lois Lane, and Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. So it was Carrie Fisher all along as Lois Lane, that's what I'm talking about genius! I just hope that Superman II became one of the best sequel movies ever made ITTL because the first two were really connected to each other. Speaking of Mario Puzo and Francis Coppola, when are they deciding to direct The Godfather: Part III? I hope that they got the proper and best ending that it should've been ITTL, as well as make in the Early 80's. The Incredible Hulk was became a new hit for Marvel Comics in this decade, and served as the basis for their television and movie division in the future.
While you've covered everything from game shows, nightly news, sitcoms, soap operas, giggle television shows, and science-fiction, you forgot about morning shows like Today from NBC, Good Morning America from ABC, and CBS Morning from CBS; and you can't forget talk shows, especially late night with The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. By the late decade, Jay Leno and David Letterman got their first break and hit from the show. I strongly suggested that David Letterman should succeed Carson on The Tonight Show, and let NBC Executives do whatever Letterman wants after Carson personally picked him to succeed him when he retired on the same day he started the show, on October 1, 1992.
So Lorne Michaels still going to leave SNL in 1980, that is still sad news for readers like me. I just hope that the cast members of SNL remains strong as ever as the new decade arrived, and hope they remain until 1985-1986 Season. Did Elvis Presley and The Beatles appeared on SNL ITTL? I do hope that they became both as host and musical appearance, the ratings would skyrocketed just by appearing on TV. You forgot to include cable television stations like HBO, which was started in 1972; and TBS by Ted Turner in 1979.
Overall, another well-written chapter genius. Now we're off to The Music of the 70's - A Retrospective! Hope the music in the decade really changed everything ITTL.
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I do as well. Just because the actor is gay, the character doesn't have to be.
Well I'm glad Harvey Milk and George Moscone will be able to see it.