It was good-- but four Emmy's for John?

Oh sure, there's nothing exciting about a headline like that. I mean it's the cool thing to love Charles in Charge and Saved By the Bell, but who cares about those shows? Sure they guided us through childhood, but what about the shows that were actually cool when we were little, but we didn't really get. Armed with a mastery of history these once topical shows can really be more mentally stimulating than any Discovery Channel broadcast.

Let's take a look at TV Land's latest addition (but before that, let me make an obvious observation: if Jeff Foxworthy lands on Nick at Night, which he currently is, that could be the worst move ever. It wasn't that good and it wasn't on for that long. Of course that was in his hey-day, before this blue collar garbage), Night Court . What an amazing show. I have no one but Greg to thank for getting me re-hooked on this gem. They poke fun at cable TV and have more Russian jokes than MacGyver . But when they reference world leaders or current events you really have to probe the recesses of your mind to remember what they mean--assuming you actually know at all. This isn't like learning about the 50's-- we lived during this time, but we were totally oblivious to the events because we were too young to care. But I beg the question: Shouldn't we understand what these events were? It's only fair that we understand recent historical events because it had built the society in which we live now. Why is our relationship with the Middle East so complex? Ask Judge Harry Stone-- he'll crack a joke or two to get you through the lesson.

And Night Court isn't the only place we can learn from. What would you say if I told you there are two shows that could teach you the most about military weaponry in the decade and where it was going? Take a look at the A Team and Airwolf . These two shows will demonstrate the evolution of military weapons, but more importantly it will show you that the size of the guns don't count-- it's the spirit and pride in the men using them.

What about the human condition? Unsolved Mysteries is a prime example of how the plights that faced man throughout the generations. People have gone missing and lost loves, escaped prison and justice, and examined the scientific basis of miracles for years. Were their clothes and hair as hot as the 1980's episodes of Unsolved Mysteries though? Moreover, this show can help you learn about the roots of your favorite b-celebrities of today. It was truly a place to be seen and break out into the business. While I do begrudge Unsolved Mysteries for making me starve for resolution for stories that took place 25 years ago, I will always hold it dear for the way it gets me to starve for that resolution.

It was easy to know how kids felt in the 80's because we were there, but don't discount our elders. A simple viewing of Golden Girls will get you into the mindset of a female senior citizen from way back when. You'd learn what mattered to them and how the common bitterness and jaded spirits of so many of today's seniors were encrusted over the hard outer shell of Dorothy Petrillo.

What could it mean to be alone in the 1980's? Just ask Judd Hirsch, he examined it quite a bit in the late 80's with Dear John. With the onset of support groups we met John, left by his family. It wasn't the hokey fun-poking of support groups today. We had a sophisticated comedy that outlined the trials of its members. They were people, not problems. When the overkill of support groups took over, is it any surprise that we view more people as problems instead of people?

I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you to the 1980's TV shows that get forgotten. It serves as a real way for my generation to get to the root of the matter. We are who we are, but these shows answer how we got there. The 1980's served as more than just a springboard of creativity to get copied in the 21st century, it was a way to chronicle the lived people led (or wished they'd led) in a time where the world had problems, but the severity was so much softer.