I’ve taken to watching reruns of “Match Game”. It’s a nice, pleasant divergence from the “stuff” of today’s problems. What I’ve noticed along with the change in clothing styles is how much more “real” things used to be. There are contestants of all “regular” walks of life and looks. I don’t think hardly any of them would get picked to be on a game show today. I’d also forgotten prevalent smoking was “back in the day”. Also I wonder if the hugging, kissing, risqué questions would be allowed today ? Probably not.
Anyways, I enjoy the diversion.
We have recently taken up some episodes of "Adam-12" on ME TV channel which was filmed in the early 70's. It's like a time machine view of Los Angeles just as I was relocating there from New England. There are many location shots on streets and boulevards which show the automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, and neighborhoods. Checking out advertised prices of gasoline, groceries, meat, and commodities is pretty remarkable. The dialogue is sometimes humorous, usually corny (a Jack Webb production) and the descriptions of people's races, fashions, and genders just would not fly in 2021.
"Can I use your telephone? I'll call an ambulance."
My buddy's son-in-law is an LA patrolman; I've encouraged he and his buddies to have a few cold ones and check it out. I'm sure that they'd be roaring by the fifth minute when they hear "One Adam-12, a 211 in progress at the bank on the corner of 11144 Melrose, shots fired, handle Code 3"; Reed and Malloy are the only ones who show up in their 1970 Plymouth with a shotgun, a couple of lights on top and a siren. These days there'd be 20 locked-loaded cops, SWAT, a helicopter, and an armored vehicle.
