7 TV Shows I Only Saw After Moving to America 

It's impossible to fully explain the impact of Fred Rogers on anyone who didn't grow up in the US between 1970 and 2000. He was the ultimate social influencer long before social media ever existed.

I recently saw a story on RU-vid where a mother had been unhappy that her second grade child's teacher had thrown out an assignment (spelling test?) because the child had forgotten to put their name on it. She wrote Mr. Rogers about it and even included the school address and teacher's name. He wrote to the teacher explaining that everything a child created was important to the child and felt like a part of their self and shouldn't be treated lightly. The teacher later told the parent, "I can't believe you tattled on me to Mister Rogers!" Evidently Mr. Rogers answered ALL his mail. That seems like that would be a whole job in itself.

I feel like there are two celebrities who you can never talk badly about: Mister Rogers and Betty White.

I remember playing over my aunt's who lived in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh which is where Mr Rogers lived. We were out front playing when along he came and started talking to us! Talk about star struck! He asked us our names and left. 10 minutes later he returned with personally autographed pictures for all 5 of us kids. I only cried for the deaths of 3 people. My mom, my dad and Fred Rogers. He's an absolute legend, especially in Pittsburgh.

Anyone who grew up with Mr Rogers knows why everyone wishes we still had him around. He had a way to make you feel good even when terrible things were happening and didn't pretend they weren't happening or weren't actually terrible. Look up the shows he did after Kennedy was assassinated and you will understand. More to the point, PBS only exists in the way that it does today because of Mr Rogers. There are those that try to say no one is that good but that man was.

Mr. Roger was not just an excellent TV host, he was a great human being. There were a few small memoirs that came out after his passing, such as "The Simple Faith of Mr. Rogers" and "I'm Proud of You," that show he took a great interest in people he met, and would stay in touch with them and see how they were doing. As for TV shows, I'd recommend "Futurama."

I love the idea of adult Laurence binging Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood as part of his sociological research into why Americans are the way they are and/or why they're not more like Mr. Rogers.

Mr Rogers!! He deserves two places on your list. In 1969, the government tried to cut funding for public television in half, so they sent Mr. Rogers to testify before congress in defense of PBS. His testimony was so powerful that the subcommittee chair (who had been against him) was moved to tears, and instead of cutting the funding in half, congress voted to add an additional $2 million. It's my favorite story about him, and you can watch the whole thing on youtube still. My second favorite story about him is the time his car got stolen, and then when the thieves found out that it belonged to Mr. Rogers, they returned it with an apology note.

WKRP was pretty hilarious, most of the humor still holds up today. Les Nessman wanting his own office so badly that he made his own office by putting tape in the floor, the thanksgiving episode, dr Johnny Fever “If everyone really is out to get you, paranoid is just smart thinking”... & all the other characters.

I grew up watching Mr. Rogers and loved him then. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized all he did in real life and also the way his show was structured that I appreciated him even more. He talks about feelings and some huge topics for kids (divorce, death, bullying, etc) in age appropriate ways and for the 80s/90’s, it’s essentially unheard of. I introduced my 18 year old niece to the show on RU-vid late one night and she found it strangely calming and relaxing.

It's a testament to the life and influence of Fred Rogers that so many of the comments on this episode are about him. He was such a great human being. It's difficult to overestimate the effect he had on so many kids of my generation. I'm glad you've discovered him, too!

Nobody is better than Bob Ross at making you feel like you can succeed at painting. Especially when he received a letter from a colorblind person/child who stated they couldn't paint because they were colorblind. He immediately did an episode where he painted with blacks and whites (and greys) to show them that they could paint also. He believed anybody could paint.

Mister Rogers is an American icon. Lots of kids grew up with him. Myself included. I used to watch him with my mom all the time as a kid.

For a few years here in the US, kindness took human form and taught kids that they are worthy of love exactly how they are. That's Fred Rogers.

I love an old British show “Keeping Up Appearances”. The main character was Hyacinth Bucket who insisted on Bucket be pronounced as “Bouquet”. She wanted so badly to be considered high class, but everyone avoided her like the plague. Hilarious! But, nothing will ever replace Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Fred Rogers was the epitome of kindness and understanding.

I'm giving away my age, but "Dark Shadows" was the only soap opera that I really enjoyed. It had a Vampire in it!

Mr. Rogers is the national treasure the entire world would be better off having. Watch the video of him speaking before congress to try to secure funding. If you want to see magic in action, it's the short two minutes it took him to take a hard-hearted politician and turn that man into a child hearing words he needed to hear. And Bob Ross... OMG he's amazing, as is the story behind him and why he became so soft-spoken and peaceful.

Every time someone mentions Mr. Rodgers, I am so grateful I grew up with him and his entire cast on TV. What an amazing show. I appreciate what he talked about more now that I'm an adult.

Rick Steves is the absolute greatest. I love that so many of the shows you highlighted were from public broadcasting. PBS is so important to American culture and I love to see it being appreciated

The talk about Mr. Rogers was very nostalgic and put a much needed smile on my face. My childhood was a little hectic, but Fred Rogers was always there.

I just love how many of these shows are PBS shows. PBS was a mainstay in our family for years!

"Wheel of Fortune" The first time my British spouse watched it he looked at me and very seriously asked "What's the point of the lady that's all dressed up?" (Vanna White) I didn't really have a good answer except that when the show first aired she actually had to turn the letters by hand.

Around the same time as Bob Ross' "The Joy of Painting" was being made on PBS we also had "The Victory Garden" (usually paired with the Bob Villa version of "This Old House"), "Reading Rainbow", Jeff Smith's "The Frugal Gourmet", Justin Wilsons' "Louisiana Cookin'", and Julia Child's "The French Chef". Saturday morning to afternoon was a good time. Oh, also you can't forget about Peapod the pocket squirrel on Bob Ross's show.

Bob Ross was a stressed out drill sgt. and when he retired, he swore he'd never raise his voice or shout again. He also stopped with the buzz cut. Lol

Mr. Rogers and Bob Ross were definitely part of my life growing up as a kid. PBS was so much better back then.

The one show all of us pre/teens watch and discussed in detail the next day at school was Dark Shadows - Dark Shadows was an American gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. After spending 200 years trapped in a coffin, a vampire escapes and returns to his family mansion in Collinsport, Maine. We hung on every episode. I did watch some of it a couple years ago and tried to figure out why we loved it so, ha ha.

The biggest thing with Mr Rogers wasn't just him teaching kids to be good people, it was that he would talk to kids about things even your parents didn't want to talk about. He did episodes about divorce, death and even race relations in America in the 60s. He always tried to make every child not only feel special but to feel normal from talking with a boy in his electric wheelchair or during every episode saying I'm going to feed the fish now because a blind girl was told he had fish on the show and was worried they weren't being fed. That was the real magic of Fred Rogers.

Every time Mr. Rogers is mentioned it manages to make me a little teary eyed. I don’t know what it is about him and I only really watched him when I was VERY little, but just seeing his face brings me a lot of comfort. If I ever have kids I’m definitely going to have them watch reruns of the show

I love how the end seems like a lovely tribute to Mr. Rogers. He really was a wonderful person and a lovely person to find, any time of your life. I was 'too old' when my younger sisters watched Mr. Rogers. I watched with them because it was before 'my shows' (Reading Rainbow and Square One [yes, I'm that nerd ^^ ]). I'm glad you were able to find him too.

Two of my favorite PBS shows from before we had cable are This Old House and The Woodwright's Shop. Both were the precursor to the plethora of DIY shows on cable TV today. Speaking of cable, back before A&E went stupid with 'reality' shows, they had two excellent British imports: Sherlock Holmes Mysteries starring the late Jeremy Brett (still my favorite Holmes), and Lovejoy starring Ian McShane (where I learned most of what I know about art and antiques, lol). Duck Dynasty destroyed A&E...

It’s hard to put into words how much Mr. Rogers means to me. I’m so grateful I got to watch him as a kid.

I'm 57 years old and will be forever grateful that I lived in the time of Fred Rogers. He is truly a towering American icon, for all the best reasons. When he passed away, I was overwhelmed with sadness and the intensity of my grief took me by surprise. Even today I can get a little teary-eyed at the mere thought of him. All this for a man I never met, but do indeed feel like I knew and loved.

My 8th grade teacher taught us history for four days of the week - then a Jeopardy contest each Friday of the content just learned. Really great way to quiz ourselves in what was taught during the week. More of that should happen in schools today. This reminds me that my fifth grade teacher started a Wall Street contest at the beginning of the term. We all received a certain amount of virtual dollars and than we all chose stocks and followed the rise and fall for months. Whoever earned the most profit at the end of the period won major bragging rights. Schools really need to follow better learning models like this than they have today.

Hey, hey, hey! Besides being Fred Rogers' actual middle name, "Mr. McFeely" was the "brains" behind "Speedy Delivery" on the show. And I say this while looking at a personalized, autographed publicity still of "Mr. McFeely" said gentleman gave me when I worked with him on a Public Television program...when I was in my early 30s! (And yeah, your Rick Steves impersonation was spot on!)

Mr. Rogers Neighborhood started just a little too late for me to get into him as a kid. My equivalent was Captain Kangaroo and Romper Room. I ran across Fred Rogers in my teens and started watching because of the trolley models used in the miniature neighborhood. I remember visiting my grandparents house and my Grandmother would be glued to the TV all afternoon watching those soap operas.

When my older 2 kids were little (mid 80's) our local PBS station would run marathons of Bob Ross on the weekend. As a working mom, I was exhausted most of the time, and my children hated naps -- but -- they loved Bob Ross. We'd grab pillows and blankets, lie down on the living room floor, and watch the show for hours. Well, more specifically, they would SLEEP for hours, and I'd get 20 or 30 minutes, wake up, and get stuff done. His laid back style was so soothing, it calmed us all down. In fact, they would beg to watch the show. I attribute him, and his happy little accidents, for the fact that these two love to draw and paint.

There is only one soap opera I've ever really watched, "Dark Shadows", not the silly movie, the 1960's black and white show.

This reminds me of the many instances of shock I've suffered due to encountering my fellow Americans who've NEVER HEARD OF RED DWARF!!!!??!!!

Mr. Rogers' was such a huge part of my childhood. I have a legitimate fear that some devastating news will come out about him and my childhood will be ruined. He's been gone 20ish years, though, so maybe it's not that legitimate, but still... a fear. Anyway, I still get choked up if I hear "You Are Special." Every kid needs to listen to that song every day. 💖

Excellent episode tonight!!! I remember watching Capt.Kangaroo during the week when I was very young. On Saturday was morning cartoons followed by Fury and Sky King at noon. On Sunday evening was Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color on a B&W tv followed by Maverick/Bronco/Sugarfoot/Cheyenne alternating weeks. Loved Perry Mason. It’s still on in re runs. Before your time Laurence, I think. Those were the days!

In all truthfulness, most American television has become soap operas disguised as other types of shows.... It's truly awful.

There were a lot of afternoon soap operas (that type of program originally started out on radio and were sponsored by soap companies) through the years. You probably would have liked "Dark Shadows" that aired from 1965 to 1971 with a vampire character named "Barnabas Collins". There were prime time soaps also, the first of which was "Peyton Place" running from 1964 to 1969. It was a precursor of later ones like "Dallas", "Dynasty", "Falconcrest", etc.

Did you know Mr. Fred Roger's car was stolen and when the thief discovered who it actually belonged to, they brought it back with an included apology letter.

So excited you got to chat with Rick Steves! Overall, fantastic list

I never met Fred Rodgers but knew a number of people who did. While I think his show showed America at its best, the thing I loved most I learned from people who knew him was his love of dirty jokes. What was uniquely Mr Rodgers about this was he'd never tell you one. However, if he heard one he thought was particularly good he'd walk up to someone and tell them ask them to tell you the joke he just told me. Any man who can champion what is best in life but still appreciate a dirty joke - even if he wouldn't - repeat it, but share it - was worthy of praise.

You will likely never see my all time favorite t.v. show, which was called Northern Exposure and ran for approximately 5 seasons back in the mid-1990’s. Around 2005, my hubby bought me the full series DVD, but it seems the company that put out the DVD was unable to obtain the rights to the original music, which was a hugely important part of the show, since one of the main characters was the small town’s philosophical DJ. The music inserted in place of the original sucked! Still, I loved this show. And I also thoroughly enjoy your videos!

Lol! Father Brown is one of my favorite shows. When I saw him playing Ron Weasley's Dad in Harry Potter, I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. I dragged my mom in the living room to show her and she just asked how I knew about Father Brown. I might be a bit if a nerd. 😸

Laurence, I'm about 20 years older than you are and the Price Is Right was a thing in the 70's, with the original host, Bob Barker. My siblings and I got very good at guessing the retail price of items in southern California in the early 70's. There may be two other kids shows that are well known in the US, but not the UK. Captain Kangaroo and Bozo the Clown.

In America we got the British version of Antiques Roadshow as well, always enjoyed both. I used to watch the 3rd act of General Hospital episodes when I was in Elementary School because it was on just before Scooby Doo. Seeing only the 3rd act was non-stop murder, paternity, adultery, really great television for a child's mind.

Mr. Rogers was so special because he made us children feel important, heard, and loved. It felt like your father was being kind, looking directly at you and communicating with you as an esteemed fellow human being. That was remarkable at the time (early 80s).

Mr. Rogers was special. He made every kid feel like he was talking only to them. All the little things he taught us, not necessarily because they were educational but because they were cool and he thought we'd get a kick out of them. That sinking feeling when he'd start to put back on his walking shoes and sweater 😭 knowing our time was almost up. He was precious.

I love the Rick Steve's Europe travelogues... a beautiful way to travel and learn. Mr Roger's Neighborhood, Electric Company, and Go Zoom are missed. Where in the world is CArmen Sandiego" was another show.. I know Britain has or had versions of the following American shows: Family Feud, (FAmily Fortunes), Match Game (Fill in the Blank?), Name that tune (Pop Quiz) and a couple of others. FAmily Feud was initially hosted by a Briton, Richard DAwson.

As a kid in the mid to late 70's. Captain Kangaroo was great morning TV. Buck Roger's in the 25th Century was great. You can still catch it on MeTV on Saturday nights.

I started watching “Jeopardy!” in the 1960s when it was a network show hosted by Art Fleming. I even saw a taping of the show in 1971 when I was 15. I also remember the original version of “Price Is Right” with Bill Cullen hosting; it was more like the qualifying game now played as the entire game. And like others here I also remember not only “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” but also “Captain Kangaroo.” I’ve even been told I watched “Howdy Doody,” though it since it went off the air when I was only four years old, I have no memory of that at all. I do admit to watching “Antiques Roadshow,” (the US version), too.

The very term “soap opera” is due to the time slot they’re aired: during the work day when the only people at home to watch are housewives. Subsequently all the sponsors are selling what the audience buys: soap and household cleaning supplies.

I also love British telly: Time TEam, Dr Who, Eastenders, All Creatures Great and Small, Doc Martin, ARe YOu being served?, Good Neighbors, My Hero, Life on Mars (British version, not the American one), and many, many more

If everybody tried to spend even part of every day modeling their behavior on what Mister Rogers would think or do, this world would be a far better place. We’re so much poorer for the loss of his goodness and light and wisdom.

Funny thing is many of these shows are helpful when you're home sick from school and they help you feel better. The old school Price is Right with Bob Barker was the best remedy for the stomach bug.

We in the US didn't get to see much British TV before Masterpiece Theatre. I do remember being much impressed by "The Saint" with Roger Moore, "Secret Agent" ("Danger Man" in the UK), and of course "The Prisoner" and "The Avengers"... all, I now realize, before you saw the light of day. Keep up the good work!

Have you ever seen the original Dark Shadows TV show? Origin of the first sympathetic vampire, Barnabas Collins.

Oh no, sir. By the time you came to the US, soap operas were declining in popularity. But for many decades, women of all ages LOVED the soaps. You named the last vestiges of the genre, but there were more, including One Life to Live and All My Children. I don't even know how my friends and I kept up with the goings on of Erica Kane and Luke & Laura, being in school and all lol. But we did, especially in the summer.

Mr Rodgers was just the epitome of kindness. That piano playing, the changing of his jacket.....it entranced a 3 year old me.

Growing up some of my favorite shows were the British comedies that came on our local PBS station Saturday night: Are You Being Served?, Keeping Up Appearances, The Vicar of Dibley, Absolutely Fabulous, Waiting for God, Red Dwarf, and Mr. Bean were some of favorite. I sometimes wonder if these were so popular in Britain as to come to the US. I also loved The Red Green Show (Canadian)

The Joy Of Painting has been recently shown on U.K. Tv. It was originally shown from 1983 to 1994 on BBC 2. Then it was repeated in 2020 on on BBC 4. My wife and I watched when it was on BBC 4, and both of us peed off at his ability to turn a blank canvas into a beautiful landscape painting. We really enjoyed watching it.

Absolutely spot on Rick Steves impression, mate!

A decade before Mister Rogers was the American Icon “Captain Kangaroo”!!! His show captivated us. Together with Mr. Greenjeans, Mr. Moose, Grandfather Clock, a thousand ping pong balls, and clips from Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings, the Captain Kangaroo Show shaped kind, happy children and was a milestone in television history.

I remember when night time soap operas were the discussion of the playground -especially Dallas "Who shot JR." I had no idea because my parents never watched nor did they let us. At the same time, most of my friends mom's watched daytime soap operas religiously, and I had roommates in college who video taped daytime soaps because they couldn't bear to miss anything. If these are the same people watching now, they would be in or close to the "over 65" bracket so I guess it all fits. :)

Pre-intro "...we're obsessed with cardigans." Me: must be talking about Mr. Rogers.

1. Alex Trebek was also a genuinely wonderful person who worked with many charities for the homeless, and his family are continuing this (with help from the show). 2. The amazing thing is Bob Ross was painting in real time! Aside from any prep work on the canvas. 3. Always interesting when Antiques Roadshow finds an old guitar that looks like it wasn’t touched for years and it’s worth a crazy amount of money (best remember an old Silvertone guitar from the Sears catalog that was worth a lot because it still had the case with a working built-in amplifier!) 4. Pre-Covid they’d spy on the audience waiting to get in to the Price is Right studio to see who would make for “good TV”. 5. I was more into cartoons when I was younger, and daytime game shows when I was older… the Soaps just seemed so cheesy. 6. Rick Steves is good because he will do segments on local culture, off the beaten path things to do, and what to avoid, not just the touristy stuff. 7. Mr. Rodgers and Sesame Street were my early childhood… until I discovered GI Joe, Transformers and He Man.

The Joy of Painting has been on British TV since the late 90s. I used to watch it when I was in college and I left there in 2000!

Fred Rogers saw children not just as under-cooked future adults, but as fully legitimate people whose feelings and worries were important. He espoused empathy and kindness to others, and genuinely believed that everyone had something unique to offer the world whether they knew it or not. He was a gift to the American people, and we've been far worse off without him.

I never watch American soap operas…but Coronation Street….can’t get enough of the older episodes. And ‘Are You Being Served’ never fails to make me laugh.

In the 90's my grandmother and her younger sister lived at the family home, and her sister was a longtime fan of the soap opera All My Children. I really couldn't understand the appeal, nor how she found the time to watch such a show that came on while she and most people were at work. In her retirement years she'd fix her lunch and watch her favorite daytime show like clockwork. I had the chance to be in the audience of The Price Is Right with the former host Bob Barker during spring break one year at college. We spent more time waiting to get into the taping than we actually spent in the studio. All around it was a fun experience.

Bob Ross's voice was everything! The most calming voice I think I've ever heard, I loved that show!

Rick Steves is a real standup guy. He was a major part of us passing legal cannabis and he donated an apartment building to the YWCA to help homeless mothers.

I watched “Days of our Lives” from high school, through college, and well into my working life until I lost interest. Right now, I am heavily addicted to “Antiques Roadshow.” And I’m not ashamed. 😄

you like detectives? the world's greatest tv police detective is "columbo". absoloutly top-notch.

The joy of painting is so relaxing I used to watch it everyday when I got home from school as a kid.

I'm American, and my mom watched certain soap operas for 30 or more years. I always found them tedious because I don't have any interest in other peoples self-inflicted problems (same reason I can't tolerate "Friends".Ugh.) I wonder if you've ever seen "Capt. Kangaroo". A great kids show from my antique youth (starting in 1955). It was one of those kids shows with lots of references only adults would understand, if you know what I mean...There are some episodes on youtube.

Soap operas were HUGE in the 1980s. I can remember when there were three or four on every network. The 1981 wedding of Luke and Laura on General Hospital drew 30 million viewers. Reality TV killed the genre.

I remember watching all the versions of Jeopardy because my older sister did. Shetland is great and so is Father Brown and Sister Boniface are really wonderful. They used to have several more soaps. The Edge of Night and As The World Turns

My favorite American TV was a locally-produced sketch comedy show from Seattle called "Almost Live!" It was so popular back in the day, they would delay Saturday Night Live by 1/2 hour to show this program first. Of course, the humor would be lost because a) it's geared toward locals and b) it's from 30 years ago. But man, that was such an awesome show.

I was so happy that my son enjoyed Mr Rogers. I liked the way he differentiated between reality and pretend for kids.

Mr. Rogers has always been my favorite. When I was little (and more so as an adult) I’ve always wished he was my dad. 💖 🚃

Loved Mr. Rogers as did my children and Bob Ross as well. My father watched Jeopardy, The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune every day after he retired. Me and my sister use to watch soap operas during the summer and anytime we were out of school. Never watched them once I grew up. But Friday’s was our favorite with The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family and Love American Style. There are so many shows we grew up watching.

I loved Mr. Rogers as a child and respect him now as I am as an early childhood educator. I also got to hear you on "Travels with Rick Steves" this winter. Way to go Laurence!

Reverse of Lawrence, I now want to watch old episodes of Sister Wendy. Originally on BBC and then run on PBS in the US. I just adored that woman. Her affect and demeanor and passion. She was genuinely beautifully strange and eccentric. And I learned a lot about art history, too. But mostly, I thought Sister Wendy was cool af.

As a youngster, I rarely missed an episode of Mr. Rogers, but alongside him, I also followed the Howdy Doody show until the show ended in September, 1960. One of the players in the show was Clarabell the Clown (played by Bob Keeshan). Mr Keeshan later became Captain Kangaroo. Like Mr. Rogers, Keesham was very soft-spoken and heart-warming..

Mr. Roger's is such an American icon! Thank you for listing him and his show. He touched so many hearts! I'm already a subscriber to Britbox, mainly because of the great shows brought shown on PBS. Great impersonation of Rick SteveS, by the way.

My favorite soap, when I was stationed in England (Air Force at Lakenheath), was EastEnders. I still miss it to this day.

I can't believe you dont enjoy the Price is Right, Lawrence. I love watching how happy the contestants are. It's great for a hangover

Growing up in Canada, I feel privileged to have had (and still have) access to PBS television, which is also where most of my introduction to British TV happened. Duckula was my favourite show as a kid, and another favourite was Shining Time Station which is how I was introduced to Thomas the Tank Engine. There was also this storytelling show hosted by James Earl Jones that I can't remember the name of - but I was introduced to yet more British content that way, particularly "The Talking Parcel," which I watched over and over and over again. My Dad had a hand in introducing me to Monty Python at the tender age of 6 - and now I'm a committed fan (not in the padded cell sense...not quite, anyway, lol). I also got to enjoy Canadian local-access and nationally-broadcasted children's television at perhaps its zenith (most of which was also broadcast on Nickelodeon in the States, and most of which can still be found on RU-vid in some form today), including... - You Can't Do That on Television (which is like Monty Python and SNL with added slime, but for kids, and it was *hilarious*); - Sharon, Lois & Bram (who sang songs with kids and other musical guests, most frequently Eric Nagler playing his "tubaphone," which was made from plumbing pipes - it was a lot of fun); - Today's Special (set in a department store in Toronto, where Jeff Hyslop as the magic manikin "Jeff" came to life every night to learn life lessons and sing songs with department store attendant Jodie, the muppet security guard Sam and his sentient surveillance computer, and Muffy the rhyming muppet mouse). All this, in addition to a metric TONNE of other great stuff on CBC, including our own Canadian Sesame Street feat. Basil the polar bear, Louis the otter, and Dodi the bush pilot; The Raccoons (which had the best closing theme and the Most 80's Song EVER, "Come with Us"); and two of the longest-running Canadian kids' shows, both of which featured hosts who could be a contender for "Canada's Mr. Rogers": The Friendly Giant, feat. American-born Bob Homme (running from 1958-1985 on CBC, but it originally was broadcast from Wisconsin from 1953-1958, moving from radio in its first year to being among the very first children's shows for television), and Mr. Dressup, feat. American-born Ernie Coombs (running from 1967-1996 also on CBC, running almost concurrently with Mr. Roger's Neighborhood). It's apparent if you watch these shows that there's similar ideas and methods at play. But there's something about Mr. Roger's Neighborhood that just takes this kind of show and steers it in a wonderful direction. I feel like a kid again watching any of these shows - but Mr. Rogers felt like he wasn't just talking directly to kids, but also to any adults watching. You get a sense you're learning something very significant from him.

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was a show I always watched, from childhood through his last episode. I truly believe I learned how to be a kind person from this show. I also love puppets.

My mother new Bob Ross from art school and I've been to his home for cookouts in the 80s. His wife was very sweet. When I was noticed he had a lot of duplicate paintings. When I asked him about it - he asked me if I ever noticed on his show he always looked off to the side frequently? He would make a painting, take it to the studio and set it off camera and use that as the guide for what he was painting in real time on TV. I had no idea.

I once saw an episode of Antiques Roadshow many years ago. One lady was chuffed to bring in the antique "soup tureen" which had been in her family (and used for that purpose) for several generations, only to have appraisers identify it as an old chamberpot. :O

Fred Roger's is one of the people who reminds us, even at our most cynical, that there really are good people in the world. Yes, I used the present tense even though he is deceased, because he still continues to exert a positive influence through the reruns of his shows, and the positive effect he had on so many children who have become emotionally and mentally healthy adults due in part to the positive influence of his shows. I remember how he could talk to children and parents without talking down to either group. And, he was able to talk to children about serious topics (eg. bullying, death, divorce, how to welcome people who are different from us), and he did this honestly and in language that children could understand. The lessons he taught to young and old about kindness, compassion, and life still have an influence today. He was also a Presbyterian minister, but he never proselytized about "Christian values" or religion. The only thing he could be said to have proselytized about were universal values like compassion and kindness. A very good man!

“Oh you think Steve Carell did it, oh oh, he’s so brilliant isn’t is?! Steve Carell!! 🙄🙄🙄” - Ricky Gervais lmao

Being a teenager in the 80s if you ever stayed home sick you watch The Price is Right and then the news. Or in my case it was actually Perry Mason that came on after the Price Is Right, soap operas then the news. Now remember that was in the eighties when we had a handful of channels to choose from if you weren't fortunate enough to have cable tv.

The thing that made Mr Rogers special was that his kids show wasn't all numbers and colors. Sure there was plenty of simple lessons for kids in there but what made it special was how he would talk about difficult stuff. He'd talk about divorce, death, disability, and all sorts of other things in a way that kids could really connect with. While many other shows teach manners and how to act so kids can replicate it, Mr Rogers taught us how to be a genuinely good person.

Back in the 80s and 90s we did have evening prime-time soaps. The 3 most popular were "Dallas," "Dynasty," and "Knots Landing."