Popular culture has had many influences from the current society. As times change and attitudes also change so does pop culture. Some influences include fashion, music, art, television, and movies. Television became popular in the 1950’s. People were anxious to buy a television set for their homes. At first, the programs were carried over from the days of radio. For example, the format of The George Burns Show was very similar to the format used on the radio. Only now the audience could see the characters as well as hear them. Later in the 1950’ss and early 1960’s new programs were introduced to television such as The Donna Reed Show, Father Knows Best, and Leave it to Beaver. These programs reflected the typical middle class family of the 1950’s.
The father was the bread winner and the mother stayed at home. You never saw the parents in the same bed. In fact, you rarely saw their bedroom. The problems the family faced were usually solved by the wise father. The mother usually supported his decisions, as her role was mainly to take care of the needs of the family.
By the 1960’s divorce was occurring in society more than ever before. The Brady Bunch reflected the blended families that were beginning to increase. As the 1960’s decade progressed, several nonsense programs aired. These included Gilligan’s Island, The Beverly Hillbillies, and I Dream of Jeannie. America was involved in a very unpopular war in Viet Nam. These nonsense shows gave Americans thirty minutes of silly entertainment that distracted them from the stress of the country being at war.
Another very popular television show was Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In. This program was definitely a direct reflection of the times. It used humor to promote the use of drugs and free sex. It also, was extremely anti-war. The format of the show went from one quick shot to the next with short skits or one-liners. It was done all on a subtle level but truly