“Happy Days” ran from 1974-1984 on ABC. The sitcom was one of the highest-rated TV shows of the 1970s. It went into syndication in fall 1979 and has remained in syndication since.
“The Dukes of Hazzard” aired over CBS from 1979 to 1985. The hour-long action/comedy/drama was inspired by a 1975 film called “Moonrunners.”
The show followed the adventures of cousins Bo and Luke Duke in fictional Hazzard County, Ga., who ride around in a customized 1969 Dodge Charger stock car nicknamed “General Lee.”
Waylon Jennings performed the show’s theme song, “The Good Ol’ Boys,” which was a No. 1 Billboard country hit in 1980 and reached No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Three’s Company” aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. Based on a British sitcom, the half-hour series starred John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers. In later seasons, Jenilee Harrison and Priscilla Barnes replaced Somers. IMDB sums up the show thusly:
The misadventures of two women and one man living in one apartment and their neighbors.
The series became a huge hit for ABC. It went into local syndication in 1982.
Here’s a sample of the show’s opening titles:
The show created two spinoff series. “The Ropers,” aired for two seasons on ABC. After the conclusion of “Three’s Company,” “Three’s A Crowd” lasted for one season on ABC.
The original “Hawaii Five-O” aired from 1968 to 1980 on CBS. The hour-long police procedural was unique in that it was shot entirely on location in Hawaii, bringing the beautiful island scenery to viewers all over the world. The show is often credited with helping Hawaii’s tourism industry in the 1970s and 1980s.
Jack Lord portrayed Steve McGarrett, the head of a special state police task force that tackled a wide variety of crime and espionage on the islands.
“Hawaii FIve-O” was one of the top-rated TV programs of the 1970s. The theme music and fast-paced opening titles became popular, as well:
After a long, successful run in syndication, CBS revived the series in 2010. Episodes of the original series are widely available on streaming services.
The show also led to “Five-O” being used as slang to describe police. McGarrett’s catchphrase “Book’ em, Danno” also became part of America’s pop culture lexicon.
An interesting footnote: One episode of the series aired only once. “Bored, She Hung Herself” was the 16th episode of the second season, which aired January 7, 1970. It featured a storyline about the apparent suicide of a woman by hanging as part of a health regimen. A viewer reportedly tried the same technique and died. CBS pulled the episode from rebroadcast and syndication. It has not been made available on streaming or DVD releases. A poor-quality 16mm film version has circulated among collectors.
My Third Parent 