Huh? Isn't this supposed to be a blog about the 1970's? Yeah, it is. But I also get a little nostalgic about the 1980's as well. Plus, if you grew up in the late 1970's and early 1980's you will probably remember the fact that a ton of 1970's television programs and movies were dumped onto UHF channels in the early 1980's so in a way you could say that much of the 1970's survived an extra year or two before being put out to the cultural pasture until the 1990's when TNT would air week long "celebrations" of the 1970's. (It was cool stuff like that that made cable TV a hip alternative to the crap that aired on regular TV) But, the 1980's were distinct years that were far, far removed from the 1970's as we moved on to a completely different vibe in the nation. The 1970's were a very, very strange decade and the 1980's were a decade that moved towards stability and normality. Many compare the 1980's to the 1950's but this is an inaccurate assessment. The 1950's were hardly the stable decade as most people assumed. In fact, much of the fifties was filled with Cold War paranoia that came right on the heels of a major ground war in Korea. But, the 1950's are a story for another time.

The 1980's were an amazing departure from the 1970's. One of the biggest changes - and many will not even acknowledge this - was the closing of the drive in theaters and the opening of video stores. our entertainment moved indoors and this would forever create a new landscape that was much more convenient but lacking in the unique charm of the 1970's drive in circuit. Also noticeable in the 1980's was the fading away of the aforementioned 1970's programming (and 1960's programming) from UHF stations as the decade of the 1980's moved on. This was because more and more original programming was produced for after school kid's viewing. Sadly, the costs of animation would kill off Saturday Morning TV after 20+ years as daily programming proved far more profitable.

Sometimes it is bittersweet to look at an undeniable fact: sometimes decades come to an end.