@Lemons said:

The guys of TBBT, as well as Amy, never really conformed to the dress styles of today, nor did they decorate their homes in a particularly trendy way (unless I missed the episode where Penny installed** shiplap** in their bathroom). Does this mean that when young whippersnappers watch this show for the first time years from now it won't seem dated? Or at least dated to a particular decade?

Optional bonus question:
Name one show that would seem terribly dated if watched now.
My answer: Dallas (the original, not the revival)

Timeless as in the absence of time? Unless there is a disruption in the space-time continuum or a anomaly or a temporal distortion hits Pasadena. By the way that is Star Trek talk, ask Knixon for an explanation as he is our resident Trekkie. Or is it Treker? All sitcoms exist in television time.

@znexyish said:

Timeless as in the absence of time? Unless there is a disruption in the space-time continuum or a anomaly or a temporal distortion hits Pasadena. By the way that is Star Trek talk, ask Knixon for an explanation as he is our resident Trekkie. Or is it Treker? All sitcoms exist in television time.

Timeless as in, it won't appear "dated" someday...at least not like those shows where they got into the trendy hairstyles and home styles that were big at the time. Will it "stand the test of time" per se?

As for Star Trek- you mean there's more than Gorns?

Right now..well..not NOW now but generally speaking now. I'm watching reruns of Last Man Standing.

The anti Obama jokes are starting to sound dated and it's only been two years.

@Tim-Buktu said:

Right now..well..not NOW now but generally speaking now. I'm watching reruns of Last Man Standing.

The anti Obama jokes are starting to sound dated and it's only been two years.

My belief is that TBBT will stand the test of time, and not seem quite as dated as some shows in the future. However, the pop culture references and technology/science used will give it away to some extent. Still, I suspect it will live on in reruns for many eons to come.

I asked my original question because I've watched several shows and movies from my "growing up years" with my teenage sons that seemed rather dated, and I've wondered if that takes away from their enjoyment of them.

This was a rather serious and normal exchange we've just had. Is that allowed?

It will be fine, until EVERYONE has quantum gyroscopes and super-asymmetry right in their living rooms. Or kitchens. Or something.

Sometimes it's fun to watch old shows just to see how much times have changed. Remember the kindly old doctor lighting his pipe (in the hospital) to explain a problem.

@Tim-Buktu said:

Sometimes it's fun to watch old shows just to see how much times have changed. Remember the kindly old doctor lighting his pipe (in the hospital) to explain a problem.

I was reminded of this post of yours a moment ago when I remembered a song from my childhood. (Long story as to why I remembered it. I'll spare you that part of the story.) The words from that old tune were "I can read. I can write. I can smoke my father's pipe." (I have no idea where that song came from- probably an old piano book of mine.) Can you imagine that song today? A child smoking a pipe and singing about it?!

I never smoked my father's pipe, though, because he didn't have a pipe. But I do have a clear memory of sitting in the passenger's seat of the car while parked at the Exxon station pretending to smoke a candy cigarette- I was probably about 10- and feeling so, so very cool. I was sure everyone around me believed I was smoking.

Ah the good old pretend-nicotine-filled days.

@Lemons said:

@Tim-Buktu said:

Sometimes it's fun to watch old shows just to see how much times have changed. Remember the kindly old doctor lighting his pipe (in the hospital) to explain a problem.

I was reminded of this post of yours a moment ago when I remembered a song from my childhood. (Long story as to why I remembered it. I'll spare you that part of the story.) The words from that old tune were "I can read. I can write. I can smoke my father's pipe." (I have no idea where that song came from- probably an old piano book of mine.) Can you imagine that song today? A child smoking a pipe and singing about it?!

I never smoked my father's pipe, though, because he didn't have a pipe. But I do have a clear memory of sitting in the passenger's seat of the car while parked at the Exxon station pretending to smoke a candy cigarette- I was probably about 10- and feeling so, so very cool. I was sure everyone around me believed I was smoking.

Ah the good old pretend-nicotine-filled days.

http://playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/mary-mack.html

@bratface said:

@Lemons said:

@Tim-Buktu said:

Sometimes it's fun to watch old shows just to see how much times have changed. Remember the kindly old doctor lighting his pipe (in the hospital) to explain a problem.

I was reminded of this post of yours a moment ago when I remembered a song from my childhood. (Long story as to why I remembered it. I'll spare you that part of the story.) The words from that old tune were "I can read. I can write. I can smoke my father's pipe." (I have no idea where that song came from- probably an old piano book of mine.) Can you imagine that song today? A child smoking a pipe and singing about it?!

I never smoked my father's pipe, though, because he didn't have a pipe. But I do have a clear memory of sitting in the passenger's seat of the car while parked at the Exxon station pretending to smoke a candy cigarette- I was probably about 10- and feeling so, so very cool. I was sure everyone around me believed I was smoking.

Ah the good old pretend-nicotine-filled days.

http://playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/mary-mack.html

Gracious sakes! I see the mention of reading, writing and pipes, but I promise that wasn't the song! Yikes! I suppose the writer of the little tune in my piano book might have heard that song before, though.

@Lemons said:

@bratface said:

@Lemons said:

@Tim-Buktu said:

Sometimes it's fun to watch old shows just to see how much times have changed. Remember the kindly old doctor lighting his pipe (in the hospital) to explain a problem.

I was reminded of this post of yours a moment ago when I remembered a song from my childhood. (Long story as to why I remembered it. I'll spare you that part of the story.) The words from that old tune were "I can read. I can write. I can smoke my father's pipe." (I have no idea where that song came from- probably an old piano book of mine.) Can you imagine that song today? A child smoking a pipe and singing about it?!

I never smoked my father's pipe, though, because he didn't have a pipe. But I do have a clear memory of sitting in the passenger's seat of the car while parked at the Exxon station pretending to smoke a candy cigarette- I was probably about 10- and feeling so, so very cool. I was sure everyone around me believed I was smoking.

Ah the good old pretend-nicotine-filled days.

http://playgroundjungle.com/2009/12/mary-mack.html

Gracious sakes! I see the mention of reading, writing and pipes, but I promise that wasn't the song! Yikes! I suppose the writer of the little tune in my piano book might have heard that song before, though.

Well, it is pretty old & we hear things differently when we are young.

I'm amazed at the dark pasts of many childrens rhymes. "Ring around the rosie" is about the black plague. "I'm going down town to smoke my pipe" is about opium dens. And nobody Ever correctly finishes "Eenie meenie mynie moe..."

@Tim-Buktu said:

I'm amazed at the dark pasts of many childrens rhymes. "Ring around the rosie" is about the black plague. "I'm going down town to smoke my pipe" is about opium dens. And nobody Ever correctly finishes "Eenie meenie mynie moe..."

Tiger, Tim.

Hey, how about y'all talk about how cool I was smoking a candy cigarette?

@Lemons said:

Hey, how about y'all talk about how cool I was smoking a candy cigarette?

Did it have a painted red end & did powdered sugar blow out when you puffed on it?

@bratface said:

@Lemons said:

Hey, how about y'all talk about how cool I was smoking a candy cigarette?

Did it have a painted red end & did powdered sugar blow out when you puffed on it?

Red painted end- yes. Don't remember any powdered sugar blowing out, but I'm not sure I had the puffing technique down-pat. I mostly just sucked on it and then ate it. I bet that made me look less convincing as a cool 10 year old cigarette smoker to the people at the Exxon station. Drat.