Back in Time Today
Back in the groovy days of shag carpet and Tang, every ’70s kid had their sacred after-school ritual: drop the books, grab a snack, and turn on the TV. Whether parents approved or not, these shows became childhood essentials. Some were wholesome fun—others, not so much. But all of them were unforgettable. Here are 20 shows every ’70s kid remembers tuning into—sometimes in secret.
1. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
Talking dog? Check. Creepy villains in masks? Check. Enough Saturday morning reruns to last a lifetime? Double check. You knew it was old man Jenkins—but you still watched.
2. The Addams Family
Macabre, spooky, and somehow lovable, Gomez, Morticia, and the gang were rerun staples. The creepy theme song alone was enough to get kids snapping along.
3. Gilligan’s Island
“Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale…” Even though it originally aired in the ’60s, reruns were TV gold for kids who loved slapstick comedy and tropical mayhem. Parents rolled their eyes, but kids were hooked.
4. Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
“Hey hey hey!” With catchy tunes and positive messages, this cartoon was sneaky wholesome—until parents figured out it was kind of the streetwise answer to Schoolhouse Rock.
5. The Brady Bunch
America’s favorite blended family taught us life lessons—like how to survive being one of six kids and what to do when you break your mom’s favorite vase. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!
6. Speed Racer
Imported from Japan but fully embedded in American pop culture, Speed Racer gave kids a dose of high-speed anime action before anime was even a thing.
7. Batman (’66)
POW! ZAP! BAM! Adam West’s campy take on the Caped Crusader had no business being that addictive—but every ’70s kid watched it like it was Shakespeare.
8. The Monkees
Half band, half sitcom, all chaos. Kids loved the slapstick gags and catchy songs, even if their parents couldn’t understand why anyone would watch “that nonsense.”
9. Dark Shadows
This vampire soap opera wasn’t exactly made for kids—but that didn’t stop curious tweens from sneaking peeks at Barnabas Collins and his gothic drama.
10. The Flintstones
Yabba dabba doo! This prehistoric sitcom aired non-stop in reruns and was practically required viewing—even if parents questioned the gender roles and constant dino abuse.
11. Happy Days
A love letter to the ’50s that became an icon of the ’70s. If you weren’t trying to be The Fonz after school, were you even living?
12. The Partridge Family
A family band in a painted-up bus? Sign us up. David Cassidy was every teen girl’s heartthrob—and boys secretly watched too, even if they denied it.
13. Land of the Lost
Dinosaurs, time travel, and stop-motion monsters? Parents thought it was weird. Kids thought it was the greatest thing on Earth.
14. The Banana Splits Adventure Hour
Costumed weirdos hosting cartoons with catchy tunes—what’s not to love? It was chaotic, loud, and borderline terrifying. Kids were obsessed.
15. Bewitched
Samantha’s nose wiggle was pure magic, and every kid dreamed of blinking away homework. If your mom watched soap operas, Bewitched was your gateway.
16. The Munsters
A family of monsters with surprisingly relatable problems. The perfect mix of creepy and funny for latchkey kids everywhere.
17. Emergency!
A surprisingly intense paramedic drama for something you watched while eating cookies. Half the time, you didn’t know what was going on—but it felt important.
18. Little House on the Prairie
This one felt educational, so it got the parental stamp of approval. But let’s be honest: most of us just watched for the dramatic prairie disasters.
19. Hong Kong Phooey
A janitor-turned-karate master dog? It made no sense—and that’s exactly why we loved it. Another Hanna-Barbera hit that baffled adults.
20. The Six Million Dollar Man
“We can rebuild him…” Steve Austin was part man, part machine, all after-school legend. And yes—you definitely ran in slow-motion pretending to be bionic.