Dinky's Docket

The Milk Plus guys recently asked what the best television series of this season is. Here's what I want to know: What is your favorite series from the past? If a series could be made again and done right(I loved Wild, Wild West but I hate what they did to it in that movie--same with I Spy) what would it be? There are some series that I'd love to see again. For some reason they make my childhood seem like a fairytale, like nothing bad ever happened to me. Some of these are:

Barney Miller. Hal Lindon always seemed to have the answer to everything, and the show itself took the gritty NY police drama and condensed it into a witty, humane comedy. Fun times, Fun Times.
Taxi has the same feel for me.
Wild, Wild West. Wow! aside from the movie Star Wars I think this series influenced my childhood as much or more than anything else. I loved to pretend I was James West, jerking my hand forward so a small derringer would jut out of my sleeve. And I loved watching Arte, master of disguise, almost get knocked out by James because he didn't recognize him. Also, hanging out on your own train car in the middle of the desert? How cool is that? I even loved the bumpers to break, how they would take a frame of video and turn it into a painting. Wild!

Some television shows from back when I was a kid have a place in my heart just because of the music: The Bosom Buddies theme was a Billy Joel hit that I still like. Hill Street Blues and Taxi had great themes, too, and so did Welcome Back Kotter. In the last couple of years I've been shedding my punk rock tendencies and yearning for that old 70's Jim Croce/Paul Simon/James Taylor feel. I think it's because I'm getting old.