When I was under 10, the TV Guide that my parents read in the bathroom was a source of illicit intel on the world beyond our apartment. I have a visceral memory of the cover that announced the Damn Yankees! TV series in 1967. I was 9. "Damn" was a much reviled swear word in my world. I picked up the TV Guide carefully, worried someone would catch me, as if even reading the word was a sin. I felt embarrassed for the people at TV Guide. What kind of world blatantly printed a swear word? I love your sense of the seasons of TV and your personal life! Here is to order in overwhelm! xosbb
I was just thinking about the old TV guide last night. All the electronics in the house were turned off. If I'd had a print t.v. guide (like the one that came with the Sunday L.A. Times every week), I would have needed no electrons to find out what time Colbert's last Late Show came on and who his guests were. I took a book to bed instead.
Loved this! Especially how you link the promise of a new school year with the fall TV season: "A season symbolic of new starts, one that could lead to surprise hits and inevitable flops for both the networks and me." Great stuff. (Though now I can't stop thinking about the ill-fated Friends "Joey" spin-off.)
My collection of TV Guide Fall Preview issues dates back to 1974. They document my evenings growing into wifehood and motherhood. Your piece makes me wish I’d also saved my Seventeen magazines!
I used to LOVE TV Guide! I had a scrapbook of all the celebs I had crushes on, and I remember buying two copies of the issues about The X-Files, so I could paste both sides of the articles in my pages devoted to David Duchovny.
Interesting take on such an ordinary object!! And thank you for linking to my Substack!! How did you find it?! Just curious since I see you're not a subscriber!
Amazing example of how “mundane” objects can be such strong anchors of identity.
When I was under 10, the TV Guide that my parents read in the bathroom was a source of illicit intel on the world beyond our apartment. I have a visceral memory of the cover that announced the Damn Yankees! TV series in 1967. I was 9. "Damn" was a much reviled swear word in my world. I picked up the TV Guide carefully, worried someone would catch me, as if even reading the word was a sin. I felt embarrassed for the people at TV Guide. What kind of world blatantly printed a swear word? I love your sense of the seasons of TV and your personal life! Here is to order in overwhelm! xosbb
I was just thinking about the old TV guide last night. All the electronics in the house were turned off. If I'd had a print t.v. guide (like the one that came with the Sunday L.A. Times every week), I would have needed no electrons to find out what time Colbert's last Late Show came on and who his guests were. I took a book to bed instead.
Loved this! Especially how you link the promise of a new school year with the fall TV season: "A season symbolic of new starts, one that could lead to surprise hits and inevitable flops for both the networks and me." Great stuff. (Though now I can't stop thinking about the ill-fated Friends "Joey" spin-off.)
My collection of TV Guide Fall Preview issues dates back to 1974. They document my evenings growing into wifehood and motherhood. Your piece makes me wish I’d also saved my Seventeen magazines!
I used to LOVE TV Guide! I had a scrapbook of all the celebs I had crushes on, and I remember buying two copies of the issues about The X-Files, so I could paste both sides of the articles in my pages devoted to David Duchovny.
Interesting take on such an ordinary object!! And thank you for linking to my Substack!! How did you find it?! Just curious since I see you're not a subscriber!
We actually found it by searching prized possession in Substack.
Oh cool! Hope you enjoyed it 😊.