That Was the Decade That Was

Book excerpt: The sixties was the decade when television took its place at the forefront of popular culture. At the end of the fifties, owning a television seemed a far-off aspiration for many families; but within a few short years almost every household in Britain could boast of having 'the box' in the corner of the living room, and certain shows became regular events that were simply not to be missed. In That Was The Decade That Was, Richard Webber takes a nostalgic stroll through a decade of innovation in entertainment, reviewing comedy classics such as Dad's Army and The Likely Lads as well as popular drama; the new breed of soap operas; and children's programmes like Trumpton and Tales of the River Bank - not to mention brilliantly innovative programmes such as That Was The Week That Was, which launched a host of household names.