There have been thousands and thousands of TV shows over the years that have become instant hits that defined a generation or were just fun for the time they were on. There are series screening in 2022 that have become overnight sensations as well.
However, despite their popularity, only a small handful of shows were truly ahead of their time and may have gone slightly underappreciated. Here are five shows that define being “ahead of their time.”
Star Trek
Star Trek became the benchmark for sci-fi TV shows quite quickly into its run. It dealt with aliens, space, and intergalactic warfare that wasn’t cheap and cheesy, despite when it was released.
Beyond the sci-fi aspects of the show, the way it dealt with relationships was relatively progressive for the time. The show featured mixed-race couples and relationships, with Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura’s kiss being the first interracial kiss ever broadcast on TV.
This kiss wasn’t even done for the sake of diversity or trying to prove a point; the way it was written and performed was done the same way as any regular kiss, dispensing with racial stereotypes that would have been popular back in 1968.
The Simpsons
Even though The Simpsons is a comedy show, it has a way of dealing with current events that many shows can’t do. While some may say South Park has a similar feel, the latter is obviously a lot more crass and over-the-top.
There are numerous standout moments that you could point to, but what sets The Simpsons apart is its ability to show these sometimes complicated or considerable issues in a way that puts its absurdity on full display.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of the biggest shows to take a woman out of the role of being eye-candy or the sidekick and made her the main protagonist. The 90s and early 2000s were a time when female characters were made a bit ditzy and stuck in a bikini at every opportunity.
Buffy broke this mold completely, and while there were some of the usual tropes of the era, the Buffy character was in a league of her own. She was able to fight, stand up for herself, and not rely on anyone for help, especially a man, another standard trope of the time.
Buffy was a female character created to be a role model for young girls, pushing the idea that a woman can do and achieve just as much as the male hero characters we still see today.
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
While the Fresh Prince will go down as one of the best comedy series of all time, it had an absolutely incredible way of dealing with racial issues and relationships, something you wouldn’t expect from it.
Considering the Banks family was a wealthy black family, the show played off some of the more funny stereotypes but handled the negative ones even better.
The standout scene is when Will and Carlton are locked up, and the police entirely ignore Uncle Phil until his colleague arrives, despite the fact that Uncle Phil is one of the best lawyers in the city.
The Real World
Reality TV wasn’t a thing before the Real World. The show’s popularity stemmed from showing all aspects of life, the “great for TV” side and the nitty-gritty. This gave viewers a glimpse into people’s real lives and their struggles and successes.
While later seasons were accused of being scripted and fell into the trap most “reality” TV shows fall into, the first couple of seasons of the Real World were a glimpse into people’s real lives that viewers hadn’t experienced before.