Before Freeview came along there were just four channels, kids.* Four channels which turned themselves off overnight when everyone was having a little sleep, or showed educational programs like Through the Dragons Eye, which have gone on to become legitimate topics of conversation amongst people of my generation and, dare I say it, chat up subjects. But I’m not talking about those kinds of shows today (Badger Girl, Gordie Racer et al). They are undeniably awesome, and not rubbish at all. For the kind of classic, brilliant tat that I’m after, you have to look across the pond to America.

Saved by the Bell

This is the show that reminds me of having days off school, because it was always on at a point in the morning when I would usually be on the way in, so I could only see it when I was ill. That’s probably why I could smell Calpol, dry toast and Lucozade as I re-watched episodes on DVD. The nose never forgets.

The first season aired back in 1989, and it has got to be one of the most important kid’s sitcoms of my generation. And I mean important in the formative rather than the cultural sense. The jokes are deliberately goofy and the kids take a while to develop their acting talents beyond the wooden. But the costumes are amazing, Mr Belding is a hero and I like the idea of the feminist character of Jessie existing to counteract the mach male double-act of Zack and Slater. I also like the fact that teens are frequently sexualised in swimsuit and locker room scenes, proving that this kind of thing has been going on for years and has not yet destroyed society completely. Take that Aldous Huxley.

Saved by the Bell has managed to endure because some of its stars have had interesting lives off-screen. I am of course referring to the recent antics of Dustin Diamond, aka Screech. Mr Diamond was only 12 when he found fame, but now many people will remember him for the sex tape he produced to allegedly pay for his mortgage. Louis CK produced this NSFW sketch to promote his new show that is eerily reminiscent of what Mr Diamond probably had to go through. He has continued to destroy his reputation with appearances on various celeb-focused reality shows, and even wrote a book about his years working on the show that made him famous called ‘Behind the Bell’. Apparently none of the original cast is on speaking terms with him. I wonder how the cast of Boy Meets World are doing…

Street Hawk

If you hadn’t ever seen Knight Rider, or any other 80s action movie, you might think the concept for Street Hawk was moderately original. Rogue motorcycle cop sees his partner killed by baddies, and is nearly topped himself in the process. After his recovery and assignment to deskwork, he is approached by a mysterious government agency (which in this case consists of just one guy) and asked to become a loose cannon justice-dealer, working beyond the law to fight crime on a 300mph hyper bike. Enjoyable nonsense ensues. It’s no sillier than an episode of 24, I promise. And I imagine that in twenty five years all of Jack Bauer’s gadgets will look as outdated as the technology that is on offer here.

Sadly for Street Hawk, it came three years after Knight Rider had established itself, and so after one season it was canned. On the plus side, Christopher Lloyd makes an appearance in the first episode as a pretty convincing drug boss, and this cameo almost makes the whole thing worth a look.

It’s Garry Shandling’s Show

This sit-com is very similar to Saved by the Bell in many ways. Mr Shandling always addresses the audience, and spends most of his time getting into scrapes and ‘chasing tail’, as they say. It feels a little like Seinfeld mixed with Home Improvement and tons of other generic US personality-centred comedies that have come since. Mr Shandling was unknown to me until the DVD popped through my door, but a quick check of IMDB shows that he’s done pretty well for himself in the US. I suppose watching Garry Shandling’s show is the closes a UK citizen can ever come to experiencing what it must be like for foreigners to catch a rerun of Birds of a Feather.

In conclusion, the theme song is really good. Perhaps the show is a little too mediocre for this list.

Saved by the Bell: Season 1, Street Hawk and It’s Garry Shandling’s Show are all getting a full DVD release on the 22nd of March.

*I refuse to acknowledge Channel 5 because we could never get good reception on it. Oh, and Sky or Cable don’t count either. Terrestrial all the way.