The CW’s ‘TV We Love’: The Surprising Classic Shows That Didn’t Make the Cut
What To Know
- The CW’s new series TV We Love celebrates eight iconic TV shows that shaped American culture, focusing on their behind-the-scenes stories and impact on viewers.
- The selection process prioritized series with compelling backstories, launching with I Love Lucy and including classics like The Brady Bunch, Cheers, and Dynasty, while notable shows like Frasier just missed the cut.
- Each episode features interviews with historians, actors, and insiders, offering fresh insights into the creation and legacy of these beloved television programs.
You’ll always remember the TV shows you grew up watching — the ones you laughed at and cried over, and just plain adored as part of your family ritual. For Megan Harding and Michael Bass, the executive producers behind The CW’s new eight-part series TV We Love, which examines eight of the most beloved series of all time, these shows were cultural touchstones that united us. And deciding which shows did and didn’t make the cut might have been the hardest part of all.
“In a landscape so often dominated by crime dramas and grim headlines, we wanted this series to offer a refreshing antidote — an opportunity to celebrate, reminisce and remember the simple pleasure of watching together,” Harding says. “From The Brady Bunch to The Honeymooners to Cheers (and more!) — each one is a snapshot of its era, a reminder of when television was a shared experience that brought families and friends together.”
I LOVE LUCY © Fathom Events/CBS / courtesy Everett
How did they select the eight TV shows?
Picking just eight shows to celebrate required a hard and fast rule: “Every series we featured had to have a compelling backstory or a little-known behind-the-scenes narrative to uncover and highlight,” Harding says. They kicked off the series with what they considered a no-brainer, I Love Lucy, for without the “brilliance of Lucille Ball and the incredible business savvy of Desi Arnaz, sitcom television wouldn’t exist as we know it.”
The premiere episode of TV We Love is “I Love Lucy,” which airs Monday, Oct. 13 at 8pm EST on The CW. Featured in the episode are interviews with pop culture historians, actors, authors and former cast member Keith Thibodeux, who played Little Ricky.
“I was surprisingly starstruck by Little Ricky (Keith Thibodeaux) from I Love Lucy. He was so cool, and his memories of being on the show are still remarkably vivid,” Harding tells. “We even interviewed him in the real Brady house—because we happened to be shooting there that day with Christopher Knight—and he brought his whole family with him!”
Each episode shares remarkable insight on the making of these iconic series and the stars who made them so memorable. Lucille Ball had incredible moxy — she stood up against CBS, the most powerful network in the 1950s, and was ready to walk away from her own TV series if her husband, Desi Arnaz, wasn’t included. That was unheard of at the time. The show became so popular that stores around the country would change their hours of operation so people could watch the show on Monday nights.
What shows didn’t make the cut?
As for what TV series would have been #9 on their list?
“Frasier almost made it,” Harding says. “Maybe Season 2.”
Everett Collection
What TV series are covered in TV We Love?
While it was a difficult process to narrow the list of shows to just eight, Harding adds: “On the other end of the spectrum, when you think of Dynasty, you probably picture big hair, shoulder pads and catfights — but the show also played a major role in championing gay representation onscreen. And of course, we all loved The Love Boat, but it was fascinating to learn it took three pilots to get it right — and that executive producer Aaron Spelling had a secret slush fund to lure A-list talent to appear on the show.”
Here are the episodes in air date order:
I Love Lucy Mon., Oct. 13
The Brady Bunch Mon., Oct. 20
The Love Boat Mon, Oct. 27
The Honeymooners Mon., Nov. 3
Happy Days Mon., Nov. 10
Dynasty Mon., Nov. 17
Cheers Mon., Nov. 24
Touched by an Angel Mon., Dec. 1
Remind Puzzler Tv Families
Vol 1, Issue 4
Who was your favorite TV family? We cover the decades, from the Cleavers, Waltons and Brady Bunch, to the Ewings, Keatons, Partridges, Tanners and Taylors. Plus, we've got the Goldbergs, Hecks, Haungs and more. There were so many favorite TV families you can expect a follow-up Puzzler issue in the future!
Buy This Issue