Saturday Morning TV – When Entertainment Was Simple (and Worth Owning on Disc)

In the early to mid-1980s, television in Ireland was a very different thing. We had two channels, no remote control wars, no on-demand, and absolutely no expectation that TV would bend to us. You watched what was on, or you watched nothing.

Saturday mornings were special though. RTÉ’s Anything Goes became a kind of unofficial ritual, a block of colourful, slightly chaotic programming that felt designed to wake you up gently after the school week. What mattered wasn’t whether the shows were new, or even from the same decade. What mattered was that they were entertaining, familiar, and fun.

Most of what aired were repeats of American shows from the 1960s, although I don’t think I was even aware of that at the time. Nor would I have noticed if episodes were shown out of order, or if there was meant to be a longer narrative running through the series. That simply wasn’t how television worked for us then, and it didn’t matter.

Batman and Get Smart complete DVD box sets photographed on carpet, classic 1960s TV shows from 80s Saturday morning reruns

Why Classic TV Was Built to Stand Alone

A lot of classic TV from this era was designed to be episodic, not serialised. Each episode told a complete story, wrapped itself up neatly, and reset everything back to normal by the end.

There were practical reasons for this:

Episodes were often aired out of order in different countries
Syndication relied on shows being easy to dip into
Viewers couldn’t easily rewatch or catch up

For a young viewer, this made TV incredibly accessible. You didn’t need context. You didn’t need to remember what happened last week. You just sat down and enjoyed what was in front of you.

That structure is a big reason these shows worked so well on Saturday mornings. They asked nothing of you other than attention, and they rewarded it immediately.

The Shows That Defined Saturday Mornings

Batman

Bright, absurd, and completely unashamed of it, Batman felt like a live-action cartoon. The exaggerated performances, colourful villains, and moral certainty made it endlessly watchable. Even without following any kind of continuity, it was pure spectacle. Every episode felt like an event, even when you’d seen it before.

My 2 Cents: I recently picked up the DVD box set and at some point I’ll put on disc one and see what happens. It could be childhood bliss. It could be unbelievable cringe. Either way, I’m curious.

Get Smart

Get Smart was my early introduction to parody, even if I didn’t have the language for it at the time. It looked like a spy show, but everything was slightly off. The jokes were broad, the gadgets ridiculous, and the tone never took itself seriously. It worked perfectly in short bursts and didn’t rely on you remembering anything from the previous episode.

My 2 Cents: I picked up the complete Get Smart DVD box set a few years back and dipped into the first few episodes. It was exactly as I remembered, silly in all the right ways. The jokes still land, and the nostalgia factor is strong.

My advice with any of these older shows is to watch a disc at a time, then take a break and switch to something else before coming back. They’re best enjoyed in doses, not binged.

The Monkees

Fast-paced, musical, and chaotic, The Monkees felt completely different to most TV shows. Episodes jumped between comedy sketches, slapstick, and full musical numbers without warning. It didn’t always make sense, but it didn’t need to. It was loud, colourful, and full of energy, which made it ideal for young viewers with short attention spans.

My 2 Cents: I haven’t picked this one up on disc, but I remember how chaotic and energetic it felt. It never really made sense, and that was part of the charm. It’s one I might revisit someday purely for the music and the sheer nostalgia of it all.

Lost in Space

Lost in Space added a bit of sci-fi flavour to the mix. Strange planets, dramatic dangers, and the ever-present robot made it feel more serious than the others, even if it often veered into camp. Like the rest, it worked perfectly as a standalone experience. You didn’t need to know how the family got there, only that something odd was about to happen.

My 2 Cents: This is another one I haven’t gone back to on disc. In my memory it felt more serious than it probably was, but the sense of adventure was real. Part of me suspects it might lean heavier into camp than I remember, but that’s often part of the fun with shows from that era.

As I grew older, the tone of television shifted. The colourful absurdity of 1960s reruns slowly gave way to more ambitious storytelling in the 1980s. Shows began to build longer arcs, deeper mythology, and bigger worlds. I’ve written about some of those in The Sci-Fi TV Shows That Shaped My Young Imagination, where the shift toward more expansive storytelling really becomes clear.
Looking Back

These shows weren’t new, and they weren’t made for us specifically. But through Anything Goes, they became part of a shared childhood experience. In a country with limited choice, that repetition bred familiarity, and familiarity bred affection.

They were simple, entertaining, and never demanding. And decades later, that’s exactly why they’re still so easy to revisit.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be adding my own thoughts and memories to each of these shows over time as part of this wider look back at TV I grew up with.

Affiliate Links – Own These Saturday Morning Classics on Disc

I’m recommending the format I actually own, whether Blu-ray or DVD, based on how these shows were originally produced and how they look on modern TVs. I usually buy whichever version offers the best value, although if a Blu-ray is only slightly more expensive, I’ll upgrade. For most of these older TV shows, DVD is more than sufficient. They were produced in a 4:3 ratio rather than widescreen, and higher definition can sometimes reveal more than you really want to see.

Batman (1966) – Complete Series Blu Ray
Amazon UK | Amazon Ireland

Get Smart – The Complete Series DVD
Amazon UK | Amazon Ireland

The Monkees – Complete Series
Amazon UK | Amazon Ireland *Very Expensive, I'd wait. N/A on Irish Site

Lost in Space (1965) – Complete Series
Browse Amazon UK | Amazon Ireland *Only Available on Irish Site, linked to category on UK site.

Affiliate links – I may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.

💬 Have a thought on this? Please leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your take.

About the Author

I’m David Condon, a movie enthusiast from Tralee, Co. Kerry. I’ve been collecting DVDs and Blu-rays for years, and along the way my shelves have become a mix of favourites, hidden gems, and titles I occasionally decide to resell.

I’m not a professional critic, just someone who enjoys good films, well-made discs, and the odd rant about the quirks of collecting. This blog is where I share my thoughts, opinions, reviews, and experiences as a fan.

💬 Note from the Author
This blog is a hobby project where I write about DVDs, Blu-rays, and the ups and downs of being a collector. If you enjoyed this post, you might also like my other writing:

David Condon Finds – my lifestyle and review blog
David Condon Woodcraft – my main website focused on woodturning and handmade pieces

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