There’s just something about television. Try as you might, there’s a show out there you just can’t get enough of. You might be one of those people who simply enjoys an hour of laughing at a comedy once in a while. Or maybe you’re like me, screaming at your tv for the last 5 minutes of the Vampire Diaries season finale, wondering how you let yourself get hooked on yet another show. Either way, television is addictive. But sometimes in the heyday of cable and satellite and the many other ways to watch new shows, we forget about some of the great shows of the past. Since summer is here and that means a break from our regular obsessions, we here at Portrait thought it might be nice to remember some of our favorite tv shows. Check them out and you might just fall in love!

Step by Step
1991-1998
Cast:
Patrick Duffy, Suzanne Somers, Brandon Call, Staci Keanan, Angela Watson, Christine Lakin, Christopher Castile, Josh Byrne, Sasha Mitchell

Why It’s Great:
On Step by Step we were invited into the home of the Foster/Lambert family. Frank and Carol had ran into each other on vacation and spontaneously gotten married, before moving in together with their children - who it turned out already knew each other.. and hated each other. Now they had no choice but to learn to live together as brothers and sisters – something that would prove to be a challenge like none other.

Step by Step was one of my absolute favorite shows as a kid. It really had a little bit of everything, and something I particularly liked was that the episodes often centered around the average teenage storyline. There was no Upper East Side in this show. The kids on Step by Step faced regular and relatable issues such as getting a job for the first time, fighting with your siblings (“Barky”), being wrongly accused of cheating in school, having to follow parents' stupid house rules, and thus desperately wanting to move out of home - only to find out that maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all.

Step by Step had this light-hearted atmosphere. It did not have that “and-here-comes-the-moral”-feel at the end of each episode, like many other '90s shows did. However, that doesn't mean they never brought up important issues. I especially recall the episode in which Al discovered her love for acting and for the first time felt she was actually good at something. She was sick of being compared to the “smart Dana” and the “gorgeous Karen” - she wanted her own identity. The episode “Virgin Territory” centered around the subject of virginity and the eccentric Cody who showed his serious side when he announced that he wanted to wait until meeting “the dudette of his dreams”.

Gilligan's Island
1964-1967
Cast
Bob Denver as Gilligan, Alan Hale Jr. as The Skipper, Tina Louise as Ginger, Russel Johnson as The Professor, Dawn Wells as Mary Ann, Jim Backus as Mr. Howell, Natalie Schafer as Mrs. Howell

Why Its Great:
The show's premise was a simple one. A diverse group of castaways become marooned on a deserted island after they become stuck in a storm. For years the group watched famous guest stars wash up on the shores of their little island, they made crazy inventions out of nothing but clam shells and coconuts, but they couldn't fix their boat, or get themselves rescued. Of course, this was the one show that made people think washing up on an island might not be so bad. There always seemed to be plenty of fun to go around. The series still airs in syndication around the world, and a major motion picture based on the show is on its way in 2011.

Where Are They Now:
While the majority of the cast members have passed away, Dawn Wells is still acting, mainly on stage. She even appeared as Mrs. Howell in Gilligan's Island: The Musical. Jim Backus and Tina Louise are both semi-retired, but do make television appearances to promote the show every so often.

I Dream of Jeannie
1965-1970
Cast
Larry Hagman as Major Nelson, Barbara Eden as Jeanie, and Bill Daly as Major Healey

Why Its Great:
Though the show focused on the magical genies fitting in to the human world, it was at its heart an ensemble comedy series, much like the rest of the shows made for television in the same era. It was full of zippy one liners, great slapstick, and of course, Jeannie's now patented blink.

Where Are They Now:
All three of the principal actors in the series have continued with careers in Hollywood, and are still acting today. Hagman has recently filmed guest spots for several television series, while Eden and Daly have parts in films to be released this year.

Bewitched
1964-1972
Cast
Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stevens, Dick York as Darrin Stevens, Erin Murphy as Tabitha Stevens and Dick Sargent as Darrin Stevens

Why Its Great:
With Samantha's magical family, the series had a revolving door of quirky characters coming in to cause havoc for the mild mannered Darrin, and the series demonstrated just how to best use a guest star. There was no shortage of crazy situations and humorous happenings in the Stevens household. I Dream of Jeannie was created as a companion to the series and showcased much of the same one liners, slapstick humor, and need for secrecy.

Where Are They Now:
Shortly after the series ended, Erin Murphy, though she was still a child, retired from acting. She worked as a stunt double, a karoake club hostess, and eve a makeup artist before becoming a motivational speaker. Though Dick York had to leave acting in the middle of his run on the show due to illness, he went on to found the non-profit organization Acting for Life which raised money for the homeless. Dick Sargent, who replaced him, continued acting, landing guest roles in other iconic shows like Charlie's Angels, and kept working until his death. Elizabeth Montgomery found most of her work after the series ended in made for TV movies until her death in 1995.

Dick Van Dyke Show
1961-1966
Cast
Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Morey Amsterdam, and Rose Marie.

The Dick Van Dyke Show was one of the most successful shows of the 60s, winning 15 Emmys. But the real success story wasn’t in the awards but in the stories. The show told the story of the Petrie family. Rob (Dick Van Dyke) was a television writer and the show moved back and forth between his career world and his home life. It showcased physical comedy to perfection but it also showed a realistic relationship. Just because there was a line that caused a laugh didn’t mean a problem wouldn’t be addressed. Most influential though was a simple episode about the Petrie family being stuck in a cabin in the woods. Since that episode, nearly every television show has aired a “trapped” episode, in which the main cast is limited to a single set. The show dominated for 5 years before ending at the height of its success.

Where Are They Now:
Dick Van Dyke gained even more fame during the filming of the show with his role as Bert the chimney sweep in Mary Poppins but he certainly didn’t stop there. He continued to work in both film and television. From 1993-2001 he played the role of Mark Sloan on Diagnosis Murder. At 85, he’s still doing bit roles but has mostly retired. Mary Tyler Moore followed up her role as Laura Petrie with various roles before launching the Mary Tyler Moore Show. The show ran for 8 years and ended up creating such a strong persona that it became difficult for Mary to find work for a while. She persevered though and continues working today. Rose Marie later starred on the Doris Day Show but otherwise found smaller roles. Despite declaring she wasn’t interested in retiring, the 87 year old actress hasn’t worked since 2004. Morey Amsterdam started out working for notorious mobster Al Capone but moved to acting for a safer profession. His comic timing won him his role on the show but he never found a bigger role. Amsterdam died at 88 in 1996.

Most of these shows are available on Hulu, Netflix and Youtube for free as well as Itunes. Take a look at some of these and be sure to check out the July issue for more great television of the past.