I used to hate that my dad made us watch his old shows, but now I get it.
By @zanelol · Family
He had all these VHS tapes of sci-fi shows from the 70s and 80s, and every weekend felt like a history lesson. I just wanted to watch cartoons, but now I'm so glad he did it.
The full story
When I was a kid, probably from age 8 to 14, my dad had this weekend ritual. He'd pull out these worn-out VHS tapes of shows like the original Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and this other one: 1999. To me, the special effects looked so cheesy and the acting was stiff compared to the 90s cartoons I wanted to be watching with my friends. I'd complain every single time. He would just smile and say, 'Just you watch, this is the good stuff. This is what made us all dream about space.' I'd sit there rolling my eyes, making comments about the wobbly sets and the ridiculous costumes. But I'd still watch. Every weekend. We'd make popcorn and he'd tell me stories about seeing these for the first time, how mind-blowing it all was back then. Fast forward to now. I'm in my 30s, and I find myself watching the modern remakes and reboots of all these shows. They're everywhere. And while the new special effects are incredible, I can't help but feel like something's missing. I'll be watching a new big-budget sci-fi show and think, 'the old one had more heart.' I realized recently that I know all the original lore. I get all the little inside jokes and references the new shows make to the old ones. I can have these deep conversations with other fans online, not just about the new stuff, but about the foundations of the genre. My dad gave me this entire cultural education without me even realizing it. He wasn't just showing me old TV; he was giving me a piece of his own childhood and a key to understand the things I love today on a much deeper level. It's one of the most thoughtful things he's ever done for me, even if I was too busy complaining about the cheesy aliens to appreciate it at the time.
How people voted
- Bad Move — 24% (16 votes)
- Needs Context — 38% (25 votes)
- Reasonable — 38% (25 votes)
Readers are split: “Needs Context” leads with 38% — 66 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@jaredish — So you're saying I should force my kid to watch my shows... noted.
@sashaok2 — nerd.
@weslol — Okay but is anyone going to mention how good the original Battlestar Galactica still is?
@maxx — i wish my dad did this lol
@ellieish — This is actually a beautiful example of how shared media creates lasting intergenerational bonds.
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