What Really Happened to the Class of '65?

This was one of those "drop what you're doing and watch" kind of shows. Each week the viewer could get involved with the life of one of the '65 grads. The stores were sometimes funny, serious, heart-warming, and never boring. In the one season it was on, it made quite an impression on me. Probably because I was a '65 graduate, myself. It kind of hit home. It's too bad TV isn't like this anymore. Rather than quality shows, we're hammered with just another reality offering. If you like celebrity trout fishing, well power to you, but it's too bad people these days can't be treated to something like "What Really Happened To The Class of '65." It was great TV, and I think would hold up in re-runs. I miss this show a lot.

This show came out when I was about 12, and I remember being glued to the TV every week waiting for it to come on: #1 because I had a HUGE crush on Tony Bill (he was the host of the show, and, I believe, the producer and director -- and maybe writer?) and, #2 because I loved the idea of seeing how people evolved over the years from high school to adulthood. I remember the quality of writing was fantastic, the stories were interesting and compelling, and the acting heartfelt. This was an emotionally packed show about real people in realistic situations that stood out amidst all of the cool dude cop shows (Kojak, Baretta, Rockford Files, Starsky and Hutch, Harry-O, etc.) that were so popular at the time. I'd love to view it again to see if it holds up as well now as it has in my memory.

There were some episodes of this series that featured the lovely actress Meredith Baxter Birney in one, John Rubinstein in another with Jessica Walter. However, the titles of these episodes escapes me. Anyway, it was a great series even though short-lived. I do believe that if this series had moved to another night, it might have survived a little bit longer. It seems like over the last several decades, NBC has let high quality programs just vanish, never to be seen or heard of again. Too bad the same NBC President responsible for salvaging "Hill Street Blues", "Cheers" and "St. Elsewhere" wasn't around to save this series. Perhaps a VHS or DVD would be nice, but since it was so short with very limited episodes, that's probably highly unlikely.

This was a wonderful show that only lasted a season but it is still in my memory. It was an anthology drama with a different story every week. Some of the stories were a little more sad than others but all in all, this was a great show. I can't believe that out of all of the garbage in reruns out there, this show seems to have just vanished. I wish it would show up somewhere...cable or video or something. It was just too good to not be seen again.

I fondly remember sitting enraptured in front of the TV while holding my first baby. I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of peeking into classmates lives ten years after graduation. I'd like to do that too! It was also a show that I didn't have to worry about covering my son's eyes or ears while watching. I really love that I can see some of today's (& yesterday's) mega stars and remember the first time I saw them on the "Class of 65". Annette O'Toole became one of my all time favorite actresses after seeing her on this show. The young Don Johnson as an injured returning Nam Vetran was heart touching and he was so hot back then too. I'll have to do some digging, but I seem to recall a young John Ritter and maybe John Denver making appearances too. Yes, I would also love a summer of "65" reruns, as apposed to the 100+ channels of reruns of crime dramas.