We all have favourite TV shows that do their best to take over our lives for the better part of a few weeks. As addictive as they are, sometimes we see past the hidden meaning and thematic concerns of the show and focus more on the side-splitting jokes or compelling narrative. Let's take a moment to think what the writers of our favourite shows are really trying to tell us.
1) Breaking Bad - Crime doesn't pay
Walter White and Jesse Pinkman create an ostensibly foolproof way to manufacture crystallised methamphetamine: cook it in the back of an RV (recreational vehicle). Unfortunately, their plan goes pear-shaped in season three when Hank almost busts them, so they have to destroy the evidence. Without trying to spoil the ending of one of the greatest TV series of all time, as you could probably guess from the start, it was never going to work out. They are slippery enough to not serve time, but would have been foolish to think they could get away with it forever.
2) Happy Days - It's OK to adopt a thug
OK, Fonzie wasn't a thug. But he was originally perceived to be. He just ended up being your classic womanising teenager who probably thought he was cooler than he was at times. Is that the crime of the century? The Fonz had a deep respect for women and a very well-directed moral compass. Henry Winkler's character was never supposed to kick on to bigger and better things, he was just a high school dropout. But sure enough, Fonzie got his act together, finished up school and ended up being a really nice chap. To this day, he's probably the most recognisable character from the series. Who would have thought?
3) Party of Five - Orphans are great at sticking together
When Nick and Diana Salinger are killed in a horrific car accident involving a drunk driver, five siblings pull up their sleeves and band together to do whatever is necessary to get through day-to-day life. They decide to take over the family restaurant and soon realise that individualism gets you nowhere in tough situations. Domestic violence and struggles with death are strong themes in this teen drama TV series, but it is the characters' determination to soldier on through life's biggest obstacles with those around them which stands the test of time.
4) Flipper - We can work together to save the environment
Flipper, a bottlenose dolphin in the '60s show Flipper, lives at Coral Key Park and essentially helps to protect the park and its inhabitants. The series, which ran for 2½ years, shows how humans and animals can work together (in a non-verbal sense as well) to make the world a better place. If only we had this same enthusiasm in the real world.
5) Sesame Street - Learning can be fun
Who could forget the Sesame Street crew of Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch? What most '90s kids tend to forget is that the show was actually an educational one and made learning loads more fun than it seemed at school. You could tell another kid had been watching too much Sesame Street when they pronounced the last letter of the alphabet 'zee'.
6) Glee - Pursue your dreams
An amalgamation of misfits put to one side the harsh realities of high school and decide to come together to share a love for their main passion in life: being on stage. Their incredible talent helps them gain acceptance at school and work through the everyday struggles of being a teenager. So, if you have a special talent, flaunt it.
7) Friends - There is no real substitute for friends
They were the six friends we all loved and adored. In reality, all of us wanted a circle of friends as close as the ones who graced our TV screens in the late '90s and early noughties. They all went though some difficult times - mostly at the humorous benefit of another - but toughed it out and highlighted how important it is to have those close pals to get you through everything life throws at you.
8) Beverly Hills 90210 - You can manage drugs and teen pregnancy
90210 was the first TV series of its kind to explore the idea of teen pregnancy - something of a taboo subject at the time. The show provided support for adolescents who were battling the same pertinent issues in the show, by seeing how the characters overcome their obstacles.
9) Family Guy - 'Different' people can be appreciated
Peter Griffin is weird personified. He comes out with the most bizarre sayings ever, but we love him for it. His overweight frame and below-average IQ give hope to people in real life like him: that they can be adored because of who they are. We find ourselves laughing at the bizarre, line-crossing dialogue of Peter, Stewie or even old man Herbert, but if they were real people in the real world, they wouldn't be able to get away with half of what they say.
10) The Simpsons - There's always a moral to the story
How often do you see Homer or Marge or another character from The Simpsons take a moment to reflect in a half-comedic, half-serious manner about something that has transpired in the episode? The writers clearly wanted viewers to take away something and realise there was more to it than just laughs. They were at times political, social and personal issues we would grapple with and reflect on after giggling for the preceding 30 minutes.
