Period TV shows which ran for longer than the historical events they depicted.

Hangdogroad · 28-11-2025 03:36PM #1

Sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum ran from 1974 to 1981, a run of seven years. The onscreen events it depicted covered the last months of the Second World War Middle East campaign against the Japanese, a real time period of 13 weeks up to August 1945.

Hangdogroad · 28-11-2025 03:45PM

M*A*S*H ran from late 1972 to early 83, so just over ten years, onscreen events take place during the Korean War which ran from 1950 to 53, this is if you don't count AfterMash, the largely forgotten (and poorly received) spin off show which was set back in the States after the war.

Jim_Hodge · 28-11-2025 03:48PM

I'm not sure what your point is. M.A.S.H was set during the Korean War that lasted 3 years. The series ran for about 11 years. A TV show is set in an era but isn't meant to be represent events in any real time sense. An episode may depict just a day, or portion of a day, or a week. It's a fiction in a setting, nothing more and nothing less. How much have Bart or Homer Simpson aged in 36 years?

Hangdogroad · 28-11-2025 04:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124026207#Comment_124026207

I know that but the two examples were set during a very specific time perioid from first to last episodes.

LambshankRedemption · 28-11-2025 04:11PM

Allo, allo ran for 9 seasons across 10 years. World War two was "only" 5 and a bit years.

Glaceon · 28-11-2025 04:36PM

That 70s Show. Ran for 8 seasons but was set between 1976 and 1979.

Hangdogroad · 28-11-2025 05:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124026261#Comment_124026261

And the timeline depicted was shorter still, from the German invasion of France in 1940 to its liberation by the Allies in 1944.

Hangdogroad · 29-11-2025 09:03AM

Dads Army ran from 1968 to 1977. The entire run, from what I can tell, covers the period shortly after Dunkirk in 1940 and dont think it moves timeline wise much further. By the time the show ended after nine years it seemed to be still set in 1940/41 as the threat of German invasion was still topical in the script.

Jim_Hodge · 29-11-2025 09:09AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124027876#Comment_124027876

That's what TV series usually do. It's not uncommon or noteworthy. Dad's Army was 80 episodes showing comedy in a particular setting. It's not historical drama nor time specific.

breezy1985 · 29-11-2025 09:26AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124027881#Comment_124027881

You seem weirdly offended by what are little more than interesting facts about TV shows.

Jim_Hodge · 29-11-2025 09:53AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124027896#Comment_124027896

Not offended in the slightest. I just don't get what the premise of the thread is.

breezy1985 · 29-11-2025 09:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124027923#Comment_124027923

Then don't bother with it. I mean the OP could not have been clearer about the premise of the thread.

Hangdogroad · 29-11-2025 10:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124027881#Comment_124027881

Only Dads Army was about very specific historical events.

Benedict XVI · 29-11-2025 11:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124027923#Comment_124027923

Maybe the premise of the thread is that it's a bit of fun.

Hangdogroad · 29-11-2025 11:10AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058429134/period-tv-shows-which-ran-for-longer-than-the-historical-events-they-depicted

I meant Far East campaign, not Middle East.

Orban6 · 29-11-2025 11:11AM

Not an event as such, but Heartbeat, set in the 60's, actually ran for 19 years.

Hangdogroad · 29-11-2025 11:29AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124028025#Comment_124028025

Yes, I dont think it referenced real life events much but when it began it was set in 1965 and at some point it arrived at 1969 and stayed there, never moving into the 70s.

facehugger99 · 29-11-2025 10:33PM

Each season of 24 ran for 24 weeks but the events depicted took place over 24 hours.

Hangdogroad · 30-11-2025 12:21PM

Hi De Hi ran for seven years, the storyline covered the Summers of 1959 and 1960.

Varik · 30-11-2025 02:55PM

A yearly season doesn't necessarily mean a in story year has passed, but there's a bunch of family set US sitcoms where each year/season you've got the Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas episode to generally tie in the with the real world event but the story especially with child actors( or those playing children) doesn't progress as same rate.

geecee · 01-12-2025 10:20PM

The Sullivans felt like it ran for 100 years when I was growing up, but apparently covers the period between 1 September 1939 to 22 August 1948. And was aired 15 November 1976 until 10 March 1983

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sullivans

Tork · 01-12-2025 10:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034834#Comment_124034834

The Sullivans marked the end of watchable telly for the day if you were a kid in two channel land.

Hangdogroad · 01-12-2025 10:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034834#Comment_124034834

It felt a lot longer due to RTE showing it one episode a week.

hynesie08 · 02-12-2025 08:11AM

Although never specifically mentioning a time frame, The Goldbergs ran for 10 years and was set in the eighties, but the earliest references are from 1984.

brokenbad · 02-12-2025 03:33PM

Breaking Bad ran for 5 years (2008-2013) but only covers a 2 year timeline from when Walter White turned 50 in the pilot episode to his 52nd birthday in the penultimate episode.

geecee · 03-12-2025 12:16AM

Sure was

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034855#Comment_124034855

Nothing worse than being sick and nothing on the TV but:

Going Strong

Sons and daughters

A country practice

The Sullivans

Especially as the 3 Aussie soaps seemingly shared the same set of actors!

Radio5 · 03-12-2025 03:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124028062#Comment_124028062

They included people coming to the pub to watch the moon landing in one episode. The Vietnam war was referenced also but not a specific year.

Period TV shows which ran for longer than the historical events they depicted.

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