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On Streaming Services, Nostalgia Rules

Classic TV shows are finding new (and old) audiences

  • The Golden Girls, Star Trek and Family Matters are streaming now
    Getty Images

    A Stream of Classic TV Shows

    The new network television season kicks off this week. But on streaming services, everything old is new again — and wildly popular. A recent Los Angeles Times article noted that long-in-the-tooth TV series have become lucrative staples on services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, where audiences are rediscovering — and younger viewers are discovering — older shows. Here’s a selection of classic TV shows getting new life on streaming services, and where to watch them.

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  • The Golden Girls
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    'The Golden Girls'

    To millennials who connect via text and SnapChat, a sitcom about friends who gather at a New York City coffee shop and actually talk to each other (face to face!) might sound like science fiction. Whatever the draw, the staple of '90s pop culture has been embraced by Netflix viewers — the service doesn’t release viewing figures, but HighSpeedInternet.com estimated that it’s the second-most popular show, behind only Sherlock. A dozen years after its run ended, a 2016 New York magazine headline asked: “Is Friends still the most popular show on TV?”                             

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  • Friends
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    'Friends'

    Sign up for the AARP Lifestyle Newsletter to find out about new movies, great games and travel ideas each month. By joining AARP today, you can also save on movie tickets, restaurants, airfare, hotels and more and have even more fun!

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  • Full House
    ABC/Photofest

    'Full House'

    All five seasons of the original series, which ran from 1959 to 1964, are available for purchase on Amazon Video. All but the fourth season are available for streaming for Amazon Prime members.

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  • The West Wing
    NBC/Photofest

    'The West Wing'

    The new network television season kicks off this week. But on streaming services, everything old is new again — and wildly popular. A recent Los Angeles Times article noted that long-in-the-tooth TV series have become lucrative staples on services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, where audiences are rediscovering — and younger viewers are discovering — older shows. Here’s a selection of classic TV shows getting new life on streaming services, and where to watch them.

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  • The Twilight Zone
    CBS/Photofest

    'The Twilight Zone'

    The new network television season kicks off this week. But on streaming services, everything old is new again — and wildly popular. A recent Los Angeles Times article noted that long-in-the-tooth TV series have become lucrative staples on services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, where audiences are rediscovering — and younger viewers are discovering — older shows. Here’s a selection of classic TV shows getting new life on streaming services, and where to watch them.

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  • Star Trek
    CBS/Getty Images

    'Star Trek'

    The new network television season kicks off this week. But on streaming services, everything old is new again — and wildly popular. A recent Los Angeles Times article noted that long-in-the-tooth TV series have become lucrative staples on services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, where audiences are rediscovering — and younger viewers are discovering — older shows. Here’s a selection of classic TV shows getting new life on streaming services, and where to watch them.

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  • Will & Grace
    NBC/Getty Images

    'Will & Grace'

    The new network television season kicks off this week. But on streaming services, everything old is new again — and wildly popular. A recent Los Angeles Times article noted that long-in-the-tooth TV series have become lucrative staples on services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, where audiences are rediscovering — and younger viewers are discovering — older shows. Here’s a selection of classic TV shows getting new life on streaming services, and where to watch them.

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  • Entertainment End-Slide
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    More Entertainment Slideshows

    The new network television season kicks off this week. But on streaming services, everything old is new again — and wildly popular. A recent Los Angeles Times article noted that long-in-the-tooth TV series have become lucrative staples on services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, where audiences are rediscovering — and younger viewers are discovering — older shows. Here’s a selection of classic TV shows getting new life on streaming services, and where to watch them.

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