Pickles by Brian Crane for May 26, 2013

“Don’t touch that dial!” is a classic TV phrase. I remember Stan Lee saying it during Saturday morning cartoons.

Depends on how far to the TV from your chair.

I wonder if infomercials still say, “don’t touch that dial!” now that are remote-controlled televisions.

Nelson probably ever heard of a black & whiteTV either.

And trying to switch from VHF (standard stations) to UHF (where Public Broadcasting Stations were usually found): had to switch the antenna (either the one on the roof or the ‘rabbit ears’. Sometimes a big old thunderstorm would knock the roof antenna out of kilter and Dad would have to climb up and readjust it while Mom, my neighbors, my sister and I would stand in strategic places in the house and the yard, shouting instructions a la “the Telephone Game”: “Too fuzzy” (echo echo echo), “Back a little bit” (echo echo echo), “Whoa, too far!” (echo echo echo), and so on until it looked good. I was the tv watcher until Mom and Dad realized I definitely needed glasses. I was delegated to yard echo and Dad had to crawl onto the room again. I got glasses the next day.

That is also why so many knees and hips are going bad & need replaced…

And that’s how networks set their schedules. They would put a mediocre show between two good shows on the theory tht the average clod would be too lazy to get up from his seat to change the channel.

TV’s had remote controls back in the 50’s, too. “Johhny, change it to Channel 5.”

I suppose if that 60’s Batman TV show were being produced today, they’d change “don’t touch that dial” to “don’t touch that remote.”

Brian Cane won the Reuben Award (2013) for cartoonist of the year. Long rule Pickles!!!!! Go, Cane, Go!!!!

Does anyone (other than me) remember the TV with a round screen?

Congratulations Mr. Crane!

On TV in the old days they would say " Don’t touch that dial ".

Mr Crane, congratulations on your Reuben award! “Pickles” rocks!, as they say nowadays….well, Nelson probably says that, anyway.

Mr. Crane – congratulations! Well deserved! Thanks for all the laughs. A strip I can relate to all too well. Imagine if they had all the channels they do today and no remote. Not much channel surfing would be going on.

to all troops: Thank you, and god bless.

As I remember, there were only 3 VHF channels (at most) in my area to watch – ABC, CBS, and NBC (UHF came later). Not enough exercise to kill ya there, Gramps!

Actually, back then we moved around more, whether to change the channel or “manually” raise the windows in the car or open doors (no automatic door openers). It helped to keep us more active, little by little. I think this is why the current generation of elderly will be the healthiest – they moved more and ate fresher, more wholesome food.

I would think all that getting up and walking to the TV would keep you in better shape and give you a longer life.