I detested Sundays as a child for the obvious reasons of it being the end of the weekend. There was a heavy despondency that arose from all the hype and excitement that was at a peak by Thursday evening the week before. On Sundays we went to Church Sunday mornings, which I didn't hate per SE, because for me there was something so comforting in having family and neighbors gather together. All of us in a space where we would listen, watch, and partake in Mass was fascinating and familiar. There was a guarantee of lemonade and doughnuts waiting for us as soon as the Mass was over, where we would all hang around and talk. Sundays nights I was always an emotional mess, and being a preteen in the late 90s early 2000s, I turned to "The Wonderful World of Disney" on ABC. "The Wonderful World of Disney " which began in the 1954 as "walt Disney's Wonderful World Of Color" changed tv programming at the time for it being one of the only series to be broadcast in color. Here Disney televised shows, and movies. When I began watching, I was able to watch "must-see" classics for children and families.Here I was better, here I felt safer, here I could get ready for the week ahead, here I could sit with my family and friends and be with them once more to share this experience.
So has Sunday affected America in the past 60 years? Because western culture depicts Sundays as a "day of rest", television was an easy way to lure families in and relax. In the 1950s television was the primary source for people for influencing the masses. It would make sense that networks would target all genres for every age on Sunday evenings. CBS would premiere the anthology series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". "The Ed Sullivan Show", a variety show of a diversity of different acts and genres of music showcased what was one of the first performances of The Beatles that most Americans at the time has seen, still standing today as one of the most watched TV episode in history. Then of course, there was your good 'ol American fun, "Bonanza".
Programmers began to see Sunday nights as an opportunity, Americans saw it as a celebration, I saw it as a ceremonial event. Award Shows from the Academy Awards to The MTV Awards, Sunday night football, the Superbowl-Sundays.
So why are we where we are today, over half a decade later?
I blame HBO.
On June 11, 1976, HBO gave the award winning film "Gone with the Wind" its world television premiere. It was bought by NBC, and became "the highest rated television program in a single network" when it premiered later that year.
HBO caught on quick, and years later, gave us Tony Soprano. It didn't take long for other networks to take suit. After HBO brought on Sex & the City and changed its air time from Saturday night to Sunday night, we started to see that Sunday was not just a time for football, movies, variety shows and awards ceremonies, but PRIME TELEVISION. High caliber dramas. Thank you, David Chase.
Not only has Sunday nights been so competitive for networks and television shows, but viewings at bars tend to be completely competitive as well for audiences. I remember I couldn't get into a bar that was showing the Oscars a few years ago because they sold out tickets. Let's briefly skim over some of the most influential television shows we've seen in the past years that Sunday has been a sanctuary for- "Breaking Bad", "Mad Men" (in my opinion one of the best shows of all time because nothing understand the human condition like "Mad Men"!!!), The Walking Dead, Boardwalk Empire, The Simpsons,Desperate Housewives, etc. Recently, Sunday night was home to leading women at the forefront with "Girls", "Big Little Lies" and "Homeland" on the same night.
It's Summer, and I seriously did not want to go on vacation because I did not want to miss what has become the night of "Game of Thrones" season 7 and "Twin Peaks the Return". Have you all been in the situation? Where you go to your favorite bar, and have a few libations and guffaws with your friends to experience all the wonderment and share all the anxiety with from the suspense, drama, magic?? I recall going to Greenpoint Heights in Brooklyn to see the finale of "Breaking Bad" with Jesse Pinkman drink specials, going to Videology to see the premiere of the final season of "Mad Men", crying in silence listening to the rain with my friends in Harlem after "Game of Thrones" ' RED WEDDING episode. I get it. I hope you get it too.
So pray Jon Snow doesn't die this Sunday, make the sign of the cross for Cooper's return, kneel and bend the knee for Khaleesi this Sunday, and cherish your loved ones with your Sunday night television. Amen.