Bring a bit of nostalgia into your day with these 1950s shows that you can watch online today. It’s a great distraction and family activity.
Looking for fun things to do at home right now? Why not binge watch some 1950s tv shows? It can be a really good distraction from current stress and a fun way to have a bit of vintage fun in your life.
I grew up watching a lot of Nick At Night when it first came on the air and was shows like I Love Lucy, Dick Van Dyke and other classic shows from the 1950s.
Watching these shows now brings back good memories and is just a nice way to get away from the stress currently happening. And these shows are great to watch with the whole family.
I have been searching for different streaming services to find what is currently available, this can change over time, and wanted to share the ones I’ve found. I hope you enjoy some of these shows and they give you something fun to do in this tough time.
The 1950s Shows You Can Watch Online
Amazon Prime
These are some of the options available on Amazon Prime, some may also require a Best TV Ever subscription. If you don’t currently have a Prime membership or Best TV Ever, you can get free trials. A few may have to be purchased but most are included with Prime or Best TV Ever.
- The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
- Bonanza
- The Danny Thomas Show
- The Donna Reed Show
- Dragnet
- Father Knows Best
- The Honeymooners
- I Love Lucy
- I Married Joan
- Leave it to Beaver
- The Lone Ranger
- The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
- The Twilight Zone
Netflix
Netflix is really lacking in 1950s tv shows. You will find more from the 1960s and some 1950s movies.
Other Streaming Services
If you don’t have Amazon Prime and don’t want to get a free trial right now be sure to search other subscriptions you may already have like Hulu, Sling TV, YouTube TV, etc.. Those services tend to change their programing more often so just use the list from Amazon to see if they are currently available.
How to Stream to Your TV
If you want to watch on your TV instead of your computer or phone you’ll need a streaming device. There are several great options out there. These are some of the most popular options.
- Apple TV– This is the main option we use. They are devices that hook up to your tv and allow you to download apps including different streaming services. This is perfect for anyone that uses iTunes a lot, which is why we choose it.
- Amazon Fire TV Stick– We have one of these as well. They are a very small and portable option. We use ours to hook up to a projector. They are also great for travel. If you enjoy Amazon’s Instant Video this is a really good option for you.
- Roku– This is very similar to the Amazon Fire TV Stick but there are multiple models. The Roku Express is the cheapest option and is very small like the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
- Smart TV– Many TVs now have streaming services built it. Check to see if this is an option on your TV before buying a streaming device.
- Gaming System- Some gaming systems also allow you to stream. Check the ones you currently own to see if that is an option.
Looking for other fun things to do at home right now? If you have older kids be sure to check out the Hunt A Killer subscription box. It also makes a fun at-home date night.
Giulia says
Interesting I’ll try ti see what I can see with my Amazon prime video
Theresa says
My Little Margie, a comedy about a widower and his 21 year old daughter, from the early fifties, is available on YouTube, since it’s in the public domain. It was originally a summer replacement for I Love Lucy, and it has that same screwball comedy, with Margie getting herself into wacky schemes. There are also 2 “volumes” of six episodes each on Amazon Prime.
Lisa Sharp says
I will check it out, thanks!