The 1980s were a different time. There was an increase in divorce, two-income households and latched-key kids. This meant an entire generation was raised on television. Ironically, television was embracing outlandish and fantastical premises for television shows and even family units. Ignoring the truly fantastical like the robot daughter Vickie of Small Wonder and the eponymous alien Alf. What kind of damage did these fantastic storylines wreak on a generation of children? Is that why an entire generation is wrought with “quarter life crises,” a sick obsession with reinvention and a prescription to Zoloft?

Mr. Belvedere was one of these shows. A typical American family, through the magic of television, is able to employ a former Buckingham Palace butler, Lynn Belvedere (Christopher Hewett). Breadwinner George Owens (Bob Uecker) was a sports writer and his wife Marsha (Ilene Graff) was a late-to-life law student. Each episode had an easily resolved problem that delivered a wholesome message. It taught morality and wrestled with important topics like sex, AIDS, and racism. But how could they afford a butler?

As television veered more and more into realism, the imagination and the naïveté that was there in the 80s was gone. However, what about all the children raised by television? We were raised to believe that morality and integrity were rewarded. We saw the quarterback or cheerleader find love with the geek that was beautiful on the inside. Where is my butler willing to work on my pittance of a salary? Where’s my much-more attractive significant other?

The sense of dissatisfaction associated with these sordid premises cuts so deep because the expectations associated with them went unchecked for years. They creeped into children’s minds and filled in the gaps of absentee parents and missing models of adulthood. You don’t stay at the same job until you upgrade to a better one with a whole new cast for Season 7. You don’t have 3 best friends who are with you no matter what. Sorry Rose Nylund, this ain’t that kind of show, honey!

Sure it’s a given that television is not reality. But without parents around to model goals to strive for children couldn’t help but look to their babysitter for advice. So instead of wondering why so many people are depressed, they should just look around at the expectations they have and how they define satisfaction. Or they could just ride a big pink dragon dog. It worked in The Neverending Story, didn’t it?