Are you old enough to remember the TV show Mork and Mindy? It got Robin Williams his big start in Hollywood, and was one of several genuinely funny programs during what I consider a golden age of comic screen writing: the late 1970’s/early 1980’s. This was an era that relied on actual humor instead of sexual and scatological “jokes.”

Back then–when Happy Days, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and even the über silly Laverne and Shirley yoiked across the airwaves–you could giggle your troubles away and leave the experience with a gentle life’s lesson as well. They did that back then; had character arcs that involved bigger epiphanies than: “Telling Lies is Bad Because You Might Get Caught” or “Chicks Dig Guys With . . . Um . . . Chicks Dig Guys, Man!”

The first time I saw Mork and Mindy I was shocked. It was hilarious. I laughed until I cried and my face hurt. Then I ran and marked it in my calendar so I could watch it each week. I mean, “Nanoo Nanoo”? “Shazbot?” “Everything’s Brown Gleeks”? What’s not to love?

You see, we had just moved to Utah from Germany, and Armed Forces television consisted of one English channel, populated by such cutting edge shows as Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and  Wyatt Erp. (Or as my funny granny used to call it: Wild Burp.) In the wake of such ancient programming, Robin Williams catapulted me beyond a breath of fresh air to a white tornado of fun. And there were several other shows airing during the week that did the same thing.

I miss those days. My kids miss those days, even though they weren’t around for them. Mostly because our television isn’t on at night. Which isn’t just me being Nazi-mom. It’s my children’s own choice. Once they grew out of Barney and (forgive me) Teletubbies, my dudelets were looking for something a bit more challenging to their psyches. There were a few things worth vegging in front of the box for. But then it all seemed to fade into reality (snort) shows, and sitcoms with humor so lowbrow you had to dig a trench to watch them. Now when my children do watch television, it’s usually something DVR’ed, and more educational or historic than sitcom-ish.

The thing is, none of this is necessary. There are stellar writers out there. Several quirky, brilliant, creative dramedies and sitcoms have popped up in the past few years. They’re incredible to watch. Until you get slapped upside the brain with some bit of sophomoric humor so bald-faced and blushing it would have earned an R-rating had it been in a movie twenty-five years ago. (No offense to Sophomores.)

We can do better than this. We should expect better than this. It takes no talent to dredge the lowest common denominator for comic filler. But the brilliance we see regularly in bits and pieces on television? Yeah, that takes genius. I wish someone would adopt the challenge of creating something as entertaining as Big Bang Theory, or as fabulously character driven as almost any British program, and leave out the drek. See if it isn’t just as hilarious, clever, charming, and mysterious without stooping.

Bet we’re “adult” enough to appreciate it.

Janiel Miller is a wife/mom/writer/friend/singer/chauffeur/chef/connoisseur-of-movies/eater-of-chocolate/partaker-of-hormones/actress-when-I-can-find-time/learner-from-life who lives in American Fork. You can follow Janiel via Twitter, Facebook or her personal blog, janielmiller.com.