trying to become culturally up-to-date

24 comments

  4. Star Wars Episode 4 would be my guess for the movie that the highest percentage of Americans have seen. The Wizard of Oz might also be up there

    For TV shows maybe Scooby Doo? It first aired in 1969 and has pretty much been a staple of kids cartoons ever since.

  5. That’s harder and harder to say as the culture gets more fractured, and things that were once universally known start to slip out of the public consciousness. For example for many years I thought EVERYONE had seen the movie Groundhog’s Day and would understand a reference to the basic premise. Somehow it came up in conversation recently and I was surprised to learn that that’s not necessarily the case.

    Anyway, I would assume that most Americans, whether they have watched the shows/movies themselves:

    – are familiar with the basic superheroes like Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man
    – know basic references to The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Friends, The Office, and maybe I Love Lucy
    – It’s A Wonderful Life
    – The Godfather

    …I could go on but as I type I realize I’m probably just revealing my own biases. Probably shows like Sex in the City, Breaking Bad, and Game of Thrones should be on here, but I haven’t seen them.

  6. Price is right
    Wheel of Fortune.

    But why don’t you mention your favorite genres.

    You might as well things you like.

  11. It’s got to be something that’s been put into syndication.

    A couple thoughts?? Scooby Doo? The Brady Bunch? Andy Griffith Show?

  14. I would say something like Sesame Street. I would guess young children and their parents have sat through at least one episode of the show dating back decades to when it premiered.

  15. I don’t think any shows are like that. But there are shows you can count on someone having done so in any given place. Casablanca is an example.

  18. These are things that are often referenced and/or culturally significant. No one has seen everything but I’d imagine a significant portion of Americans have seen these, are familiar enough to understand a reference, or are just generally aware that they exist:

    Movies – Jurassic Park movies, Titanic, Star Wars movies, Harry Potter movies, Marvel movies, Batman movies (there’s a bunch so any of those), The Godfather trilogy, Jaws, Scream movies, Halloween movies, Disney films but especially the animated princess ones, The Lion King (animated 1994 version), Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz (1939), Die Hard movies, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, Muppet movies, Hitchcock movies (The Birds, Psycho), Fast and Furious movies, Mission Impossible movies, Sound of Music (1965) and the cinematic masterpiece that is The Mummy (1999) starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.

    TV shows – The Office, Parks and Recreation, Friends, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Seinfeld, Star Trek (any of the versions), Lost, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, The Simpsons, Saved By The Bell, Saturday Night Live, Ugly Betty, The Sopranos, The Wire, SpongeBob SquarePants, Ren and Stimpy, Hey Arnold, American Horror Story, Big Bang Theory, Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, Bridgerton, and maybe oldies like I Love Lucy and The Brady Bunch.

  22. Nowadays everyone has their own subculture / shows, so nobody expects you to have seen anything in particular recently. Depends on your age. If 40+, you’d be expected to have seen Hangover, Friends, Simpsons, Saving Private Ryan, Full Metal Jacket, Pulp Fiction, etc.

  23. As far as the influence of culture goes, here are the big ones (in no particular order)

    Movie:

    1. Wizard of Oz
    2. Citizen Kane
    3. Jaws
    4. Jurassic Park
    5. Star Wars (mostly episode 4 but also 5)
    6. Forest Gump
    7. It’s a Wonderful Life
    8. Snow White (or Cinderella)
    9. Godfather
    10. Gone With the Wind

    Tv shows:

    1. The Simpsons
    2. Seinfeld
    3. Friends
    4. I Love Lucy
    5. Star Trek
    6. Twilight Zone
    7. Saturday Night Live
    8. Sopranos
    9. Sesame Street
    10. Cheers

    I wouldnt say every American has seen every ones of these movies or shows, but they are endlessly referenced in everyday life today one way or another

  24. might be an unpopular opinion, but spongebob. if you didn’t grow up watching it like me, then you’re watching it because your kids/grandkids are begging to turn it on.

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