TV history

TV's suggestive "Launderette" Levi's advert was first shown 40 years ago, and sales went through the roof. The ad marked a turning point – and its influence continues today.

A decade ago, Reply 1988 launched. An emotional and nostalgic show about life in 1980s Seoul, it paved the way for other Korean global hits like Squid Game.

Sixty years ago, anthology series Out of the Unknown premiered on the BBC. It served up serious, one-off sci-fi dramas exploring our relationship with technology, among other things.

First airing on Christmas Eve 1989, the original TV adaptation of Susan Hill's creepy novel The Woman in Black contains what some consider one of the greatest scares in screen history.

Charles M Schulz drew his beloved Peanuts strip for 50 years until he retired on 14 December 1999. By then, the unassuming cartoonist had built a billion-dollar empire.

New film Saturday Night celebrates the legendary comedy show's origins – but last weekend's poor new season premiere confirmed it's on rockier ground than ever. What went wrong?

In archive BBC interviews the creators of the 90s TV series talk about their unique vision – and how the eccentric character at its centre was based on the director's own personality