10 TV Shows That Perfectly Encompass The 1970s Aesthetic

Every decade has a unique aesthetic, but the 1970s boasts one of the most iconic looks and atmosphere of any period of history. Much of this is because of the vibrant colors and psychedelic patterns of the clothes and interior design. However, the cultural and political movements occurring in the ’70s are just as impactful in creating the feel of the decade. When looking at how a series can best capture all of these elements, many of the best modern period piece TV shows illustrate that the story can’t just look and feel like the decade but be completely intertwined.

These shows should be deeply in conversation with every aspect of the 1970s, and the narrative should rely on critical pieces of the period to sustain it. If the show could be set in a different decade and reach the same results, it hasn’t successfully established itself as a story set in the ’70s. The sitcoms from the 1970s all provide great examples of what modern TV shows emulating the ’70s hope to achieve. Of all the historical decades to choose from, the 1970s are particularly dynamic because of how distinct it is.

10 Fargo (2014–2024)

Season 2 is set at the end of the ’70s

The anthology series based on the Cohen Brothers movie of the same name, Fargo, doesn’t just introduce a new mystery and cast of characters each season. Fargo also has touched upon different periods of history, with season 2 taking place in the ’70s. While many series set in the ’70s focus on big cities like New York or LA, Fargo‘s story unfolds in the upper Midwest and sees a much darker and dingier version of the ’70s than some of the flashier iterations. However, this is a more realistic take on the period.

All the performers take on the characteristic Midwestern affectations that
Fargo
is known for while dating them back to the late ’70s and its cultural references.

Fargo season 2 boasts one of the strongest casts of the series, with Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, and many more iconic actors. All the performers take on the characteristic Midwestern affectations that Fargo is known for while dating them back to the late ’70s and its cultural references. Of all the Fargo TV seasons, season 2 is frequently singled out as the best iteration of the show. Though it’s set in the past, Fargo uses dated elements to immerse the viewer in the show and demonstrate how crime doesn’t change.

9 I’m Dying Up Here (2017–2018)

Stand-up comedy in 1970s LA is anything but easy

Set against the backdrop of the stand-up comedy scene in LA, I’m Dying Up Here shows exactly how unglamorous both show business and the 1970s could be. Loosely based on the book by William Knoedelseder, the series spends most of its time in the nightclub where the characters perform, trying to make an impression on the audience and get their big break. It’s an underrated series that explores how the industry was changing during this period and shines a light on how difficult it was for many underrepresented comics to get noticed.

Though the series is focused on comedy, there are plenty of moments of drama, and the story puts the characters through their paces. How the people are styled is a large part of what roots a show in an era, and the hair, clothes, and tastes of the characters all align perfectly with the ’70s. The audience sees the many sides of fashion and aesthetics of the ’70s in the dichotomy between what the up-and-coming performers are wearing and how the successful characters present themselves, giving insight into the personal and professional dynamics.

8 Minx (2022–2023)

This short-lived comedy series captures the evolution of the ’70s

Ophelia Lovibond and Jake Johnson have amazing chemistry in Minx, a comedy series that follows the publication of an erotic magazine for women that hopes to slip feminist messages into its pages. Despite struggling to find a solid audience throughout its short run, Minx was a hit with critics, and for good reason. Not only does Minx sell the visuals of the 1970s perfectly, but it touches upon the most important cultural and political moments of the time through an accessible story.

Minx
juxtaposes its racy content with discussions of women’s liberation, which was a huge issue throughout the 1970s.

Minx juxtaposes its racy content with discussions of women’s liberation, which was a huge issue throughout the 1970s. Putting these issues next to each other is very ’70s in and of itself, as Minx understands that the ideological split between people in the U.S. in the ’70s was extreme. The Minx season 3 cancelation is a disappointment, as the series still had a lot to say and explore, but the two seasons that exist are a great example of not only the look but the spirit of the ’70s.

7 Daisy Jones & The Six (2023)

The history of rock and roll in the ’70s is explored with a fictional band

Based on the novel of the same name by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the miniseries adaptation of Daisy Jones & The Six tracks the rise and fall of a band similar to Fleetwood Mac and the two explosive stars at the center of it. While the series focuses on the band as a whole, the story revolves around the relationship between Billy (Sam Claflin) and Daisy (Riley Keough), the two singers who can’t stay away from each other. Their toxic and irresistible dynamic is made nostalgic and visually dynamic by the 1970s setting.

Daisy Jones & The Six is particularly fun to watch for the ’70s aesthetics because the clothes and venues where the band plays are the height of fashion and luxury at the time. Daisy especially gets to explore experimental and colorful costuming because of how attention-grabbing her character is. While Daisy Jones & The Six is more focused on its insular story than the wider issues of the ’70s, the moment of musical changes and rock and roll during this period is unique to the ’70s, and the show celebrates this.

6 The Deuce (2017–2019)

New York and the adult film industry are gritty and thrilling in this drama series

Maggie Gyllenhaal is at her best in The Deuce alongside James Franco and many other stellar performers who make the world of the series feel lived in and real. Even though these actors have been seen in plenty of contemporary works, they easily blend into the world of the ’70s and seem right at home in the bars and alleys that the characters frequent. The Deuce does a great job of giving its characters agency and dignity even at their lowest points, as it tackles the rise of the adult film industry in New York City.

The Deuce
‘s stories could be told in any period but are especially relevant in the context of the ’70s.

Each season of The Deuce received critical and audience acclaim, as watching Eileen (Gyllenhaal) grow and change and make her mark on the industry is endlessly engaging. While there are moments of levity, The Deuce takes itself and its characters seriously, which leads to discussions of the violence, racism, and misogyny that all accompanied sex work and the porn industry during these years. The Deuce‘s stories could be told in any period but are especially relevant in the context of the ’70s.

5 That ’70s Show (1998–2006)

This iconic series is much more than a typical sitcom

One of the reasons that contemporary TV shows will be set in the past is because the series that were airing at the time didn’t always have the ability to be as frank about the realities of coming-of-age during the period. That ’70s Show premiered in the late ’90s, but the series connected with audiences who grew up in the ’70s and modern teens. The popularity of shows like That ’70s Show demonstrates how adolescence might look different during every decade, but the issues and pitfalls of this phase of life remain the same inside.

One of the reasons That ’70s Show feels so much like the ’70s is because it puts its characters in realistic situations and treats them like regular teens. While the dramatization and flash of other ’70s-set series makes them visually interesting, it can also take the viewer out of the story. This is never the case with That ’70s Show, as the characters and sets all seem like genuine pieces of everyday life. While the series is episodic in nature, when it does take on an overarching plot, it touches upon some of the social issues of the time.

4 Mrs. America (2020)

Cate Blanchett leads this affecting political drama

While Cate Blanchett’s movies have defined her career, her turn as the infamous Phyllis Schlafly in Mrs. America is a good indicator of how well she does in TV. Mrs. America follows Schlafly’s crusade to prevent the Equal Rights Amendment from being passed and looks at the conservative backlash against the progressive era of the 1970s that would ultimately lead to the cultural shift of the 1980s. More often, liberation and rising social movements are tackled by TV shows that focus on the ’70s, but Mrs. America looks at both.

Mrs. America
isn’t a documentary and shouldn’t be taken as fact, as there are plenty of moments that were dramatized for the sake of the stakes and tension.

Mrs. America isn’t a documentary and shouldn’t be taken as fact, as there are plenty of moments that were dramatized for the sake of the stakes and tension. However, this doesn’t mean that Mrs. America doesn’t pay close attention to the details of the 1970s and firmly sticks to the aesthetics and many ideologies of the period. While Mrs. America can’t avoid taking a stance, it does its best to show every side of the issue and give every character their due.

3 Mad Men (2007–2015)

Season 7 leads the characters out of the ’60s

It takes a long time for Mad Men to finally escape the 1960s and enter the ’70s, but when it does, it’s just as dedicated to capturing the feel of the decade. Mad Men is a series that understands how much a period is influenced by what came before, and the evolution of the ’60s into the ’70s is one of the most pivotal periods in recent history. Not only do the styles and aesthetics of the characters change, but also their ideals and viewpoints about the world and themselves.

Mad Men tracks the transition from the influence of 1950s aesthetics in the early ’60s to the liberation and radical change in lifestyle and views in the ’70s throughout its run. Each season of the show mirrors the relevant cultural movements in the character arcs, with a central theme in the series discussing the transfer of power between the old guard and the new. Don (Jon Hamm) particularly struggles as the confines and strict hierarchies of the ’60s begin to crack, and his ideas about what a man should be are interrogated by the relentless push into the 1970s.

2 The Get Down (2016)

Baz Luhrmann’s ambitious musical series is a dazzling spectacle

Like most of Baz Luhrmann’s projects, The Get Down is in conversation with the history and power of music and touches upon the rise and importance of disco and R&B in the ’70s, leading to the establishment of hip-hop as one of the biggest genres in the world. Led by Justice Smith as Zeke, an up-and-coming artist, The Get Down sees him struggle to balance his love of music and ambition with his personal relationships. Blending both the gorgeous musical sequences with the quieter and more serious moments, The Get Down crafts an engaging story.

Unfortunately, the gorgeous style and spectacle that makes
The Get Down
so captivating was the result of a large budget that ultimately led to the show’s early cancelation.

Unfortunately, the gorgeous style and spectacle that makes The Get Down so captivating was the result of a large budget that ultimately led to the show’s early cancelation. However, just because the series was cut short doesn’t mean it isn’t high-quality. While the visuals are consistently praised and help root The Get Down in the ’70s, the truthful and empathetic storytelling that the series utilizes does justice to the rich history of hip-hop in the decade.

1 The Sympathizer (2024)

This ambitious miniseries touches upon important and underrepresented parts of the ’70s

Based on the novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer is an intricately woven TV show that follows a man as his loyalties are tested by circumstance and external factors. Hoa Xuande stars as the Captain, the protagonist who recounts his time serving as a spy for North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Later, it chronicles his journey to the U.S. and his involvement with the CIA in the aftermath. The war in Vietnam was one of the most controversial and pivotal parts of the decade.

The Sympathizer plays with audience perception and the nuanced history of the political unrest through a darkly comedic tone and frank discussions about American imperialism. It’s almost easy to forget that The Sympathizer is set in the ’70s or is a period piece since the atmosphere and storylines are so tied to the decade that it doesn’t feel like the series is trying to emulate something. The series is simply part of the ’70s. This is a difficult atmosphere to pull off, but The Sympathizer does so while keeping the audience on the edge of their seat.