Link: https://old.reddit.com/r/television/comments/1trx89a/old_tv_shows_making_a_big_deal_out_of_then_modern/

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The original was posted on /r/television by /u/AporiaParadox on 2026-05-30 11:20:20+00:00.

I'd recently been rewatching some Columbo, and find it interesting how many episodes make a big deal over then state-of-the-art modern technology like digital watches, VCRs, pagers, fax machines, car phones, cellular phones, etc. These technologies would be crucial to the killer's schemes and/or how they're caught, and Columbo and other characters would comment on how advanced and expensive these technologies were, or even claim to have never seen them before.

This is obviously an inevitable consequence of the passage of time, and it got me thinking about how pretty much any show that makes a big deal out of modern technology will be amusing in hindsight to audiences watching years later when those technologies are commonplace or obsolete. There was once a time in which if a character owned a cell phone, it was a status symbol and meant to indicate that the character was rich. Now, cell phones are so common that even lower-class characters are expected to own them.

This isn't to say that writers should avoid using modern technology or integrating them into the plot just because of hypothetical future snark from audiences. Future audiences should take these things into consideration and view these shows as interesting looks at the historical evolution and portrayal of technology. Or it's a sign that a company paid good money for product placement.

So what other scenes in older TV shows made a big deal out of then modern technologies or depict them in ways that are interesting in hindsight?