Many years ago, back when I had an office (a rarity in the customer service world), I had a poster hanging on my wall entitled, “All I need to know about life I learned from Star Trek”. 
It was always a nice conversation starter, especially because many of the lessons listed made sense to non-fans as much as they did to fans. A couple of my favorites were:
- Even in our own world, sometimes we are aliens.
- When your logic fails, trust a hunch.
See, not many people who wouldn’t be able to find some common ground there.
I was thinking about that poster the other day, though I’m not sure exactly why (I sort of think it was something on Big Bang Theory that spurred the thought), and it got me to wondering if there are lessons I’ve learned from other programs. Well, that was a silly thought, because of course there were lessons; there are things to be learned from just about everything, really, and television is no exception. So I thought I’d share a few of the ones that sprang to mind—some almost profound, some absolutely not so much . . .
- Sometimes the rebel “trouble makers” really are just misunderstood.—Happy Days
- Seize opportunities, even when they seem crazy.—Bosom Buddies
- Enjoy whatever adventures, or misadventures, come your way.—Doctor Who
- Legal is never more important than right.—Hardcastle and McCormick
- You might be stuck with family, but they can still become your friends.—Perfect Strangers
- You’re never too young to make a difference.—Doogie Howser, M.D.
- BOLO sounds way cooler than APB.—NCIS
- If you like someone, just say so.—Moonlighting/Remington Steele/Castle/et al
- Never park next to vans or other large, enclosed vehicles.—Criminal Minds
- Bowties are cool, or, Dress the way that makes you happy.—Doctor Who
- Be someone a friend can trust, even if you’re keeping secrets from them.—White Collar
- There’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a Scooby snack.—Scooby Doo, Where Are You!
- Everything is better with a song.—The Partridge Family
- Always trust your instincts.—The Sixth Sense
- Keeping a journal is cool.—Doogie Howser, M.D.
What about you? Got any life lessons gleaned from a favorite television show?
