Though much data exists on the dramatic growth of television consumption over the years, research on the impact of television shows on their viewers is sorely lacking, specifically as concerns values within the family unit. The goal of this study was to determine whether the values in a given decade, namely the 1970s, 1990s, and 2010s, tended to match those of society at the time and to examine how the shows families watch reflect and shape their values. Research in historical data on trends in family values was analyzed along with data gathered from in-person interviews with two participants from each of the three focus decades.