I get what you're saying, the themes of Cheers and other classic shows still resonates. Seinfeld never ages for me....I love that it's basically the last thing from the pre-tech era.
But I agree that HBO, A&E and others took TV to a completely different level. The Sopranos was the biggest turning point in TV since CNN debuted.
And yes, I loved Shelly Long. Plus she taught me how to spot nut case women.