Looking at The Far Side, and of all the subjects Gary Larson touched on, it seems that TV was not necessarily a big part of his life. The cartoonist was more likely to indulge in his love of dogs, dinosaurs, or the scientific process. While it’s difficult to picture Larson watching a lot of TV in his downtime, there is no denying the medium’s influence on him. These comic strips highlight what seem to be Larson’s favorite shows (Star Trek), as well as an understanding of popular TV from the past, likely from childhood, when TV was more of a staple. This is all speculation on my part, of course, but as Larson was a private person, we can only infer certain details about him from his work.

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