NBC Fall 1984 - Saturdays

Saturday mornings on NBC 25 years ago were not exactly the hey day of kids' TV. Yes, favorites such as SMURFS and ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS were all there, surrounded by new shows like SNORKS, PINK PANTHER & SONS (ugh!), KIDD VIDEO, GOING BANANAS and reruns of shows like MR. T. ans SPIDER-MAN & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS. Nothing much to write home about.At night time, old reliable DIFF'RENT STROKES was back at 8PM, as future DESIGNING WOMEN and UN-WORKOUT star Dixie Carter joined the show as Mr. Drummond's new wife. She had an annoying bowl-cut sporting son played by the unfortunately named Danny Cooksey. NBC dropped the once-hit at the end of this season, with ABC rescuing it and pairing it with WEBSTER for it's final and eighth year.
At 8:30, the incredibly talented Nell Carter was back for a fourth season of the incredibly mediocre GIMME A BREAK. The show sailed along for another three years weathering the death of co-star Dolph Sweet and the addition of Rosie O'Donnell. Child star Joey Lawrence later became quite a hunk.
At 9PM, it was time for PARTNERS IN CRIME. I love Lynda Carter and I like Loni Anderson a lot. Then I should have really liked PARTNERS IN CRIME - shouldn't I have?
This "high concept" mystery series told the story of Carole (Lynda) and Sydney (Loni), who had nothing in common but an ex-husband! Carole is a former society matron, who is now flat-broke and trying to make a go at it as a photographer. Sydney is a con-man's daughter, a thief and she also plays the bass! When their shared ex is murdered, he wills his private investigation agency to them both! Of course after they solve his murder, they decided to become private eyes together. What a wacky idea for a TV series - TWO fishes out of water and one Odd Couple! I remember being excited when this show was announced (I must have been high) - and then being embarrassed about watching it. Luckily the curvaceous co-stars escaped this mess to do better work. Lynda went on to great small roles in films like SUPER TROOPER and SKY HIGH and, er Loni resurfaced in continuing rolls on shows like NURSES, THE MULLETS and SO NOTORIOUS , but I'll always treasure her for starring in THE JAYNE MANSFIELD STORY.
At 10PM, came HOT PURSUIT, the tale Jim (Eric Pierpoint) and Kate Wyler (Kerrie Keane), an upper-middle class couple that gets in over their head when Kate is framed for murdering her boss and sentenced to prison. Turns out, the grieving widow (the fabulous Dina Merrill) orchestrated the murder using a look-a-like for Kate! Jim and Kate then go on the lam to bring the widow Estelle to justice. This FUGITIVE-like series was fun to watch, but never made it through the season. Tomorrow: Sundays and Specials!

NBC Fall 1984 - Thursdays

Thursdays on NBC in 1984 were the start of "Must See TV". After attempting lower quality (but still entertaining) fare like GIMME A BREAK, MAMA'S FAMILY and WE GOT IT MADE, the proud peacock network wiped the slate clean with a little something called THE COSBY SHOW.Bill Cosby already had two previous NBC series (I SPY in 1965 and THE BILL COSBY SHOW in 1969), so expectations were not that high despite Bill's prediction that he would "save NBC". Turned out he was right - the show became the biggest hit of the decade (ranking #1 for 5 straight seasons) and led NBC to unexpected ratings glory. The trailblazing show also can also be noted for ushering in two waves of programming trends that continue today: sitcoms about African-American families (though Norman Lear's 70's shows created the genre) and shows built around stand-up comics. The Huxtables appealled to a wide audience and set the standard for which all new family sitcoms are measured. I was a loyal viewer for the first few years, until around the time the lackluster spin-off A DIFFERENT WORLD appeared in 1987.8:30 belonged FAMILY TIES, which premiered in 1982 as a modest hit, but became a ratings powerhouse in the post-COSBY slot. TIES spent the next three seasons in the top ten, until NBC shuttled the Keatons off to Sunday for its final two years. The show made a star out of Michael J. Fox and launched a cute spinoff called DAY BY DAY. It's "liberal vs. conservative" theme was a throwback to ALL IN THE FAMILY, though this time was set in an educated upper middle class household. It was a well written and performed show that I enjoyed tremendously.CHEERS followed at 9PM. This series also began in 1982 and was on the verge of cancellation from the very beginning. This season, thanks in part to COSBY, is when the show really took off. It finally crcaked the Top Ten in 1985-86, where it stayed until the bar closed its doors in 1993. Ted Danson starred as ex-baseball player Sam Malone who ran a Boston sports bar named Cheers. Regular customers were likable accountant Norm (George Wendt) and know-it-all postal worker Cliff (John Ratzenberger). The bar staff was Sam, Coach and waitresses prissy Diane (Shelley Long) and sassy Carla (Rhea Perlman). Cast changes began when newcomer Woody Harrelson replaced the late Nicholas Colasanto ("Coach") in 1985. Kelsey Grammer's Frasier Crane join the gang in 1984 and Shelly Long left the show in 1987 to be replaced by Kirstie Alley as tough Rebecca. The show spun-off Carla's ex Nick in THE TORTELLIS (1987) and FRASIER (1993-2004). The show is a classic and a textbook example of how to do a great ensemble comedy in the tradition of MARY TYLER MOORE. Elements of CHEERS can be found in other successful NBC shows that followed, such as SEINFELD, FRIENDS and THE OFFICE.
At 9:30, NIGHT COURT filled the highly coveted post-CHEERS slot. This BARNEY MILLER-esque schtickcom had an ever-revolving cast during its nine long seasons. While highly watchable, it's not considered a classic by any means. The show made the Top Ten for two seasons (1986-88) before NBC decided to move it around the schedule. During it's run, the show aired in 14 different time slots.Topping off the night at 10PM was HILL STREET BLUES, the jewel in NBC's crown. Like CHEERS, the series premiered to low ratings and struggled for its first few years but by 1984 it was in the Top 30. The serialized police comedy-drama from MTM featured a bevy of fine actors and compelling plotlines, winning many awards over the years and inspiring many shows that followed, including L.A. LAW, NYPD BLUE, THE PRACTICE, BOSTON LEGAL and the current NBC show SOUTHLAND. A short-lived spinoff named BEVERLY HILLS BUNTZ aired from 1987-88. Tomorrow: Fridays.

NBC Fall 1984 - Tuesdays

Tuesdays nights on NBC 25 years ago was a triple bill of action and adventure. Starting off the night was the high octane live-action cartoon called THE A-TEAM.
THE A-TEAM premiered in January 1983 and was an instant hit. Mr. T. quickly became a household name and o culture icon. I was never a fan of the show due to it's hyper-military theme, even though the violence was so over-the-top, it was more a comedy than war show. The series ran for 4 seasons in its Tuesday night berth and was eventually replaced by the much mellower MATLOCK in 1986. Team leader George Peppard passed away in 1994 and plans for a feature film version have been announced, and cancelled and then re-announced.
At 9PM, RIPTIDE came from the same producers as THE A-TEAM, and co-starred Perry King and Joe Penney as two old war buddies who ran a detective agency from a boat. The show benefited from its timeslot and became a ratings champ for two seasons, until a little detective show called MOONLIGHTING came along on ABC. RIPTIDE sailed away in 1986, never to be heard from again.
Finishing up the evening was REMINGTON STEELE, a quirky detective show from MTM that premiered two years earlier. The show introduced audiences to future James Bond, Pierce Brosnon and to rumored lesbian Republican Stephanie Zimbalist. The enjoyable series, which I watched on a regular basis, followed the adventures of Laura Holt (Zimbalist) the "brains of the operation" and Remington, the pretty face who was basically a con man who fit the tuxedo. Doris Roberts was featured as their assistant Mildred. The show was a moderate hit, running for four full seasons and ending in 1986. Then the producers of the Bond film franchise offered Pierce the dream role of 007, creating tons of publicity. Suddenly NBC was interested in a fifth season of the show, and Brosnon lost the lead in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS to Timothy Dalton. The final season was a series of two-hour TV-movies set in exotic locales. Nine years later, Pierce finally became Bond, replacing Dalton. He later appeared in many film roles, including being terribly miscast in MAMMA MIA. Zimbalist has kept an extremely low profile in recent years. I wonder why? Tomorrow: the Wednesday line-up.

NBC Fall 1984 - Mondays

Monday nights on NBC in the fall of 1984 were a mixed bag. It all started off with a special called the NBC ALL-STAR HOUR , the biggest party of the year! This hour-long clip show featured over 100 stars and a million laughs. That's 16,666 laughs per minute! Holy shit - that's one funny show!!! As I mentioned yesterday, TV's BLOOPERS & PRACTICAL JOKES premiered earlier in the year and became a big hit for the network. Combining elements stolen for Allen Funt's CANDID CAMERA with clips of actors goofing up their lines, this cheaply produced show was co-hosted by the late Ed McMahon and the formerly ageless Dick Clark.ABC's knock-off FOUL-UPS, BLEEPS & BLUNDERS followed, paving the way for all sorts of horrible shows including LIFE'S MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENTS, AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS, TOTALLY HIDDEN VIDEO and PUNK'D. BLOOPERS continued on NBC in various timeslots until the late 1990s, occasionally showing up as a special thereafter.
NBC MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES followed at 9PM, with a assortment of theatrical film premieres and original TV-movies. Many of NBC's movies from this period were created to give TV stars the opportunity to stretch their acting muscles by taking on meatier roles. Witness HIGH SCHOOL USA (which actually aired as a special on a Friday night).
Here sitcom stars Nancy McKeon (FACTS OF LIFE), Michael J. Fox (FAMILY TIES) and DIFF'RENT STROKES costars Todd Bridges and the late Dano Plato teamed up with Nick at Nite regulars Dwayne Hickman and Bob Denver (both of DOBIE GILLIS), Elinor Donahue (FATHER KNOWS BEST) and Tony Dow (LEAVE TO BEAVER). Hilarity ensued.
ONE DAY AT A TIME star and future weight-loss guru Valerie Bertinelli played a horny nun who found herself falling in love with a priest (David Morse) in SHATTERED VOWS. I need to see this one for sure!
SILVER SPOONS brat and future animal killer Ricky Schroeder took on a dramatic role in MY LIFE, YOUR LIFE. I believe this aired under the title A REASON TO LIVE. DAYS OF OUR LIVES / ELECTRA WOMAN & DYNA GIRL star Deidre Hall played his mom. Peter Fonda played the dad.
Former CHARLIE'S ANGEL and K-Mart designer Jaclyn Smith took on the role of history's most famous nurse in FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. This historical epic ran three long hours!
DYNASTY diva Joan Collins teamed up with KNIGHT RIDER star and future drunken reality-show judge David Hasselhoff in something called THE CARTIER HEIST. I think it was a comedy. Other made-for-TV movies and miniseries airing during the season included:• I DREAM OF JEANNIE: 15 YEARS LATER - Barbara Eden returned, Larry Hagman did not. Wayne Rogers was a poor substitute Major Nelson.
• THE BURNING BED - the amazing film that made people finally take the late Farrah Fawcett seriously as an actress.• A.D. - 12 hours of the Roman Empire with a cast that included the great Susan Sarandon along with Ava Gardner and James Mason!• EVERGREEN - 6 hours of Lesley Ann Warren as a Polish immigrant flocked by Armand Assante and Ian McShane. Is it me, but weren't Assante and McShane in just about EVERY miniseries in the 1980s??? Tomorrow: the Tuesday-night line-up!

NBC Fall 1984 - 25 Years Later

It's hard to believe that 1984 was twenty five fucking years ago. That means some of the classic TV shows of the 1980s are now a quarter of a century old. That blows my mind. The 1984-85 season was what they call a "game changer" for the National Broadcasting Company. In the years prior the network had a severe lack of hits and was perennially in third place (this was before FOX arrived). After this season the network would become a rating powerhouse and stay at the top of the charts for many years to come.Going into the season, the Peacock network already had some hits: THE A-TEAM was in the top ten; TV'S BLOOPERS & PRACTICAL JOKES had ripped-off the classic CANDID CAMERA formula and added silly outtakes to become a huge success; and iconic shows like THE FACTS OF LIFE and KNIGHT RIDER were gaining big audiences and loyal fans. As NBC today languishes in 4th place and tries to reinvent itself, over the next week ("Premiere Week") I will take a totally biased look at the 1984-85 line-up and give my thoughts on what I watched and why. I hope you'll join me. Let's All Be There!