Seven years ago I did a did an article on my favorite “program blocks”. These are the time’s when every show on a certain day and network is so great you just sit the remote down and enjoy, with no changing channels. However there were some problems with that article. One, it was very abbreviated with no pics or even videos of the shows. And 2, it was a top 5. 5??? I bet there are a dozen line up’s I could go over and spotlight over the last several decades!
So, that’s exactly what I decided to do. Take a specific network lineup and just go over it, the good and the bad. Prime time, day time, fall, spring…whatever. I feel this is an important thing to discuss because in today’s world of binge watching and streaming services, the concept of just enjoying an evening lineup on any regular network is quickly disappearing. Watching TV just isn’t the communal thing it was for years. Oh sure people in the 80;s didn’t come over to watch with friends the same way they did in the Uncle Miltie days, but there was still a feeling that you were watching the show with a million others. Course you would literally watch together whether it be my family or friends or even wife later on. Then we just talked about it the next day (hence, water cooler show) at work or school, or wherever. This doesn’t happen as much anymore, people watch wherever and whenever they want. The Big Bang Theory may in fact be the very last event finale of a TV show we ever see. I’m sad to see this, but it is what it is and I can’t deny that services like Netflix are doing some real quality. Habits change, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun and remember how it used to be.
Now this is an experiment to see if I like this idea so I an starting with an obvious one. I promise if I do more I will get more obscure and/or nostalgic (which will give me a chance to cover shows I always seem to ignore). For today, let’s go back to NBC’s fall lineup in 1994. And I am using the posted starting line up’s for these blocks I know they tend to be shuffled as the year goes on.
I’ll come back to 1984 some other time, today I wanted to focus in 1994. What in the world was in the water at NBC that year? I mean this line up was so rock solid and phenomenal that it boggles the mind. This was back when NBC was, well, good!
8:00
Mad About You
This was sort of the Seinfeld spin-off that never was. It was basically the same idea, just with a married couple instead of a group of friends. And while the would lose its way, it was at its best this season.
8:30
Friends
Do I really need to explain this show and what it was about? This was a monster hit, eclipsed only be the last entry on our little list. I think the reason it worked was the perfect, perfect casting.
9:00
Seinfeld
Yeah as I said I intentionally chose this program block to see if I like the idea. There is nothing I can say about this show about nothing that I haven’t yet. It still remains my favorite TV show, ever.
9:30
Madman of the People
Wait, what the heck was this show? Yeah it would quickly become common for whatever show that aired at 9:30 for it to be the coffin slot in Must See TV, I guess people needed that break to walk their dogs or something. This Dabney Coleman vehicle was just lousy and even being between two mega hits couldn’t save it from a fast cancellation.
I couldn’t even find it’s opening (actually they barely had one) so enjoy this promo instead.
wow, can’t imagine why that snorefest didn’t last. Pretty sad when there isn’t even a laugh in your promo!
So what little show came on after that two hours of comedy?
10:00
ER
I don’t imagine anyone knew what kind of monster this would become. It was one of the fastest mega hits I have EVER seen. Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg how could it miss??? This show would got 14 years, about two too long, and it was a monster. The funny thing for me is that I fell in love with the theme music before ever really seeing the show.
and of course we end with:
Yeah I know people prefer Letterman but I never, ever missed a chance to watch Jay Leno.
I mean, wow! What a lineup!! I am so glad that I was old enough (in college) to really enjoy this block of shows. I love them all, except the one bad one. So my friends do you like this idea? There are lots more line up’s out there to go over so I will be back real soon with the next one.
Do more! To be fair though, I have not been a huge fan of any of the shows in this block. But like you said, there's a feeling of nostalgia about these line-ups.
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