Memorable TV Line-Up’s:NBC Monday Night (Fall 1997)

So I’ve done a few of these now, talking about lineup’s that were so solid and strong that people still talk about them today! But I got to thinking, has the opposite ever happened? Has a network ever done a lineup so bad that people never forget them? And I don’t mean the early days of FOX or the WB when they were struggling and put anything on. I mean one of the big network’s just flat out giving up and producing a line up which even they had to know, NO ONE WOULD WATCH. Well, I dug and found a line up that makes a good example. From NBC in 1997.

 

As I’ve said NBC was on top of the world in the 80’s and 90’s. They were solid on Monday’s with Alf, Hogan Family and later The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Blossom– until 1996. When Fresh Prince ended NBC was determined to keep Monday a “must see TV night” for comedy. The 1996 lineup was so lame I wont even dignify it. So in 1997 they decided to take their crappy “time slot hits” (you know, shows that were only successful because they aired opposite Seinfeld or Friends) and give them a night all of their own. The result? You can probably guess!

8:00
Suddenly Susan

I’ve discussed this before, probably more than it deserves. This is the Brooke Shields show which struggled to find an identity. First it was about a magazine writer who was suddenly single. Then in the second season she had a nemesis and a love interest. The third season saw such a dramatic retooling that it lost its audience very fast. The supporting cast was ok but the writing was never there.

8:30
Fired Up

Sharon Lawrence (this is why she left NYPD Blue-and went back!) and Leah Remini (a few years before King of Queens) as a promotions executive and her assistant. They lose their jobs and “get fired up”, going into business together. Man that sounded boring even as I typed it. I could think of a half dozen sitcoms where a character did this same thing! Making the women abrasive doesn’t make the concept original.

9:00
Caroline In The City

I’ve discussed this one before too, this was the Lea Thompson show which wasn’t god awful. Of the four here this was probably the strongest. Sadly that isn’t saying much. Caroline was a cartoonist and the show needed a better supporting cast.

9:30
Naked Truth

This was a Tea Leoni vehicle where they just had no idea what to do with the premise, she worked at a tabloid. I say that because when the show was on ABC it was more satirical than it was when it was on NBC. Then the third season she was working at a new location altogether. Uh, kind of hard to keep an audience when you dramatically change the tone and location!!

NBC tried to push the fact all four shows starred women, but that’s no excuse for horrid writing. As these shows failed, others were put in and out to bump up the ratings. Like Mad About You and Will & Grace (which was quickly moved to Tuesday’s when NBC realized the show was better than the Monday slot).  Then they added another “time slot hit” known as:


This Kirstie Alley show was unwatchable, for me anyway. Adding Ron Silver was a desperate move and the way the character was written off was nearly satirical! The title was obviously a spin on Victoria’s Secret, and who cared? This show was created by the people who gave us “Friends”, proving that just because you had one big hit doesn’t guarantee a thing!!

Other shows that came and went included Jenny, Working, and in 1998 they also added Conrad Bloom. Anyone remember that? Anyone?????

In 1999 it was just Suddenly Susan and Veronica’s Closet on Monday, neither lasting even three months there. They were replaced by “Freaks and Geeks” when NBC realized that show was to good for Friday’s. So NBC got the hint and finally gave up comedies on Monday’s altogether. Eventually they would do better with Fear Factor and Weakest Link, and later Deal or No Deal, but comedy Monday’s were long gone.