1965-66 Ratings History

Written Asking Where the Ratings Monsters Went by Bridger Cunningham (former TVRG Writer) 

Behold a rare treasure trove of illusive sitcom data.  As promised, TV Ratings Guide continues its ongoing efforts to deliver comprehensive ratings data as it becomes available.  Previously, data before 1984 was non-existent in a comprehensive table or list. The September 2, 2017 bulldozed that Nielsen wall, breaking into the 1983-84 data.  The overall Ratings History will follow shortly, but not before reporting another leading development in TVRG's ongoing ratings anthology series.  After thoroughly researching the internet for ratings, a Star Trek fan check site unveiled valuable data which resurrected a new chain of ratings to report, as they located valued Nielsen Rankings from the 30th-70th Nielsen rankings from an August 1967 article from American Television history.  When peering further, not only did this article possess the data from 1966-67, but also had 1964-66 data intact.  Nielsen ratings are not revealed, but ranks and shares are reported.  This finding, along with a listing of renewed and cancelled shows for the season, crafted enough data for TVRG to compose a Sitcom Scorecard and Ratings History for the year.  

To check out other years' ratings, visit the Ratings History Library.

Trending Hot -- CBS sitcoms proved to be the surviving staple folks recall more than half a century later.  Conversely, westerns were popular in the 50's and 60's and are only remembered via title.  Variety shows continued to proliferate all three flagships.    

Trending Tepid -- ABC sensation such as Peyton Place cooled down after igniting the Nielsens the previous year with Mia Farrow.  Movie evenings also experienced similar fortunes.  

Trending Cold - Monster shows and middling sitcoms left the air after 2-3 seasons.  NBC sitcoms did not fare well, and gameshows began to descend downward in the ratings. 

  

Sources  
1. http://fbibler.chez.com/tvstats/by_5_yr_period/top_programs_1965-1970.html 
2. American Television History, 1967 -- http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Magazine/Television-1967-Aug.pdf 3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1965%E2%80%9366_United_States_network_television_schedule 

1964-65 Ratings History

Written in The First Season of Color by Bridger Cunningham (former TVRG Writer)

Behold a rare treasure trove of illusive sitcom data.  As promised, TV Ratings Guide continues its ongoing efforts to deliver comprehensive ratings data as it becomes available.  Previously, data before 1984 was non-existent in a comprehensive table or list. The September 2, 2017 bulldozed that Nielsen wall, breaking into the 1983-84 data.  After thoroughly researching the internet for ratings, a Star Trek fan check site unveiled valuable data which resurrected a new chain of ratings to report, as they located valued Nielsen Rankings from the 30th-70th Nielsen rankings from an August 1967 article from American Television history.  When peering further, not only did this article possess the data from 1966-67, but also had 1964-66 data intact.  Nielsen ratings are not revealed, but ranks and shares are reported.  This finding, along with a listing of renewed and cancelled shows for the season, crafted enough data for TVRG to compose a Sitcom Scorecard and Ratings History for the year.  

To check out other years' ratings, visit the Ratings History Library.

 

Trending Hot -- Almost anything ABC touched turned to gold.  Thanks to Bewitched landing a then-unprecedented network record of 2nd Place, it's sitcom roster perked up.  Add a few cutting edge dramas like The Fugitive and Combat, as well as new soap sensation Peyton Place, and the network fired on all cylinders and showed signs it could overtake NBC for 2nd.  It would have to wait 11 years for that victory, but this season showed it was a distinct possibility.  CBS also belted out another successful year with its sitcom blocks of silliness.  Alchemy and dark humor took hold of CBS and ABC as Bewitched and copycat franchises The Addams Family and The Munsters showcased modern families with odd powers.  Overall, this was the era to be a sitcom on TV as ABC and CBS had the craft nearly perfected.  

Trending Tepid -- Westerns still registered high in the roster, though they began to fade as the 60's raged on.  Multiple showing and serialized programming made the rounds this season, thanks to Peyton Place's multiple showings on ABC.  Shopping around for network discards panned out with mixed results.  Movie nights gained prominence, particularly on NBC.  Variety and Gameshows also continued to display with mixed results.  

Trending Cold -- NBC, though still in 2nd place, seemed to experience a rougher time in the mid-60's.  It only nicked 5 places in the Top 30 and covered most of its roster in the Middle of the Pack.  Animated shows also began to lose steam this season, and 50's fares began to fall down the ratings ladder or fall off the roster. 

Sources 

1. http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Magazine/Television-1967-Aug.pdf 

2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964%E2%80%9365_United_States_network_television_schedule 

TV Ratings Guide Halloween Special: The Addams Family and The Munsters, a TV History

They're creepy and they're kooky. They're monsters living among us. They're the beloved sitcoms of the 1960s that combined creepy with funny. For this Halloween special, I'll be discussing two beloved sitcoms that are Halloween classics: The Addams Family and The Munsters.

Humble Beginnings

The Munsters and The Addams family are so similar, that they usually go hand in hand. Both are iconic in their own way. They began a week apart from each other, and the Addams Family inspired the Munsters. Funny enough, The Munsters received better ratings than the Addams Family, despite the Addams Family being a much more successful franchise.

Aren't Movies Great?

Even after the cancellations of the shows, movie versions continued to be made. Munster, Go Home! was the first movie adaptation of the Munsters. If failed theatrically, but was actually quite significant, as it featured the Munsters in Technicolor for the first time. A few more made-for-TV movies aired of the Munsters, but M,GH! was the only theatrical release of a Munster movie. The Addams Family, however, had far better fortunes, movie-wise. The Addams Family and Addams Family Values were both hits, both commercially and critically. The 1991 Addams Family movie received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.

Let's Get Animated

Both the Addams and Munster families got animated in 1973. The Munsters received a one hour TV film titled the Mini-Munsters, while The Addams family aired 16 episodes. The Mini-Munsters failed to be adapted into a series, which was the initial intention. The Munsters were never seen in animated form again. The Addams Family had a different result. Though the original animated Addams Family series was cancelled after one season, the Addams Family returned to animation in 1992. That series did somewhat better than the first attempt. However, it only lasted 21 episodes (though the series was pretty good). Unfortunately, the animated versions of the Munsters and Addams Family are unlikely to ever be seen again on TV, though the 1992 series did previously air just a few years ago.

Remakes, Remakes, Remakes

We all know how much TV loves remaking classics. Usually, this ends badly. For Addams Family, that remained true. Halloween with the New Addams Family failed to receive a series pickup, and The New Addams Family, from 1998, aired just two seasons. The Munsters didn't fare much better, with NBC's Mockingbird Lane failing to receive a series order. However, The Munsters Today aired 72 episodes in Syndication in the late 1980s and early 90s, two more episodes than the original series.

Classic Addresses

The addresses that the Addams Family and Munsters lived at, 0001 Cemetery Lane and 1313 Mockingbird Lane, are also pretty iconic parts of the shows. 1313 Mockingbird Lane even inspired the name of a failed Munsters spinoff, Mockingbird Lane.

Iconic Homes

Okay, so maybe the homes aren't beautiful. But they are iconic symbols of these two shows. Everybody knows that the Addams Family's house is a museum (where people come to see-em). And every fan of the Munsters knows that almost every non-Munster that steps in the house typically says something about it being run down. Speaking of the Munsters Mansion, the Munsters wasn't the only show it ever appeared in. It has appeared in Desperate Housewives, The Incredible Hulk, and Murder, She Wrote, among many others.

Toys, Toys, Toys

We all know how that nearly every successful franchise has some form of a toy depicting them. The Munsters and Addams Family are no different. Many toys of the shows have been produced, including dolls/figurines, video games, and models of the Munsters home.

Unorthodox Animals

The Munster and Addams families both had unusual pets. The Addams Family had Aristotle, an octopus, while the Munsters had Spot, a dragon. These weren't their only pets, of course. The Munsters also had a bat named Igor, as well as a cat that roars like a lion. The Addams Family had Kitty Kat, a lion, and Cleopatra, a man-eating plant. While all of these pets are rather peculiar, they fit the shows perfectly.
  

So Much Potential

Unfortunately, both the Addams Family and the Munsters struggled in the ratings. For that reason, each received just two seasons, with the Munsters lasting 70 episodes to the Addams Family's 64. It's hard to believe that these classic shows only lasted two seasons each. But their legacies live on in syndication, Netflix, and movies to this day.

And the Winner is....

While I adore both shows, and watch them each and every Halloween, I've always preferred the Addams Family. I was so obsessed with the Addams Family that for a school project one year, I created models of Morticia, Gomez, and Cousin Itt. To this day, I still use those as Halloween decorations. I own the Addams Family on DVD, and love the Addams Family feature films, as well as the animated shows. But that's not to say that I'm not a huge Munsters fan. One year, I was Grandpa Munster for Halloween.  

Now, it's time for you to decide the superior series.. Are you an Addams Family fan or a Munster maniac? 

1965-66 Sitcom Scorecard -- Several Old Favorites Leave ABC and CBS

Written Hoping Reboots Keep the Flintstones in the 60's by Bridger Cunningham

Yabba, dappa dropped.  1966 spelled an all-too-familiar trend of parting with the previous era's successes.  Several longstanding ABC veterans and three-year ventures were handed pink slips from the networks.  Given newer sensations Bewitched and Batman were top-10 players, ABC decided to shake it up and remain competitive with 1st place CBS.  The Tiffany Network continued with its perfect marriage between homespun and silly premises.  The Lucy Show remained on top despite a devastating blow from losing venerable veteran Vivian Vance, whom Lucille Ball failed to talk out of retirement with a sizable salary.  NBC's sitcom pallet ran rife with failure as 40% of their sitcoms were handed renewals and rated on the softer side.

Freshman comedies were not the only cancellations ABC and CBS handed out.  The Ozzie and Harriet Show, America's then-longest running sitcom, was handed a shameful Saturday timeslot followed by a cancellation notice.  Their 14-season record remained intact for 37 years until The Simpsons broke its record in 2003.  However, Ozzie and Harriet continues to hold the live-action vs. animation record for an unprecedented 51 years.  Next up on longstanding cancellations was Donna Reed with 8 season, also handed the same shameful Saturday package offered to Ozzie and Harriet.  The first animated sitcom, The Flintstones, ended after 6 seasons.  The Hanna/Barbera production became a Top 20 sensation its first season and would remain in the top 30 until 1963.

McHales's Navy ended after 4 seasons, Patty Duke and The Farmer's Wife after 3, and The Addams Family after 2.  All ranked below 60th place.  The Addams Family's CBS knockoff, The Munsters, also ended after two seasons, one rank higher than the Addams Family.  CBS held more room than ABC to cancel its sitcoms as other longstanding shows left the air.  The Dick Van Dyke Show and Hazel ended after 5 seasons, and My Favorite Martian was sent out of the orbit after 3 seasons.  Not a single sitcom on NBC's roster possessed more than 2 seasons during the 1965-66 season, and the six cancellations all were freshman, including the ultra-embarrassing My Mother the Car.

Sources

1. http://fbibler.chez.com/tvstats/by_5_yr_period/top_programs_1965-1970.html
2. American Television History, 1967 -- http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Magazine/Television-1967-Aug.pdf
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1965%E2%80%9366_United_States_network_television_schedule

1964-65 Sitcom Scorecard -- Broomsticks, Cartoons, Ghouls and CBS Silliness Everywhere

Written Reveling in Nielsen Alchemy by Bridger Cunningham

Behold a rare treasure trove of illusive sitcom data.  As promised, TV Ratings Guide continues its ongoing efforts to deliver comprehensive ratings data as it becomes available.  Previously, data before 1984 was non-existent in a comprehensive table or list. The September 2, 2017 bulldozed that Nielsen wall, breaking into the 1983-84 data.  The overall Ratings History will follow shortly, but not before reporting another leading development in TVRG's ongoing ratings anthology series.  After thoroughly researching the internet for ratings, a Star Trek fan check site unveiled valuable data which resurrected a new chain of ratings to report, as they located valued Nielsen Rankings from the 30th-70th Nielsen rankings from an August 1967 article from American Television history.  When peering further, not only did this article possess the data from 1966-67, but also had 1964-66 data intact.  Nielsen ratings are not revealed, but ranks and shares are reported.  This finding, along with a listing of renewed and cancelled shows for the season, crafted enough data for TVRG to compose a Sitcom Scorecard and Ratings History for the year.  

Please note this is the 40th entry in the Historic Sitcom Scorecard Article Series, part of TVRG's Ratings Library Anthology Series.  One more entry remains before the series concludes in 2017.  Potential revivals sometime in 2018 are possible if new data from 1964-84 emerges.  However, the series comes to a close until there is more to talk about.

ABC experienced a refreshing spell of Nielsen energy in the 1964-65 season thanks to the twitch of Elizabeth Montgomery's nose on Bewitched.  36 sitcoms traipsed the three broadcast schedules with ABC delivering the 17 majority, including 5 Top 30 entries.  However, 10 would leave the air, including 13th place My Three Sons, which enjoyed 5 healthy seasons (and would enjoy 7 more on CBS).  Cartoon series began to fade, as newfound Johnny Quest failed to ignite ratings success on a soft Friday. 

The copycat trend ran rampant as ABC's The Addams Family and CBS' The Munsters both showcased Middle-Class ghouls dealing with everyday life.  ABC's entry grabbed critical acclaim, while CBS' spell grabbed the ratings.  Elsewhere, CBS silliness and country roots kept CBS in the front of the pack as they fleshed out 14 sitcom entries with 10 survivors.  NBC experienced a rough season and splayed all sitcoms for fish food except Flipper, apparently due to Surgeon Generals warning of sea life being high in Mercury.

Sources --
1. http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Magazine/Television-1967-Aug.pdf
2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964%E2%80%9365_United_States_network_television_schedule