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1992-93 Sitcoms -- Ratings on The Technology Cusp

Written Tied to Coax Cables by Bridger Cunningham

What a year.  In 1992, America was engulfed in an economic recession triggered by real estate, similar to the recent devastating economy American culture has known since 2007.  Paid television became readily available.  An urban delight in the 1980's, extensive upgrades reached sub-rural regions.  $20 guaranteed subscribers could access 36-78 channels, some of which were paid platforms offered at $10 per installation.  And those too far out to tap into the grid could mount a satellite dish the size of a smart car on their land to enjoy what urban folks were raving about.  Televisions tied their futures with built-in coax options, allowing the masses to not only enjoy an exciting proliferation of channels, but also link up VCR's so viewers could "watch TV on their own schedule."

Politics remain polarized, as a then-aggressive smear presidential campaign would prove to be then the messiest fares involving the Bush and Clinton clans, like two soap opera families showing up over odd periods of time.  This, of course paled to 2016's political Dumpster Fire, which divided people regardless of preference and support.  Such economic and political conditions played the perfect platform for pace-setting sitcoms like Murphy Brown, Roseanne and The Simpsons to convey political messages.  Compared with the recently posted 1989-90 scorecard of sitcom performances, 1992-93 showed now only a 30-percent drop in sitcom performance, but also a shift in demand for sitcoms.  In 1989, the top-rated shows were sitcoms which all pulled in over 30 millions viewers for season averages.  By 1992, sitcoms which placed in the top 10 averaged between 15.8-20.7 million.

Three years made a noticeable dent in acceptable sitcom ratings.  Back in 1989, 55 shows were offered vs. 1992's 53, a stable retention in offerings.  However, a 15.8 or lower rating presented an unlikely renewal in 1989, whereas shows rating above a 12.0 in 1992 were almost certain for renewal.  Three years earlier, NBC colored the top of the chart blue, followed by ABC maintaining a close second.  CBS trailed in third from the Middle of the Pack downward, followed by FOX landing mostly in the Abyss.  The network rankings outside sitcoms followed the same hierarchy.

Flash forward to 1993, that dynamic changed.  ABC led the charge with 19 sitcoms airing, with 8 placing among the top 20 sitcoms.  However, the sitcom average was sharply below CBS's 11 sitcoms with 4 showings placing 13th Place or above.  NBC, once dominant in sitcom fares, plunged to an abysmal 3rd place among its sitcoms with 5 of its sitcoms placing in the top 20.  And of course FOX remained in 4th, with no top 20 showings.  However, FOX gained momentum and closely matched NBC's sitcom average, growing from 4 to 9 sitcoms with the Simpsons finally reaching the "Leading the Pack" classification after debuting in the Abyss.  Unlike 1992, the overall network rankings did not follow sitcom performances.  ABC narrowly edged a weakened NBC into 1st, CBS was still 3rd and FOX in 4th.

1992-93 presented heavy-hitters in transition, as well as modest and previously heavy-hitting sitcoms reaching cancellation.  Spring 1992 saw NBC's tentpole players, Golden Girls and Cosby, ending after 7-8 years having anchored Thursday and Saturday evenings.  In addition, Cheers declared its 11th season would be its last in 1993 and steadily lost steam.  Saturdays went soft, and Thursdays waded in transition.  Over at ABC, aged sitcoms Growing Pains and Who's The Boss also ended 7 and 8 year runs in Spring 1992, and faltering Perfect Strangers was declared finished after 8 seasons in 1993.  In addition, several shows ranging between 4-7 seasons declined and networks axed them.

CBS experienced this misfortune with Designing Women and Major Dad declining, first being shuffled to Fridays from their plum Monday homes before CBS pulled the plug in Spring.  ABC Wednesdays also suffered this hemorrhage, as The Wonder Years and Doogie Howser continued freefalls from the previous season and cancelled.  Back in 1989, A Different World enjoyed healthy 4th Place cushion behind The Cosby Show.  After its parent defected, A Different World struggled down to 74th before NBC rested the longstanding bohemian piece.

Out of the ashes, networks made proper decisions to groom predecessors to take their place.  On the cusp of "Must See TV", NBC mad-marketed "Thursdays on NBC".  A wise decision, as they stood poised to reclaim the glory of Cosby/Family Ties/Cheers from a land not too far ago.  ABC reveled in mild glory, as Rosanne burned strong, Home Improvement burgeoned stronger and Fridays ruled.  CBS reigned in Mondays and that is where the buck hoofed.  FOX expanded Sunday, whilst attacking Thursdays.

The aftermath spells results in ratings.  ABC tentpoles held like steel, with half of the offerings rusting before their prime.  CBS took the Monday victories with the sitcom lead, yet failed miserably to steal TGIF ratings.  FOX swam close to the ground, feeding higher as the primary three sank.  And NBC went anemic on Saturdays, yet marketed Thursdays to groom new viewers.

The technology cusp year left the dynamics to shift, as we shall explore the fallout of May 1993 in upcoming passages.

1991-92 Sitcom Scorecard -- Mid-80's Sitcoms Meet Their Ends, Thursdays and Saturdays Weakened

Written Working on Home Improvement by Bridger Cunningham

The Mid-80's era was coming to an end, as NBC and ABC cleared out five longstanding shows which frequented the top 10 range.  If a show debuted between the 1984 and 1985, it either ended In the wake of the political climate being controversial, CBS' Murphy Brown pushed its way toward the top with the entire Monday lineup ranking 15th or higher.  FOX also experienced renewed interest in The Simpsons and Married... With Children experienced surges due to Cosby's decline and another controversy putting Married... With Children in the headlines.

Politics are messy, and CBS' incorporation of the George HW Bush and Bill Clinton election helped it reclaim 1st place for the first time since the 1984-85 season.  Poetically the same season The Cosby Show led to the Tiffany Network being dethroned.  The same finale season which Cosby fell out of the top 10, Murphy Brown became the name everyone knew, as Vice President made a speech denouncing the series as the principle became pregnant out of wedlock this season.  Writers utilized the ill-advised statement and watched the series drive into 3rd Place.  Also, Designing Women went through much-publicized cast changes, trading out Delta Burke and Jean Smart in favor of Newhart alum Julia Duffy and SNL genius Jan Hooks.

ABC Tuesdays again were red-hot as a renewed interest in Roseanne, mainly due to plot developments mirroring the country's recession.  The network stood in 2nd place, again, yet had plenty of Nielsen power with its sitcom arena.  Outside of political undertones, Full House left the TGIF block for Tuesdays at 8pm, reaching its zenith in 8th Place.  It led into powered-up freshman sitcom Home Improvement, which landed in 6th Place.  And Coach enjoyed Roseanne as its lead-in, reaching its record high in 5th Place.



Wednesdays delivered weaker results as Doogie Howser and Wonder Years aged.  TGIF sensation Dinosaurs rated soft, and the remaining timeslot housed by poorly scheduled Anything But Love led to its cancellation as it only amassed 56 episodes in 4 seasons.  Friday fortunes remained mixed, as Family Matters now led the TGIF block.  It's follow-up was the successful Step by Step, featuring Dallas' Patrick Duffy and Three's Company's Suzanne Somers as newlyweds blending two hostile families together.  Perfect Strangers began to age, so ABC mixed its scheduling between Fridays and Saturdays, damaging its Nielsen performance.  And Baby Talk, a poorly-reviewed sitcom based on Look Who's Talking, met its end in spite of several hyped cast changes.



During this season, ABC devised a TGIF knockoff called "I Luv Saturday Nights."  This evening, however, provided a dumping ground for aging shows such as Who's the Boss, Growing Pains and Perfect Strangers.  The first two met their ends at the conclusion of the season, falling out of the top 25 for the first time ever.  Only Perfect Strangers received a summer sendoff in 1993.

NBC's fortunes dropped them back to 3rd place for the first time since early 1984, as Must See TV's fares weakened.  Cosby ended its 8-year run, and spinoff A Different World began to experience erosion.  Cheers concluded its 10th season in 4th place, as Ted Danson declared the next season would be his last.  And Wings rode the current and finished in 18th Place.  Saturday prominence became a passing trend, as Golden Girls finished its last season failing to crack the top 20, along with its spinoff, Empty Nest.  Freshman series The Torkelsons and Nurses provided modest or struggling ratings, and the evening declined.

Elsewhere, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Blossom succeeded on Mondays.  Night Court, relegated to Wednesdays, was cancelled after 9 seasons.  Incidentally, its then-unknown neighbor, Seinfeld, earned a stay of cancellation and ranked 41st.  NBC's golden era bronzed, but FOX experienced more attention.  Not because of a foul-mouthed child on The Simpsons.  But rather, another controversy circled Married... With Children.  No, Al Bundy didn't get caught in another adult boutique, but rather had an accident, resulting in a pregnant Peggy.  Outside the set, Katey Sagal became pregnant, and the writers wrote the twist into the show, making her pregnant right along side Marcy (Amanda Bearse).  Tragically, Sagal miscarried in real-life, leaving writers to scramble and undo the twist out of sensitivity to the actress.  The entire twist was rewritten as a dream, and the press heavily covered the development.



The tragedy pushed MWC into the top-30, as well as bolster surrounding Freshman Sitcoms Herman's Head and Roc.  Simpsons held up well, yet its follow-up, Drexel's Class, was expelled after failing to capitalize on plum placement between The Simpsons and Beverly Hills, 90210.  Indeed, the mid-80's era had come and gone, and folks were seeking shows with grit and reality.

1990-91 Sitcom Scorecard -- TGIF Grows, Helping ABC Take On Aging NBC Comedies

Written Asking "Did I Do That?" by Bridger Cunningham

Five seasons of dominating 1st Place ended for NBC, as a narrow race among the top three networks ended with ABC taking 1st place for the first time since the early 80's.  NBC of course claimed Thursdays, but a newfound glory on Fridays with ABC franchise TGIF helped the alphabet network nudge their way into the front of the pack.

Overall network rankings went in the order of ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX.  When it came to sitcoms, NBC and ABC went neck to neck with the peacock narrowly claiming the victory.  CBS Mondays created a formidable competitor, thanks to a top-20 clad lineup of sitcoms.  Beyond these phenomena, Roseanne reigned in Tuesdays.  Head of the Class, Who's the Boss and Growing Pains were all aging.  Due to the loss of lead Howard Hessman, Head of the Class ended its run after 5 seasons.  Doogie Howser and Wonder Years faded in a comically dramatic fashion, and ABC was due for some upgrades to its Tuesday and Wednesday blocks.

Fridays were red-hot, thanks to Full House cracking into 15th Place, followed by 22nd place Family Matters.  Perfect Strangers held up respectively, but the 9:30 timeslot would never recover as it continually rotated players for the remainder of TGIF history.  Over at NBC, their Saturday comedy block eroded as Amen was sidelined, and 227 ended the last season.  Several unsuccessful fares populated the 8-9pm hours, and NBC found their stable of sitcoms needing creative energizing.  Night Court, a regular top-20 player, slid down to 50th Place as it landed in pioneering Wednesday territory.  Mondays, however, experienced a makeover as the network traded orange for black as Will Smith's Fresh Prince of Bel Air replaced ALF.  After stumbling through the fall, NBC hit paydirt as Mayim Bialik's Blossom became a compatible fit.

And of course, there's FOX.  Seeing two saucy, sensational hits, they separated Married... With Children and the Simpsons, shipping off The Simpsons to take on The Cosby Show head on.  It appears FOX chipped away at NBC's tentpole, who slid to 5th place among the shows.  FOX did not generate sensational hits like they did in the last season, yet managed to place FOX higher on people's radars, even if the networks resided on UHF affiliates.

1989-90 Sitcom Scorecard -- ABC and NBC Vie in Prominence, FOX is Coming Up

Written Flushing a Full House of Sitcoms by Bridger Cunningham

The 2016-17 season is over, with 25 of 34 main season entries renewed.  This season delivered a hearty helping of sitcoms after years of reduced comedies.  However, those numbers pale in comparison to the glory days of the 80's.  Back in the 1989-90 season, the four networks bolstered a whopping 55 entries, with 31 network renewals.  32 returned, as the Hogan Family was resurrected on CBS after a 5-season run on NBC.  This season presented changes in the heart of the Family-First era, which dominated airwaves from 1984-92.

Back in 1989, the first president Bush entered into the White House, presenting the first time since 1929 that the Republican party had a president in a consecutive third term.  The Cold War which terrorized America like a passive-aggressive threat began to thaw; perhaps Global Warming aided the end to the longest war of the 20th century.  November 9 cracked the Berlin Wall after standing  for 28 years, and the US Government overthrew Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega on December 20.  These developments were indeed heavy, offset by topical issues such as the AIDS crisis and escalated drug usage.  Fittingly, TV presented a wholesome escape for Americans tired of everyday troubles.

Viewers were in the center of the Family First Era, which emerged due to The Cosby Show's prominence in 1984.  This year also presented the rebirth after a quieter 8-year Escapism era which sitcoms took a backseat to fantasy fares like Charlie's Angels, Dynasty, Dallas and The Love Boat.  Every evening this season featured a family-friendly sitcom, with ABC cornering the market with its Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday offerings.  1989-90 also featured a rise in workplace laughs for adults with an equal number of 25 offerings.  Seven sitcoms split the emphasis of subgenres of Hangout, Workplace or Family themes, of which five were renewed.

Above is the breakdown of the 55 sitcoms offered, minus the current covered 18-49 demographic.  Although these numbers were tracked by Nielsen, the target moneymaker with ratings was the share, or percentage of American viewers watching.  A show with a healthy 13.9 share meant 13.9% of the population was watching.  Also valued were overall Nielsens.  7 of the top 10 programs of this season were sitcoms scattered across Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday between ABC and NBC, both of which assured viewers 4 sitcoms at all times during the schedule.  Stacked against the current Sitcom Scorecards, the 4 classifications would break down with 21.9M overall viewers to break into the "Leading the Pack" range, 16M to enter the "Middle of the Pack", the delta of the "Anemic" range would be 11M, and everything below in "The Abyss".  

The 1989-90 breakdown differs from the 2016-17 classifications as majority of the Anemic range was cancelled, and The Abyss featured a true toss-up due to FOX dominating this region.  Nielsen winners and losers received their ratings by evenings.  Here were the evenings for sitcoms, by strongest evenings (out of order):

THURSDAY

Competitors knew to steer clearn and place softer fares on this evening, as NBC Thursdays featured three Top-4 players scattered between 8-9:30pm, with the 9:30 timeslot less prominent and scattered between 4 sitcoms.  Two weaker players who aired later in 1990 in that slot, Wings and Seinfeld, would become sleeper hits who ran until 1997 and 1998, respectively.  All four 9:30 shows were renewed, with Grand burning off the grid the following season, and Dear John making it to 85 episodes by 1992.  

TUESDAY

Cosby narrowly tied with ABC Tuesday's Roseanne, which built its pre-audience with The Wonder Years placing 6th at 8:30 and aging Who's the Boss taking 8th at 8pm.  Like Thursdays, the 9:30 ABC timeslot shadowed the earlier block with forgotten Chicken Soup and establishing hit Coach.  Chicken Soup placed 9th, yet was cancelled due to star Jackie Mason's controversial political remarks, making it the highest rated cancellation.  Successor Coach placed 16th that season, yet cost less as its marquee stars were Craig T. Nelson and Shelley Fabares against powerhouses of CS, Jackie Mason and Lynn Redgrave.

SATURDAY

NBC cornered this market with shares of gold, thanks to our polished seniors on Golden Girls placing 5th in Overall Nielsens and Shares (and 6th Place in overall network measures outside of sitcoms).  It led into Empty Nest, who retained nearly 95-percent of Nielsens and Shares.  The 8pm Hour rated 30-percent lighter by comparison, shared by aging fares 227, Amen, Hogan Family and ALF.  ALF and Hogan family relocated after 4 and 5 seasons from Monday as NBC opted to reinvent said evening against CBS' moderately rated sitcom block.  Of the four helpings, only Amen would survive as NBC opted against renewal.  Spring 1990 saw changes again as the 8pm slot went to dramatic piece A Home For Joe, and NBC's lowest rated and properly forgotten workplace sitcom 13 East at 8:30.  The 10pm hour opened the gates for Carol Burnett vehicle Carol and Company (14th Place) and Down Home (32nd).  Both fares were renewed, yet burned off the following season.  ABC made mild attempts at laughs with aging Mr. Belvedere and Who's the Boss spinoff Living Dolls (featuring upcoming stars Halle Berry and Leah Remini).  Both discontinued in December, with Mr. Belvedere receiving a one-evening sendoff in July 1990.

The remaining four evenings held less prominence, yet delivered respectable performances.  

WEDNESDAY

Aging ABC laughers  Growing Pains and Head of the Class placed 2nd in their timeslots against NBC's Unsolved Mysteries, the 9-10pm hour delivered respectable ratings with Anything But Love and Doogie Howser, MD.  After the young doctor outperformed Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis' ABL, it was sidelined, Doogie moved to 9pm and dramatic pices complimented Doogie with lackluster results.  Seeing softer ABC performances, NBC and CBS assembled half-hour affairs in each hour.  NBC's Night Court emerged victorious against ABL, yet Cloris Leachman workplace sitcom The Nutt House placed 3rd in its timeslot and roasted over an open fire.  Spring sitcom FM failed against Doogie Howser and faded out by Season's End.

FRIDAY

TGIF debuted this year with soaring results blazed by increasingly popular Full House (12th) and freshman Family Matters (17th).  Its parent spinoff, Perfect Strangers, held its ground in 25th Place, with 9:30 follow-up Just the Ten of Us retaining an impressive 95% in 26th Place.  The Growing Pains spinoff outrated CBS' ailing soap Dallas by 3 million viewers, yet received an unwarranted pink slip by the season's end.  The network's reasoning?  The 8-9:30 hours were produced by Miller-Boyett productions, who demanded a monopoly over the 8-10pm hour.  Subsequently, the 9:30pm timeslot struggled in succeeding years to find a suitable replacement, cancelling nearly all 1990-2000 players in this slot by season's ends.  CBS made a minor play for laughs in the springtime in the 8-9pm hour with Baghdad Cafe and Sugar and Spice.  The results?  Baghdad Cafe faltered mid-season the next year, and Sugar and Spice soured to staleness by May 1990.

MONDAY

However did Mondays rate weaker than Fridays in sitcoms!?  CBS managed to build a praised feminist workplace 9pm hour with Murphy Brown and Designing Women.  8pm launched moderately successful family/workplace fare Major Dad.  Beyond that, CBS took scheduling risks with the entire season housing sitcoms from 8-11pm from September-May.  The final season of Newhart disintegrated, moving from 10:30 to 10pm, and finally at 8pm after three failed freshman comedies faltered.  Among them: Wes Craven helmed The People Next Door, Teddy Z and City.  Teddy Z started in the plum 9:30 timeslot, then moved after The People Next Door died.  CBS reverted Newhart upward with freshman sitcoms Doctor Doctor and His & Hers, with the last dying in a cursed timeslot.  DD lasted another season, yet hemorrhaged at 9:30 in a soft order the following year.  Over at NBC, ALF and the Hogan Family declined and relocated to Saturdays.

SUNDAY

A sitcom wasteland, the greatest laugh was only two sitcoms (Married With Children, The Simpsons) survived among the three networks, and both rated in the scheduling Abyss.  ABC newbies Free Spirit and Homeroom lost spirituality and a sense of space early in the season, killing ABC's attempts at laughs.  NBC straddled three sitcoms over the 8pm Hour which landed in the Middle of the Pack -- Sister Kate, My Two Dads and Ann Jillian.  All failed to outrate CBS procedural Murder She Wrote and ABC reality platform America's Funniest Home Videos and learned N-ew B-usinesses C-rashed by May.  Conversely, FOX landed Share-d success with MWC and Simpsons.  Open House closed, as did original mainstays Tracy Ullman and Garry Shandling.

1989 was a successful television year as it offset the world's problems with 55 sitcoms over 4 networks.  32 returned (The Hogan family moved to CBS), with several lasting well into 1998.  And the Simpsons carries on....

Shows Which Enjoyed 4+ Seasons on this roster beyond May 1990:

The Simpsons (Ongoing in 29th season)

1998 Finale:

Murphy Brown (10 Seasons)
Seinfeld (9 Seasons)
Family Matters (9 Seasons)

1997 Finale:

Roseanne (9 Seasons)
Coach (9 Seasons)
Wings (8 Seasons)

1995 Finales:

Full House (8 Seasons)
Empty Nest (7 Seasons)

1993 Finales:

Cheers (11 Seasons)
Perfect Strangers (8 Seasons)
Designing Women (7 Seasons)
A Different World (6 Seasons)
The Wonder Years (6 Seasons)
Doogie Howser, MD (4 Years)
Anything But Love (4 Years)
Major Dad (4 Seasons)

1992 Finales:

Night Court (9 Seasons)
The Cosby Show (8 Seasons)
Who's The Boss (8 Seasons)
Growing Pains (7 Seasons)
Golden Girls (7 Seasons)
Dear John (4 Seasons)

1991 Finales:

The Hogan Family (6 Seasons)
Head of the Class (5 Seasons)
Amen (5 Seasons)