Is it Time for Television to Air The Cosby Show Reruns Again?

Written Advocating the Beast by Bridger Cunningham.

For 30 years, few could find an unpleasant word to associate with the 1984-92 NBC sitcom "The Cosby Show."  Common discussion may have included words such as "hit," "wholesome," "refreshing," and for those familiar with the ratings world, "the show which defined the 80's."  Flash forward to late 2014, and 77-year old Bill Cosby was pelted with overwhelming allegations of sexual misconduct spanning back to the 70's.  Networks immediately pulled lucrative reruns from their rosters, and a show which helped revive a struggling NBC sadly was eclipsed by a performer's haughty behavior.

Bill Cosby was found guilty of three felonious counts of aggravated indecent assault on April 26, 2018.  TVRG will abstain from delving too far into the rabbit hole of what went down, as too many adjacent outlets are eager to profile that unfortunate dumpster fire.  Where this article will park its wagon is discussing the wreckage of what was once one of television's finest masterpieces.  The Cosby Show debuted in the fall of 1984 after NBC wallowed in 9 years of 3rd Place ratings woes.  Cosby's success not only catapulted the new sitcom to 3rd Place with a 24.3 rating, but also enabled the network to push back into 2nd.  Cosby ruled the Nielsens in 1st place from 1985-89, reaching its zenith during the 1987-88 season (check out the ratings for the show's 1984-92 run HERE).  ABC's Roseanne knocked Cosby out of 1st place in 1989 as the series aged, and it ended its run in 14th Place with a 16.1 in 1992.

Following its cancellation, the Cosby Show enjoyed lucrative success for an additional 22 years as eager television outlets relied on its sturdy performance after the show went dark.  The question remains could American viewers today look past what became public since 2014?  The series has potential to again grab viewers.  Not to moon on the show's wholesomeness or acclaimed positive depiction of an upper-middle-class Black American family.  Rather, resuming syndication would present  an opportunity for a mixture of love, hatred and critical thought.

Some may tune in nostalgic of the happiness the series brought television for so many years.  Haters will revel in ripping on the show, similar to what viewers do to the Howard Stern and Keeping Up With the Kardashians flagships.  Newfound, analytical group of sociologists may examine body language and early indicators of Cosby's duplicitous lifestyle.  And a newer generation may tune in out of curiosity to see how this villainized figure made a sitcom succeed, all the while falling in love with the lauded ensemble.  No matter what the motive, these views can still attract Nielsens.  Whether it is of good taste is a differing discussion.  And certainly in line with the tastes of news outlets such as CNN, FOX News and local outlets shamelessly exploiting society's tragedies.

Pulling reruns of The Cosby Show was a responsible choice in 2014 for media outlets due to the controversy.  However, society needs to examine what made the series successful.  Bill Cosby's name instigated the series' success as a hook to drawn new viewers in.  Once viewers familiarized themselves, the ensemble became just as strong (if not superseding) in popularity as Cosby himself.  Phylicia Rashad earned acclaim as poised confident matriarch Claire Huxtable.  And over time, the Huxtable children distinguished themselves, lead by polished yuppie Saundra (Sabrina Le Beauf), bohemian rebel Denise (Lisa Bonet), passive Theo (Malcolm Jamal Warner), naive Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) and precocious adolescent Rudy (Keshia Pulliam Knight).  America grew to love these characters more than Cliff Huxtable and may present rooting values for viewers to invest in daily viewing habits.

Reviving or rebooting the series is out of the question post 2014.  Should a network grab a poison pen and attempt one, viewers and critics may retitle their efforts to tasteless names such as "2 Many Drugged Girls," "The Quaalude Doctor," "Morality Can Wait" or "The Unwanted Bang Theory."  What the entertainment industry CAN do is allow viewers to take a nostalgic look and remember art vs. the artist with the original series.  Would reairing the Cosby Show present a lucrative opportunity or a tasteless grab for viewers?  Weigh in....

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)

1988-89 Sitcom Scorecard -- WGA Strike Reduces Sitcom Quantity, NBC Leads, ABC and FOX Grow

Written Laughing at Terry Rakolta's Boycott by Bridger Cunningham

The Writer's Guild Strike which lasted from March 7 - August 8, 1988 damaged the television landscape, as several premiere dates were pushed as far back as November 1988.  Along with the preemption, this season reduced its original sitcoms by 8, dropping the total 17% from the 1987-88 figures.  Still, growth reached two networks' sitcoms by impressive margins.  ABC was on par with its last season's overall network average, yet its sitcoms increased by an 8% margin for their overall average.  The largest percent gain came when FOX experienced a 116% increase, due to picked up affiliates and the controvery of Michigan housewife Terry Rakolta's failed boycott of Married.... With Children, causing the show to more than double its Nielsen Ratings.  NBC held steady, and CBS dropped 9%.

The 1987-88 Scorecard's headline included the antagonistic "FOX is a Joke" portion of the headline.  Flash forward one season, and they turned that joke into a juggernaut.  While other shows endured delays and damage due to the strike, FOX stepped into offensive territory and gained sensational eyeballs.  The Infamous January 15, 1989 episode "Her Cups Runneth Over" triggered Rakolta to lead an unsuccessful cancellation of the crasscom, as the two leading males wandered an adult boutique in search of a bra.  The result?  Millions who had no clue a network called FOX existed tuned in, and smaller markets lacking a FOX affiliate scrambled to make space to cover this channel.  All FOX shows increased in Nielsens this season, with It's The Garry Shandling Show taking a significant increase as well.  Duets, however, only increased 20% from these developments and was not asked to return to the young station.



FOX was previously cited as a joke, as its average could be multiplied 3-6 times withinthe other three network's averages.  This season, however, the sitcom stepping between average ranks left 3-4 ratings points between the four ranks, with FOX in 4th behind a faltering CBS.  Elsewhere, another brash and unpolished family sitcom swept ABC by storm.  Roseanne debuted to critical acclaim in October, taking 2nd place in both sitcom and overall ranks.  Depicting the struggles of a working class family who overdosed the audience with crass jokes, Roseanne cornered the market away from the upscale NBC franchise of sitcoms.  ABC's fortunes were mostly positive.  Friday evenings accelerated due to Full House gaining attention.  Having struggled and ranked 71st Place the previous season, ABC bumped the series to 8:30 behind Perfect Strangers to foster growth.  During this season, Full House overtook Perfect Strangers and cracked into the top 30, leading to a brief ratings surge for anemic Mr. Belvedere reaching 42nd place.  Full House's growth inspired returning it to the 8pm timeslot to lead the evening.



The weakest of the Friday franchise was Growing Pains spinoff Just the Ten of Us, which trailed the block with improved results over the prior year of failed entries.  All were asked back for another season.  Wednesdays softened in ratings, leading to the cancellation of Hooperman.  Tested in its place was Coach, which performed at a lower bar yet cost less in production.  Over at NBC, it was business as usual.  Thursdays were on fire, and Dear John moved into Night Court's former slot, shoving it into a newly-created Wednesday comedy block which did not fare as well.  Saturdays hit another top-10 with Golden Girls spinoff Empty Nest, and Sunday shows retired as Family Ties ended its run after 7 seasons, taking struggling sophomore Day By Day with it.  And of course, Alf and Hogan Family continued orange popularity on Mondays.

CBS sitcoms endured the worst effects of the strike, as Kate and Allie was preempted to mid-season.  Along with Newhart, it dropped into the high 40's, having positioned themselves around 15th in previous seasons.  Wednesday and Saturday comedy blocks failed, and CBS had to rebuild Mondays.

Source: http://dictionary.sensagent.com/1988%E2%80%9389_United_States_network_television_schedule/en-en/

1987-88 Sitcom Scorecard -- Unilateral Drops as ABC Rebounds, CBS Plunges and FOX Is a Joke

Written Widening the Sitcom Berth by Bridger Cunningham

The 1987-88 experienced the expansion of 17 sitcoms, albeit the primary three networks' averages dropped drastically from the season before.  Why?  That is because a 4th network's debut, FOX, demanded changes.  As the data counted for shows which debuted by the close of March, FOX was omitted from previous data.  In order to include the full compass, the window widened into the summer window.  Two laughing stocks made their entrance into Nielsen data during the 1987-88 season.  FOX's ratings were so poor, they called for their own classification in this table beneath the Anemic range.  The second "embarrassment" to debut this season was ABC's Full House, which registered in 71st place among the 124 entries.  It's a good thing ABC opted to renew this show over other failed Friday entries, as it remained a mainstay for 8 seasons and in 2016 would debut as one of Netflix's leading draws.

It is obvious from the blue paint covering the top of the chart NBC once again ruled the sitcom (and network) franchise.  Their ratings were down as their leaders "plunged" into the 20's (ha!), yet they possessed 9 sitcoms in the top 20 for the entire season.  ABC had its share of stinkers in the lower end of the register, and it somehow stabilized so it could overtake CBS on both the sitcom and overall Nielsen measures, ending a 4-year downturn of fortune.  CBS took ABC's 3rd place by a winder margin in sitcoms, followed by overall network ranks being nosed out in spring 1988.

The hype surrounding NBC's Cosby faded (slightly), yet Thursdays ruled as all four sitcoms ranked 7th place or higher.  Saturdays also presented the peacock with prominence as The Golden Girls bolstered its surrounding company into winning their timeslots.  The only casualty this evening was the final season of The Facts of Life, ending the only entry left from the 1970's as the girls bowed out.  Family Ties took a sharp plunge after moving from its plum Thursday timeslot to Sundays, yet managed to stabilize the network's soft Sunday lineup.  Making Mondays hairy paid off, as ALF hit its zenith during its second season.  Not only did it launch the greatest Halloween mask of the 80's only second to Jason's hockey mask, but it also helped stabilize the turbulence that hit Valerie's Family (previously Valerie, next to become the Hogan Family) amidst Valerie Harper's infamous dismissal from NBC.

The peacock managed to avoid two high-profile cast changes with their sitcoms remaining afloat.  In addition to Harper's dismissal (which resulted in the bittersweet killing off of the title character), Cheers fans were reeling from Shelley Long walking away from her landmark role, Diane Chambers as the series gained momentum.  The result?  NBC hired Kirstie Alley to play harried businesswoman Rebecca Howe.  The ratings were down from 1986-87 due to Cosby's loss, yet the show remained the 3rd place tentpole.  The network experienced mild hemorrhages from middling performers, yet The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd shipped off to cable network Lifetime in the first-ever broadcast to cable reprieve.

Blending comedy and drama added four additional entries into the sitcom roster, with ABC's The Wonder Years breaking into the top-10.  John Ritter dramedy Hooperman experienced moderate success on ABC, while CBS faltered with Frank's Place and NBC turned blue, literally, with Rags to Riches.  The Family-First era of sitcoms proved kind to ABC, as its sitcom roster enhanced surrounding Growing Pains and Who's the Boss anchoring Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Initially powering through Tuesdays, ABC moved Growing Pains to Wednesday to liven up its soft ratings.  After Growing Pains moved mid-season, it helped launch new dramedy Wonder Years, as well as modest spinoff Just the Ten of Us.  Perfect Strangers moved to Fridays and helped mesh a disastrous lineup.

ABC Fridays experienced a cavalcade of scheduling mixups scattering 10 shows over the four timeslots.  After a last-minute renewal, Mr. Belvedere returned to embarrassing ratings.  It struggled to support a new lineup, leading ABC to move Perfect Strangers to anchor the evening in early 1988.  This move enabled the struggling Full House to gain momentum, as well as cement 90 minutes of programming.  CBS lost its stranglehold over Fridays with its soaps Dallas and Falcon Crest, and ABC seized the opportunity.  Seeing improved performance with its spring configuration, ABC opted to enlist Just the Ten of Us to move the next season and enrich its third comedy block evening.

CBS added 3 additional sitcoms to its roster, yet only renewed 3 of its 9 entries.  Designing Women maintained a respectable performance, yet Newhart and Kate and Allie experienced declines as they aged.  My Sister Sam blazed into 17th place the previous season, yet tanked in 100th place as the network egregiously moved it to an ill-fated Saturday timeslot.  Mid-season, CBS attempted to take on ABC Tuesdays to be trounced, dispensing of several sitcoms including My Sister Sam.  The Tiffany network tarnished, and their adult-based sitcoms failed to generate the heat of NBC sitcoms and ABC's family-friendly offerings.

The greatest laugh FOX created was how far down its sitcoms rated.  Married... With Children managed to outshine its fellow sitcoms, some of which could fit both of their ratings inside their meager measure.  FOX was ahead of its time belting out laughs from incarcerated dames with Women in Prison, a G-rated fare compared to Netflix's 2013 powerhouse Orange is the New Black.  The tone changed in the 1987-88 season as ABC and NBC displayed solid evenings, CBS lost its touch and FOX scraped the barrel.

1986-87 Sitcoms -- NBC Still Rules; CBS Sports Biggest Gains

Written Craving Historic Laughs by Bridger Cunningham

The Mid-1980's was indeed a Sitcom Economy in the Broadcast Television industry.  7 of the top 10 shows for the season fit this classification, and 11 of the Top 20 showings also belonged to 30-minute laughers.  All networks experienced minor losses in overall averages between 4.3-7.0%, yet the sitcom averages maintained (ABC), experienced mild Gains (NBC, 5%) or soared to new heights (CBS, 20%).  A fourth network, FOX, entered the arena in 1987 and was not counted in seasonal averages.

Unlike the previous season, two outlying sitcoms in the Anemic classification survived.  Only Mr. Belvedere would exit the season with a renewal, narrowly dodging cancellation for its remaining run.  Like the previous season, 10 entries were cancelled, yet the season added additional renewals.  This left a promising economy for sitcom, as 18 of these 21 renewals were greeted with a pass into the 1988-89 season.

Following NBC's successful block trends for Thursdays and Saturdays, ABC and CBS decided to formulate their own evenings.  ABC decided to tackle the 8pm timeslots on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Tuesdays blazing bright with Who's the Boss and Growing Pains, and Wednesdays delivering middling performances with Head of the Class and Perfect Strangers producing successful results.  However, an attempt at 2 hours of sitcoms on Fridays proved disastrous, as all but one show was cancelled.  Even lone survivor Mr. Belvedere dodged the network blade as ABC decided to reverse its initial cancellation.  A failed Saturday 8pm sitcom hour featuring marquee stars Lucille Ball and Ellen Burstyn crashed and burned against NBC's power night, and ABC used the remaining season to shop its weak sitcom crop around in these hours.




CBS produced their own Monday comedy expansion with respectable results.  All shows received renewal, though My Sister Sam (tragically featuring murdered starlet Rebecca Schaeffer and Pam Dawber) and The Cavanaughs would survive a mere 2 seasons.  Designing Women made the third successful sitcom to join Kate and Allie and Newhart, with CBS shopping it mid-season on Sundays coupled with their only cancelled sitcom, Together We Stand (starring Dee Wallace and Elliot Gould).  The show was retooled Nothing is Easy minus Gould in Spring 1987.  The title must have referred to attracting viewers.

And of course, NBC experienced prominence across the board.  Thursdays and Saturdays received all of the attention, so NBC decided to color up its Mondays.  Much like America's current president and Netflix's most-popular series, NBC thought orange was a suitable color for the evening.  Enter ALF, an alien sitcom featuring the next icon of the 80's.  It finished in the top 30 and anchored a comedy trend which carried NBC for the next 10 years on Mondays.



1986-87 proved to be a successful year for sitcoms, and the ratings showed.  In an era which viewers were over glamorous soaps and Action-Adventures, family-friendly sitcoms were all the rage.  Even cancelled family sitcoms received life beyond networks ending their run.  Webster ended its ABC run this season, yet experienced a 2-year lucrative syndication run.  It joined Charles in Charge, which ended unceremoniously 2 years earlier and enjoyed 4 years of syndicated exposure from 1987-90.  Punky Brewster and Silver Spoons also made their syndicated debuts in 1987 after ending NBC runs the previous year.  Spoons went into the garbage disposal, while Punky Brewster enjoyed 2 years off the network radar.  These independent comedies were ahead of their time, as alternative platforms would eventually debut sitcoms on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon in the mid 2010's.

1985-86 Sitcoms -- NBC Soars as Its Competition Plunges

Written Shattering Nielsen Library Volumes by Bridger Cunningham

NBC was the three letter word to know in the 1985-86 season.  Only three short years earlier, the network was scraping for hits to advertise as passable.  The fortunes changed as two years in a row, they found landmark sitcoms to anchor two prominent evenings -- The Cosby Show on Thursdays, and Golden Girls on Saturdays.  Each show bolstered the surrounding shows, as well as increase soft interest in middling shows like Miami Vice.  The network increased 20% from the year before, primarily due to sitcoms Cosby, Cheers, Family Ties and The Golden Girls blazing bright at the top of the charts.  The reverse fortune beguiled ABC and CBS, both of which dropped 8% and 13.5%, respectively.  NBC's surge left CBS in the middle of the pack, as ABC drifted further from its next competitor.

The season augmented two additional entries in sitcoms to 27 entries over the 3 networks.  NBC held steady to 12 entries, yet salvaged 2 additional shows.  CBS shopped one less entry and only spared its Monday entries, while ABC added three additional helpings of sitcoms, only to spare 4 shows total.  NBC Thursdays were untouchable, landing at the top of the pack.  Saturdays returned from the dead (ratings) due to Golden Girls, with The Facts of Life and Gimme a Break receiving a mild bump.  New entry 227 maintained a modest status of Golden Girls' valued standard, leading to a renaissance for a once silent evening.  NBC also took interest in launching Monday sitcoms, and retired the Sunday 7pm comedies as both landed in the bottom of the ratings.  However, both experienced syndicated renaissances.

Over at ABC, they reclaimed Tuesdays with family-friendly sitcoms Who's The Boss and Growing Pains, both reigning in the top 20 as two of ABC's leading treasures of the season.  Please note Perfect Strangers was omitted from the season average as it debuted late in the season.   It was ABC's soft 5th sitcom renewal and would appear the following season.  Fridays presented a mixed fortune, as Webster and Mr. Belvedere experienced mild declines, yet landed in the top 50.  The 9pm hour shuffled several failed sitcoms, leading to the axing of longstanding early 80's fares Benson and Diff'rent Strokes (which ABC fished out of NBC's rubbish pile the previous season.  Another attempt at Saturday sitcoms met with tumultuous waters, with all fares scrapped.

CBS held its course with Monday dynamos Newhart and Kate &Allie.  Both remained steady or grew, while the Wednesday sitcom block experienced disastrous results.  All helpings, including Mary Tyler Moore's sitcom Mary, were bladed as they landed in the bottom third of the overall ratings.  The Middle of the Pack and Anemic ranges often present outlying renewals and cancellations, but 1986 kept to cold hard numbers.  The lowest-rated sitcom to be renewed was ABC's Mr. Belvedere in 45th Place, which also aired on Fridays.  Anything rating below these standards was discarded.

NBC's strategies for comedy blocks succeeded, while ABC's one attempt met with mixed results.  CBS appeared to have little foresight for sitcom futures, as they were scattered over two limited hours or burned off over undesirable timeslots.  The upcoming seasons succeeded with sitcom block entries, explaining NBC's windfall during this era.

Nielsen released numbers at the end of April, and a sitcom needed 7 collected episodes aired to be counted in the season average.  This left CBS entries Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Melba off the radar, as well as ABC's Perfect Strangers.  16 out of 27 entries presented a positive season for sitcoms and a demand for the following season to bank more entries to keep relevant with the family-friendly 80's.

1984-85 Sitcoms -- NBC Says No to Soaps as ABC and CBS Binge on Dynasty and Dallas Cocaine

Written Doing a Flashdance by Bridger Cunningham

Welcome back to 1984, the year sitcoms experienced their first of many rebirths.  After the late 1970's fantasy bubble, plus the saucy primetime soap deliveries of the early 1980's, fans tired of the fast burn and crash.  Much like cocaine swept the country like an endemic, Escapist and Soap fares became a tiring trend.  Enter NBC, who never flourished during these trends.  They had a few middling 60-minute showings and several soft sitcoms.  Then, they tapped Bill Cosby to deliver a sitcom about everyday life for an upscale New York City black family.  Fans flocked, and NBC's fortunes changed.

Unlike the last two entries, which centered on 4 networks in the height of sitcom demand, 1984-85 was the first year of recovery as the previous crop of sitcoms aged, burned off or failed to capture landmark ratings.  Only 25 entries straddled the season, with 14 returning the following year.  This is less than half of the 1989-90 and 1992-93 seasons which tried out 55 and 53 sitcoms, respectively.  Of these 25 entries, NBC poised 48% of that market with 12 entries.  The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers and Night Court graced the solid Thursday evenings, placing between 3rd and 19th Place among all shows, and 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th highest as sitcoms.  CBS, who took 1st place the previous season, delivered successful Monday night laughs with Newhart and Kate and Allie, who placed 16th and 17th for the season, as well as 5th and 6th highest in this table.

ABC's biggest laughs were generated from Dynasty, which binged on enough vice to 1st place.  Sadly, that was not classified as a comedy, and it burned off like a wild night out.  ABC's highest-rated sitcom for the season was Webster, as it placed 23rd for the season.  Its minor success story is this season laid the bedrock for two sitcoms, as well as a stronghold on the Friday sitcom market which would continue well through the 90's.  Who's the Boss started soft and built momentum, while Mr. Belvedere held the Friday fort until critically-acclaimed sitcoms to join them in upcoming seasons.  It fared better than mid-season entry Off The Rack, which is only remembered as it featured Michael J. Fox's Back to the Future Girlfriend, Claudia Wells.

ABC struggled mid-decade to reinvent itself after reigning in the last eras.  As Three's Company aged, ABC attempted a rebirth centered on John Ritter, which crashed and burned.  Too many late nights of 70's jokes were irrelevant during the mid-80's.  Like ABC, CBS had to part with it's 70's kitsch and parted with Alice, the Jeffersons and spinoff After-MASH like bell bottoms and old social topics.  They also dispensed Happy Days sensation Scott Baio, an odd choice as his sitcom flourished in original syndication.  CBS seemed to be out of era in past and future, as they axed George Clooney's E/R.  No, not the powerhouse who ruled the 90's and 2000's on NBC.  But rather a sitcom which inappropriately cast a 23-year old as a doctor.  Viewers could not suspend disbelief.  Well, not until 1989's Doogie Howser that is.  Perhaps E/R may have succeeded had Clooney been typecast as a 16-year old Doctor.  Though CBS narrowly took 2nd place from ABC, this season left CBS in deficit for sitcoms.

While NBC ruled Thursdays, they also sported several soft sitcoms.  Silver Spoons and Punky Brewster teetered on rating in the Abyss, yet they stabilized a soft timeslot on Sundays and provided family-friendly laughs.  Gimme a Break! never excelled like 1982 entries Cheers and Family Ties.  Like Cheers' death of Nicolas Colasanto, Gimme a Break! was affected by the death of Dolph Sweet in early 1985.  Break stood in threat of cancellation, yet NBC treated its sitcoms loyal as they bolstered the network in leaner years.  That same fortune did not greet Diff'Rent Strokes, which was cancelled after 7 seasons.  However, their spinoff, Facts of Life, managed to settle the soft Saturdays.

NBC and ABC laid groundwork for future enterprises, the greatest victory of the season.  Who's the Boss would anchor ABC Tuesdays, whilst Mr. Belvedere waited around and gave ABC a purpose for sitcoms on Fridays.  NBC staked Thursdays to strong perfection for the next 20 years, and Gimme a Break! provided a need for laughs on Saturdays.  Mondays on CBS belonged to NBC, who two seasons later would have 4 sitcoms at all times on this evening for 28 years.  Most fittingly, NBC reclaimed 1st place, which it would retain for 14 of the 16 seasons.