Is it Possible to Resurrect TGIF?

ABC held a strong tradition of family-friendly programming from 1985-2000, eventually earling the TGIF branding in 1989.  Long successful due to hit shows such as Full House, Family Matters, Boy Meets World, Step By Step and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, the franchise folded in 2000 as Boy Meets World and Sabrina left the schedule.  A brief revival effort came from 2003-06 anchored on the successful George Lopez Show, though a lineup littered with duds led ABC to reformat again.  The closest to Friday success came with relaunching sitcoms in the 8:00 hour from 2012-17, and again from 2018-present.

Could ABC reignite the magic again?  Their sitcom pallet certainly offers compatible family-friendly choices to populate.  And Fridays have become the latest hotbed for television.  No longer a wasteland to dispose of aged or decaying shows, networks are getting competitive with this evening.  CBS houses a sturdy lineup of quality procedurals which regularly win the evening.  NBC houses longstanding dramas at 8:00, followed by progressive reporting on Dateline.  FOX phoned it in with WWE, and ABC holds American Housewife and outgoing Fresh Off The Boat to lead into 42-year old 20/20.  These networks deliver sturdy for the evening save for ABC struggling to schedule strong pieces in the 8:30 timeslot (for a comprehensive history of its clunkers, click HERE).

TGIF returning is possible, although likely not in the next season.  ABC needs all sitcom hands on deck in its other evenings with longstanding shows such as Fresh Off The Boat and Modern Family bow out after 6 and 11 seasons, respectively.  Save for The Conners and an aging Goldbergs, the Tuesday and Wednesday lineups underwhelm.  Tuesdays feature The Conners outlying a sea of middling shows.  Wednesdays are in tatters with The Goldbergs losing steam, its sophomore spinoff Schooled is also struggling and capped at 13 episodes, Modern Family is bowing out and Single Parents just exists.  Fridays still have American Housewife belting out competitive ratings, and Fresh Off The Boat ready to sail on next week.

In order to successfully colonize Fridays again, ABC needs to locate a compatible, established hit next door to American Housewife.  The network has long treated Fridays as a disposal ground vs. a place to repurpose capable players.  Moving Last Man Standing and American Housewife made excellent examples of moving capable players, vs. 2018's blatant shelving of aged Fresh Off The Boat and declining Speechless in the 8:00 hour.  Once ABC succeeds in two back to back hits, they hold room to expand deeper into the 9:00 hour, used as overlay coverage for 20/20.  Repopulating its sitcom roster with strong players is priority, as the drama department on ABC performs weak.  Reality TV is relegated to Sundays and Mondays, and 10:00 slots tend to be show killers.

Which existing shows may make companion pieces for a TGIF branding?  American Housewife fits the bill perfectly with its premise, and "ish" factors Black-ish and Mixed-ish take the crown as well.  Bless This Mess is compatible with American Housewife, which has been used to spackle together ABC's tenuous sitcom nights.  Perhaps parking Black-ish and Mixed-Ish in the 8:00 timeslot may hold well, leaving AH to return to Tuesdays and Wednesdays to help rebuild weak lineups.  New players are needed in the deck to generate sitcom life as most are aged.  In an era of no megahits like Big Bang Theory and Modern Family, ABC will need to compromise and locate cost-effective sitcoms which will likely belt out 0.4-0.6 ratings in the 2020-21 season.

ABC has struck lightning several times in the past, and TGIF remains a strong piece of its legacy.  With proper planning, it could reign again with consuming laughter.  The network will need to work on developing quality showings, as well as not treating the evening as a disposal ground for clunkers.  That is what 10:00 timeslots and Sundays exist for.

Fuller House Ending With Season 5

One of Netflix's most popular original comedies is coming to an end. The streaming giant has renewed Fuller House for a fifth and final season, set to air later this year. Fuller House premiered in 2016, airing 57 episodes since then over its four seasons. An episode count for the sendoff season has not been announced, though 13 episode season orders have the most common (only season 3 lasted longer). The series is a revival/spin-off of the iconic 1980s-90s ABC series Full House, and features Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Andrea Barber in starring roles, with original series stars John Stamos, Bob Saget and Dave Coulier all featured in recurring roles.

What do you think of this news? Will you miss Fuller House after it says farewell later this year? Let us know in the comments below!

Why Networks Need to Take a Chill Pill With Revivals

Recently, television has been flooded with revivals of 1980s, '90s, and '00s relics, with Gilmore Girls, Will & Grace, Roseanne, and recently Murphy Brown all being dug up form the TV graveyard. All of these shows enjoyed lengthy runs, with the shortest of the above mentioned, Gilmore Girls, running for seven seasons. These revivals have been a mixed bag, both critically and commercially. Many enjoy considerable interest initially. But with so many shows being returning, a line has to be drawn. This needs to end. And here's why.

Oversaturation:

Soon, TV will be as crowded with revivals as the people in this crowd

The more shows that get revived, the less special revivals will be. The shock value will be gone. The excitement just won't be there. Early revivals were exciting because it wasn't something you saw every day. But at this point, just about every show seems to have been brought back from the dead. In a world in which revivals take up half of the TV schedule, nobody's going to tune in just because of nostalgia. Because at that point, everything will be nostalgic. This trend is just not one that can be sustained. Not without plenty of revival failures.

Short Longevity:

Will & Grace has fallen dramatically since its revival premiere (screenshot via Spotted Ratings)

While the show is still averaging well above any other NBC sitcom, Will & Grace has taken a mighty fall in the ratings since it returned to the airwaves. It took a one-point dip in week two and has continued to fall, with a few exceptions, since then. This may well be the truth for all revivals, or it could be a fluke that is contained to just Will & Grace. Still, the networks should think about how long their revivals will be hot commodities after they make anticipated returns. If they'll only be modest players in the long run, is it even worth the trouble of bringing them back?

Acclaim Isn't Guaranteed:

Fuller House received negative reviews from critics

This isn't necessarily a commercial aspect like other points here, but a messy, poorly executed revival just may ruin the public's thoughts not just of the revival, but of the show itself. While Twin Peaks and Will & Grace received acclaim and award nominations for their returns, plenty of others haven't been received so warmly. Despite moderately positive responses from fans, Fuller House received poor reviews from critics. I previously pointed out why the Gilmore Girls reboot didn't work for me, and though it received generally positive responses from critics, I plenty of others didn't care for it. Personally, it ruined my opinion of the original series. If that can happen for me with Gilmore Girls, it can happen to just about any show. Even the previously-mentioned Twin Peaks and Will & Grace received poor reactions from some fans. Though not everyone can be pleased, a poorly done revival can backfire significantly. Just like with any other show, these revivals aren't safe from being rejected majorly. It has to be said: nostalgia simply cannot carry a show. A show also needs a heart and soul.

Risk Factor:

Most revived shows last saw the light of day when these dudes were president

Most shows that are being revived in this recent wave have been off the air for a very long time. Murphy Brown and Roseanne have been off the air for twenty years. Will & Grace was gone for ten. Needless to say, the core audiences of these shows during their original runs aren't the target audience nowadays. If a new show just can't connect with younger viewers, a revival won't work. It's a huge risk to bring something back as old as some of these shows. Not only do they have to stay timely to woo new fans, but they have to stay true to what they once were to please their old fans. It's a tricky mixture that needs a lot of tweaking to make work. No matter how acclaimed they were in their day, no matter how iconic they are, and no matter how famous their stars are, these future revivals can and will fail.

Conclusion:

The buck needs to stop here

I'm not saying that networks should stop reviving things entirely. I am, however, saying that the frequency at which it is occurring is alarming. ABC alone has two joining its schedule midseason 2018. NBC may very well have two next season. And Netflix already has a plethora of revivals. The networks do, however, have to get it out of their heads all of these revivals will be slam-dunks. That's not a healthy mentality or one that you should have for any show. Maybe, just maybe, the networks can exercise some restraint when it comes to revivals. Because the buck really has to stop somewhere. Otherwise, we'll soon be enjoying new seasons of I Love Lucy and Bewitched, because why not?

An Overdose of Nostalgia? Catch Up On Fuller House's First 26 Episodes Before Indulging Today....

Written Fuller of Himself by Bridger Cunningham


Happy Anniversary, Full(er) House fans!  On this evening 30 years ago, new pilot Full House debuted on ABC's highly-rated Tuesday evening before being moved to the troubled Fridays.  The fledgling sitcom finished in a disastrous 71st place.  The dynamics changed the following season when it tied for 28th place and descended upward to 8th place by the 5th season in the 1991-92 season.  That height was marked by a move to Tuesday as the show managed to remain highly rated through 1994, ending in 25th Place in 1995.  Like the original show's ratings, its revival delivered a ho-hum 1st season followed by an improved follow-up.  The series has received scathing reviews with an oxymoron of observations being both valid and preposterous nature.  But reviewers musk as the valid question -- Why do viewers tune into the revival on Netflix?  Do they desire a relevant, updated continuation, or are they yearning for nostalgia and enjoy following three well-established child characters exploring adult lives?  Let's break down the show's existing delivery --

SEASON ONE

If readers abhor spoilers, this article will do its best to avoid too many reveals, but readers must read at their own risk.  So how did the season begin?  With a 36-minute debut chock with too much nostalgia, an all-too-outdated laugh track and too little shelf space for the bloated ensemble.  Fickle viewers would tune out as the episode delivered as unevenly as a sitcom reunion movie.  However, wise readers should tune into the second episode, as the show finds out what the pilot missed -- character development.  Subtracting the principle adults from the originals not only allows leading ladies DJ (Candace Cameron-Bure), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and Kimmy (Andrea Barber) to explore their adult personalities, but also gives a welcome introduction to DJ's sons Jackson (Michael Campion) and Max (Elias Harger), as well as Kimmy's daughter, Ramona (Soni Nicole Bringas).


The premise works as the one nostalgic element writers succeeded in was having the ladies step into the principle roles Danny (Bob Saget), Jesse (John Stamos) and Joey (Dave Couiler) delivered in the original.  DJ has assumed Danny's uptight yet orderly role as a widow with three boys, Stephanie is a wayward rocker like DJ, and Kimmy is the family outsider delivering outlandish doses similar to Joey.  And best of all, the children have varying personalities.  Jackson is a gawky teenager (channeling Danny's nerdiness), Max is a snarky, wisecracking neatfreak (channeling Danny's other traits), and Ramona is an anchoring element as her parents Kimmy and Fernando (Juan Pablo di-Pace) cannot seem to conduct themselves as adults.  The ensemble's misadventures deliver a refreshing update to the original premise, if they can get an inch from the scene-stealing Nostalgia which overdoses the premise.

Save for Dave Couiler's welcome guest appearance as a babysitter teaching the kids to survive the night without the net, the other cameos from Full House past crowded the 13 episodes.  Danny is now married to a lady named Teri.  A missed opportunity indeed, as powerhouse Eva La Rue was used less than the plants in the Tanner living room.  Danny dated women such as Cindy and Vicky, exploring their relationships with his daughters.  No one knows how Teri interacts with her adult stepdaughter, and more appearances could further their character growth.  La Rue is a class act and would never turn her nose up at additional appearances (she begged soap writers to craft a space for her years after leaving All My Children), so use it or lose it!

Jesse and Rebecca also suffer from being downgraded plot props with little development.  The problem is this season failed to divulge developments the previous principles experienced in the last 20 years.  How did Danny fall in love with his beautiful 2nd wife (or perhaps 3rd?).  How did Jesse and Rebecca manage to make their marriage last so long?  Only Joey's backstory developed in the 2nd season.  Plus, Steve Hale's (Scott Weinger) return lacked the excitement and passion from the first run, as his story played out by season 7.  Having him return in a forced romance with DJ failed as Weinger and Cameron-Bure no longer hold the same chemistry as they did as teenagers.

A Welcome Progression of Realism

Unlike these characters, DJ, Stephanie and Kimmy's developments in the 20+ year window have fleshed out appropriately.  Solid, sensible DJ became a veterinarian, pursued the conventional family route and was now a widower with three children.  The small dose of character-development she delivered in the pilot disclosed moderate money troubles, a realistic touch as she likely has mounds of student debt, raising a family in America's most-expensive region of the country.  Stephanie's finances are graver, as she has adopted a freelance musician's lifestyle with a load of maxed-out credit cards.  Kimmy delivered the highest helping of relevance as she became a party planner, channeling her eccentricity into a wise career.  She just ended a volatile, mixed-up marriage and is figuring out how to parent a teenage girl.

The three women taking shelter in Danny's profitable home (in one of San Francisco's priciest neighborhoods) is believable as all three desired to allow the four children to experience their childhood in their same neighborhood they grew up in.  Set design is impeccable, as the Tanner House was resurrected to precision and housed to to appropriate occupants.  The one plot point dwelled on (and viewers would appreciate if it was dropped) was the obsession over Michele not being present.  Everyone gets it.  Mary Kate and Ashley Olson continue to refuse a return engagement as they are happier not acting anymore.  It is time to focus on who is is here vs. who is not, as there are plenty of characters to love on screen.

Amazingly, John Brotherton managed to squeeze enough notice in this bloated cast to develop a welcome presence as newly relevant character in veterinarian Matt.  And Carly Rae Jepsen's update to the iconic opening matches the tone of the original and the right delivery of nostalgia vs. the forced doses this season exhibited.

SEASON TWO

A tantalizing trio, or nauseous nostalgia?

After an all too trite closing hook from Season 1, Season 2 continued to develop the newer characters and the three ladies.  Juan Pablo di Pace was upgraded to a series regular as Fernando, filling a void of leading male performers from the first 13 episodes.  di Pace toned down the flamboyance enough to develop great chemistry with Harger's Max, who enjoys pestering and needling his household's freeloader.  Their foil complex enriched the premise and created a welcome distraction from the monotony of the Steve/DJ/Matt triangle.  The gentleman augmented the already-bloated cast with new girlfriends DJ doppelganger CJ (Virginia Williams) and Crystal (Gianna DiDonato).  Adam Hagenbuch entered the fold with great chemistry with Sweetin, albeit he retconned the entire Gibler family as Jimmy Gibbler, the never before mentioned character.  Characters mentioned from the Gibbler house in the past were three sisters (mentioned in the first season) and an older brother Ray (mentioned in Season 6).

Fitting.

These additions proved to be distractions, while younger additions with Paco, Lola, Taylor and Rose pleasantly augmented the younger cast.  The writers also receive kudos for integrating a larger helping of Hispanic and Asian supporting characters, two primary communities in the Northern California region.  Characters aside, the pacing of Season 2 delivered memorable developments as the season arced over the holiday season.  Halloween allowed the ladies to exhibit memorable zaniness as DJ delivered a corny party, Stephanie and Jimmy indulged in ghoulishness as zombies and Fernando and Kimmy properly did a sendup to Lucy and Ricky Ricardo.

The cuddly Glastones?  NOT!

A sendup to a chaotic holiday found the Tanner/Fuller/Gibler/(Insert Other Family Names Here) household over Thanksgiving.  Save for Michelle, cast members of old and new filed into the house and all perforated the house's edges as everyone decided to crash under one roof (were the hotels all booked that evening?).  The highlight of the episode is everyone finally learned what Joey has been up to since the 90's.  He married a beautiful performer named Ginger (Laura Bell Bundy) and they had four bratty little children named Jerry, Lewis, Phyllis and Joan (all ingeniously named after Joey's favorite comics).

The principle cast, a holiday and a tree.  Enjoy the simplicity.

Christmas delivered a nice wholesome delivery and gave viewers the greatest gift of all -- less cast, more sentiment!  And New Year's Eve delivered the coup de grace to an improved season.  After taking a critical look at the first season's strengths and pitfalls, the second season managed to create a landmark for Netflix next to Orange is the New Black.  The show still garners flack from critics who complain about everything from too much nostalgia to displaying the ladies drinking.  But guess what?  The target audience is not the 8-17 year olds, but rather the 8-17 year olds who watched the original and enjoy seeing where their beloved ladies landed.  Fuller House, like its predecessor, will never attract Emmys, but who cares?  The show is clearly here to stay, as Netflix is using it as a launch for longer episode runs and an experimental split-drop release of nine episodes each spanned twice over the season.  Add Fuller House to your bingelist, as 35 episodes/18 hours of greatness are available to marvel.

1994-95 Sitcom Scorecard -- ABC Claims 1st Place a 3rd Year, The Biggest Laugh UPN and WB Deliver Is Their Ratings

Written With Proof Sitcoms Lead to Network Victories by Bridger Cunningham

Contrary to previous discussions by media outlets, NBC did not lead the networks from 1990-95.  It held 2nd place from 1990-91 and 1994-95, and rested in 3rd place from 1991-94.  In that absence, CBS ruled 1991-92, and ABC reigned the other years.  NBC certainly had the most viable sitcoms launched in the last two seasons, yet ABC rode high on Home Improvement's exhaust.  NBC came in 2nd, followed by a tarnished Tiffany standard landing CBS in 3rd place.  And of course, FOX....  Usually they ended this sentence in last place, yet two new networks emerged in the race called UPN and WB.  Both delivered ratings paltry to 1995, yet would be right at home in 2017.

Seinfeld joined the league of slow-burning sleepers who achieved ratings success after multiple seasons of earned success.  It joined The Facts of Life, Cheers and Family ties in a treasured place in NBC's crown, finally reaching 1st place during its 6th season.  Joining it was newly debuted Friends, who housed the other leading timeslot in Must See TV.  Frasier moved to an uncharted Tuesday, which sank the previous seasons with clunkers like Saved by the Bell: The College Years.  Add Mad About You, Wings and NewsRadio into the mix, and NBC wisely invested in its future.

ABC may have led the season, but it had less shows to carry it through the decade.  Home Improvement and Grace Under Fire burned hot, while Ellen and aging Roseanne registered lowe than the two irons in the fire.  Full House ended its 8th season at 24th place.  Lower than the last three seasons, yet far greater than its shaky 1st season in 71st.  TGIF delivered another stable delivery, while Coach experienced a massive drop due to an ill-fated move to Mondays in a 4th night of comedies.  6 casualties befell the 16 entries, though Sister, Sister was salvaged and shipped off to the fledgling WB.

CBS experienced the largest drop of 23% as its Monday comedies cooled compared to the last three successful seasons.  In a questionable move, the network axed Hearts Affire and Lova and War after three seasons.  9 casualties sliced down the 13 entries.  FOX experienced its showpieces dropping in prominence in age.  Martin and Living Single performed respectively and were salvaged, a fate 8 other shows were not afforded the same luxury.  Further down, UPN axed its two clunkers which shall not be named.  And WB launched three shows which carried the network 5 seasons.

Source: http://fbibler.chez.com/tvstats/recent_data/1994-95.html

1993-94 Sitcom Scorecard -- ABC Claims 1st Place in Overall Ranks and Sitcoms, NBC Again in 3rd Place

Written Preaching the Importance of Sitcoms by Bridger Cunningham

ABC again took the 1st Place gold standard of not only the overall Nielsens, but also in sitcom ranks.  CBS took 2nd overall, fitting for the Tiffany Network after suffering in 3rd place from 1987-90.  And surprisingly, NBC rested in a narrow 3rd.  However, Must See TV built momentum, having launched successful spinoff Frasier coupled with the increasingly-popular Seinfeld.  CBS sitcoms took 3rd, and FOX saw a down season.  Overall, the 1993-94 season was a sitcom heavy market with 14 sitcoms landing in the top 20 (three were tied for 20th, expanding the girth to 22 places).

The divide between renewed and cancelled is defined more prominently this season with a few outlying instances.  So what gives with the cancellations surrounding the Middle of the Pack?  Phenom, Joe's Life and Thea wasted the lucrative lead-ups to MVP's Roseanne and Home Improvement on ABC.  Evening Shade hit the syndication mark and cost heavily in salaries, and Nurses remains a mystery cancellation as it built on not only its fading lead-in Empty nest, but also freshman sitcom The Mommies by a full two-points.  With the "4-year syndication" standard often cited, this remains a mystery as it would have had one more season to clear the finish line.

Nurses was not the only series at the approx. 66 episode benchmark.  On ABC, Dinosaurs (which was burned off starting in April 1994) died off in July with 65 episodes.  Hard to think a show which inspired "SMOO" wasn't given another season, yet it managed to wrangle some syndication.  The other two mentions rest on FOX with Herman's Head and Roc, both of which reached the 66 episode mark.  It is understood both were low-rated, but what could have been had both been given another season?

All three of ABC's primary comedy blocks anchored successes.  Tuesdays held steady, minus Phenom, with the remaining three shows placing 16th or above.  8pm on Wednesdays placed anemic, yet 9pm scored gold with Home Improvement and freshman Grace Under Fire placing in the top 5.  Fridays boasted success with all four shows placing between 28th-38th Places, including freshman Boy Meets World.  Must See TV on NBC made fireworks, yet Saturdays failed to ignite a spark.  Monday entries fared respectable, while an ill-fated Tuesday block featuring Saved by the Bell spinoff The College years crashed and burned against ABC.

CBS Mondays held steady, and that was where the good fortunes stopped.  Random placement of sitcoms elsewhere faded fast, leading efforts to focus on Mondays the following season.  And FOX experienced mixed merits this season.  Its two heavy-hitters edged down slightly.

Source: http://dictionary.sensagent.com/1993%E2%80%9394%20United%20States%20network%20television%20schedule/en-en/

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.