A six-pack of 1981’s sitcoms including a spinoff bomb, a western parody, and a pioneering sitcom muzzled by the network.
family
The Kinescope Initiative 0105 /
We kick off 1981 with a knockoff, a reboot, and two movie tie-ins.
The Kinescope Initiative 0104 /
We wrap up 1980’s sitcoms with a legends’s final hurrah and another about to become a legend.
The Kinescope Initiative 0103 /
Three entries from 1980, including a pioneer in first run syndication and a flop from a TV legend.
The Kinescope Initiative 0101 /
A sequel, a spinoff, and an extension of Garry Marshall’s brand—just some of 1980’s flops.
The Kinescope Initiative 0100 /
We're 100 episodes in, and finishing up the 70’s.
The Kinescope Initiative 0099 /
Here are four very different sitcoms of 1979—none of which made the cut.
The Kinescope Initiative 0096 /
Four flops of 1979—but at least one of them shares its name with a later monster hit.
The Kinescope Initiative 0095 /
An earworm of an opening theme and a spinoff are the bread of a 3 flop 1979 sandwich, with another bomb as a side dish.
The Kinescope Initiative 0094 /
It’s 1979, and we get three iterations of “Animal House” knockoffs, all of which implode.
The Kinescope Initiative 0093 /
We’re wrapping up 1978? “Whatchoo talkin’ bout?”
The Kinescope Initiative 0092 /
Four 1978 flops are heard from, including Garry Marshall’s second attempt at a Frankenstein-esque series.
The Kinescope Initiative 0089 /
Five flops in a row, including the abbreviated return of WJM’s favorite newscaster.
The Kinescope Initiative 0088 /
More flops as we move from 1977 to 1978, with a witch and a sci-fi-spoof.
The Kinescope Initiative 0086 /
Two sitcoms from 1997—one that hearkens back to daytime soaps, and the other to the halcyon days of the Carter administration.
The Kinescope Initiative 0085 /
We have six bombs in a row from 1977.
The Kinescope Initiative 0084 /
A spinoff and a remake are the bread in a Frankenstein sitcom sammich.
The Kinescope Initiative 0083 /
We finally wrap up 1976 and move on to 1977, with four flops and a rare hit for NBC at the time.
The Kinescope Initiative 0082 /
Three 1976 flops including robot cops and stereotypical Asians, plus a show that changed networks, to no avail.
The Kinescope Initiative 0081 /
1976’s run continues with two flops surrounding the "new girl in town".