A major hit for ABC, followed by a spinout flop and a show ahead of it's time.
The Kinescope Initiative 0123 /
NBC's milestone series of 1984--now tarred by scandal.
The Kinescope Initiative 0122 /
Two future movie stars are wasted in flops, while we take a shot of insulin for a treacly quasi-hit of 1984.
The Kinescope Initiative 0121 /
Three stinkers and one hit from 1984--the latter starring two showbiz vets but sitcom newbies.
The Kinescope Initiative 0120 /
A satire, a movie knockoff, a returning star, and an ethnic comedy all premiere in 1984--and end the same year.
The Kinescope Initiative 0119 /
We move from 1983 to 1984, but the flops keep coming.
The Kinescope Initiative 0118 /
A throwback gimmick, a sequel failure, and a Lucy quasi-remake, all from 1983.
The Kinescope Initiative 0117 /
Three more sitcoms of 1983--a flop, a second flop that somehow made it to syndication, and a knockoff of Diff'rent Strokes that somehow became a hit.
The Kinescope Initiative 0116 /
1983 brings us three more flops, a show that seemed better at the time, and a missed opportunity for NBC.
The Kinescope Initiative 0115 /
Four more sitcoms from 1983—all flops.
The Kinescope Initiative 0114 /
We kick off 1983 with a show I despise, followed by two failures for sitcom vets.
The Kinescope Initiative 0113 /
We wrap up 1982 with a remake, a return, and two bombs.
The Kinescope Initiative 0112 /
After a quirky 80’s romp, we move onto a milestone series—one of (if not the) most important of the decade. NORM!
The Kinescope Initiative 0111 /
The dawning of NBC Must See TV has arrived, along with a treacly tween show and a one-season wonder. MALLORY!!
The Kinescope Initiative 0110 /
Teachers, surrealism, parodies, and puppets are thrown at 1982’s schedule, all to no avail.
The Kinescope Initiative 0109 /
A TV spinoff flop, a movie spinoff meh, and two dogs for 1982.
The Kinescope Initiative 0108 /
We kick off 1982’s sitcoms with four flops—one with a great talent pool, a second that would spawn a hit movie franchise, a third from the Barney Miller school, and a fourth based on a “classic” Disney film.
The Kinescope Initiative 0107 /
We wrap up 1981 with a throwback hit and two flops.
The Kinescope Initiative 0106 /
A six-pack of 1981’s sitcoms including a spinoff bomb, a western parody, and a pioneering sitcom muzzled by the network.
The Kinescope Initiative 0105 /
We kick off 1981 with a knockoff, a reboot, and two movie tie-ins.