The Kinescope Initiative - SFPPN: Recent Episodes
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Three sitcoms of 1996, one of which was curtailed by illness.
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A mega-hit for CBS, followed by the return of Pudding Guy and a Cheers alum.
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Five sitcoms of 1996 from the “other” networks, including a big hit (at least for them) and one of the worst of all time.
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Six sitcoms are covered, including early “hits” for UPN and the WB.
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Six shows from 1996--5 absolute flops, and 1 that fell off the Must See TV perch.
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1996 continues with an early UPN hit and three misses.
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We move from 1995 to 1996 with two flops and a hit that’s mostly been forgotten.
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Six sitcoms of 1995, only one of which made it to season 2--and only because of the “hammock slot”.
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Five 1995 sitcoms, some with TV vets, but only one makes it past one season.
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What do a redneck, a singer, a TV producer, 3 TV kids, and a standup equal? Five failed 1995 sitcoms.
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A milestone 1995 series that has been largely forgotten, plus a series killed by changing networks and premises.
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Four sitcoms of 1995--three flops, and a promising show that fell off a cliff when the premise was changed.
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Four flops of 1995 from two up and coming networks.
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Two returning starts generate two flops, while “Must See TV” takes another victim and a Kid in the Hall makes it big.
Moving from 1994 into 1995, with curmudgeons, proto-Housewives, slumming stars, and a comeback.
Four more flop sitcoms from 1994, involving cross-dressing and a variety show callback.
A monumental moment in 1994 TV is followed by a treacly teen show and two flops--one of which’s failure allowed a star’s big break.
Three flops from 1993 (two of which had BIG stars), followed by two reliable hits (one of which was a TGIF stalwart).
In our 200th episode, we revisit 1993's pillar of NBC's "Must See TV", which involves a strange breakfast.
Six 1993 sitcoms in the same episode? You know they've got to be stinkers. Larroquette was good though.
Three summer series aka flops, along with a forerunner to a thousand Friend-ly shows from 1993.
Four more flopperinos from 1993, two with sitcom pros, another slumming it from films, and a final trying to stretch a hit movie into a TV show.
Three flops from 1992, plus a show with more action behind the camera than in front of it.
Two sitcoms of 1992--a "Must See TV" pillar that launched a film career for one of its co-stars, and a flop with a one-joke premise.
Three entries from 1992--one flop led by a singer, a second going multiple seasons with multiple cast changes, and a third becoming a solid pillar of TGIF.
Four shows from 1992, none of which lasted past their first season, including a curtain call for those Golden Girls.
We jump into the wayback machine for a 1984 show I managed to miss, set in a crazy courtroom.
Three shows from 1992--a show too sophisticated for FOX, a quick burnout for an uber-producer, and Markie Post's SECOND sitcom.
Three sitcoms of 1992--one ahead of it's time--twice, another broadcasting in the wrong dimension, and a third from the vault of terrible FOX shows.
We move from 1991 to 1992, with three flops and a show that could have wrecked Must See TV.
1991's sitcoms include a Soap redux, a proto-Nanny, and the swan song of a troubled comic.
A 1991 TGIF hit is assembled, while a second show moves from dramedy to conventional sitcom with little success.
A sitcom legend takes a quick victory lap before leaving the stage, along with three flops from 1991.
A milestone throwback to family sitcoms (rhh, rhh, rhh), along with a flop with a pedigree in 1991.
1991--multiple seasons for a double-spinoff, and two TV stars return, both with poor results.
A throwback to 30's comedy teams, social commentary, and a look inside a man's skull are the entries for this 1991 episode.
A puppet parody, a flop from a TV titan, and a meta-sitcom are included in this set from 1991.
A TV show based on a film (which always goes well) a spinoff, and a flop from 1991. How You Doin'?
We move into 1991, with a syndicated hit for kids and a tween show that launched a TV career.
A southern-fried hit that got too expensive to produce, and a flop from the Miller-Boyett factory in 1990.
Five up and five down in 1990--with the exception of a syndicated show from the makers of SCTV.
Three shows from 1990--two flops, and a hit show that turned problematic due to a slap.
In a super-sized episode, we cover a milestone sitcom from 1990--not that there's anything wrong with that.
Two entries from 1990--a movie star makes an early appearance before moving on to the big screen, and a dependable member of "Must See TV" from the makers of Cheers.
An early FOX show is taken over by a supporting player, and two more 1989 sitcoms meet a early fate.
Four sitcoms from the summer of 1989--one lasted a while, while three crashed and burned.
Four of 1988's sitcoms are heard from, including two legends reaching for the brass ring and a failed retooling.
Two hits in a row from 1988--one a spinoff, the other a milestone series about a "domestic goddess".
We wrap up NBC's ill-fated 1987 "Prime Time Starts at 7:30" fiasco, and discuss a dramedy that was ahead of it's time.
Kinescope_Initiative_0141 18:29 11/11/2021 Three flops and a minor success from 1987--guess which one is problematic? (Answer: https://archive.org/details/Roomies_1987/1+Pilot.avi )
A sitcom with a tragic coda, three bombs, and a failed spinoff take us from 1986 to 1987.
A late Brady spinoff, a shot at satire, and George Jefferson's triumphant return--all from 1986.
A TV legend rides into the sunset, taking her schedule-mate with her, and a puppet gets a sitcom in 1986.
A sitcom vet fights the studio and loses, with another vet taking over a long running 1986 series.
Four sitcoms from 1986 make their debut, including two that do fairly well, and two not so well. Guess which ones starred sitcom vets.
Three flops take us into 1986, with one starring a TV legend trying again for the brass ring.
NBC hits the daily double in a single night of 1985 sitcom premieres, including a milestone series called "Miami Nice".
Two sitcoms from 1985--one a sequel to a classic, the other a return to the "secret" format--plus a flashback to a 1983 series.
We kick off 1985 with a future Oscar winner, a long running butler, a short running sitcom vet, and the daughter of a TV legend.
1984 wraps up with a teenage show (and a creepy backstory), along with two shows that crashed and burned.
Two future movies stars are wasted in flops, while we take a shot of insulin for a treacly quasi-hit of 1984.
Three stinkers and one hit from 1984--the latter starring two showbiz vets but sitcom newbies.
A satire, a movie knockoff, a returning star, and an ethnic comedy all premiere in 1984--and end the same year.
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.
1983 brings us three more flops, a show that seemed better at the time, and a missed opportunity for NBC.
After a quirky 80’s romp, we move onto a milestone series—one of (if not the) most important of the decade. NORM!
The dawning of NBC Must See TV has arrived, along with a treacly tween show and a one-season wonder. MALLORY!!
Teachers, surrealism, parodies, and puppets are thrown at 1982’s schedule, all to no avail.
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.
A six-pack of 1981’s sitcoms including a spinoff bomb, a western parody, and a pioneering sitcom muzzled by the network.
We wrap up 1980’s sitcoms with a legends’s final hurrah and another about to become a legend.
Three entries from 1980, including a pioneer in first run syndication and a flop from a TV legend.
Five flops from 1980, including a second try for Stockard Channing and an unfortunately timed Russo-American series.
A sequel, a spinoff, and an extension of Garry Marshall’s brand—just some of 1980’s flops.
1979’s sitcoms roll on, including an audience-participation show and two spinoffs—one of which wasn’t.
Four 1979 sitcoms hit the water without making a ripple before we reach a monster hit involving facts and life.
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.
It’s 1979, and we get three iterations of “Animal House” knockoffs, all of which implode.
Four 1978 flops are heard from, including Garry Marshall’s second attempt at a Frankenstein-esque series.
The draught of hit shows finally ends (after a few more road bumps), with the tale of lovable loser cab drivers.
1977 moves into a flock of flops, including a remake of a film starring a pink submarine.
Two sitcoms from 1997—one that hearkens back to daytime soaps, and the other to the halcyon days of the Carter administration.
We finally wrap up 1976 and move on to 1977, with four flops and a rare hit for NBC at the time.
Three 1976 flops including robot cops and stereotypical Asians, plus a show that changed networks, to no avail.
1976 brings us four stinkers and an African-American hit with more problems offscreen than on.
We kick off 1976 with a flop, closely followed with a huge spinoff with gals who were “doing it their way”.
We wrap up 1975 with a few failures and a long running Norman Lear series—I guess This Is It.
Four of 1975’s sitcoms are heard from, including two Italian flops, a cursed MTM spinoff, and you can’t go home to the Sweathogs again.
The networks strike out with four more 1975 sitcoms, with bad timing leading to an incident on Carson.
Four of 1973’s sitcoms hit the water without a ripple—well, at least one of them has “something extra”.
Two Britcoms kick off a list of US flops, including a show cut short by a medical emergency.
We wrap up 1967 with an improbable gliding novitiate and an ancestor of Everybody Loves Raymond.