SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

News Feature: Sitcoms on Local Television, Part I

Since this is a holiday weekend and there is a shortage of news, I am launching a special news feature report for the blog. Basically, I will use these features on weekends or any other days we have no real news to report. So, what do I mean by news features? Well, I'm sure all of you are familiar with news programs on television such as World News Tonight. They report us on the day's news and they also have some interesting special news features or reports on a certain topic, such as skin cancer or whatever. We think this will be a great idea for the blog, using sitcom related material of course, and will make people come on the weekends here when the news is usually slow. Our wonderful writers from the DVD review team will contribute on some of these special reports, and you all know how good our reviews are!
I will kick-it off with a special report on Sitcoms on Local Television. This report will consist of what sitcoms are currently on local television and the sitcoms that are just not airing at all. Since there are so many sitcoms, I can't cover them all, but feel free to post a comment if you think I missed something and I will be happy enough to check and look for you. Today I will focus on the sitcoms of the 70s and 80s on local television, in part one of our special report. So, before I start, let's cue in on the news music ... then after you listen to that, start reading our special feature on Sitcoms on Local Television:

There are so many sitcoms that have aired on television. Many of them had enough episodes to air in reruns. So, why are many sitcoms not in reruns at all today? Why are some sitcoms just on few local channels? Why do some sitcoms just appear everywhere? These questions are asked by many sitcom fanatics throughout the United States. Today in part one of this report we will focus on the '70s & '80s sitcoms, and some '90s sitcoms as well.
The '90s was not that long ago, and many of those sitcoms still appear everywhere on locals and on cable, such as Seinfeld, Friends, Full House, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Boy Meets World. But what about some of the forgotten the '90s sitcoms such as Anything But Love, Blossom, Dave's World, Dinosaurs, Doogie Howser M.D., Empty Nest, Evening Shade, Hearts Afire, Herman's Head, Sports Night, and The Wonder Years? All of those are not airing anywhere locally or nationally on cable. While shows like California Dreams (filler airings on KCAL in Los Angeles), NewsRadio (few local channels), ROC (TV One) and Major Dad (Turner South) are also rare these days. The '90s is not as bad as the '70s and '80s, which I will detail much more.

With all of the channels available today, it shouldn't be too hard for almost every show that was popular and had enough episodes for syndication to have a home. For the '80s, it is sad that ALF is not airing on cable or in local syndication. The list goes on for shows not on cable or local channels: Benson, Dear John, Growing Pains, Head of the Class, The Hogan Family, Hooperman, It's a Living, Kate & Allie, Mr. Belvedere, My Two Dads, Newhart, 9 to 5, Perfect Strangers, Silver Spoons, Small Wonder, Too Close for Comfort, and Webster. Those are not airing AT ALL anywhere currently. Then there are other ones that are barely airing such as Amen (coming to TV One), Archie Bunker's Place (ME-TV thru Sept. 12), Charles in Charge (few local channels), Diff'rent Strokes (two local channels), The Facts of Life (ME-TV in Chicago), Family Ties (few local channels), Gimme a Break! (three local channels), Night Court (just started on TV Land), Punky Brewster (ME-TV in Chicago), and 227 (WCIU in Chicago and coming back to TV One in late Sept.). Even Bosom Buddies which didn't last too long is airing on some locals and nationally on TBS. Shows like Cheers, Cosby Show, and Who's the Boss? are airing a lot on cable and local channels. There are some shows that have been cable staples and are currently just on cable such as Designing Women, Golden Girls, and Mama's Family. As you can see, more are not airing than airing. It is very sad that this is happening. I didn't even list the somewhat short lived '80s sitcoms that have been popular in reruns such as Three's a Crowd, Just the Ten of Us, Out of this World, Still the Beaver, and My Sister Sam -- those are not airing either, as you probably guessed.

Moving on to the '70s, it seems to be a bit better, but not by much. It is sad that Alice is not airing on cable or in local syndication. The list goes on for shows not on cable or local channels: Doris Day Show, Here's Lucy, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, Maude, Nanny & The Professor, One Day at a Time, Rhoda, Room 222, SOAP, and WKRP in Cincinnati. Then there are other ones that are barely airing such as Barney Miller (ME-TV), Bob Newhart Show (ME-TV & FOXNet), Chico and the Man (AmericanLife TV), Courtship of Eddie's Father (American LifeTV), Eight is Enough (ME-TV), The Jeffersons (few locals), Laverne & Shirley (few locals and Lifetime Real Women), Love American Style (ME-TV), The Love Boat (WBII-TV in Ashland, MS), Mary Tyler Moore Show (ME-TV & FOXNet), Mork & Mindy (few locals), Odd Couple (few locals), Partridge Family (ME-TV), Taxi (few locals), Welcome Back Kotter (AmericanLife TV), and What's Happening!! (few locals, coming to TV Land this fall). Shows like All in the Family, Brady Bunch, Good Times, Happy Days, M*A*S*H, and Sanford & Son are airing a lot on cable and local channels. Three's Company has been a staple on cable for many years, but is currently not on any locals, but airs on TV Land. I didn't even list the somewhat short lived '70s sitcoms that have been popular in reruns such as Angie, Bad News Bears, Phyllis, The Ropers, and That's My Mama -- those are not airing either, as you probably guessed.

As you can see, if we take out that ME-TV local channel in Chicago, we basically have nothing really. The '70s sitcoms are not as bad as the '80s sitcoms in terms of not airing, but still needs work as you can see. Tomorrow we will look at the '50s and '60s sitcoms, so tune in to see if they are more rarely seen than the '70s and '80s or not. Some final thoughts will be included in that story as well. So come back tomorrow for part duex!