TV by the Decade :: May 1•7

G4

Only the year 2012 saw new series make their premieres, but even more importantly it was the launch of a completely new cable network that took the spotlight this week. Unfortunately, it was a short-lived venture as the network merged with another and many of its shows did not survive. But the network made a surprise return in 2021, so while we remember the shows that helped launch a network we also celebrate the birth of the network as well. One other series that ran for two seasons also premiered this week on another cable network, which was perhaps most notable for its guest stars. Do you remember any of the shows that premiered this week?

1952

• No new series premiered this week in 1952.

1962

• No new series premiered this week in 1962.

1972

• No new series premiered this week in 1972.

1982

• No new series premiered this week in 1982.

1992

• No new series premiered this week in 1992.

2002

May 1 – Arena

• Hosts: Wil Wheaton, Travis Oates, Lee Reherman, Kevin Pereira
• Synopsis: A digital sports highlights show with play-by-play commentary featuring competitors in the hottest multi-player games.
• Network: G4
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 73 episodes, last broadcast on January 29, 2005
• Trivia: Original hosts Wheaton and Oates left the show due to creative differences with the producer and were replaced by Reherman and Pereira.

May 1 – Blister

• Host: Bill Sindelar
• Synopsis: The series featured action/adventure video game previews, reviews, and interviews with game designers and players
• Network: G4
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 63 episodes, last broadcast on January 6, 2004.
• Trivia: The first show to air on G4 when the network launched in 2002. In 2003, the first two parts of a planned three-part special titled Blister Declassified premiered. These episodes follow Bill Sindelar’s quest to find the Polybius game. However, the show was abruptly cancelled due to the merger between G4 and TechTV, leaving the third part of the special unfinished. The final episode was a parody of Punk’d titled ‘Skunk’d’ with Sindelar playing pranks on fellow G4 hosts.

May 1 – Cheat!

• Hosts: Cory Rouse (2002-2005), Kristin Holt (2005-2009)
• Notable Guests:
• Synopsis: The series provided cheat codes, strategies, and other hidden features for video games.
• Network: G4
• Broadcast History: Six seasons, 174 episodes, last broadcast on February 19, 2009
• Trivia: The title was changed to Cheat, Pringles Gamer’s Guides after Pringles came on as a show sponsor. Cheat! was one of the few G4 shows to survive the merger with TechTV in the Spring of 2004. Pringles ended its sponsorship in the Summer of 2004 after a dispute with the network and the title reverted back to Cheat! Cory Rouse left the show after the October 2004 season finale. American Idol contestant Kristin Holt (Adams) replaced Rouse. In Janaury 2008, Cheat! was integrated as a segment into the series X-Play.

May 1 – Filter

• Hosts: Diane Mizota (2002-2005), Beth Ostrosky (2006)
• Synopsis: Each episode will count down the best (or worst) of the video game world, with the results determined and voted on by G4 viewers at the G4tv.com website.
• Network: G4
• Broadcast History: Four seasons, 129 episodes, last broadcast on August 26, 2006
• Trivia: The show was cancelled on December 9, 2005 after four years and 116 episodes, but was revived on June 3, 2006 with a new host and format but it only lasted three months.

May 1 – Icons

• Narrator: Jake Steele
• Synopsis: G4’s show of original profiles, interviews and histories of the people, characters and companies that have shaped today’s computer and video game landscape.
• Network: G4
• Broadcast History: Five seasons, 88 episodes, last broadcast on March 4, 2007
• Trivia: A relaunch of the show in 2006 attempted to broaden the scope to things ‘men 18–34 care about, admire and emulate.’ Episodes featured JJ Abrams, George A. Romero, Frank Miller, Kevin Smith, Jamie Kennedy, Seth Green, Lollapalooza, Sacha Baron Cohen, the history of the King Kong franchise, The Onion and Family Guy.

May 1 – Players

• Notable Guests: Vin Diesel, Robin Williams, Asia Carrera, David Arquette, David Hoffman, Alec Baldwin, Chris Carmack, Barenaked Ladies, Elijah Wood, Jennifer Garner, Jada Pinkett Smith, Greg Grunberg, Dominic Monaghan, Jamie Kennedy, Melissa Joan Hart, Aisha Tyler, Travis Barker, Hal Sparks, Gwen Stefani, Colin Farrell, Jared Leto, Ben Affleck, Brendan Fraser, Keanu Reeves, Linda Cardellini, Angelina Jolie, Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Haley Joel Osment, Jackie Chan, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jack Black, Lucy Liu, Bruce Campbell, Jenna Elfman, Steve Martin, Hugo Weaving, Laurence Fishburne, Johnny Knoxville, Lou Ferrigno, Christina Aguilera, Ben Stiller, Mark Hamill
• Synopsis: Famous celebrities were interviewed and asked if they played video games and what their favorites were.
• Network: G4
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 58 episodes, last broadcast on December 10, 2004
• Trivia: The title was stylized as Player$.

May 1 – Portal

• Cast: Dave Meinstein, Dyanne DiRosario, Jordan Byrne, Greg Benson, Tom Fahn, Peter Lurie
• Synopsis: Portal was an attempt at a new type of show by blending satire, unique stylistic elements, and various levels of dramatism.
• Network: G4
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 61 episodes, last broadcast on February 25, 2004
• Trivia: Portal was the first television series to use machinima, which is the use of real-time 3D computer graphics rendering engines to create a cinematic production. The video game footage for each episode took about two weeks to record. The characters of Dave and computer VAL were allusions to Dave Bowman and HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

May 3 – The Best Sex Ever

• Cast: Angela Nicholas
• Notable Guests: Dru Berrymore, Brad Bartram, Syren, Lezley Zen, Keri Windsor, Monica Mayhem, Amy Lindsay, Belinda Gavin, Mandy Fisher, Randy Spears, Monique Alexander, Danny Pape, Holly Sampson, Micah May, Evan Stone, Maya Divine, Joel Polis, Sunrise Adams
• Synopsis: Erotic anthology series where a radio show host invites listeners to call in and relate their own personal story of ‘the best sex you ever had’.
• Network: Cinemax
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 26 episodes, last broadcast on June 27, 2003
• Trivia: Part of the Cinemax ‘After Dark’ schedule. Many high profile adult film stars made guest appearances on the show.

2012

• No new series premiered this week in 2012.