TV by the Decade :: May 3•9

From "Peanuts by Schulz", Illustration of Peanuts characters Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Peppermint Patty, Sally Marcie, gathered outdoors on a sunny day, with Snoopy sitting atop his dog house with a red roof, Woodstock hovering in the air to the left.

Peanuts Worldwide

The month of May typically signifies the end of the regular TV season, and the last push for networks to roll out some ratings-grabbing programming to set advertising rates for the next season, so there is little in way of new shows making their debuts this week. Instead, we’re getting TV movies as failed pilots for new shows, a blockbuster miniseries, two kids shows, and a reality competition that gives previous contestants a second chance. Scroll down to see all of the programs that debuted this week, and tell us if any of your favorites are celebrating milestone anniversaries.

1956

No new shows premiered this week in 1956.

1966

No new shows premiered this week in 1966.

1976

May 3 – Banjo Hackett (NBC, TV movie)
May 8 – Brenda Starr (ABC, TV movie)

Banjo Hackett, also known as Banjo Hackett: Roamin’ Free, starring Don Meredith, Ike Eisenmann, Chuck Connors and Slim Pickens, was a TV movie pilot for a proposed series. Brenda Starr was a TV movie starring Jill St. John, in what she described as her dream role, that was shot as a pilot for TV series that never materialized.

1986

From "North and South: Book II", three men dressed in Civil War era military attire, in a large room with a white-painted brick wall with large wooden doors to the left. An unknown actor with a beard on the left sports a gray Confederate uniform and a brown hat. In the center, James Read as George Hazard, with a beard and a wound on his head, wears a black officer's overcoat. On the right, Patrick Swayze as Orry Main, is also seen in a full gray Confederate uniform.

Wolper Productions

May 4 – North and South: Book II (ABC, TV miniseries)

North and South: Book II was the second in a trilogy of North and South miniseries, based on the novels by John Jakes. Patrick Swayze, James Reed, Lesley-Anne Down, Kirstie Alley, Genie Francis, David Carradine, Hal Holbrook and David Ogden Stiers reprised their roles from the first miniseries. Four marriages resulted from the miniseries, including co-stars Francis and Jonathan Frakes (who also acted opposite each other in 1983 primetime soap, Bare Essence).

1996

No new shows premiered this week in 1996.

2006

From "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse", animated characters Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, and Pluto stand together on a green, grassy, cartoonish playground in front of a partially visible red and yellow structure with a Mickey Mouse-themed background featuring spinning gears and colorful wheels.

Disney Television Animation

May 5 – Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (Disney Channel, Four seasons, 125 episodes)

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was the longest-running original series to air as part of Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney/Disney Jr. preschool block. A revival of the series, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+, premiered in July 2025 on Disney+ and Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse was originally voiced by Wayne Allwine, who died in 2009, but as there was a long lead time between recording dialogue and producing episodes, his last episode didn’t air until September 28, 2012. Bret Iwan took over until production ended, with the final episode airing on November 6, 2016. Bill Farmer, voice actor for Goofy and Pluto, stated that recording sessions for the series were completed in February 2014.

2016

From "Food Netowrk Star: Comeback Kitchen", a woman, Valerie Bertinelli, with wavy brown hair wearing a patterned blouse, and a man, Tyler Florence, with glasses, wearing a navy blue quarter-zip sweater and blue jeans stand smiling in a studio set resembling a kitchen, a display case to the left with a bagel topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers and onions on a white plate on a shelf inside.

Triage Entertainment

May 8 – Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen (Food Network, Three seasons)
May 9 – Peanuts by Schulz (Cartoon Network/Boomerang, One season, 37 episodes)

Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen began with the 12th season of Food Network Star, brining back former contestants from previous seasons to compete for a spot on the upcoming season. Season 8’s Martita Jara, Season 11’s Matthew Grunwald, and Season 13’s Amy Pottinger won spots on Seasons 12, 13 and 14, respectively.

Peanuts by Schulz originally debuted in France on November 9, 2014, then in the US on Cartoon Network and Boomerang as interstitial shorts.