Warner Bros. Television
This week in January included new series debuts in three different decades. What is interesting and unusual about these series is that all of them lasted a single season, and all of them produced just 13 episodes. Unfortunately, one of the four new shows didn’t get to air all 13 episodes before it was cancelled and is pretty much forgotten today. One show was meant to capitalize on the popularity of another show, which it didn’t; one was meant to be a companion to a popular series; and another was a prison drama perhaps inspired by Prison Break with a little sci-fi thrown in for good measure. Did you watch any of this week’s new show’s during their brief runs? Let us know in the comments section below.
1952
- No new shows debuted this week in 1952.
1962
- No new shows debuted this week in 1962.
1972
- No new shows debuted this week in 1972.
1982
January 16 – King’s Crossing
- Cast: Bradford Dillman, Mary Frann, Linda Hamilton, Marilyn Jones, Daniel Zippi, Doran Clark, Beatrice Straight, Dorothy Meyer
- Notable Guests: Michael Zaslow, Tom Poston, Allyce Beasley, John Karlen, Jane Kean, Brian Patrick Clarke
- Synopsis: The show centered on the Hollister family relocating to King’s Crossing, California.
- Network: ABC
- Broadcast History: One season, 10 episodes (3 unaired), last broadcast on February 27, 1982
- Trivia: The show was born out of the cancellation of Secrets of Midland Heights on CBS, which employed many of the same actors.
1992
- No new shows debuted this week in 1992.
2002
Carsey-Werner-Mandabach Productions
January 23 – That ’80s Show
- Cast: Glenn Howerton, Tinsley Grimes, Chyler Leigh, Eddie Shin, Brittany Daniel, Margaret Smith, Geoff Pierson
- Notable Guests: Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Ed McMahon, Morgan Fairchild, Pat Benatar, Dan Bucatinsky, April Winchell, Renée Elise Goldsberry
- Synopsis: The show is set in 1984 and revolves around the lives of a group of friends in their 20s living in San Diego, California.
- Network: FOX
- Broadcast History: One season, 13 episodes, last broadcast on May 29, 2002
- Trivia: Kelly Clarkson appears uncredited as a dancer. Despite many similarities and the sharing of writers and production staff, the show is not directly related to That ’70s Show although FOX wanted to do a direct spin-off. Brittany Daniel’s audition was an episode of That ’70s Show, which aired the night before That ’80s Show premiered.
2012
January 16 – Alcatraz
- Cast: Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, Jonny Coyne, Parminder Nagra, Sam Neill, Leon Rippy, Jason Butler Harner
- Notable Guests: Robert Forster, Robbie Amell, Greyston Holt, Mehcad Brooks, Mahershala Ali, Rami Malek, Geri Jewell, Glynn Turman, Frank Whaley
- Synopsis: In 1963, all the prisoners and guards mysteriously disappear from Alcatraz. In the present day, they resurface and a secret agency are tasked with re-capturing them.
- Network: FOX
- Broadcast History: One season, 13 episodes, last broadcast on March 26, 2012
- Trivia: While the pilot was filmed in San Francisco and on Alcatraz, the series was filmed in Vancouver to take advantage of production rebates.
January 19 – Unsupervised
- Voice Cast: Justin Long, David Hornsby, Kristen Bell, Romany Malco, Rob Rosell
- Notable Guests: Sally Kellerman, Kaitlin Olsen, Fred Armisen, Pamela Adlon, Georgia Engel, Alan Dale, Charlie Day. Walton Goggins, Dave Foley
- Synopsis: The series follows two 15-year-old best friends, Gary and Joel, as they try to navigate through teenage life while also trying to do the right thing without the help of any parental supervision.
- Network: FX
- Broadcast History: One season, 13 episodes, last broadcast on December 20, 2012
- Trivia: Developed under the title Townies, and was meant to be a companion for Archer. The baseball coach is named Coach Durham, a reference to the baseball film Bull Durham.
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