TV by the Decade :: April 3•9

PBS

Five new series premiered this week in four different decades, with two comedy series that could not find the laughs and were gone after six episodes, one drama that could have run longer but behind the scenes turmoil brought about its demise after two seasons, and one immensely popular children’s series that was widely reviled by adults … but it ran for more than a decade! Read on to see if you remember any of these show or if your favorites are celebrating an anniversary 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

April 5 – Report to Murphy

• Cast: Michael Keaton, Donna Ponterotto, Donnelly Rhodes, Margot Rose, Olivia Cole
• Notable Guests: Ken Foree, Jonathan Banks, Dan Hedaya, Aldo Ray
• Synopsis: The series is about the everyday problems and frustrations of a parole officer, as he deals with the released prisoners that come and go.
• Network: CBS
• Broadcast History: One season, 6 episodes, last broadcast on May 31, 1982
• Trivia: Originally titled Murphy’s Law.

1992

April 6 – Barney & Friends

• Cast: Julie Johnson, Patty Wirtz, Jeff Ayers, Bob West, David Joyner, Dean Wendt, Carey Stinson
• Notable Guests: Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Allison Tolman
• Synopsis: The series features the title character Barney, a purple anthropomorphic Tyrannosaurus rex who conveys educational messages through songs and small dance routines with a friendly, huggable and optimistic attitude.
• Network: PBS
• Broadcast History: Fourteen seasons, 268 episodes, last broadcast on November 10, 2010
• Trivia: Sandy Duncan appeared in Barney and the Backyard Gang, the first three home videos released which were seen by the daughter of a Connecticut Public Television exec who thought the concept could be developed for PBS. PBS was not planning to fund beyond the original 30-episode order, but the show was a hit and CPTV urged fellow PBS member stations and parents to flood PBS with letters and phone calls to get more funding for the show. The series began production at a studio in Allen, Texas, then moved to Irving, Texas and then Carrollton, Texas. The series was nominated for 15 Daytime Emmy Awards during its run, but only won one for Outstanding Live and Direct to Tape Sound Mixing in 2001, tying with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Barney was originally intended to be a bear, but was changed after the creator’s son had visited a dinosaur exhibit.

2002

April 4 – .hack//Sign

• Voice Cast: Megumi Toyoguchi, Kazuhiro Nakata, Amanda Winn Lee, Paul Mercier, Kaori Nazuka, Kim Mai Guest, Mitsuki Saiga, Akiko Hiramatsu, Brianne Brozey, Donna Rawlins, Hiroshi Yanaka, Isshin Chiba, Dave Wittenberg, Douglas Rye, Lex Lang, Shin’ichirô Miki
• Synopsis: A strange boy named Tsukasa appears in the online video game ‘The World’. He claims to be alive, and without a computer.
• Network: TXN (TV Tokyo), YTV (Canada), Anime Central (UK), Cartoon Network (US)
• Broadcast History: One season, 26 episodes, last broadcast on September 25, 2002
• Trivia: Three additional episodes were released on DVD. The character of Bear is inspired by Mel Gibson’s character in Braveheart. Peter Cullen narrated the first promo created for the U.S. broadcast on Toonami.

2012

April 4 – Best Friends Forever

• Cast: Lennon Parham, Jessica St. Clair, Luka Jones, Stephen Schneider, Daija Owens
• Notable Guests: Ryan Hansen, Reid Scott, Mimi Kennedy, Kyle Mooney, Max Carver, J.K. Simmons
• Synopsis: When Jessica’s husband files for divorce, she flies across the country to seek comfort and move back in with her best friend Lennon. However, Lennon’s boyfriend Joe has recently moved in and has a hard time fitting into Lennon and Jessica’s close friendship.
• Network: NBC
• Broadcast History: One season, 6 episodes, last broadcast on June 1, 2012
• Trivia: NBC cancelled the series after the fourth episode had aired, leaving two episodes unaired. The last two episodes were burned off on June 1, 2012. Fred Savage directed the pilot. Adam Pally was cast as Joe but when ABC renewed Happy Endings, the role was recast with Luka Jones. Also known as BFF.

Lifetime

April 8 – The Client List

• Cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Cybill Shepherd, Loretta Devine, Colin Egglesfield, Rebecca Field, Naturi Naughton, Alicia Lagano, Kathleen York, Brian Hallisay, Laura-Leigh
• Notable Guests: Elisabeth Röhm, Greg Grunberg, Michael Beach, Johnathon Schaech, Brian Kerwin, Joel Gretsch, Eric Mabius, Paul Dooley, Cindy Pickett, Betty White, Mimi Rogers, Dale Midkiff, Elaine Hendrix, Robert Picardo, Jennifer Elise Cox, Suze Orman, Garrett Clayton
• Synopsis: Riley is a single mother living in a small Texas town and leading a shocking double life.
• Network: Lifetime
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 25 episodes, last broadcast on June 16, 2013
• Trivia: The series was spun off from a 2010 Lifetime TV movie. The series, however, is a reimagining of the film and not a direct continuation. Jennifer Love Hewitt was initially involved in the casting of her character’s clients but she pulled back as the show progressed, which led to complaints that all of her clients were too good looking. The producers tried to cast more ‘real guys’ but the network insisted on ‘hot guys’. Licensed massage therapists nationwide campaigned to stop the show before it aired. A third season renewal was delayed when Love Hewitt became pregnant and she wanted her fiancé and co-star Brian Hallisay to be the father on the show. The network wanted Colin Egglesfield to be the father. The delay lasted until October 2013 but due to the creative differences between Hewitt, the studios and the network the show was officially cancelled.