TV by the Decade :: July 10•16

ABC Studios

It may be the dead of Summer but the networks — broadcast and cable — were rolling out new programming to keep TV viewers glued to their sets in most of the decades this week. In the early days when there were only a handful of networks, instead of reruns they rolled out ‘Summer Replacement’ series that often had just a very short, one year shelf life. As cable TV became a new outlet, there was a greater need for new programming, and in many cases the cheapest solution was reality programming, which occupies most of this week in 2012. 1952 saw a long-running, classic game show that aired on all three networks during its run, but is mostly lost today. 2002 saw the premiere of a long-running detective series that started out as a broadcast show but ended up on cable, while 2012 saw an animated adaptation of a cult hit movie as well as a quirky reality series that developed a very loyal fan base. Read on to see if any of your favorite shows made their debuts this week.

1952

July 10 – A Date with Judy

• Cast: Mary Lynn Beller, Jimmie Sommer, John Gibson, Flora Campbell, Peter Avramo
• Synopsis: Comic trials and tribulations of hyper-kinetic teenager Judy, her sedate and therefore tormented parents, younger brother and boyfriend.
• Network: ABC
• Broadcast History: One season, last broadcast on September 30, 1953
• Trivia: This primetime series was the second version of the show. A previous version aired on ABC on Saturday mornings from June 2, 1951 to February 23, 1952 with a completely different cast.

July 13 – Your Lucky Clue

• Host: Basil Rathbone
• Synopsis: Game show with two actors as detective facing off against two real detective to solve crimes based on clues in a dramatic sketch.
• Network: CBS
• Broadcast History: Last broadcast on August 31, 1962
• Trivia: Summer replacement for This Is Show Business.

July 14 – The Eddy Arnold Show

• Cast: Eddy Arnold, Hank Garland, Roy Wiggins
• Synopsis: Variety program
• Network: CBS
• Broadcast History: Last broadcast on August 22, 1952
• Trivia: Fifteen minute Summer replacement for The Perry Como Show. Two more iterations of the show aired on NBC in 1953, and on ABC in 1956.

July 14 – Masquerade Party

Wolf Productions

• Hosts: Bud Collyer, Douglas Edwards, Peter Donald, Eddie Bracken, Robert Q. Lewis, Bert Parks
• Panelists: Pat Carroll, Ilka Chase, Buff Cobb, Dagmar, Sam Levenson, Audrey Meadows, Ogden Nash, Betsy Palmer, Jonathan Winters, Jack Paar, Jackie Cooper
• Notable Guests: Jayne Meadows, Merv Griffin, Jack Dempsey, Richard Nixon, Luise Rainer, Buster Crabbe, Basil Rathbone, Toots Shor, Ethel Merman, Ricardo Montalban, Henry Morgan, Carl Reiner, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe DeRita, Vincent Price, Betty White
• Synopsis: A panel of celebrities met with another celebrity who was in heavy make-up and/or costume; this disguise would always provide clues to the celebrity’s actual identity, with yes or no questions asked to help the panel guess the identity of the guest.
• Network: NBC (1952, 1957, 1958–1959, 1960), CBS (1953, 1954, 1958, 1959–1960), ABC (1954–1956)
• Broadcast History: Eight seasons, last broadcast on September 23, 1960.
• Trivia: Only five episodes are known to exist. The show was revived in Syndication in 1974 for one year with only two episodes known to exist.

1962

July 16 – Actuality Specials

• Narrators: Chet Huntley, Robert MacNeil, Frank McGee, Edwin Newman, Lorne Greene, Raymond Burr
• Synopsis: A program of NBC News documentaries.
• Network: NBC
• Broadcast History: Last broadcast on September 13, 1968
• Trivia: Some episodes were reruns and some were produced specially for the show. The series began as a Summer replacement in July 1962 but was taken off the schedule in the Fall. It did not return until October 1965, alternating its broadcast with The Bell Telephone Hour.

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

July 11 – Wide Angle

• Host: Bill Moyers, James Rubin, Mishal Husain, Daljit Dhaliwal, Aaron Brown
• Notable Guests: Hillary Clinton, Mark Malloch Brown, Jorge Castañeda, Betty Oyella Bigombe, Joseph E. Stiglitz, Amartya Sen, Margaret Chan, Zainab Salbi, Nicholas Kristof, Arundhati Roy, George Mitchell, James A. Baker III
• Synopsis: International current affairs program.
• Network: PBS
• Broadcast History: Eight seasons, 63 episodes, last broadcast on September 2, 2009

July 12 – Monk

• Cast: Tony Shalhoub, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine, Traylor Howard, Stanley Kamel, Bitty Schram, Emmy Clarke, Kane Ritchotte, Hector Elizondo, Melora Hardin
• Notable Guests: Brooke Adams, Glenne Headly, Sharon Lawrence, Virginia Madsen, Casper Van Dien, John Turturro, Gail O’Grady, Sarah Silverman, Scott Glenn, Craig T. Nelson, Michael Hogan, Amy Aquino, D.B. Woodside, Ricardo Chavira, Holland Taylor, Lawrence O’Donnell, Scott Adsit, Amy Sedaris, Angela Kinsey, Howie Mandel, Larry Miller, Andy Richter, Kathryn Joosten, David Koechner, Mary Beth Evans, Willie Nelson, Polly Draper, Gary Cole, Andrew McCarthy, Lolita Davidovich, Tony Plana, Betty Buckley, Judge Reinhold, Philip Baker Hall, Carmen Electra, Niecy Nash, Billy Burke, John Michael Higgins, Mykelti Williamson, Nestor Carbonell, Enrico Colantoni, Kathy Baker, Ken Marino, Rachel Dratch, Rachael Harris, James Brolin, Jason Alexander, Brett Cullen, Eddie McClintock, Mako, Stanley Tucci, Laurie Metcalf, Jeffrey Donovan, DJ Qualls, Malcolm McDowell, Sean Astin, Alfred Molina, Snoop Dogg, Charles Durning, Vincent Ventresca, Peter Stormare, David Strathairn, Brad Garrett, Robert Loggia, Henry Czerny, Eric McCormack, Joanna Pacula, Elizabeth Perkins, Eric Balfour, Bradley Whitford, Steve Zahn, Daniel Stern, Dylan Baker, Jay Mohr, Wallace Langham, Tim Daly, Rainn Wilson, Melissa George, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Danny Trejo, Alicia Coppola, Willie Garson, Nick Offerman, Rob Benedict, Harve Presnell, Dana Ivey, Faith Prince, Paul Blackthorne, Diedrich Bader, Steven Weber, Victoria Tennant, Julie Bowen, Pamela Adlon, Titus Welliver, John Carroll Lynch, Bernie Kopell, Moon Bloodgood, Misha Collins, Carol Kane, Danny Bonaduce, Jim Beaver, Mark Sheppard, Peter Weller, Cameron Monaghan, Ed Begley Jr.
• Synopsis: The series follows Adrian Monk, a brilliant former San Francisco detective, who now consults the police as a private consultant who battles with an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• Network: USA Network
• Broadcast History: Eight seasons, 125 episodes, last broadcast on December 4, 2009
• Trivia: The show was originally being developed by ABC with an Inspector Clouseau-like character with OCD, and they wanted Michael Richards to star but he turned it down. Though ABC handed the show off to USA Network, making it the first ABC Studios series on the cable network, ABC did air reruns of the show between June and November of 2002, and between March and May 2004. NBC aired reruns of the show starting in April 2008 to fill in the gaps created by a writers strike in the Winter. The broadcasts finished third in its time period. Though set in San Francisco, the pilot was shot in Vancouver (with SF exteriors) and the first season was shot in Toronto, with most of the remaining seasons shot in Los Angeles. Tony Shalhoub, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine, and Traylor Howard reprised their roles for Peacock’s At-Home Variety Show in a 7-minute short titled Mr. Monk Shelters, which showed how Monk fared during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten Monk novels were published that remained faithful to the series with only slight discontinuity. Shalhoub’s wife Brooke Adams appeared on the show five times, playing four different characters. The first basic cable series to be Golden Globe nominated for Best Television Series – Comedy. Shalhoub won three Emmys for the role of Monk. For the first five seasons, Monk only drank Sierra Springs bottled water, which was an important plot point. Due to a contract termination between the real company and the network, Monk switched to the fictional Summit Creek water in Season 6. Shalhoub is the only cast member to appear in every episode. Jason Gray-Stanford appeared in all but three. Season 3 premiere episode ‘Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan’ was supposed to be a crossover with Law & Order. Shalhoub’s brother Michael made cameo appearances in three episodes. The character Dale ‘The Whale’ Biederbeck was based on real-life reality television star Steven Assanti. One Season 3 episode was to have been set on a cruise ship, but cruise lines did not want the suggestion of murder or people falling overboard associated with their ships. The episode was never produced but was always brought up when the writers were short on ideas.

July 15 – Donahue

• Host: Phil Donahue
• Synopsis: Talk show.
• Network: MSNBC
• Broadcast History: Last broadcast on February 25, 2003
• Trivia: Phil Donahue’s return to television after the end of his previous talk show which ended on September 13, 1996. Ratings were strong at first, but quickly declined, however when the show was cancelled it was the highest rated series in MSNBC. An internal memo was leaked that said Donahue had to be fired because he opposed the imminent US invasion of Iraq and would not be a good face for the network during a time of war, with the show being home to the ‘liberal anti-war agenda’. Donahue stated in 2007 that MSNBC’s parent company at the time, General Electric, required two conservative guests for every liberal, and he was counted as two liberals.

2012

July 10 – NY Med

• Synopsis: Documentary series that follows the medical staff and patients of Columbia University Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, as well as NYU Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York.
• Network: ABC
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 16 episodes, last broadcast on August 14, 2014
• Trivia: The second season also included University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital.

July 10 – Trust Us with Your Life

• Cast: Fred Willard, Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, Jonathan Mangum, David Armand
• Notable Guests: Greg Proops, Mark Cuban, Ricky Gervais, David Hasselhoff, Florence Henderson, Jack Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Jane Seymour, Jerry Springer, Serena Williams
• Synopsis: A group of several comedians improv stories based on memories from celebrities’ past.
• Network: ABC
• Broadcast History: One season, 8 episodes (2 unaired), last broadcast on July 24, 2012
• Trivia: The series was filmed in London, and was based on the BBC Two program Fast and Loose. The last two episodes never aired but were available on streaming sites and for purchase the day after their originally scheduled air dates of July 31 and August 7, 2012.

July 11 – Beverly Hills Nannies

• Cast: Kristin Lancione, Justin Allen Sylvester, Lucy Anne Treadway, Amanda Averill, Scott Cartmill, Amber Valdez, Shayla Quinn, Shaun Sturz, Maggie Thorne
• Synopsis: The show focuses on a group of young nannies working for the higher-class wealthy in one of the world’s most prestigious zip codes.
• Network: ABC Family
• Broadcast History: One season, 10 episodes, last broadcast on September 4, 2012

July 11 – Picked Off

• Host: Keith Neubert
• Judges: Todd Merrill, Ethan Merrill
• Synopsis: Weekend pickers at an antiques barn in southern Mississippi go head-to-head in a series of elimination challenges to find items they think will fetch top market value.
• Network: History
• Broadcast History: One season, 6 episodes, last broadcast on August 15, 2012

July 12 – Polyamory: Married & Dating

• Cast: Kamala Devi McClure (season 1—2), Jennifer Gold (season 1—2), Tahl Gruer (season 1—2), Michael McClure (season 1—2), Chris (season 2), Leigh Ann Orsi (season 2), Megan (season 2), Vanessa Carlisle (season 1), Anthony Cristofani (season 1), Lindsey Kate Cristofani (season 1)
• Synopsis: The series follows polyamorous families as they navigate the challenges presented by polyamory.
• Network: Showtime
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 15 episodes, last broadcast on October 3, 2013

July 12 – Property Wars

• Cast: Doug Hopkins, Scott Menaged, Lou Amoroso, John Ray, Ed Rosenberg
• Synopsis: Property Wars follows a group of men, located in Phoenix, Arizona, who bid to purchase foreclosed homes, without being able to look inside.
• Network: Discovery
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 30 episodes, last broadcast on August 1, 2013

July 13 – Comic Store Heroes

• Cast: Gerry Gladston, Thor Parker, Alex Rae, Zoë Gulliksen
• Synopsis: A one-hour documentary about comic book subculture set inside Manhattan’s Midtown Comics, the largest comic book store in the United States.
• Network: National Geographic Channel
• Broadcast History: One season, 1 episode, last broadcast on July 13, 2012

July 15 – Black Dynamite

• Voice Cast: Michael Jai White, Byron Minns, Kym Whitley, Tommy Davidson
• Notable Guest Voices: Cedric Yarbrough, Jimmy Walker Jr., Orlando Jones, Tim Blake Nelson, Erykah Badu, Arsenio Hall, Kevin Michael Richardson, John DiMaggio, Snoop Dogg, Samuel L. Jackson, Chance the Rapper, Tyler the Creator, Cree Summer, Luenell, Tionne ‘T-Boz’ Watkins, Eddie Griffin, Mel B, David Alan Grier, Waka Flocka Flame, Billy West, Sean Kingston, Tichina Arnold, Phil LaMarr
• Synopsis: Action comedy-spoof that follows ex-C. I. A. Agent and full-time ladies man, Black Dynamite, who’s out to avenge the death of his brother against kung-fu masters, drug-dealing pimps, and The Man.
• Network: Adult Swim
• Broadcast History: Two seasons, 20 episodes, last broadcast on January 10, 2015
• Trivia: While based on the film, it follows a separate continuity that is set before the film’s timeline with some references to the film. The 10-minute pilot was broadcast on August 8, 2011. Michael Jai White, Byron Minns, Kym Whitley, Tommy Davidson, Cedric Yarbrough, Jimmy Walker Jr. and Arsenio Hall reprised their roles from the film. In one episode, Cream Corn had a dream of his death from the original movie and it majority freaked him out.

July 15 – Small Town Security

Left/Right Productions

• Cast: Joan Koplan (The Chief), Dennis Starr Croft (The Captain), Irwin Koplan (The Major), Brian Taylor (Office Manager), Christa Stephens (Secretary), Lambchop, Charlotte
• Synopsis: The unscripted show focused on a small, family-owned, private security company called JJK Security, located in the North Georgia city of Ringgold.
• Network: AMC
• Broadcast History: Three seasons, 24 episodes, last broadcast on June 24, 2014
• Trivia: One episode revealed on Joan’s public access show that Dennis was a transgender male. The show was nominated in 2013 and 2014 for the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program for fairly and accurately representing the LGBT community and its relevant issues.

July 15 – 3 Days to Open with Bobby Flay

• Host: Bobby Flay
• Synopsis: Bobby Flay visits new restaurants that will be opening three days from his arrival. He makes a list of things that he thinks need to be fixed by opening night, and spends those three days preparing the owners for opening, and attempting to check every concern off his list.
• Network: Food Network
• Broadcast History: One season, 6 episodes, last broadcast on August 17, 2012
• Trivia: Restaurants included Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Melt Mobile in Stamford, Connecticut, Sticky’s in New York City, New York, Cove Lounge in New York City, New York, Big Guy Sausage Stand in Berwyn, Illinois, and Confections of a Rock$tar in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

July 15 – Political Animals (miniseries)

• Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Carla Gugino, James Wolk, Sebastian Stan, Brittany Ishibashi, Ellen Burstyn, Ciarán Hinds, Adrian Pasdar, Dylan Baker, Roger Bart, Dan Futterman
• Notable Guests: Vanessa Redgrave, Blair Brown
• Synopsis: A divorced, former First Lady, is currently serving as the Secretary of State. She deals with State Department issues, while trying to keep her family together.
• Network: USA Network
• Broadcast History: One season, 6 episodes, last broadcast on August 19, 2012
• Trivia: There was speculation that the miniseries would proceed with a full series order, but USA decided to stick with the original format. James Wolk was the first actor cast. Linda Powell, the daughter of former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, appeared in the first episode as the national security advisor to the president. The series was nominated for the GLAAD Media Award and the Emmy Award for Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series. Sigourney Weaver was also Emmy nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Movie, and Ellen Burstyn was Emmy nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.

July 16 – Market Warriors

• Host: Mark L. Walberg
• Cast: Kevin Bruneau, John Bruno, Miller Gaffney, Bob Richter, Bene Raia
• Synopsis: Reality television series that follows four professional antiquers as they buy assigned items at flea markets and antique shows on a budget. The items are then sold at auction, where the antiquers compete for the highest profit, which is most often determined by the lowest loss.
• Network: PBS
• Broadcast History: One season, 20 episodes, last broadcast on April 22, 2013
• Trivia: Fred Willard was the original host of the show; however, after his arrest for engaging in a lewd act at an adult movie theater, PBS dropped him as host and had Walberg re-voice the episodes Willard had already completed. The series premiered as Market Wars, and was a companion series to Antiques Roadshow.