DreamWorks Television
With networks either going into or coming out of the Thanksgiving holiday, depending on when the last Thursday of November fell in each decade, there was not a lot to write home about as far as new series premiere. Three decades had no premieres, and two others had just one new series/ Only 2002 and 2012 had multiple series premiere and only one of those was a scripted series while another was a scripted limited series. And 1952’s one new panel series had the misfortune of airing on the DuMont network so it is not even known to exist any more.
1992 gave Tom Arnold a starring role in a new sitcom that many suggested had more than a bit of his and his wife Roseanne’s lives in the story (the pair acknowledged it was a fictionalized version of their lives). The show was even scheduled to air after Roseanne, bumping Coach to Wednesdays. The series had the highest premiere for ABC since Twin Peaks. ABC instituted a technique in which the Conner family would turn on the TV at the end of the Roseanne episode and start watching The Jakcie Thomas Show, which helped the new series retain a sizable portion of Roseanne‘s audience. When that stopped after affiliate complaints (it took away advertising space), the series’ ratings showed a significant drop but still remained in the Top 20 for the season. As the Arnolds told anyone who would listen that ABC promised to renew the show, and complained to anyone who would listen that ABC hadn’t made the announcement official, the network announced its Fall schedule in May as promised … which did not include a second season. Tom Arnold eventually went to CBS to star in a new sitcom that had a shorter run than his ABC series.
2002’s Dinotopia was a sequel series to the early 2002 miniseries, although none of the original cast returned. ABC planned to launch the series in September but held it until Thanksgiving night and ended up being disappointed by the ratings, but chalked it up to the holiday premiere. By the middle of December, ratings had not improved and the series was cancelled after six episodes, leaving seven unaired in the US (they were all broadcast in Europe). A 2004 DVD release contained all 13 episodes. 2002 also saw the limited series Taken, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, make its debut. The series was set between 1944 and 2002, resulting in no actor appearing in every episode of the series. Dakota Fanning did however narrate each episode. The series won the Emmy for Outstanding Miniseries and was also Golden Globe nominated in the same category. In the unscripted arena, Ina Garten began her reign as the Barefoot Contessa on Food Network where she still holds court today. 2012 had five new series but only one of them ran for multiple seasons, a real-life docuseries that reenacted the events of 9-1-1 calls.
To see all of this week’s new series, read on and tell us if any of your favorites are on the list.
1952
- December 1 – Report Card for Parents (DuMont, One season, 10 episodes)
1962
- No new series debuted this week in 1962.
1972
- No new series debuted this week in 1972.
1982
- No new series debuted this week in 1982.
1992
- December 1 – The Jackie Thomas Show (ABC, One season, 18 episodes)
2002
Walt Disney Television/Hallmark Entertainment
- November 28 – Dinotopia (ABC, One season, 13 episodes)
- November 30 – Barefoot Contessa (Food Network, Twenty-eight seasons, 282 episodes to date)
- December 2 – Taken (Sci-Fi Channel, 10 episode limited series)
2012
- November 28 – Love You, Mean It with Whitney Cummings (E!, One season, 11 episodes)
- November 29 – Panic 911 (A&E, Three seasons, 14 episodes)
- December 1 – Haunted Encounters (Biography Channel, One season, 5 episodes)
- December 2 – Be the Boss (A&E, One season, 6 episodes)
- December 2 – Miss U Much (VH1, One season, 8 episodes)
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