TV by the Decade :: December 25•31

Dick Clark Productions

There were a surprising number of new series making their debuts this week, and even more surprising is that they were all in the first five decades with 2002 and 2012 devoid of anything new, even on cable. Two of this week’s new shows were game shows that had several season runs, one was a variety show, one a scripted network comedy, and one which has become an institution to ring in the new year.

In 1952, a new variety show debuted, one of two series headlined by Ernie Kovacs on CBS, this an hour-long primetime series. The Ernie Kovacs Show was one of the rare series during the Golden Age of Television that aired, in various formats, on all four broadcast networks. in 1962 Gene Rayburn hosted the first edition The Match Game, with Johnny Olsen as the announcer. The early version of the game featured two teams of three players, two civilians and one celebrity, with the objective of the teammates to match answers to pedestrian questions like ‘Name a type of muffin’. NBC cancelled the series in 1963 with six weeks left to be recorded. Writer Dick DeBartolo came up with funnier questions like ‘Mary likes to pour gravy all over John’s (blank)’ figuring the risqué questions could not get the show cancelled twice. The decision to allow the new questions led to a boost in ratings and NBC’s ‘uncancellation’ of the show. The first season was broadcast in black-and-white. Unfortunately, only 11 episodes are still known to exist, and only one of those is in color.

In 1972, Dick Clark produced a new special to ring in the new year which was aimed at a much younger audience than CBS’ traditional special with Guy Lombardo. Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve has become an institution on ABC … but that’s not where it started. NBC presented the special its first two years. With videogame arcades all the rage in 1982, TBS debuted a new game show with an arcade setting, Starcade. Mark Richards hosted the first 23 episodes, followed by Geoff Edwards. It was the first video arcade game show on television. Olympic gold-medalist hockey player Mike Eruzione hosted the first pilot, and Alex Trebek hosted the next three pilots but when the show was picked up he was busy with NBC’s Battlestars. Richards was selected to host but appeared uncomfortable on camera and didn’t seem interested in videogames. Edwards had no experience with videogames but became a fan while hosting the show, doing his research and offering advice or hints to the contestants. All but one episode are known to exist. G4 announced it would reboot the show after its own reboot in 2022, but it never happened because G4 shut down again in 2022. FOX debuted a new sitcom in 1992, Shaky Ground, that starred Matt Frewer, Robin Riker and Jennifer Love Hewitt, but it barely lasted one season.

Do you remember any of these shows? Do you still watch New Year’s Rockin’ Eve? Let us know in the comments section below!