TV by the Decade :: January 8•14

Henson Associates

The new year is in full swing this week as all but two decades have new shows making their debuts. A wide variety of new shows comprising everything from children’s programs, reality series, sports and scripted comedies and dramas on broadcast networks, Syndication and cable premiered this week. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights (and lowlights). Tell us in the comments section below if you remember any of these shows!

1953

• No new series debuted this week in 1953.

1963

• January 14 – The Magilla Gorilla Show (Syndication, One season, 31 episodes)

After the initial run in Syndication, ABC aired all 31 episodes of The Magilla Gorilla Show on Saturday mornings during the 1966-1967 season and on Sundays the following season.

1973

• No new series debuted this week in 1973.

1983

• January 10 – Fraggle Rock (HBO, Five seasons, 96 episodes)

Fraggle Rock was a US/Canada/UK co-production, and was intended for an international audience. At least four different versions of the human ‘wraparound’ segments were produced separately to air in different countries.

1993

• January 8 – Hotel Room (HBO, 3 episodes)
• January 11 – The Untouchables (Syndication, Two seasons, 42 episodes)
• January 11 – WWE Monday Night Raw (USA Network, Thirty seasons, 1,545 episodes to date)

Hotel Room was an anthology series co-created by David Lynch, with the three 30-minute episodes meant to air together as a pilot for a proposed series, but due to a lukewarm reception HBO opted to not proceed with the show after two airings of the episodes. Lynch directed two of the three episodes. Stars who appeared in the episodes include Harry Dean Stanton, Glenne Headly, Griffin Dunne, Mariska Hargitay, Crispin Glover and Alicia Witt. HBO hoped the sexier and comedic series would emulate the success of Tales from the Crypt.

The Untouchables was based on the 1959 TV series and 1987 movie of the same name.

WWE Monday Night Raw moved from USA to TNN/Spike in August 2003, but returned to USA in October 2005. USA announced a five-year extension for the series in 2018 which commenced in October 2019.

2003

51 Minds Entertainment

• January 8 – The Bachelorette (ABC, Nineteen seasons, 215 episodes to date)
• January 8 – Storm Stories (The Weather Channel, Nine seasons, 371 episodes)
• January 9 – The Surreal Life (The WB, One season, 7 episodes / VH1, Six seasons, 55 episodes)
• January 10 – Mister Sterling (NBC, One season, 10 episodes)
• January 10 – Queens Supreme (CBS, One season, 13 episodes, 10 unaired)
• January 11 – Made (MTV, Fifteen seasons, 303 episodes)

The Weather Channel rebooted Storm Stories as Storm Stories: The Next Chapter which debuted on August 18, 2019.

The first season of The Surreal Life had cast Mindy Cohn, but she dropped out before taping began. Robin Givens was also offered a spot but declined. A third season romance between Flavor Flav and Brigitte Nielsen had a dramatic impact on VH1’s programming, indirectly spawning 14 spin-off and sequels. Season 4’s romance between Christopher Knight and Adrianne Curry led to another spin-off, My Fair Brady.

Mister Sterling, starring Josh Brolin and Audra McDonald, was created by now MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell, who had worked previously on The West Wing. Despite good reviews, the show’s Friday time slot doomed it to a short run. James Whitmore, however, did earn an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor.

Despite a strong cast, including Oliver Platt and Robert Loggia, and financial backing from Julia Roberts’ production company Shoelace Productions, Spelling Television and Revolution Studios, poor ratings in another Friday time slot forced Queens Supreme‘s cancellation after three episodes.

2013

HBO Entertainment

• January 9 – Washington Heights (MTV, One season, 11 episodes)
• January 9 – 60 Minutes Sports (Showtime, Five seasons, last broadcast on March 17, 2017)
• January 10 – Double Divas (Lifetime, Two seasons, 23 episodes)
• January 10 – The Killer Speaks (A&E, Two seasons, 10 episodes)
• January 11 – Banshee (Cinemax, Four seasons, 38 episodes)
• January 12 – Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual (WE tv, One season, 12 episodes)
• January 12 – Staten Island Law (OWN, One season, 6 episodes)
• January 14 – The Carrie Diaries (The CW, Two seasons, 26 episodes)
• January 14 – Continuum (Syfy, Four seasons, 42 episodes)
• January 14 – Pete Rose: Hits & Mrs. (TLC, One season, 6 episodes)
• January 14 – Shipwreck Men (Discovery, One season, 4 episodes)

CBS aired a six-episode compilation of 60 Minutes Sports as filler during the height of the COVID pandemic on weekend afternoons from May 30 to June 14, 2020, under the new title 60 Minutes Sports: Timeless Stories.

Banshee had originally been set up at HBO with Six Feet Under‘s creator Alan Ball helping develop the show. It was moved to sibling network Cinemax in an effort to beef up original programming there. Antony Starr (The Boys) suffered a lip injury during a fight scene while filming the first episode. He continued to film for six hours to complete the scene before going to the hospital, where his lip required six stitches. Extensive digital removal of the injury was required for scenes that took place before the fight but were shot after, resulting in a lengthy post-production process for the episode. The series won an Emmy for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in 2013.

Staten Island Law was pulled from the OWN schedule after the fourth episode on January 19, 2013. The last two episodes were finally broadcast on October 4, 2013.

The Carrie Diaries was a prequel series to HBO’s Sex and the City. Had the series been renewed for a third season, the character Miranda Hobbes would have been introduced.

Continuum originally premiered in Canada on the Showcase network on May 27, 2012. The series was cancelled mid-story after Season 3 but was allowed to produce a 6-episode fourth season to wrap things up.