TV by the Decade :: May 28•June 3

Tyler Perry Studios

Now that ‘finale month’ and ‘sweeps’ are over, the networks are starting to look to Summer as a place for new series debuts. It used to be that Summer was just a time for reruns because people had better things to do and it got dark later so networks didn’t want to waste new programs. Summer also became a dumping ground for series that were either cancelled earlier in the season, or were deemed not good enough for the regular schedule so they were burned off when audiences weren’t watching. Sometimes shows were produced specifically for the Summer as a replacement for another series. Some shows actually became hits and found slots on the regular schedule, and the networks began to look at programming their schedules year round, especially as more and more viewing options became available. Summer also became a place for cheaper to produce reality series to draw in viewers. This week, even though there were only two new series in 1983, one of them was a huge success, and the other was a critical darling that was cancelled too soon.

2003 had three new reality series on two broadcast networks, and even though one was a spin-off of a mega-popular competition series it lasted just one season. Another scripted drama fell into the ‘Summer burn-off’ category and even then the network decided not to air the entire series. 2013 saw 17 new series making their debuts, running the gamut from scripted dramas to reality shows to home renovation series. Several of these shows had just a brief Summer run, but several more had runs that ranged from two seasons to twenty … and that one is still going strong. Read on to see what shows are celebrating anniversaries this week, and tell us is any of your favorites are on the list!

1953

• No new series debuted this week in 1953.

1963

• No new series debuted this week in 1963.

1973

• No new series debuted this week in 1973.

1983

Stampede Productions

• May 31 – Star Search (Syndication, Thirteen seasons, 150 episodes)
• May 31 – Buffalo Bill (NBC, Two seasons, 26 episodes, 1 unaired)

Star Search was hosted by Ed McMahon from 1983 to 1995, and the series was renamed Ed McMahon’s Star Search for the 1993-1994 season. MTV veejay Martha Quinn joined as co-host in 1994. The series was revived for one season in 2003 with Arsenio Hall as host. Season 2 winner Durell Coleman holds the record for 15 wins. Sam Harris was defeated in his 14th week, but he was the first season’s Male Vocalist champ. Sawyer Brown was the first season Vocal Group winner. Linda Eder was the Season 5 Female Vocalist champion. Fifth season Junior Female Vocalist runner-up was Tiffany, with Countess Vaughn winning. The first Spokesmodel winner was Tracey Ross. Brad Garrett was the Season 1 Comedy champ, with John Kassir taking that crown in Season 2 and Jenny Jones winning in Season 3. Season 8’s Junior Vocalist was LeAnn Rimes, Season 9’s Male Vocalist was Billy Porter, Season 13’s Junior Vocalist was David Archuleta and the Comedy champ was Loni Love. Others who competed include Aaliyah, Adam Sandler, Alanis Morissette, Backstreet Boys, Bill Engvall, Britney Spears, Carlos Mencia, Christina Aguilara, Conan O’Brien, Dana Gould, Destiny’s Child, Diana DeGarmo, Drew Carey, Eva LaRue, Garcelle Beauvais, Joe Lando, Justin Timberlake, Kevin James, Lauren Ambrose, Marc Summers, Martin Lawrence, Mitzi Kapture, Norm Macdonald, Pitbull (as Armando Perez), Ray Romano, Rondell Sheridan, Rosie O’Donnell, Sharon Stone, Sinbad, Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, Sutton Foster, Tatyana Ali, Tinashe, Tyce Diorio and Usher.

Buffalo Bill received 11 Emmy Award nominations including Outstanding Comedy Series for each of its two seasons. Co-star Joanna Cassidy won a Golden Globe in 1984. Former NBC president Brandon Tartikoff wrote that his biggest regret was cancelling the show.

1993

• No new series debuted this week in 1993.

2003

Frequency Films

• June 1 – Monster House (Discovery Channel, Four seasons, 68 episodes)
• June 1 – Last Comic Standing (NBC, Nine seasons, 76 episodes)
• June 2 – For Love or Money (NBC, Four seasons, 24 episodes)
• June 3 – Hey Joel (VH1, One season, 13 episodes, 10 unaired)
• June 3 – Keen Eddie (FOX, One season, 13 episodes, 6 unaired)
• June 3 – American Juniors (FOX, One season, 17 episodes)

The ‘Zen House’ episode of Monster House was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music.

Last Comic Standing was cancelled before the end of its third season, with the final episode airing on Comedy Central. NBC revived the series two years later in 2006. Season 6 winner Iliza Shlesinger was the first and only woman to earn the title Last Comic Standing.

Keen Eddie was intended to premiere during the 2002-2003 season, but FOX held it for the Summer then pulled it from the schedule after airing seven episodes. The unaired episodes were eventually broadcast on Bravo beginning in January 2004.

American Juniors was a spin-off of American Idol with Ryan Seacrest hosting 16 of the 17 episodes. Gladys Knight hosted Episode 6. The goal of the show was to create a singing group with five members. The group that was created, American Juniors, featured Lucy Hale as a member. The group broke up in 2005 after lackluster sales of their debut album, the release of which had been delayed a year from its original release date.

2013

Nuyorican Productions

• May 28 – Never Ever Do This at Home (Spike, Two seasons, 21 episodes)
• May 28 – Family S.O.S. with Jo Frost (TLC, One season, 6 episodes)
• May 28 – Brooklyn DA (CBS, One season, 6 episodes)
• May 29 – The American Baking Competition (CBS, One season, 7 episodes)
• May 29 – The Haves and the Have Nots (OWN, Eight seasons, 196 episodes)
• May 29 – Love Thy Neighbor (OWN, Five seasons, 118 episodes)
• May 29 – Dancing Fools (ABC Family, One season, 8 episodes)
• May 30 – Renovation Raiders (HGTV, Two seasons, 21 episodes)
• May 31 – Treehouse Masters (Animal Planet, Eleven seasons, 100 episodes)
• May 31 – Marriage Boot Camp: Bridezillas (WE tv, 20 seasons, 194 episodes to date)
• June 1 – Pregnant & Dating (WE tv, One season, 8 episodes)
• June 1 – Staged to Perfection (HGTV, One season, 8 episodes)
• June 2 – Princesses: Long Island (Bravo, One season, 10 episodes)
• June 2 – The Wanted Life (E!, One season, 8 episodes)
• June 2 – Top Hooker (Animal Planet, Two seasons, 16 episodes)
• June 3 – Mistresses (ABC, Four seasons, 52 episodes)
• June 3 – The Fosters (ABC Family, Five seasons, 104 episodes)

The American Baking Competition was an adaptation of The Great British Bake Off. The show’s original title was Bake Off, but Pillsbury held the trademark to that name. The series aired against MasterChef on FOX.

The Haves and the Have Nots was based on Tyler Perry’s play of the same name. A two-part cast reunion, an event usually reserved for reality programs, aired after the series finale. It was the first scripted series to air on OWN, and helped save the network. Love Thy Neighbor was a TV series spin-off of the Madea franchise, and had the second highest premiere on OWN after The Haves and Have Nots. Tyler Perry did recur as Madea in Season 3.

Marriage Boot Camp: Bridezillas consisted of two seasons, followed by nine editions of Reality Stars, three editions of Reality Stars – Family Edition, and six seasons of Reality Stars – Hip Hop Edition to date.

Top Hooker was a fishing competition series. Get your minds out of the gutter. Mistresses was based on the UK series of the same name.

The Fosters earned two GLAAD Awards and on Teen Choice Award. The series ended with a three-episode finale that served as an introduction to the spin-off series Good Trouble. Kerr Smith, Annie Potts, Patrick Duffy and Rob Morrow made guest appearances. Jennifer Lopez came aboard the series as an executive producer as the storyline of a lesbian couple raising their blended family reminded her of her late aunt who was gay and faced discrimination during her lifetime. Lopez’s name on the show is said to have helped get it noticed in Hollywood when people said it would never get made.