Steven Bochco Productions
Three decades produced new TV series this week, with varying success. 1994 had a game show based on a popular puzzle game, and a sci-fi series that seemed to have a built-in expiration date. 2004 gave us two reality series that had little success even with some major names involved, as well as a primetime soap whose bubbles burst after one season. 2014 had two scripted dramas that saw some mild success, a reality series that lasted one season longer than the two in 2004, and a very short-lived animated series. Scroll down to see what shows premiered this week and tell us if any of your favorites are on the list!
1954
- No new series premiered this week in 1954.
1964
- No new series premiered this week in 1964.
1974
- No new series premiered this week in 1974.
1984
- No new series premiered this week in 1984.
1994
- June 13 – Jumble (The Family Channel, One season, about 100 episodes)
- June 15 – Dead at 21 (MTV, One season, 13 episodes)
Jumble was a TV game show hosted by Wink Martindale that was based on the classic word puzzle game. Dead at 21 starred Jack Noseworthy, Lisa Dean Ryan and Whip Hubley.
2004
Brancoto/Salke Productions
- June 14 – North Shore (FOX, One season, 21 episodes, 1 unaired)
- June 14 – The Casino (FOX, One season, 13 episodes)
- June 14 – Next Action Star (NBC, One season, 10 episodes)
The cast of North Shore included Kristoffer Polaha, Brooke Burns, Jason Momoa and James Remar.
The Casino, created by Survivor‘s Mark Burnett, was cancelled following the tenth episode due to terrible ratings. The final three episodes were aired on the FOX Reality Channel. The show was the first reality series to be shot with high definition cameras. The theme song, ‘Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad’, was written by Bono and The Edge, and performed by Matt Dusk. The show’s featured stars, Thomas Breitling and Tim Poster, and the employees of the Golden Nugget did not like the show’s portrayal of the casino or its staged feel.
The male and female winners of Next Action Star would star in their own feature film. Sean Carrigan and Corinne Van Ryck de Groot starred in the made-for-TV movie Bet Your Life, which aired on NBC on August 4, 2004. The series has been made available to stream on outlets like Tubi, The Roku Channel and Freevee.
2014
Lionsgate Television
- June 9 – Murder in the First (TNT, Three seasons, 32 episodes)
- June 10 – Chasing Life (ABC Family, Two seasons, 34 episodes)
- June 11 – Big Smo (A&E, Two seasons, 19 episodes)
- June 15 – King Star King (Adult Swim, One season, 6 episodes, 1 pilot, 1 special)
Murder in the First followed an entire case over the course of a season. It was the last series produced by Steven Bochco before his death in 2018.
Chasing Life is adapted from the Televisa Spanish-language Mexican television series Terminales.
Big Smo followed the country rapper as he attempted to take his unique musical style to new heights.
King Star King was a web series on Adult Swim Video before it was broadcast on TV. All six episodes were released at once. The series broadcast ended on December 6, 2014, but was revived for a Christmas special that aired on February 13, 2023.
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