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Only a handful of series made their debuts this week in just three decades, with one series ending due to expenses, another due to low ratings and a third due to a corporate merger. One series was also a first for the network which aired it. Scroll down to see all of the shows that premiered this week, and tell us if any of your favorites are celebrating milestone anniversaries.
1956
TCF Television Productions
- February 10 – My Friend Flicka (CBS, One season, 39 episodes)
My Friend Flicka is based on the novel and 1943 film of the same name. It was one of the first series produced by TCF Television, which would become 20th Century Fox Television. The show was filmed in color, but broadcast in black-and-white. The popular series ended mainly due to high production costs, and became one of the first two series 20th Century Fox chose to offer for rerun syndication.
1966
- No new shows premiered this week in 1966.
1976
- February 13 – Sara (CBS, One season, 12 episodes)
Sara was based on the novel The Revolt of Sarah Perkins by Marian Cockrell. Despite its very short run, star Brenda Vaccaro received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Following the show’s cancellation, CBS aired the TV movie Territorial Men, which was compiled from footage shot for the series.
1986
- No new shows premiered this week in 1986.
1996
- No new shows premiered this week in 1996.
2006
- No new shows premiered this week in 2006.
2016
Thank You, Brain! Productions
- February 8 – Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS, Seven seasons, 218 episodes)
- February 9 – Not Safe with Nikki Glaser (Comedy Central, One season, 20 episodes)
- February 11 – Those Who Can’t (truTV, Three seasons, 35 episodes)
- February 14 – Stuck in the Middle (Disney Channel, Three seasons, 57 episodes)
After Samantha Bee and husband Jason Jones pitched the scripted comedy series The Detour to TBS, the network extended its relationship with the couple by greenlighting Full Frontal with Samantha Bee to pair with Conan. The show shared a studio with Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. When the show debuted, it was the only late night series hosted by a female. During the COVID shutdown, the series was subtitled Little Show in the Big Woods, which was filmed outside of Bee’s home with Jones acting as cameraman. When it returned to studio taping, the show moved to studios in Norwalk, Connecticut. The show received 19 Primetime Emmy nominations during its run, winning in 2017 for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series. The show was cancelled following the Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
Those Who Can’t was originally set up at Amazon Prime Video, which paid for the pilot of ordered scripts for six episodes but ultimately did not order the show to series. It was later acquired by truTV, becoming the network’s first scripted comedy series. The role of school librarian Abbey Logan was written for Nikki Glaser, but was played on the series by Maria Thayer.