Bad Robot
Only four decades produced new series this week, with only one of them to be considered a hit. 1986 had two ABC series that lasted just one season, and one of those only had a half-dozen episodes. 1996 provided the hit series, a music documentary series that aired for several years, though it was not a regular weekly series. 2006 saw a new Power Rangers show make its debut, and 2016 had a moderately successful Netflix series, and a Hulu series from a Stephen King novel that is getting more attention today due to its move to Netflix. Scroll down to see the shows that premiered this week, and tell us if you remember any of them.
1956
- No new shows premiered this week in 1956.
1966
- No new shows premiered this week in 1966.
1976
- No new shows premiered this week in 1976.
1986
Motown Productions
- February 15 – Fortune Dane (ABC, One season, 6 episodes)
- February 16 – Sidekicks (ABC, One season, 23 episodes)
ABC made the mistake of scheduling Fortune Dane against NBC’s powerhouse Saturday line-up, which included 227 and The Golden Girls, and it was quickly cancelled after six weeks. The episodes were re-edited into a TV movie. The cast included Carl Weathers, Joe Dallesandro and Penny Fuller.
Sidekicks was a spin-off of Disney TV movie The Last Electric Knight. The series originated as part of ABC’s Friday night line-up, but was moved to Saturdays after Life with Lucy was cancelled. Ernie Reyes Jr., Gil Gerard, Nancy Stafford, Keye Luke and Frank Bonner starred.
1996
- February 17 – America’s Dream (HBO, TV movie)
- February 20 – VH1 Storytellers (VH1, 98 episodes)
America’s Dream was based on three short stories, with each segment helmed by a different director. The cast included Danny Glover, Wesley Snipes, Lorraine Toussaint, Jasmine Guy and Carl Lumbly.
VH1 Storytellers originated with a special about Ray Davies during his ‘Storytellers’ tour, and the name of the series was taken from the special.
2006
BVS Entertainment
- February 20 – Power Rangers Mystic Force (Toon Disney, One season, 32 episodes)
Power Rangers Mystic Force is the thirteenth entry in the Power Rangers franchise, and is based on the 29th Super Sentai tokusatsu series Mahō Sentai Magiranger. It aired as part of the Jetix block on Toon Disney.
2016
Apatow Productions
- February 15 – Ready Jet Go! (PBS Kids, Two seasons, 67 episodes)
- February 16 – 11.22.63 (Hulu, One season, 8 episodes)
- February 17 – Fat Chance (TLC, One season, 8 episodes)
- February 19 – Love (Netflix, Three seasons, 34 episodes)
Ready Jet Go! was produced in association with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, teaching science and astronomy. The series originated from an idea originally titled Lenny and Nate, a show about two friends, that was pitched to Cartoon Network in the late 1990s. The concept was reworked years later to be educationally appropriate for PBS, with Lenny becoming Jet and Nate became Sean, both characters aged down from 13 to 10. The pilot was titled Jet Propulsion. PBS had no issues with anything produced for the first season, but Season 2 fell under the Ready-to-Learn Act, which brought new layers of oversight and meddling.
11.22.63 is based on the Stephen King novel 11/22/63. Jonathan Demme was originally attached to write, produce and direct the project but he withdrew after disagreements with King about what to include in the series. James Franco read the book and contacted King about the rights, and was told that JJ Abrams had already secured the rights. Franco wrote an essay about the book and his disappointment at not getting the rights, which was noticed by Abrams and soon after Franco was offered the lead role. He accepted under the condition that he could direct part of the series.
Netflix originally ordered two seasons of Love, but added a third season ahead of the Season 2 premiere. Gillian Jacobs, Paul Rust, Claudia O’Doherty, Chris Witaske, and Mike Mitchell starred.