TV by the Decade :: Dec 29•Jan 4

Food Network

As we approach the beginning of a new decade, the number of new shows that premiered at the end of December can be counted on one hand, and appeared in only one year. But as we turn our calendars to 2020, we’ll also turn our TV calendars to the years of 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 to see what shows premiered during those years. Some you may remember, some may have been forgotten to time and some may still be on the air today. Let’s take a look as we head into the new year.

1959-60

No new series premiered this week in 1959-60.

1969-70

No new series premiered this week in 1969-70.

1979-80

January 4 — Action/police drama B.A.D. Cats premieres on ABC. Asher Brauner and Steve Hanks starred as former race car drivers Nick Donovan and Ocee James who joined the LAPD as part of the B.A.D. C.A.T., or Burglary Auto Detail Commercial Auto Thefts, squad, using their driving skills to run bad guys off the road instead of questioning them. Vic Morrow played Captain Nathan, who would chastise them publicly but encourage their unorthodox methods in private. LaWanda Page played bar owner Ma, with Jimmie Walker as Rodney, a former car thief trying to reform himself. The series also starred Michelle Pfieffer in one of her first acting roles as Officer Samantha Jensen who would lend a hand when a more feminine approach was needed. The series aired on Friday nights at 8:00 PM but was pulled from ABC’s schedule after the sixth episode on February 8, with four episodes remaining unaired.

1989-90

January 1 — HBO kicked off the new year with The Baby-Sitters Club, a TV adaptation of the popular children’s novel series of the same name. The cast included Meghan Andrews, Melissa Chasse, Avriel Hillman, Meghan Lahey, Nicole Leach, Jessica Prunell and Jeni F. Winslow. The series ran for a single season of 13 episodes, ending on March 26, 1990. The show was subsequently rerun on both the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.

1999-2000

No new series premiered this week in 1999-2000.

2009-10

December 29 — Reality series One Big Happy Family premieres on TLC. The show focused on an African-American family, the Coles, who reside in Indian Trail, North Carolina, and deals with their family life while attempting to lose weight with each family member weighing more than 330 pounds at the show’s premiere. Two seasons were produced with a six-episode first season and an 11-episode second season, however only four of the second seasons were broadcast. The last episode aired on August 3, 2010 after a two month hiatus.
December 29 — Reality series Private Chefs of Beverly Hills premieres on Food Network. The series followed six private chefs who are hired to prepare food for lavish parties and eccentic clientele in the Los Angeles area. A private chef firm not associated with the show sued the network to stop the second season premiere, claiming the idea was stolen from them. The second season premiere aired on October 12, 2010. In all, 14 episodes were aired over two seasons.
January 3 — Reality series Frank the Entertainer in a Basement Affair premieres on VH1, a dating show starring Frank ‘The Entertainer’ Maresca, who had been one of the potential suitors on I Love New York. He also appeared on I Love Money and I Love Money 2. In this variation on the dating show, the 15 bachelorettes lived with Frank and his parents (in a house down the street from their actual home). A single season of 11 episodes was produced and broadcast.
January 3 — Reality competition series Worst Cooks in America premieres on Food Network. The first season featured 12 recruits nominated by friends or family as the worst cooks in America, and are put through a culinary boot camp, trained on various cooking skills including knife cuts, baking, seasoning and preparation with one or two cooks eliminated each week. Two recruits from each team of six would face a final challenge to prepare a restaurant quality meal for three food critics with the winner receiving $25,000 (early seasons also included a Food Network cooking set as an additional prize). Chef Anne Burrell has been the main judge on all seasons, joined by Beau MacMillan (Season 1), Robert Irvine (Seasons 2 & 14), Bobby Flay (Seasons 3-5, 17-present), Tyler Florence (Seasons 6, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16), Rachael Ray (Season 7, 9-11), and Alton Brown (Season 18). Scott Conant appeared in a special Season 17 episode. The show’s 18th season will premiere on January 5, 2020. To date, 128 episodes have been broadcast.
January 4 — Canadian sitcom 18 to Life premieres on CBC. The series focused on Jessie Hill (Stacey Farber) and Tom Bellow (Michael Seater), a young couple who marry on a dare right out of high school. With the families living next door to each other, the marriage strains their adage of ‘good fences make good neighbors’. Jessie’s parents are free spirits who don’t believe in societal constraints, and have an Iraqi refugee living in their basement, while Tom’s parents are traditional sticklers for the rules. The couple settle in the attic suite of Tom’s family home as they try to balance college, work and just being newlyweds. The show is set in Montreal. American network ABC had originally been on board as a co-producer with CBC but dropped out. The pilot was filmed in 2008 with the rest of the first season shot in 2009. The CW showed interest in the series and began broadcasting the first season on August 3, 2010. Ratings were terrible with each broadcast losing more viewers and the network scrapping the show after six of its 12 episodes. The show did well enough for CBC and a second season was commissioned with 13 episodes, however the show was cancelled after the second season which broadcast its last episode on March 28, 2011.
January 4 — Reality series The Generations Project premieres on BYU TV. The series helps people who have questions about their family history investigate their own identities by uncovering the lives and stories of their ancestors. The series ran for three seasons, producing 38 episodes.