HBO
Only four new series premiered during the week of February 16 through the decades. A handful had short, multiple season runs and one had a short single season run despite its cult following. The shows do cover a lot of bases with a scripted drama, a sketch comedy, an animated comedy and a reality series. Let’s take a look and see if you remember any of these shows!
1950
- No new series premiered this week in 1950.
1960
- No new series premiered this week in 1960.
1970
- No new series premiered this week in 1970.
1980
- No new series premiered this week in 1980.
1990
- February 19 — Action drama Nasty Boys premieres on NBC. The series, which followed a pilot TV movie that aired in September 1989, was based on the real life North Las Vegas Police Department’s Narcotics Officers, known as the NTNB (North Town Narcotics Bureau). They were nicknamed the ‘Nasty Boys’ by the local drug dealers because of the unit’s black hooded uniforms. Producer Dick Wolf took notice and approached two of the officers, Jimmy Jackson and Larry Bradley, with the series idea. They agreed to provide stories to the writers, were technical advisors and acted in several episodes. The series starred Don Franklin, Benjamin Bratt, Craig Hurley, James Pax, Jeff Kaake, Dennis Franz, Nia Peeples and Sandy McPeak. The theme song was based on Janet Jackson’s ‘Nasty’ with new lyrics written to fit the show which was performed by Lisa Keith. The show developed a small cult following but the series was produced by Universal, at the time not owned by NBC which had begun producing its own shows and had renewed only a single non-NBC series that year. 13 episodes were produced and the show left the airwaves on July 20, 1990.
2000
- No new series premiered this week in 2000.
2010
- February 19 — Sketch comedy series Funny or Die Presents premieres on HBO. The series was created when HBO bought a stake in funnyordie.com and commissioned a 10-episode series. Each episode consisted of sketches of varying lengths as if they were being broadcast on a TV network called ‘The Funny or Die Network’ (FOD). Some sketches were mini-series, some shown in parts and some were one-offs. Steve Tom starred as the presenter Ed Haligan. Celebrities who appeared on various sketches included Malin Akerman, Rachel Harris, Ed Helms, Rob Huebel, Rob Riggle, Paul Scheer, David Koechner, Will Ferrell, Chris Parnell, Thomas Lennon, Zach Galifianakis, John C. Reilly, David Space, Zooey Deschanel, June Diane Raphael, Busy Philipps, Don Cheadle, Tim Meadows, Elijah Wood, Crispin Glover and Kristen Wiig. 22 episodes were produced over two seasons, and the show ended on March 18, 2011.
- February 19 — Animated series The Ricky Gervais Show premieres on HBO. The series is an animated version of the podcast and audiobooks of the same name which feature Gervais and Stephen Merchant with colleague Karl Pillkington. The series consists of past audio recordings of ‘pointless conversations’ with animation done in the style of classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons. 39 episodes were produced over three seasons. A fourth season with newly recorded audio was planned but shelved in June 2012. The show ended on July 13, 2012.
- February 21 — Reality series The Family Crews premieres on BET. The series follows the life of actor Terry Crews, his wife Rebecca and their family. 17 episodes were produced over two seasons. The show was last broadcast on May 15, 2011.
Did you or do you watch any of these show? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
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