As the new television season approaches, the networks are placing their bets on highly-promoted new series. Viewers will pick their favorites in a matter of weeks, often hoping that executives will show patience as series often require time to develop large audiences. Three extremely popular programs ended their runs with the highest-rated finales ever: “M*A*S*H,” “Cheers” and “Seinfeld.” But this holy trinity demonstrated the benefit of patience as each struggled in their first season or longer. It is rare for a fall series to breakthrough from the first week but, in chronological order, here are eighteen memorable “gamechangers.” You’ll see many have ties to other success stories. Coincidentally, the first selection is being re-made for ABC this season so that is as good a place to start as any.
“Charlie’s Angels” (1976-1981, ABC): Back when hour series often began as pilot movies, Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith made ratings heaven as private detectives in the spring of 1976. When the series began that fall, it was an instant success that catapulted Farrah into super-stardom. Three women fighting crime was unimaginable to executives. One early episode, “Angels in Chains” (with the Angels undercover in a women’s prison) was so popular that it aired to big numbers three times that season. Of course, Farrah left after the first season and was ably replaced by her tv-sister Cheryl Ladd. But they never regained the heights of that first year.
“The Love Boat” (1977-1985, ABC): Again, ABC struck gold with a pilot movie for an hour of fantasy entertainment. But, in the case of the Pacific Princess cruise line, it took three pilots and the casting of a beloved actor from the departing hit “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (Gavin MacLeod) before it was ready for a weekly series. Once the ship left the port to exotic locales with numerous guest stars, viewers were quickly on board. By mid-season, supremacy had shifted from CBS to ABC after years of legendary television (most notably the 1973-1974 line-up of “All in the Family,” “M*A*S*H,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show” and “The Carol Burnett Show”). “The Love Boat” was quickly moved from 10:00 to a more visible 9:00 anchor (cough, cough) displacing then-hit “Starsky & Hutch.” What began as somewhat naughty fun eventually became a weekend getaway for the family. In the following season, it was joined by another successful pilot movie-turned-series, “Fantasy Island” and established a memorable Saturday line-up for the new generation.
“Soap” (1977-1981, ABC): This was the story of two sisters, Jessica Tate and Mary Campbell. But it was so much more as their families endured every conflict daytime drama had mined but now with hilarious results. Like the groundbreaking (ground-decimating?) “All in the Family” before it, this comedy was considered too adult for television by some. There were protests before it even aired. Whereas today’s controversy comes from edgy reality television, the first three years of this family circus came from one mind: writer/creator Susan Harris. Katherine Helmond, Richard Mulligan and current comedy icon Billy Crystal became television stars. Originally part of a blockbuster night of television (“Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Three’s Company,” “Soap” and “Family”), this first attempt at serialized comedy was moved to other nights for the remainder of its run. It foreshadowed today’s strategy of airing a serial without repeats (which aired in the summer). Its final attempt at innovation was airing its final episodes as a weekly one-hour series but the ratings had dropped. Unlike the growing trend of ending series with big finales, this series had multiple cliffhangers never to be resolved. (We did learn a few years later that Jessica had been murdered in the finale on series spin-off “Benson.”)
“Taxi” (1978-1983, ABC and NBC): Inheriting the Tuesday 9:30 slot when “Soap” moved to Thursdays, this workplace comedy held its own from executive producer James L. Brooks and staff from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” At a time where fantasy television was reaching new heights in pop culture, these cabbies were stuck in a thankless job with only their dreams keeping them going. During the heyday of “jiggle television,” this series was literally grounded with everyday struggles. However, you can only keep your feet on the ground for so long when comedian Andy Kaufman is in the cast. His wacky mechanic, Latka Gravas, brought an inventive zaniness to the garage. (Yes, in 1978, some of the biggest talents in comedy were on television, not film. Andy Kaufman, Danny DeVito, Billy Crystal and Robin Williams were all on ABC while over at NBC were the future movie stars on “Saturday Night Live.”) Any mention of “Taxi” has to acknowledge one of the longest audience laughs in television when the equally daffy Christopher Lloyd joined the cast in season two. Lloyd’s Reverend Jim took the funniest driver’s exam ever as he attempted to get his friends to help him cheat (“What do you do at a yellow light?” “Slow down.” “What — — .do — ..”). Despite much critical acclaim, time-slot changes wore the show’s popularity down leading ABC to cancel it in 1982 during the decline of the situation comedy. Danny DeVito brought the cast to “Saturday Night Live” for both their final bows and last gestures at ABC. NBC was then convinced to pick the series up as Paramount promised to bring its many gifted creators to the struggling network. “Taxi” went from its original high-concept pop-culture line-up with “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Three’s Company” and “Starsky & Hutch” on Tuesdays in 1978 to NBC’s proclaimed “Best Night of Television on Television” on Thursdays in 1982. Parked in a time-slot surrounded by the critical darlings “Fame,” “Hill Street Blues” and Paramount’s new series from “Taxi” alumni, “Cheers,” the series achieved a fifth season. It turned out to be the last as it followed “Cheers” which once placed last in the weekly ratings that first season. I still wonder if it had moved to the other network Paramount courted after ABC’s cancellation, HBO, whether there would have been more seasons on the meter. But it’s hard to imagine “Taxi” without Andy Kaufman who died the following year.
“Mork & Mindy” (1978-1982, ABC): Possibly the first series to originate at the request of a pre-teen, the character of Mork was introduced in an episode of “Happy Days” for executive producer Garry Marshall’s son who was a fan of “Star Wars.” Robin Williams was cast at the eleventh-hour as the spaceman from Ork and became a star the night it aired in 1978. It was a natural to spin-off Mork into his own series that made the fall schedule before there was a script or even a co-star. Pam Dawber was later hired after having appeared in a failed pilot for the network. Much like the rest of America, she spent the first season constantly surprised by the improvisational antics of Williams. But when the network shifted many of their series in the fall of 1979, “M&M” never recovered from a move to Sunday nights against “Archie Bunker’s Place.” The show also resorted to a more sci-fi approach and replaced supporting cast members with younger characters. A return to Thursday nights, as well as the restoration of original cast members Conrad Janis and Elizabeth Kerr, stabilized the show but it continued to struggle for two more years.
“Murder, She Wrote” (1984-1996, CBS): Carrying on the stature of the long-running “NBC Mystery Movie” but with a female lead, this series dominated Sunday nights. Sure, dead bodies seemed to fall every time Angela Lansbury entered a room but this drama bridged the era of the last days of the high-concept one-hour to the early years of the postmodern serialized drama. As mentioned, this done-in-one procedural kept the lights on as the genre flagged but nowadays, the lighter character-driven hour is back. Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher didn’t have the quirks of a Columbo or a Monk and somehow wasn’t public enemy number one for being surrounded by murders. Dozens of series were thrown against it (almost an annual attempt at a different program by NBC) and few scripted hour series have worked in that hour since. It wasn’t until CBS wanted the Sunday time period for a wider audience (Cybill Shepherd being the younger woman in this scenario) that “Murder” was moved to the death-slot against the second season of “Friends” in 1995. Youth won and it was the final season.
“The Cosby Show” (1984-1992, NBC): What can you say about the show that jumpstarted a genre, a network and the television career of a comedy favorite? The sitcom had been pronounced dead in 1984 but the Huxtables changed all that with its September 20 1984 premiere. The family comedy was back with a gentle vengeance and with it, the ascent of what would become Thursday night’s “Must-See TV.” Leading off a line-up of legendary “Family Ties,” “Cheers,” “Night Court” and “Hill Street Blues,” the comedy of Bill Cosby attracted huge audiences for free television just as the country was being wired for dozens of cable channels. The joke was that NBC now stood for “Nothing But Cosby.”
“The Golden Girls” (1985-1992, NBC): The Peacock followed up the success of “Cosby” with another blockbuster comedy that turned around another night. In this case it was Saturday nights and the quartet that brought a new generation to television. In this case, it was a rarely-seen older generation made universally identifiable by Susan Harris of the controversial comedy hit “Soap.” This wasn’t your grandmother’s social club as these ladies had much more colorful lives than this age group (or any group of women) had shown on television before. More amazingly, these veterans shifted the longtime ABC success lead by the once-youthful “Love Boat” to NBC that season. Countless configurations of four women telling tales during meals have followed, some of which very successful. Who would have foreseen that Betty White is arguably more famous now and starring in one of these shows?
“Roseanne” (1988-1997, ABC): Stand-up comedienne Roseanne Barr furthered the family sitcom revolution and eventually outrated “The Cosby Show.” Both shows tied for #1 in 1990 and were from the same production company: Carsey-Werner. Countering the upscale Huxtables with a struggling blue-collar perspective from Barr’s act, the Conners were a network staple for years. Unlike many television families that viewers dreamed of joining, this more honest portrayal reflected real-life domestic dynamics. Barr became an instant icon and character actor John Goodman still deserves an Emmy as her husband.
“Home Improvement” (1991-1999, ABC): Creator Matt Williams pulled off a three-peat having developed both “Cosby” and “Roseanne” by teaming up with stand-up Tim Allen. The series combined Allen’s alpha-male comedy with the rise of the fix-it cable show for a long-running family favorite. And like “Charlie’s Angels,” Tim Allen returns to ABC this fall.
“Frasier” (1993-2004, NBC): A hit series is one thing. A hit spin-off is another. A spin-off running eleven years just as your parent series “Cheers” did was nearly impossible. Unlike Dr. Crane’s first home, this spin-off started off as a monster hit as well as having won the Best Comedy Emmy for five consecutive years. Launched after “Seinfeld” on Thursday nights, “Frasier” helped begin a new era of NBC supremacy under the heading of “Must-See TV.” When the network moved the series to Tuesdays in its second season to blunt “Roseanne,” ABC blinked and flipped it with “Home Improvement” on Tuesdays instead. “Frasier” turned the lights on for NBC on Tuesday nights (before briefly inheriting the cherished Thursday at 9 slot once owned by “Cheers” and “Seinfeld”) and ended at the top of its game. Also of note, the entire cast remained for all eleven years.
“NYPD Blue” (1993-2005, ABC): Executive Producers Steven Bochco and David Milch took the iconic “Hill Street Blues” one step further closer to a cable drama. The series was protested before it even aired for its adult language and nudity but the audiences tuned in to find a top-quality production. Like “Cosby,” it resurrected a genre as the hour-long drama was dying at the time. (The dramas were selling so poorly in syndication that “Law & Order” was conceived with the expectation that it would be divided into half-hour reruns.) In the tradition of Farrah on “Charlie’s Angels,” star David Caruso became famous only to leave shortly after the first season. Jimmy Smits arrived for a long run followed by Rick Schroeder and Mark-Paul Gosselaar but unquestionably, Dennis Franz was the star. It remains the longest-running ABC drama.
“Friends” (1994-2004, NBC): The next piece in the Thursday “Must-See TV” puzzle came with this ensemble that combined the wit of “Cheers” and “Seinfeld” and a youthful perspective. Dozens of copycats followed but none captured the DNA producer/director James Burrows brought with him from the classic casts of “Taxi” and “Cheers.” Like Farrah, Jennifer Aniston made a haircut famous that first year. And as most great shows do when they re-invent themselves, the series found creative sparks that pulled viewers back in later seasons. But unlike the series that had to re-cast leads with new blood, this sextet stayed together both on-screen and in off-screen negotiations. The series remained fresh reinventing the already established relationships of the friends. In the days post 9/11, Central Perk became the home of comfort television. And when the series moved on in 2004, the finale was one more event night for fans of classic comedy.
“ER” (1994-2009, NBC): In the battle of critically-acclaimed Chicago hospital dramas on Thursday nights at 10 in the fall of 1994, “ER” quickly gave “Chicago Hope” its release papers. Just as Archie beat Mork in 1979 and Tim Allen was brought in to outsmart Frasier’s move that very season, this was another network game of chicken. In this case, the CBS eye was forced to blink as David E. Kelley’s “Chicago Hope” went on to modest acclaim, but quickly relocated to Monday nights. Michael Crichton’s unused feature about a first-year resident was undeniably an television juggernaut beginning with its 2-hour pilot. And, of course, this juggernaut lifted George Clooney from short-lived roles and failed pilots into the stratosphere. (Clooney’s rise being yet another parallel to Farrah was no coincidence. “ER” was the highest-rated drama series premiere since “Angels” way back in 1976!) Taking cues from “NYPD Blue” with more visceral storytelling, a medical drama could further raise the stakes with constant tales of life and death. As the modern era of great drama continued, Sherry Stringfield moved after the first season of “NYPD” to “ER.” The series inherited the mantle of the earlier decade’s great medical drama, “St. Elsewhere” but this hospital moved at a much faster speed for a modern audience. (Incidentally, Crichton’s original screenplay took place in Boston but was changed since the network didn’t want the same locale as “St. E.”) The series left a slew of conquered competitors in its path for over a decade. Flying in the face of the thrashing “ER” gave “Chicago Hope” in season one, ABC dared to launch its highly-anticipated Steven Bochco legal drama “Murder One” against season two. Do I really have to remind you what happened? Needless to say, that groundbreaking courtroom serial should be on this list if it weren’t for the series killer known as “ER.” An unbelievable fifteen-year run also demonstrated a new precedent for television as popular cast members would leave but the premise kept the series going. Longtime star Noah Wyle was the heart of the series but the hospital was the star.
“Two and a Half Men” (2003-?, CBS): With a lead-in powerhouse like “Everybody Loves Raymond,” this outrageous comedy had a lot going for it. Executive Producer/Co-Creator Chuck Lorre had worked on major hits “Roseanne,” “Grace Under Fire,” “Cybill” and “Dharma & Greg.” But neither the time period nor Lorre’s track record was a guarantee as both had experienced short-lived series. The combination of Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer echoed the classic characters of “The Odd Couple” and even Joey and Ross from “Friends.” (That would make Angus T. Jones an older counterpart to Ross’s son, Ben.) The storylines were much more adult (echoing Sheen’s personal history) than the many epic Monday night shows of CBS’s past and the dialogue often bordered cable standards. The night that was once home to Lucy, Kate, Allie, Murphy and the Sugarbakers had become decidedly younger and male, having begun with Raymond and the “King of Queens.” Moving into the prestigious 9:00 slot after “Raymond” bid farewell, the Men remained a top 20 series. Now, with the firing of Sheen and the casting of Ashton Kutcher, it remains to be seen if this reinvention will be a new era ala Kirstie Alley joining “Cheers” or the unraveling of a hit series like the departure of Rob Morrow before the end of “Northern Exposure.”
“Lost” (2004-2010, ABC): This is one island drama that could have very quickly been deserted by viewers. The influences of the film “Cast Away,” “Survivor” and even “Gilligan’s Island” were there but how long would an audience watch the survivors of a plane crash hopelessly await a rescue? It could have been a high-budget feature-quality adventure that wouldn’t survive the “pilot-itis” of a possibly limited premise. Then came the polar bears and the smoke monster. In the second episode, the series made the element of time not just an important storytelling device but a component of the show’s many mysteries. It was unlike anything on television. Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse defied expectations by multiplying the intrigue while not feeling tethered to answering everything. After seasons of building mythology that sometimes proved to prolong the revelations under their hats, the producers negotiated with the network to give the series an end-date. It can’t be underestimated how vital going out on your own terms can be for modern series. ABC realized the worth of the property and how eventizing the last season had more value than watching a show possibly fade away. Their focus on “Lost” was also there at the beginning in 2004 as the network chose to heavily promote two new series at the expense of others. “Lost” premiered to a large audience, only to be trumped in the top 10 by the other heavily-promoted series four days later:
“Desperate Housewives” (2004-2012, ABC): The recipe was perfect. ABC bought a clever female-skewing dramedy from a down-and-out veteran of “The Golden Girls,” executive producer/creator Marc Cherry. They cast it with familiar faces, some of whom had already made their names in nighttime soaps (Marcia Cross, Doug Savant, Nicollette Sheridan). And it was wisely scheduled on Sundays at 9 where fans of “Sex and the City” still had a void in their viewing schedules. It was later reported that show was so envied that NBC’s chairman Robert Wright investigated how this hit eluded his own network’s development team. The first season evoked the mysteries and twists of “Twin Peaks” without the supernatural underpinnings. The balance of sex, murder and comedy worked for a network that had few one-hour hits in the past 20 years. Although the first season finale unraveled the twists with satisfaction, the second season began a bumpy road of less-compelling mysteries and storylines that divided the neighbors who were always at their best in scenes together. Yet, the cast often lifted the material and viewers continued their relationship with the neighbors finding enjoyable moments even in the toughest years. Later additions such as Dana Delany, Neal McDonough and Vanessa Williams augmented the cast while others sometimes fragmented the series. It has been announced that this will be the last season and undoubtedly, an event will be made of the series finale. An element to its longevity was no doubt its consistent time period for its entire run, as well as the staying power of its four leads.
There have also been series that started off strong but didn’t really bolt into the zeitgeist until later in its first season such as “Miami Vice,” “L.A. Law,” “Ally McBeal” and “C.S.I.” Will any of the freshman class of 2011 join this list? At first glance, a reality show appears to be the one sure thing this fall: Fox’s “The X-Factor” reunites judges Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul of “American Idol.” Looking over these many long-time favorites of television past, you can see the larger-than-life characters and the prestige of hitmaking creators are essential. It looks easy to crack the code of creating a smash hit. But, as any programmer or creator can tell you, it is easier said than done.