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Hey.
Back to 1982/'83: Looking at the prime time listings for the Big 3 networks, it seems to me that they were all in a mode of playing it safe and not being very risky. Shows that had long since worn out their welcome with the greater audience were still on the air because they retained worthwhile followings. New shows that year were only permutations on existing thematics (examples: St. Elsewhere taking the drama/comedy/soaper mix of Hill Street Blues in another direction, prime time soaps in full swing, Cheers picking up where Taxi left off, The A-Team being just another Cannell action show, Magnum P.I., Remington Steele and Simon & Simon continuing the domination of private detective shows). With Fox Network still in the wings and the other new networks years away, there was little point in taking risks. The viewers seemed to be content and brand loyal and the networks were happy to reward some of it. So more of the same ruled the land.
Whereas today we have twice as many broadcast networks, and shows are expected to gain an audience immediately or they'll be cut and replaced with something else. Where the term "season" is losing its meaning because new shows are added almost every month! Where the network brass are getting schizoid trying to guess the tastes of an audience they don't seem to understand anymore. If they ever understood.
FP
Back to 1982/'83: Looking at the prime time listings for the Big 3 networks, it seems to me that they were all in a mode of playing it safe and not being very risky. Shows that had long since worn out their welcome with the greater audience were still on the air because they retained worthwhile followings. New shows that year were only permutations on existing thematics (examples: St. Elsewhere taking the drama/comedy/soaper mix of Hill Street Blues in another direction, prime time soaps in full swing, Cheers picking up where Taxi left off, The A-Team being just another Cannell action show, Magnum P.I., Remington Steele and Simon & Simon continuing the domination of private detective shows). With Fox Network still in the wings and the other new networks years away, there was little point in taking risks. The viewers seemed to be content and brand loyal and the networks were happy to reward some of it. So more of the same ruled the land.
Whereas today we have twice as many broadcast networks, and shows are expected to gain an audience immediately or they'll be cut and replaced with something else. Where the term "season" is losing its meaning because new shows are added almost every month! Where the network brass are getting schizoid trying to guess the tastes of an audience they don't seem to understand anymore. If they ever understood.
FP
