This Day in TV History: Cheers premieres

What a great night of TV it was 40 years ago tonight! I am not talking about the series premiere of Star of the Family nor the second-season premiere of Joanie Loves Chachi. On September 30, 1982, NBC aired the first episode of one of our favorite television shows around here: Cheers!

We talked a lot about the show here and in many other spots on the podcast and here on the website. At some point we will discuss the classic sitcom's "later years," but today let's celebrate the beginning. 

For Your Batty Consideration: McMillan and Wife

After a failed attempt to get John Schuck on the podcast in Season 9, we delivered with McMillan and Wife, an NBC Mystery Wheel show that also features Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James. "Cop of the Year" is not only a great Schuckcase, but a solid example of the series in fine form (I called it my favorite of the series) and a story loaded with interesting performers.

Links:

Our podcast episode
Show notes and YT playlist

Anonymous Batty Insider says: "If John Schuck doesn't get some kind of Batty after the guys seemingly built an entire episode around him, I'll eat my Rewind Stubbs t-shirt! I've been talking about episode selection this Batty season, and this is an example of the series being helped by the choice of an exceptional installment. We'll see if it pays off for Mac and Wife at the ceremony."

For Your Batty Consideration: Kolchak the Night Stalker

Our good friend John Holm suggested we look at Kolchak the Night Stalker this season, and we enjoyed perusing the short-lived but fondly remembered cult series. In "Werewolf," intrepid reporter Carl Kolchak didn't have to do much digging to find the title creature; it shared a cruise ship with him! Unlike many of the podcast subjects, Kolchak is something neither of us really grew up watching, so it was a fun experience for us. 

OR WAS IT?

Yes. Yes, it was, very much so.

Links:

Our podcast episode
Show notes and YT playlist

Anonymous Batty Insider says: "Mike and Rick have given other shows a lot more praise this season, but they love Darren McGavin, and that alone makes Kolchak a Batty player. Throw in a colorful guest cast and a fun episode, and this could be a much bigger force than you might expect after hearing the episode."

This Day in TV History: A new beginning for Little House

40 years ago tonight, NBC took Little House in a new direction--nay, a new beginning, if you will.

Michael Lando stepped aside from his on-screen role for this ninth season, and the show became a Laura/Almonzo series. It didn't sustain the Little House ratings, and the show would end with a series of movies bringing back the rest of the family.

Here's a note from the 1982 TV Guide Fall Preview about the changes:

For Your Batty Consideration: High School U.S.A (1984)

This season's listener-voted episode was High School U.S.A., which beat out 3 other teen-centric 1980s TV movies, possibly due to its all-star cast. The movie blends the 'stars of the future" with the stars of, er, yesterday, throwing in a lot of familiar veteran TV faces. Our listeners knew what they were doing! This movie is a fun watch and gives us plenty to discuss on the podcast: Robots, cars, TEEN HIJINKS, and more!

Links:

Our podcast episode
Show notes and YT playlist

Anonymous Batty Insider says: "This one could be a big player at the Battys. It has potential in numerous categories, and the huge cast with all the familiar faces means it could really flood the acting categories. On the other hand, you could see a narrative with people thinking, oh, this already won just by being selected by the listeners. I don't know about that, but it's a possibility. I'd expect this to lead in nominations and maybe sneak in a few wins."

Top Ten #196

1) Fall: Call it fall, call it Autumn, call it whatever. To me it used to mean the arrival of the Fall Preview of TV Guide, Fall Preview specials of the networks, etc. You know--the important stuff that makes the end of summer palatable.

2) The Facts of Life Go to Paris: AND PARIS WAS NEVER THE SAME! The movie aired 40 years ago tonight on NBC, As a companion to our podcast episode on FOL, Mike took a close look at this effort. 

AND MIKE WAS NEVER THE SAME!

3) Barbara Walters: Happy 93rd birthday!

4) The Tonight Show: In an article about ill-fated Paul Reiser show There's Johnny, Aaron Barnhart says the Carson-hosted show "is still the most-watched program on Antenna TV."

5) Silver Spoons: There they were, face to face, a couple of silver spoons on this day in 1982 as the sitcom premiered. We talked about not one, but TWO episodes (not the pilot) right here.

6) Math Storytelling Day: Here's a simple story: Guy counts fancy fruitcakes, guy immediately falls butt over tea kettle.

7) Zorro: Reading Andy Mangels' RetroFan history of the franchise made me want to check out some of the Filmation cartoons. Also, the 1950s show finally hits Disney Plus in October.

8) Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin: Happy 70th birthday! It's a good excuse to post one of my favorite 80s wrestling clips. The way announcer Jim Ross exclaims, "Jesus!" cracked me up then and still gets me.

9) Rod Holcomb: Ken Levine's excellent Hollywood and Levine podcast featured a two-part interview with casting director John Levey, and in this week's episode, Levey gives significant props to our old buddy Rod Holcomb for shaping the early days of ER. Rod directed the Greatest American Hero episode we covered, the first Captain America TV movie, and probably more!

10) Henry Silva: R.I.P. to the veteran actor and apologies for not including him last week.

This Day in TV History: New beginnings that CBS hopes remind you of the past--September 24, 1982

40 years ago tonight, CBS had an interesting Friday night lineup. Leading it off at 8:00, The Dukes of Hazzard kicked off its fifth season with an episode called "The New Dukes." That's right, it was the debut of Coy and Vance, the Duke cousins!

The series was a huge hit for CBS in that time period, but the cousins, subbing for Bo and Luke after Tom Wopat and John Schneider had a protracted contract dispute with Warner Brothers, put a stop to that! The "real" Dukes returned late in the season and stuck around for the show's final (much-lower-rated) two seasons.

After the Dukes, CBS premiered Bring 'Em Back Alive, a period adventure show with Bruce Boxleitner. Everyone seems to remember Tales from the Gold Monkey, which had similar influences in the wake of Raiders of the Lost Ark's success, but this one is more obscure.