Friday night death slot
Encyclopedia
The Friday night death slot is a perceived graveyard slot
in American
television, referring to the concept that a television program
in the United States
scheduled on Friday evenings is destined for imminent cancellation
.
The term possibly began as a reflection of certain shows' dominance of Friday night in the 1980s, which condemned to death any television show scheduled opposite those programs. Today it reflects the belief that Americans rarely watch TV on Friday or Saturday nights, as these days people (especially younger people) tend to leave home for other activities, thereby removing the most lucrative demographics for advertisers from the household.
on NBC
.
The second season of Star Trek aired on Fridays from 8:30–9:30 PM in the Eastern Time Zone. Though NBC discussed plans to move it to a 7:30–8:30 PM slot on Mondays in the mid-season schedule changes, that never occurred. After fans deluged NBC with a mail-in protest, producer Gene Roddenberry
stated that he was promised the same 8:30–9:30 time slot for Season 3, but on Monday instead of Friday. However, that would have meant Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
had to start a half-hour later (moving from 9:00 to 9:30). Laugh-In producer George Schlatter
saw no reason why his show, which was a ratings smash at the time, had to yield its slot to the poorly rated Star Trek, and he made no secret of his displeasure.
In the end, Roddenberry lost, and the Season 3 episodes of Star Trek aired at 10:00 PM Fridays. He never forgave NBC for moving the show to the Friday night slot, and made good on a threat to withdraw from personally producing the show. Others involved in running the show from behind the scenes demonstrated their frustration by departing. These, along with other factors, hastened Star Treks demise and helped ensure that there would be no fourth season.
While Schlatter may have won the battle, it was not without its costs. In protest against the treatment that Roddenberry and Star Trek received, Laugh-In cast members Judy Carne
, Goldie Hawn
, and Jo Anne Worley
all refused to renew their contracts when they expired in 1970 and resigned, causing Laugh-In to take a steep nosedive in the ratings and fall out of the Nielsen top 10.
In an echo of what happened with the original Star Trek, the prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise
was rescheduled from Wednesday to Friday nights on UPN
for its fourth season (2004–2005), which preceded its cancellation in February 2005.
Pink Lady and Jeff The 1980 variety show Pink Lady is an example of a show purposely moved to Friday nights to kill it off. The show featured the Japanese band Pink Lady
struggling through corny comedy and awkward English-language performances of disco hits (the duo spoke very little English). Though Jim Varney
was added to the cast to improve the show's comedic value, little else was done to improve the show's ratings when it moved to Friday night after a single episode. The show burned off the rest of its episodes in that time slot, and a variety show would not be seen again on NBC until 2008's Rosie Live
, which was canceled after one episode.
One of the shows aired during this use of the Friday night death slot, The Facts of Life
, moved out of the death slot and into a Wednesday night slot, replacing another NBC flop, Hello, Larry
. The Facts of Life jumped into the top 30 after the move. Both Hello, Larry and Pink Lady and Jeff are considered two of the worst television shows ever, and it marked a nadir in NBC's fortunes.
Southland The police drama Southland
premiered in spring 2009 following the series finale of ER
. Initially airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST
(ERs time slot for its entire run), the heavily-promoted series received strong reviews and performed well enough to receive a second season renewal. However, with Jay Leno's new talk show
also premiering that fall, and airing weeknights at 10 p.m., NBC moved Southland to Fridays at 9. The network eventually canceled the show in October 2009, two weeks before its second season premiere. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ieb794c2afa5545419de37914c2328d1a After its NBC cancellation, the show was picked up by cable network TNT
in January 2010 and is currently in its fourth season.
succeeded on Friday nights by creating a family-friendly block known as TGIF
("Thank Goodness It's Friday"/Funny) with sitcoms such as Family Matters, Step by Step, Full House
, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
, Boy Meets World
, and Perfect Strangers
.
By the late 1990s the majority of the TGIF shows had been canceled. Two of the shows, Family Matters and Step by Step, went to CBS to form the core of the CBS Block Party
, which itself was a failure (see below), but fractured the Friday night audience enough to cause further harm to the TGIF block. The TGIF brand was put to rest in 2000 after the cancellation of Boy Meets World and the departure of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, which moved to The WB
. The Hughleys
, which was part of TGIF, would be picked up by UPN
after cancellation.
It started in 1992 with the moving of longtime series to Saturday to make way for newer shows on TGIF Perfect Strangers
, Who's the Boss?
, and Growing Pains
Midseason replacement
Capitol Critters
was also moved to Saturday. All shows, including MacGyver
were canceled in spring 1992. Perfect Strangers was brought back for six episodes in summer 1993 to resolve all loose ends on the show.
A number of other shows were also moved to Saturdays and quickly canceled including Mr. Belvedere
, Twin Peaks
, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
, Where I Live
, George, Thea
, Coach
, and Just the Ten of Us
and The Norm Show
.
Both were relocated from Wednesday night, they were accompanied by the short-lived Madigan Men
and The Trouble With Normal
. All four shows would soon be canceled.
, but it was pulled after only three weeks. In the early-mid 2000s, ABC attempted to relaunch TGIF with shows such as Life with Bonnie
(during the 2003 season), George Lopez
(during the 2003 season) Less than Perfect
(during the 2004 season), 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter
(during the 2004 season) and Hope & Faith
, an effort that ended by 2004.
* Both Step by Step and Family Matters had previously been successful in ABC's Friday night lineup.
, first attempted to compete with ABC launching a comedy night in the fall of 1992 with The Golden Palace
(a spin-off
/continuation of NBC's The Golden Girls
)
Designing Women
A new sitcom from Bob Newhart
, Bob
This initial effort failed, and only Bob was renewed for the 1993–1994 season, only to end in December 1993.
by attempting to take away their viewers. They created the CBS Block Party
by giving a second life to such shows as:
In September 1997, they premiered in their original time slots, along with:
Meego
The block was a complete failure; ratings for the two former TGIF shows fell dramatically to the lowest point ever for either series. Moreover, the new shows failed to catch on with audiences, and by January 1998 all four shows, and the block as a whole, were canceled. CBS decided not to use the concept again, sticking to dramas from that point on.
* Canceled less than two months into its run.
ABC currently relies on reality television
programming to fill its Friday night time slots, such as Wife Swap
, Supernanny
, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
(which originally aired on Sunday nights until 2011), and Shark Tank
.
, which had a successful freshman year in the 2003–2004 season—and was even renewed unusually early, in January 2004, for the following fall season—was canceled after its second year.
In general, however, CBS has found ways, particularly in the last 15 years, to be at least somewhat more successful in the Friday night time slots than its broadcast competitors. Among the shows CBS has successfully aired in its Friday night lineup include:
comedy Evening Shade
was moved to Mondays, it would go on to run for four seasons. At the start of the 1996–97 season, Everybody Loves Raymond
started airing on Friday nights. After its debut, the show received low ratings; however, the network kept the show and after Bill Cosby
requested the show be moved to the Monday night timeslot after his show Cosby
, CBS moved the show from Fridays to Monday nights midway through the first season to boost ratings. Everybody Loves Raymond performed well over for nine seasons. The popular CBS show CSI
originally aired on Friday nights before being moved to Thursday nights months after its fall 2000 series premiere. It remained on Thursday nights until season 12, when it moved to Wednesday nights.
NBC also has had successes with shows performing better when moved to a different night. Knight Rider aired its first season on Friday nights before moving to Sunday nights for Seasons 2 and 3 before moving back to Fridays for its fourth and final season. Hunter struggled to find an audience in its first season before creator Stephen J. Cannell
convinced NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff
to give the show time to find its feet. The show was placed on hiatus until the spring of 1985, where it would be on Saturday nights for most of its seven-season run.
and Nickelodeon
, two cable networks primarily aimed at the pre-teen demographic, have both been actively competitive and successful with their Friday primetime shows and this is mostly due to the fact that both networks attract a much younger viewerbase than other broadcast and cable channels.
Disney Channel, which began running their original series on Fridays in 2002, has had many of its most popular original programs air on Friday night, including The Suite Life on Deck
, Wizards of Waverly Place
and Phineas & Ferb. Also from 1999 to 2009, Nickelodeon aired a block of animated series in the Friday primetime slot; in 2009, likely due to the success of Disney Channel's Friday night lineup, Nickelodeon began airing new episodes of some of their live-action sitcoms, such as iCarly
and Big Time Rush
, opposite those airing on Disney Channel. TeenNick
, Nickelodeon's older-skewing sister network, currently runs U-Pick with Stick, a block in which viewers vote on programming to air in the block (all choices are 1990s-oriented, due to the program being a part of The '90s Are All That
). If both Nickelodeon and Disney Channel air something new on the same night, then there are occasions where ratings will likely suffer.
.
The following are all examples of Fox shows that either started on Friday nights and lasted only a few episodes, or were moved to Friday nights, lost the battle for television ratings, and were eventually canceled.
In January 2011, the sci-fi drama Fringe
was moved into this slot from Thursdays. According to FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly, nearly half of Fringes viewership time shifts
the show to watch at their convinence, and that "if it does anywhere near what it did on Thursdays, we can glue that show to the schedule because it can be a big win for us". The FOX network created a promotion advertisement for Fringe that lampooned its reputation of the Friday night death slot prior to Fringes move. Despite encountering lower ratings after its move, Fringe was renewed for a fourth season.
The X-Files (1993–2002) At least one Fox show that premiered on Friday nights The X-Files
, eventually became a success in its time slot at 9 p.m. As TV Guide described it, the audiences, especially in the college-aged demographic, would watch the show just prior to heading-out for Friday evening movies or partying, and quickly grew from 6% to 10% household ratings during sweeps. Several other shows were paired with The X-Files, including The Adventures of Brisco County Jr, M.A.N.T.I.S., V.R.5, Strange Luck, and Sliders
, all of which were canceled by Fox. The show eventually moved to Sundays in 1996 ("Unruhe
" Sunday Oct 27), and another Chris Carter show Millennium
filled the empty timeslot at 9 p.m. In addition, America's Most Wanted
aired in the 8:00 p.m. time slot for 3 seasons from 1990 to 1993.
Friday Night SmackDown!, originally named SmackDown!, was first broadcast on UPN on Thursdays to compete with WCW Thunder
(eventually forcing Thunder to Wednesdays because of high ratings, before WCW
was ultimately purchased by Vince McMahon
in 2001). UPN moved the show to Friday nights in the United States on September 9, 2005, because of low ratings in its original Thursday night slot, and the show retained its Friday night time slot after moving to The CW. Upon its move to the "death slot," UPN/The CW Friday nights saw a substantial increase in ratings over UPN's movies and most of The WB's sitcoms. SmackDown! had also initially garnered even better ratings in the death slot than the ratings on its former Thursday night airings (after the merging of WCW with WWE in 2001). Despite this, The CW chose not to renew SmackDowns contract in 2008 due to the change of the demographic of the network's viewers, and the show moved to MyNetworkTV
that fall, eventually leaving network television altogether with a move to SyFy
in 2010.
was a popular country music series that aired on Saturday (later Monday) nights on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
. During the mid-1960s, the show was the most popular non-hockey program in Canada
. However, in 1968, CBC chose to move the show to Friday nights, the slot it had aired in in the late 1950s. The Jubilee was canceled at the end of that season, sparking outrage among its numerous fans and a revival effort in syndication that lasted until Messer's death in 1973. Such a "death slot" is not universal in Canada; The Littlest Hobo
had success on CTV
in the early 1980s, and CBC has had a block of satires including 22 Minutes
and Royal Canadian Air Farce
since the early 1990s.
In Germany SAT.1
is not using the Friday for intentionally wrecking programs. However Fun Freitag produced a spectacular series of failures. At the moment, the hours of comedy reruns have even more viewers (and shares) than The Oliver Pocher Show
, a first-run late-night talk show
currently airing at the end of the Friday prime time slot.
Graveyard slot
A graveyard slot is a time period in which a television audience is very small compared to other times of the day, and therefore broadcast programming is considered far less important. Graveyard slots are usually in the early morning hours of each day, when most people are asleep...
in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television, referring to the concept that a television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scheduled on Friday evenings is destined for imminent cancellation
Cancellation (television)
In television, cancellation refers to the termination of a program by a network, typically because of low viewership and/or unfavourable critical reviews. Another reason why television programs can be cancelled is to make room for new television programs...
.
The term possibly began as a reflection of certain shows' dominance of Friday night in the 1980s, which condemned to death any television show scheduled opposite those programs. Today it reflects the belief that Americans rarely watch TV on Friday or Saturday nights, as these days people (especially younger people) tend to leave home for other activities, thereby removing the most lucrative demographics for advertisers from the household.
NBC
The following shows were successful in the ratings until they were moved to Friday nights:| 1986 | The A-Team The A-Team The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by... |
Fifth and final season |
| 1985–1986 | Knight Rider | Fourth and final season |
| 1988-1989 | Highway To Heaven Highway to Heaven Highway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.- Season 1 :- Season 2 :- Season 3 :- Season 4 :- Season 5 :... |
Fifth and final season. The first four episodes were aired on Tuesday and the last nine episodes were aired on Friday during the summer as a mid-season replacement before ending its run. |
| 1991-1992 | Matlock Matlock (TV series) Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of attorney Ben Matlock. The show originally aired from September 23, 1986 to May 8, 1992 on NBC, where it replaced The A-Team, then from November 5, 1992 until May 7, 1995 on ABC.The show's format was similar... |
Final season on NBC (sixth season). Would move to ABC for its final three seasons. |
| 1994-1997 | Unsolved Mysteries Unsolved Mysteries Unsolved Mysteries is an American television program, hosted by Robert Stack, from 1987 until 2002, and later by Dennis Farina, starting in 2008... |
Final three seasons on NBC. Originally, the show ran on Wednesday Evenings for its first six seasons. CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of... would pick up the show shortly after it was cancelled by NBC, but aired it on Friday Evenings and thus, it only lasted for two seasons on that network. |
| 2003–2004 | Boomtown | Second and final season |
| 2003–2005 | Third Watch Third Watch Third Watch is an American television drama series which first aired on NBC from 1999 to 2005 for a total of 132 episodes, broadcast in 6 seasons of 22 episodes each.... |
Final two seasons |
| 2004–2005 | Medical Investigation Medical Investigation Medical Investigation was an American medical drama television series that began September 9, 2004, on NBC. It ran for 20 one-hour episodes before being cancelled in 2005... |
First and only season |
| 2006–2008 | Las Vegas Las Vegas (TV series) Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and... |
Final two seasons |
| 2010 | Outlaw Outlaw (TV series) Outlaw is an American television series that was aired on the NBC network. The one-hour courtroom drama stars Jimmy Smits as a Supreme Court Justice who resigns from the bench to start his own law firm, as a way to more directly promote the ends of justice... |
First and only season — out of the eight episodes produced, four aired in the Friday 10:00 PM slot while the other four aired on Saturdays. |
| 2011-2012 | Chuck Chuck (TV series) Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central... |
Fifth and final season, however, Chuck is notable in that it was announced to be the final season, meaning it is not technically a casualty of the FNDS. |
1960s: Star Trek vs. Laugh-In
One of the oldest and most famous examples of the start of the "Friday Death Slot" phenomenon started with the original Star TrekStar Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.
The second season of Star Trek aired on Fridays from 8:30–9:30 PM in the Eastern Time Zone. Though NBC discussed plans to move it to a 7:30–8:30 PM slot on Mondays in the mid-season schedule changes, that never occurred. After fans deluged NBC with a mail-in protest, producer Gene Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
stated that he was promised the same 8:30–9:30 time slot for Season 3, but on Monday instead of Friday. However, that would have meant Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
had to start a half-hour later (moving from 9:00 to 9:30). Laugh-In producer George Schlatter
George Schlatter
George Schlatter is an American television producer and director, best known for Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and founder of the American Comedy Awards....
saw no reason why his show, which was a ratings smash at the time, had to yield its slot to the poorly rated Star Trek, and he made no secret of his displeasure.
In the end, Roddenberry lost, and the Season 3 episodes of Star Trek aired at 10:00 PM Fridays. He never forgave NBC for moving the show to the Friday night slot, and made good on a threat to withdraw from personally producing the show. Others involved in running the show from behind the scenes demonstrated their frustration by departing. These, along with other factors, hastened Star Treks demise and helped ensure that there would be no fourth season.
While Schlatter may have won the battle, it was not without its costs. In protest against the treatment that Roddenberry and Star Trek received, Laugh-In cast members Judy Carne
Judy Carne
Judy Carne is an English actress best remembered for the phrase "Sock it to me!" on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.-Career:...
, Goldie Hawn
Goldie Hawn
Goldie Jeanne Hawn is an American actress, film director, producer, and occasional singer. Hawn is known for her roles in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Private Benjamin, Foul Play, Overboard, Bird on a Wire, Death Becomes Her, The First Wives Club, and Cactus Flower, for which she won the 1969...
, and Jo Anne Worley
Jo Anne Worley
Jo Anne Worley is an American actress. Her work covers television, films, theater, game shows, talk shows, commercials, and cartoons. She is best known for her work on the comedy-variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.-Biography:...
all refused to renew their contracts when they expired in 1970 and resigned, causing Laugh-In to take a steep nosedive in the ratings and fall out of the Nielsen top 10.
In an echo of what happened with the original Star Trek, the prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
was rescheduled from Wednesday to Friday nights on UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
for its fourth season (2004–2005), which preceded its cancellation in February 2005.
Pink Lady and Jeff The 1980 variety show Pink Lady is an example of a show purposely moved to Friday nights to kill it off. The show featured the Japanese band Pink Lady
Pink Lady (band)
is a Japanese female pop music duo of the late 1970s and early 1980s, featuring Mitsuyo Nemoto and Keiko Masuda...
struggling through corny comedy and awkward English-language performances of disco hits (the duo spoke very little English). Though Jim Varney
Jim Varney
James Albert "Jim" Varney, Jr. was an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, writer, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Ernest P...
was added to the cast to improve the show's comedic value, little else was done to improve the show's ratings when it moved to Friday night after a single episode. The show burned off the rest of its episodes in that time slot, and a variety show would not be seen again on NBC until 2008's Rosie Live
Rosie Live
Rosie Live is a variety show starring Rosie O'Donnell that aired November 26, 2008 live from New York's Little Shubert Theatre on NBC. The family friendly program contained singing, dancing, comedy routines and specialty acts...
, which was canceled after one episode.
One of the shows aired during this use of the Friday night death slot, The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life (TV series)
The Facts of Life is an American sitcom that originally ran on the NBC television network from August 24, 1979 to May 7, 1988. A spin-off of the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, the series' premise focused on Edna Garrett as she becomes a housemother at the fictional Eastland School, a prestigious...
, moved out of the death slot and into a Wednesday night slot, replacing another NBC flop, Hello, Larry
Hello, Larry
Hello, Larry is an American sitcom which aired on NBC from January 26, 1979, to April 30, 1980.-First season:Larry Alder is a radio talk show host who left Los Angeles after being divorced and moved to Portland, Oregon, with his two teenage daughters, Diane and...
. The Facts of Life jumped into the top 30 after the move. Both Hello, Larry and Pink Lady and Jeff are considered two of the worst television shows ever, and it marked a nadir in NBC's fortunes.
Southland The police drama Southland
Southland (TV series)
Southland is an American drama series created by writer Ann Biderman and produced by Warner Bros. Television. It premiered on NBC on April 9, 2009...
premiered in spring 2009 following the series finale of ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
. Initially airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
(ERs time slot for its entire run), the heavily-promoted series received strong reviews and performed well enough to receive a second season renewal. However, with Jay Leno's new talk show
The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show is an American comedy show created by and starring Jay Leno, that aired from September 14, 2009 to February 9, 2010 on NBC following the May 29, 2009 conclusion of Leno's first tenure as host of The Tonight Show...
also premiering that fall, and airing weeknights at 10 p.m., NBC moved Southland to Fridays at 9. The network eventually canceled the show in October 2009, two weeks before its second season premiere. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ieb794c2afa5545419de37914c2328d1a After its NBC cancellation, the show was picked up by cable network TNT
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
in January 2010 and is currently in its fourth season.
ABC
The following shows enjoyed success until they were moved to Friday nights:| 1970-1971 | That Girl That Girl That Girl is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971. It stars Marlo Thomas as the title character, Ann Marie, an aspiring actress, who had moved from her hometown of Brewster, New York to make it big in New York City... |
Fifth and final season. Series ended due to star Marlo Thomas Marlo Thomas Margaret Julia “Marlo” Thomas is an American actress, producer, and social activist known for her starring role on the TV series That Girl . She also serves as National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital... wanting to do other projects. |
| 1982-1983 | The Greatest American Hero The Greatest American Hero The Greatest American Hero is an American comedy-drama television series that aired for three seasons from 1981 to 1983 on ABC. Created by producer Stephen J. Cannell, it premiered as a two-hour movie pilot on March 18, 1981... |
Third and final season |
| 1985–1986 | Diff'rent Strokes Diff'rent Strokes Diff'rent Strokes is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from November 3, 1978 to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985 to March 7, 1986... |
Final season (and only season on ABC) |
| 1998-2001 | Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place Two Guys and a Girl Two Guys and a Girl is an American sitcom created by Kenny Schwartz and Danny Jacobson. It ran on ABC from March 10, 1998 to May 16, 2001. 81 episodes were transmitted over four seasons.... |
Fourth and final season |
| 1999-2001 | The Norm Show The Norm Show The Norm Show is an American television sitcom that ran from 1999 through 2001 on the ABC television network.-Synopsis:... |
Third and final season |
| 2003–2004 | Life with Bonnie Life With Bonnie Life with Bonnie is an ABC television sitcom that originally aired from 2002 to 2004. The show outlined the life of character Bonnie Malloy, who juggled her personal life and a TV talk show position. The series was created by Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake, and produced by Miss Hunt's company, Bob &... |
Second and final season |
| 2004–2005 | 8 Simple Rules 8 Simple Rules 8 Simple Rules is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 17, 2002, to April 15, 2005, with 76 episodes produced over three seasons. It is based on the self-improvement book of the same name. The show starred John Ritter until his death on September 11, 2003... |
Third and final season. Series moved to this slot after the death of star John Ritter John Ritter Jonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively... . |
| 2008 | Duel Duel (U.S. game show) Duel is an American game show hosted by Mike Greenberg that first aired from December 17 to December 23, 2007 on ABC. The show aired as a week-long six-episode tournament at 8:00 PM from Monday through Friday with the finale on Sunday.... |
Second and final season |
| 2009 | Surviving Suburbia Surviving Suburbia Surviving Suburbia is an American sitcom starring Bob Saget and Cynthia Stevenson that premiered on April 6, 2009 at 9:30PM Eastern/8:30PM Central on ABC. Surviving Suburbia aired its final episode at 8:30PM Eastern/7:30PM Central on August 7, 2009... |
First and only season. Show picked up by ABC after The CW canceled it before airing an episode. |
| 2009 | Ugly Betty Ugly Betty Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea... |
Fourth and final season; moved to Wednesday halfway through season. |
1990: "TGIF"
In the early 1990s, ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
succeeded on Friday nights by creating a family-friendly block known as TGIF
TGIF (ABC)
TGIF was the name of an American family-friendly prime time television programming block on the ABC network. The name comes from the initials of the popular phrase "Thank God It's Friday"...
("Thank Goodness It's Friday"/Funny) with sitcoms such as Family Matters, Step by Step, Full House
Full House
Full House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...
, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series)
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the same name.The show stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman, a teenager with magical powers, who lives with her aunts Hilda and Zelda , and their magical talking cat Salem...
, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from 1992 to 1997, starring Mark Curry and Holly Robinson. The show took place in Curry's hometown of Oakland, California. Hangin' with Mr. Cooper was produced by Jeff Franklin Productions, in association with...
, Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World is an American comedy-drama series that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, a kid from suburban Philadelphia who grows up from a young boy to a married man. The show aired for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000 on ABC, part of the...
, and Perfect Strangers
Perfect Strangers (TV series)
Perfect Strangers is an American sitcom that ran for eight seasons from March 25, 1986, to August 6, 1993, on the ABC television network. Created by Dale McRaven, the series chronicles the rocky coexistence of midwestern American Larry Appleton and his distant cousin from eastern Mediterranean...
.
By the late 1990s the majority of the TGIF shows had been canceled. Two of the shows, Family Matters and Step by Step, went to CBS to form the core of the CBS Block Party
CBS Block Party
CBS Block Party was a programming block that aired on the CBS television network during the 1997-1998 television season. The block was similar to, and was intended as direct competition to, ABC's TGIF lineup and aired on Friday nights from 8pm-10pm ET...
, which itself was a failure (see below), but fractured the Friday night audience enough to cause further harm to the TGIF block. The TGIF brand was put to rest in 2000 after the cancellation of Boy Meets World and the departure of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, which moved to The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
. The Hughleys
The Hughleys
The Hughleys is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 22, 1998 to April 28, 2000 and on the UPN network from September 11, 2000 to May 20, 2002. It starred comedian D. L...
, which was part of TGIF, would be picked up by UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
after cancellation.
1992:
I Love Saturday Night on ABC dumping ground Originally, ABC's I Love Saturday Night concept was an unsuccessful attempt to capitalize on the popularity of TGIF and heavy promotion of the lineup was done during TGIF and other popular nights on the network.It started in 1992 with the moving of longtime series to Saturday to make way for newer shows on TGIF Perfect Strangers
Perfect Strangers (TV series)
Perfect Strangers is an American sitcom that ran for eight seasons from March 25, 1986, to August 6, 1993, on the ABC television network. Created by Dale McRaven, the series chronicles the rocky coexistence of midwestern American Larry Appleton and his distant cousin from eastern Mediterranean...
, Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss? is an American sitcom created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, which aired on ABC from September 20, 1984 to April 25, 1992...
, and Growing Pains
Growing Pains
Growing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
Midseason replacement
Midseason replacement
In American and Canadian television, a midseason replacement is a television series that premieres in the second half of the traditional television season, usually between January and May...
Capitol Critters
Capitol Critters
Capitol Critters is an animated television series about the lives of mice, rats, and roaches who reside in the basement and walls of the White House in Washington, D.C...
was also moved to Saturday. All shows, including MacGyver
MacGyver
MacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry Winkler and John Rich were the executive producers. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC in the United States and various other networks abroad from 1985 to 1992. The series was filmed in Los Angeles...
were canceled in spring 1992. Perfect Strangers was brought back for six episodes in summer 1993 to resolve all loose ends on the show.
A number of other shows were also moved to Saturdays and quickly canceled including Mr. Belvedere
Mr. Belvedere
Mr. Belvedere is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from March 15, 1985, until July 8, 1990. The series was based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel Belvedere, which was later adapted into the 1948 film Sitting Pretty...
, Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
, Where I Live
Where I Live
Where I Live is an American sitcom that premiered in 1993 as part of ABC's TGIF lineup. The series was created and executive produced by Michael Jacobs and Ehrich Van Lowe.-Synopsis:...
, George, Thea
Thea (TV series)
Thea is an American sitcom that premiered September 3, 1993 on ABC, and last aired on February 14, 1994, for a total of 19 episodes. Starring comedienne Thea Vidale, the series marked the first time an African American female comedienne was the star of a series named after her.-Synopsis:Thea Vidale...
, Coach
Coach (TV series)
Coach is an American television sitcom that aired for nine seasons on ABC from 1989 to 1997. The series starred Craig T. Nelson as Hayden Fox, head coach of the fictional Division I-A college football team, the Minnesota State University Screaming Eagles...
, and Just the Ten of Us
Just the Ten of Us
Just the Ten of Us is an American sitcom starring stand-up comedian Bill Kirchenbauer as Coach Graham Lubbock, a teacher and the head of a large Catholic family with eight children living in Eureka, California. The series was a spin-off of Growing Pains, in which Kirchenbauer portrayed the same...
2000
In the fall of 2000, ABC attempted an older skewing comedy block featuring Two Guys, A Girl and A Pizza PlaceTwo Guys and a Girl
Two Guys and a Girl is an American sitcom created by Kenny Schwartz and Danny Jacobson. It ran on ABC from March 10, 1998 to May 16, 2001. 81 episodes were transmitted over four seasons....
and The Norm Show
The Norm Show
The Norm Show is an American television sitcom that ran from 1999 through 2001 on the ABC television network.-Synopsis:...
.
Both were relocated from Wednesday night, they were accompanied by the short-lived Madigan Men
Madigan Men
Madigan Men is an American television comedy that premiered on ABC in the U.S. on October 6, 2000. The show performed poorly in the ratings and among critics and was canceled on December 18, 2000.-Cast:*Gabriel Byrne as Ben Madigan...
and The Trouble With Normal
The Trouble With Normal
The Trouble With Normal is an American comedy series that originally aired on ABC in October 2000. The show starred David Krumholtz, Brad Raider, Jon Cryer, Larry Joe Campbell, and Paget Brewster...
. All four shows would soon be canceled.
2001
In 2001, ABC attempted to fill the slot with the reality show The MoleThe Mole (U.S. Season 2)
The Mole: The Next Betrayal was the second season of the American version of The Mole produced by Stone Stanley Entertainment. The second season featured a team of 14 players, one of whom was the Mole.The season debuted in September 2001 on Friday nights on ABC...
, but it was pulled after only three weeks. In the early-mid 2000s, ABC attempted to relaunch TGIF with shows such as Life with Bonnie
Life With Bonnie
Life with Bonnie is an ABC television sitcom that originally aired from 2002 to 2004. The show outlined the life of character Bonnie Malloy, who juggled her personal life and a TV talk show position. The series was created by Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake, and produced by Miss Hunt's company, Bob &...
(during the 2003 season), George Lopez
George Lopez (TV series)
"The George Lopez Show" redirects here. For the late-night program hosted by the same comedian, see Lopez Tonight.George Lopez is an American sitcom starring comedian George Lopez...
(during the 2003 season) Less than Perfect
Less Than Perfect
Less Than Perfect is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from October 1, 2002, to June 6, 2006. The show was about a young female office employee and her co-workers...
(during the 2004 season), 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter
8 Simple Rules
8 Simple Rules is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 17, 2002, to April 15, 2005, with 76 episodes produced over three seasons. It is based on the self-improvement book of the same name. The show starred John Ritter until his death on September 11, 2003...
(during the 2004 season) and Hope & Faith
Hope & Faith
Hope & Faith is an American sitcom that aired for three seasons on ABC from September 26, 2003, to May 2, 2006. For its first two seasons the show was part of a revived TGIF comedy block....
, an effort that ended by 2004.
CBS
The following shows were successful until moved to Friday nights:| 1969–1970 | Get Smart Get Smart Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirizes the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams , Barbara Feldon , and Edward Platt... |
Fifth and final season (also the only season to air on CBS) |
| 1986–1987 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King Scarecrow and Mrs. King Scarecrow and Mrs. King is an American television series that aired from October 3, 1983, to May 28, 1987 on CBS. The show starred Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner as divorced housewife Amanda King and top-level "Agency" operative Lee Stetson who begin a strange association, and eventual romance,... |
Fourth and final season |
| 1992–1993 | Major Dad Major Dad Major Dad is an American sitcom created by Richard C. Okie and John G. Stephens that originally ran from 1989 to 1993 on CBS, starring Gerald McRaney as Major John D. MacGillis and Shanna Reed as his wife Polly... |
Fourth and final season |
| 1992–1993 | Designing Women Designing Women Designing Women is an American television sitcom that centered on the working and personal lives of four Southern women and one man in an interior design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. It aired on the CBS television network from September 29, 1986 until May 24, 1993. The show was created by head writer... |
Seventh and final season |
| 1997–1998 | Step by Step* | Seventh and final season (also the only season to air on CBS) |
| 1997–1998 | Family Matters* | Ninth and final season (also the only season to air on CBS) |
| 2003–2005 | JAG JAG (TV series) JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions... |
Seasons 9 and 10, final two seasons |
| 2009–2011 | Medium Medium (TV series) Medium is an American television drama series that premiered on NBC on January 3, 2005, and ended on CBS on January 21, 2011. Themed on supernatural gifts, its lead character, Allison DuBois , is a medium employed as a consultant for the Phoenix, Arizona district attorney's office... |
Seasons 6 and 7, final two seasons (also only two seasons on CBS) |
| 2010–2011 | The Defenders The Defenders (2010 TV series) The Defenders is a 2010 American legal comedy-drama that was ordered to series by CBS for the 2010–11 television season. The series originally ran from September 22, 2010 to March 11, 2011.... |
Moved to Friday nights midway through its first and only season |
1990s
In an effort to revive Friday night television in the 1990s, CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, first attempted to compete with ABC launching a comedy night in the fall of 1992 with The Golden Palace
The Golden Palace
The Golden Palace is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 18, 1992, to May 14, 1993. The show was a spin-off and continuation of the sitcom The Golden Girls....
(a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
/continuation of NBC's The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
)
- Monday-night Top-10 hits:
Major Dad
Major Dad is an American sitcom created by Richard C. Okie and John G. Stephens that originally ran from 1989 to 1993 on CBS, starring Gerald McRaney as Major John D. MacGillis and Shanna Reed as his wife Polly...
Designing Women
Designing Women is an American television sitcom that centered on the working and personal lives of four Southern women and one man in an interior design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. It aired on the CBS television network from September 29, 1986 until May 24, 1993. The show was created by head writer...
Bob Newhart
George Robert Newhart , known professionally as Bob Newhart, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Noted for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery, Newhart came to prominence in the 1960s when his album of comedic monologues The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was a worldwide...
,
Bob (TV series)
Bob is an American television situation comedy starring Bob Newhart. It was the actor's third series for CBS and proved to be far less successful than The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, his previous outings with the network. It lasted a season and a half, running from September 18, 1992 until...
This initial effort failed, and only Bob was renewed for the 1993–1994 season, only to end in December 1993.
1997
In the fall of 1997, CBS tried to capitalize off the cancellations of Friday night programs on rival ABCTGIF (ABC)
TGIF was the name of an American family-friendly prime time television programming block on the ABC network. The name comes from the initials of the popular phrase "Thank God It's Friday"...
by attempting to take away their viewers. They created the CBS Block Party
CBS Block Party
CBS Block Party was a programming block that aired on the CBS television network during the 1997-1998 television season. The block was similar to, and was intended as direct competition to, ABC's TGIF lineup and aired on Friday nights from 8pm-10pm ET...
by giving a second life to such shows as:
In September 1997, they premiered in their original time slots, along with:
Gregory Hines
Gregory Oliver Hines was an American actor, singer, dancer and choreographer.-Early years:Born in New York City, Hines and his older brother Maurice started dancing at an early age, studying with choreographer Henry LeTang...
Meego
The block was a complete failure; ratings for the two former TGIF shows fell dramatically to the lowest point ever for either series. Moreover, the new shows failed to catch on with audiences, and by January 1998 all four shows, and the block as a whole, were canceled. CBS decided not to use the concept again, sticking to dramas from that point on.
Miscellaneous Friday night failures
Other Friday night failures include:- The New Twilight Zone (which was successful for about five weeks but lost steam by the end of its run)
- Robbery Homicide DivisionRobbery Homicide DivisionRobbery Homicide Division was an American police procedural television series on CBS, created by Barry Schindel with executive producer Michael Mann.-Premise:...
- Close to Home
- MoonlightMoonlight (TV series)Moonlight was an American paranormal romance television drama created by Ron Koslow and Trevor Munson, who was also executive producer for all episodes with Joel Silver, Gerard Bocaccio, Gabrielle Stanton and Harry Werksman. The series follows private investigator Mick St...
- Dr. VegasDr. VegasDr. Vegas is a television drama starring Rob Lowe and Joe Pantoliano that ran on CBS in 2004. It aired in Ireland on TG4, and on Challenge in the UK as part of its "Player" gambling strand. In Slovakia, Markíza began airing the show on February 20, 2008....
* - SwingtownSwingtownSwingtown was an American television series created by Mike Kelley as a summer replacement series for CBS. The show was a period and relationship drama about the impact of sexual and social liberation in 1970s American suburban households, with story arcs involving open marriages and key...
- The Ex List *
- Miami Medical
- CHAOSChaos (TV series)CHAOS is an American television series for the CBS network. The one-hour comedic drama premiered on April 1, 2011, as a midseason replacement for The Defenders.-Premise:...
* - A Gifted ManA Gifted ManA Gifted Man is an American television series, which premiered on CBS on September 23, 2011. The series is about a talented but self-absorbed surgeon who starts questioning his purpose in life when he is visited by the spirit of his deceased ex-wife...
The CW
The following shows were successful until they moved to Friday nights:| 2008–2009 | Everybody Hates Chris Everybody Hates Chris Everybody Hates Chris is an African American television period sitcom inspired by the teenage experiences of comedian Chris Rock , while growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York . The show is set from 1982 to 1987; however, Rock himself was a teenager during years... |
Fourth and final season |
| 2008–2009 | The Game | Third and final season on The CW (currently running Tuesday evenings on BET Black Entertainment Television Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its... ) |
Exceptions to the rule
Some shows scheduled on Friday nights have been successful as an exception to the rule.ABC
| 1969–1974 | The Brady Bunch The Brady Bunch The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family... |
| 1970–1974 | The Partridge Family The Partridge Family The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup... |
| 1971-1974 | The Odd Couple The Odd Couple (TV series) The Odd Couple is a television situation comedy broadcast from September 24, 1970 to July 4, 1975 on ABC. It starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison. It was based upon the play of the same name, which was written by Neil Simon.Felix and Oscar are two divorced men.... |
| 1971-1974 | Room 222 Room 222 Room 222 is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television. The series aired on ABC from September 17, 1969, to January 11, 1974, for 112 episodes... |
| 1975–1977 | Wonder Woman Wonder Woman (TV series) Wonder Woman is an American television series based on the DC Comics comic book superhero of the same name. Starring Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and Lyle Waggoner as Steve Trevor, the show originally aired from 1975 to 1979.... |
| 1978–present | 20/20 (On Fridays since 1987) |
| 1980-1986 | Benson Benson (TV series) Benson is an American television sitcom which aired from September 13, 1979, to April 19, 1986, on ABC. The series was a spin-off from the soap opera parody Soap ; however, Benson discarded the... |
| 1983-1987 | Webster Webster (TV series) Webster is an American situation comedy that premiered on ABC on September 16, 1983, and ran on that network until September 11, 1987, but continued in first-run syndication until 1989... |
| 1985–1990 | Mr. Belvedere Mr. Belvedere Mr. Belvedere is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from March 15, 1985, until July 8, 1990. The series was based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel Belvedere, which was later adapted into the 1948 film Sitting Pretty... |
| 1987–1995 Pre-time slot move |
Full House Full House Full House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and... |
| 1989–1997 Final Season on CBS |
Family Matters |
| 1991–1997 Final Season on CBS |
Step by Step |
| 1992–1997 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Hangin' with Mr. Cooper is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from 1992 to 1997, starring Mark Curry and Holly Robinson. The show took place in Curry's hometown of Oakland, California. Hangin' with Mr. Cooper was produced by Jeff Franklin Productions, in association with... |
| 1993–2000 | Boy Meets World Boy Meets World Boy Meets World is an American comedy-drama series that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, a kid from suburban Philadelphia who grows up from a young boy to a married man. The show aired for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000 on ABC, part of the... |
| 1996–2003 pre–WB move |
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series) Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the same name.The show stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman, a teenager with magical powers, who lives with her aunts Hilda and Zelda , and their magical talking cat Salem... |
ABC currently relies on reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
programming to fill its Friday night time slots, such as Wife Swap
Wife Swap
Wife Swap is a reality television program, originally produced by UK independent television production company RDF Media and created by Stephen Lambert. It was first broadcast in 2003 on the UK's Channel 4. Since 2004, a US version has also been broadcast on the ABC network...
, Supernanny
Supernanny
Supernanny is a reality TV programme which originated in the United Kingdom about parents struggling with their children's behaviour. The UK version has aired on Channel 4 with E4 showing repeats since 2004. The program returned in 2010...
, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality television series providing home renovations for less fortunate families and community schools etc...
(which originally aired on Sunday nights until 2011), and Shark Tank
Shark tank
Shark tanks may be found in a number of large aquaria.The term “Shark Tank” also can refer to:* HP Pavilion at San Jose, an indoor arena in California* Shark Tank...
.
CBS
The phenomenon is now seen in regard to other original programming on CBS as well. Joan of ArcadiaJoan of Arcadia
Joan of Arcadia is an American television fantasy/family drama telling the story of teenager Joan Girardi , who sees and speaks with God and performs tasks she is given. The series originally aired on Fridays, 8-9 p.m...
, which had a successful freshman year in the 2003–2004 season—and was even renewed unusually early, in January 2004, for the following fall season—was canceled after its second year.
In general, however, CBS has found ways, particularly in the last 15 years, to be at least somewhat more successful in the Friday night time slots than its broadcast competitors. Among the shows CBS has successfully aired in its Friday night lineup include:
| 1964-1966; 1967-1969 | Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.The show renders the title as Gomer Pyle - USMC. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show, and the pilot was aired as the finale of the fourth season of The Andy... |
| 1965-1967; 1969-1970 | Hogan's Heroes Hogan's Heroes Hogan's Heroes is an American television sitcom that ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to March 28, 1971, on the CBS network. The show was set in a German prisoner of war camp during the Second World War. Bob Crane had the starring role as Colonel Robert E... |
| 1977–1979 | Wonder Woman Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986.... |
| 1978–1982 | The Incredible Hulk |
| 1978–1991 | Dallas Dallas (TV series) Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing... |
| 1979–1985 | The Dukes of Hazzard The Dukes of Hazzard The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard... |
| 1981–1990 | Falcon Crest Falcon Crest Falcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced.... |
| 1992–1996 | Picket Fences Picket Fences Picket Fences is a 60-minute American television drama about the residents of the fictional town of Rome, Wisconsin, created and produced by David E. Kelley. The show initially ran from September 18, 1992, to June 26, 1996, on the CBS television network in the United States... |
| 1996–2001 | Nash Bridges Nash Bridges Nash Bridges is an American television police drama created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit. The show ran for six seasons on CBS from March 29, 1996 to May 4, 2001 with a total of... |
| 2003–2008 | The Price Is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular |
| 2004— | CSI: NY CSI: NY CSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes... (moved to Friday night in Season 7) |
| 2005–2010 | Numb3rs NUMB3RS Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes... |
| 2005–2010 | Ghost Whisperer Ghost Whisperer Ghost Whisperer is an American television supernatural drama, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005 to May 21, 2010.The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon , who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts... |
| 2008—2011 | Flashpoint Flashpoint (TV series) Flashpoint is a Canadian police drama television series that debuted on July 11, 2008, on CTV in Canada and ran on CBS in the United States for its first three and a half seasons. In 2011, Ion Television began airing new episodes of the series in the United States... (moved to ION for Season 4) |
| 2010–present | Blue Bloods Blue Bloods (TV series) Blue Bloods is an American police procedural/drama series on CBS, filmed on location in New York City. The show premiered on September 24, 2010, with episodes airing on Fridays at 10:00 pm Eastern and Pacific/9:00 PM Central and Mountain.... |
NBC
| 1972–1977 | Sanford and Son Sanford and Son Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977.... |
| 1974-1976 | Police Woman Police Woman (TV series) Police Woman is an American television police drama starring Angie Dickinson that ran on NBC for four seasons, from September 13, 1974, to March 29, 1978.-Synopsis:... (moved to Tuesday night in Season 3) |
| 1974-1978 | Chico and the Man Chico and the Man Chico and the Man is an American sitcom which ran on NBC for four seasons, from September 13, 1974 to July 21, 1978. It stars Jack Albertson as Ed Brown , the cantankerous owner of a run down garage in an East Los Angeles barrio, and Freddie Prinze as Chico Rodriguez, an upbeat, optimistic Chicano... |
| 1974-1980 | The Rockford Files The Rockford Files The Rockford Files is an American television drama series which aired on the NBC network between September 13, 1974 and January 10, 1980. It has remained in regular syndication to the present day. The show stars James Garner as Los Angeles-based private investigator Jim Rockford and features Noah... |
| 1984–1989 | Miami Vice Miami Vice Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989... |
| 1993–1999 | Homicide: Life on the Street Homicide: Life on the Street Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale... |
| 1999–2002 | Providence Providence (TV series) Providence is an American drama series that aired on NBC starring Melina Kanakaredes. The show ran for five seasons from January 8, 1999 until December 20, 2002.-Synopsis:The show revolves around Dr... |
| 1999–2003 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced... (moved to Tuesday night in Season 5) |
| 2003–2008 | Las Vegas Las Vegas (TV series) Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and... (moved to Friday night in the middle of Season 3) |
| 2007-2011 | Friday Night Lights Friday Night Lights (TV series) Friday Night Lights is an American sports drama television series adapted by Peter Berg, Brian Grazer and David Nevins from a book and film of the same name. The series details events surrounding a high school football team based in fictional Dillon, Texas, with particular focus given to team... (Was also aired on DirecTV DirecTV DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ... 's The 101 Network.) |
FOX
| 2010-present | Kitchen Nightmares Kitchen Nightmares Kitchen Nightmares is an American reality television series broadcast on the Fox network, in which Chef Gordon Ramsay spends a week with a failing restaurant in an attempt to revive the business. It is based on the British show Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. The show is produced by ITV Studios... (moved to Friday night in the middle of Season 3) |
The WB/UPN/The CW
| 2000–2003 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series) Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the same name.The show stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman, a teenager with magical powers, who lives with her aunts Hilda and Zelda , and their magical talking cat Salem... |
Moved from ABC American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948... |
| 2001–2007 | Reba Reba (TV series) Reba is an American sitcom starring Reba McEntire, which ran from 2001 to 2007. For the show's first five seasons, it ran on The WB, with the show transitioning to The CW in its last year.-Synopsis:... |
|
| 2001-2004 | UPN Movie Friday | |
| 2002–2006 | What I Like About You What I Like About You (TV series) What I Like About You is an American television sitcom set mainly in New York City, following the lives of two sisters, Valerie Tyler and Holly Tyler . The series ran on The WB Television Network from September 20, 2002, to March 24, 2006, with a total of 86 episodes produced... |
|
| 2003–2005 | Grounded for Life Grounded for Life Grounded for Life is an American television sitcom that debuted on January 10, 2001 as a mid-season replacement on the FOX Network. It was created by Mike Schiff and Bill Martin. It ran for two seasons on the network until being cancelled only two episodes into its third season... |
Moved from FOX Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the... |
| 2006–2008 | WWE Friday Night SmackDown | Moved to MyNetwork TV, then to Syfy Syfy Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a... |
| 2009–2011 | Smallville Smallville Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross... |
Last two seasons |
| 2010-present | Supernatural Supernatural (TV series) Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they... |
Successes post–Friday nights
CBS has experienced successes with shows performing better when moved to a different night. During the 1990–91 season when the struggling Burt ReynoldsBurt Reynolds
Burton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
comedy Evening Shade
Evening Shade
Evening Shade was an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from 1990 to 1994. The series starred Burt Reynolds as Wood Newton, an ex-professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who returns to rural Evening Shade, Arkansas to coach a high school football team with a long...
was moved to Mondays, it would go on to run for four seasons. At the start of the 1996–97 season, Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
started airing on Friday nights. After its debut, the show received low ratings; however, the network kept the show and after Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
requested the show be moved to the Monday night timeslot after his show Cosby
Cosby
Cosby is a situation comedy television series broadcast on CBS from September 16, 1996 to April 28, 2000, loosely based on the British sitcom One Foot in the Grave. The program starred Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashād...
, CBS moved the show from Fridays to Monday nights midway through the first season to boost ratings. Everybody Loves Raymond performed well over for nine seasons. The popular CBS show CSI
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
originally aired on Friday nights before being moved to Thursday nights months after its fall 2000 series premiere. It remained on Thursday nights until season 12, when it moved to Wednesday nights.
NBC also has had successes with shows performing better when moved to a different night. Knight Rider aired its first season on Friday nights before moving to Sunday nights for Seasons 2 and 3 before moving back to Fridays for its fourth and final season. Hunter struggled to find an audience in its first season before creator Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist and occasional actor, and the founder of Stephen J. Cannell Productions.-Early life:...
convinced NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff
Brandon Tartikoff
Brandon Tartikoff was a television executive who was credited with turning around NBC's low prime time reputation with such hit series as Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, ALF, Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, Miami Vice, The Golden Girls, Knight Rider, The A-Team, St...
to give the show time to find its feet. The show was placed on hiatus until the spring of 1985, where it would be on Saturday nights for most of its seven-season run.
Cable television
Several cable television networks continue to program first-run episodes of their original programs on Friday nights, and some have achieved success with these shows, despite the Friday night time slot. In particular, Disney ChannelDisney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
and Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
, two cable networks primarily aimed at the pre-teen demographic, have both been actively competitive and successful with their Friday primetime shows and this is mostly due to the fact that both networks attract a much younger viewerbase than other broadcast and cable channels.
Disney Channel, which began running their original series on Fridays in 2002, has had many of its most popular original programs air on Friday night, including The Suite Life on Deck
The Suite Life on Deck
The Suite Life on Deck is an American sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody...
, Wizards of Waverly Place
Wizards of Waverly Place
Wizards of Waverly Place is a Disney Channel Original Series that premiered on October 12, 2007. It won "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009...
and Phineas & Ferb. Also from 1999 to 2009, Nickelodeon aired a block of animated series in the Friday primetime slot; in 2009, likely due to the success of Disney Channel's Friday night lineup, Nickelodeon began airing new episodes of some of their live-action sitcoms, such as iCarly
ICarly
iCarly is an American sitcom that focuses on a girl named Carly Shay who creates her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie. The series was created by Dan Schneider, who also serves as executive producer. It stars Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Jennette McCurdy as Sam, Nathan...
and Big Time Rush
Big Time Rush
Big Time Rush is a Nickelodeon television series created by Scott Fellows about the Hollywood misadventures of four hockey players from Minnesota—Kendall, Logan, James, and Carlos, after they are selected to form a boy band. The series premiered with an hour-long pilot episode, "Big Time...
, opposite those airing on Disney Channel. TeenNick
TeenNick
TeenNick, formerly The N, is an American television network aimed at the teenage market. TeenNick is owned by the MTV Networks subsidiary, Viacom. The channel was originally known as The N from its April 1, 2002 launch until September 28, 2009....
, Nickelodeon's older-skewing sister network, currently runs U-Pick with Stick, a block in which viewers vote on programming to air in the block (all choices are 1990s-oriented, due to the program being a part of The '90s Are All That
The '90s Are All That
The '90s Are All That is a programming block that airs on TeenNick. The block shows requested Nickelodeon shows from the 1990s, airing in a two-hour block running every night from midnight to 2 a.m., with an encore from 2 to 4 a.m...
). If both Nickelodeon and Disney Channel air something new on the same night, then there are occasions where ratings will likely suffer.
Fox and Fridays
Perhaps the network which has received the most attention, and has become the most well known for the "Friday Night Death Slot" has been FoxFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
.
The following are all examples of Fox shows that either started on Friday nights and lasted only a few episodes, or were moved to Friday nights, lost the battle for television ratings, and were eventually canceled.
| 1993–1994 | The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., often referred to as just Brisco or Brisco County,The series is referred to as just Brisco or by Brisco County by the creator and executive producer Carlton Cuse, actors involved with the show, and by many critics. Some examples include:* Cuse, Carlton, DVD extra... |
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| 1994–1995 | M.A.N.T.I.S. M.A.N.T.I.S. M.A.N.T.I.S. is an American Science fiction television series that aired for one season on the Fox Network between August 1994 and March 1995. The original two-hour pilot was produced by Sam Raimi and developed by Sam Hamm. It stars actor Carl Lumbly. The show is unique in that it depicts an... |
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| 1995–1997 | Sliders Sliders Sliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé... on FOX |
Canceled and moved to Sci Fi Channel Syfy Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a... |
| 1995–1996 | Strange Luck Strange Luck Strange Luck is an American television series that aired on FOX, created by Karl Schaefer and starring D. B. Sweeney in the role of Chance Harper, a freelance photographer afflicted with a bizarre tendency to always be in the wrong place at the right time. As Chance himself says, "If I go to a... |
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| 1995 | VR.5 VR.5 VR.5 was an American television program. It was broadcast on the Fox network from March 10 to May 12, 1995. Of the 13 episodes that were produced, only 10 aired during its original run.-Premise:... |
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| 1998–1999 | Brimstone Brimstone (TV series) Brimstone was a short-lived Fox television series, featuring a dead police detective whose mission is to return to Hell 113 spirits who have escaped to Earth. The series ran for only one partial season.... |
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| 1999–2000 | Greed Greed (game show) Greed is an American television game show that aired on Fox from November 4, 1999 until July 14, 2000. The game consisted of a team of contestants who answered a series of multiple-choice questions for a potential prize of up to $2 million... |
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| 2001 | The Lone Gunmen The Lone Gunmen (TV series) The Lone Gunmen is a television show created by Chris Carter and broadcast on FOX. It was a spin-off of Carter's popular long-running television series The X-Files and a part of The X-Files franchise, starring several of the show's characters. The Lone Gunmen was first broadcast in March 2001 and,... |
Moved to Friday midway through its first and only season |
| 2001 | Pasadena Pasadena (TV series) Pasadena is an American primetime soap opera originally broadcast in the U.S. from September to November 2001 on Fox.-Summary:The series starred Alison Lohman as Lily McAllister, an initially naïve young woman who witnesses a stranger's suicide and begins to investigate the secrets being hidden by... |
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| 2000–2002 | Dark Angel Dark Angel (TV series) Dark Angel is an American biopunk/cyberpunk science fiction television series created by James Cameron and Charles H. Eglee. The show premiered in the United States on the Fox network on October 3, 2000, and was canceled after two seasons... |
Second and final season |
| 2002–2003 | Firefly Firefly (TV series) Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear.... |
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| 2002–2003 | John Doe John Doe (TV series) John Doe is an American science fiction drama television series that aired on Fox during the 2002–2003 TV season.-Synopsis:"I woke up in an island off the coast of Seattle. I didn't know how I got there ... or who I was. But I did seem to know everything else. There were things about me I didn't... |
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| 2003 | Fastlane Fastlane (TV series) Fastlane is an American action/crime drama series that was broadcast on Fox from 2002 to 2003. On August 14, 2005 G4 began rebroadcasting the complete series. After finishing its initial run on the network, Fastlane stopped airing on G4... |
Moved to Friday midway through its first and only season |
| 2003 | Wanda at Large Wanda at Large Wanda at Large is an American sitcom that ran for two seasons on the Fox network in 2003. The series was created by and stars comedian Wanda Sykes.-Synopsis:... |
Second and final season |
| 2004 | Playing It Straight Playing it Straight Playing It Straight is a 2004 American reality show in which one woman spent time on a ranch with a group of men in an attempt to discern which of them were homosexual and which of them were heterosexual. All of the men pretended to be heterosexual. The woman went on individual dates with the men,... |
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| 2004 | Wonderfalls Wonderfalls Wonderfalls is a comedy-drama television series that was broadcast on the Fox television network in 2004.The show centres on Jaye Tyler , a recent Brown University graduate with a philosophy degree, who holds a dead-end job as a sales clerk at a Niagara Falls gift shop... |
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| 2000–2004 | Boston Public Boston Public Boston Public is an American drama television series created by David E. Kelley and broadcast on Fox. It centered on Winslow High School, a fictional public high school located in Boston, Massachusetts. The show was named for the real public school district in which it takes place... |
Fourth and final season |
| 2005 | Jonny Zero Jonny Zero Jonny Zero is an action-crime drama television series that aired on the Fox network in 2005. It starred Franky G, GQ, and Brennan Hesser. It was cancelled after eight episodes. It began airing on Monday nights on ABC TV in Australia in early 2007.-Plot:... |
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| 2005 | Killer Instinct Killer Instinct (TV series) Killer Instinct is an American crime drama television series filmed in Vancouver that originally aired on the Fox Network. The pilot episode aired on September 23, 2005, and the final episode aired on December 2, 2005.... |
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| 2000–2006 | Malcolm in the Middle Malcolm in the Middle Malcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes... |
Seventh and final season (Final few episodes aired in original Sunday time slot.) |
| 2001–2006 | The Bernie Mac Show The Bernie Mac Show The Bernie Mac Show is an American sitcom featuring comic actor Bernie Mac and his wife Wanda raising his sister's three kids: Jordan, Bryana and Vanessa. The show aired for five seasons , concluding with a half-hour series finale on Fox.... |
Fifth and final season |
| 2005–2009 | Prison Break Prison Break Prison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an... |
Moved to Friday midway through its fourth and final season |
| 2006 | Justice Justice (TV series) Justice is an American legal drama produced by Jerry Bruckheimer that aired on Fox in the USA and CTV in Canada. The series also aired on Warner Channel in Latin America, Nine Network in Australia, and on TV2 In New Zealand.... |
Moved to Friday midway through its first and only season |
| 2006 | Vanished Vanished Vanished is an American serial drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox. The series premiered on August 21, 2006 on Fox and its last episode aired on November 10, 2006. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the series begins with the sudden disappearance of the wife of a Georgia senator, which is... |
Moved to Friday midway through its first and only season |
| 2006–2010 | 'Til Death 'Til Death ’Til Death is an American sitcom which aired on the Fox network from September 7, 2006, to June 20, 2010. The series was created by husband-and-wife team Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, who were also the writers and executive-producers... |
Fourth and final season (Final few episodes aired on a Sunday time slot) |
| 2007 | The Wedding Bells The Wedding Bells The Wedding Bells is an American television comedy-drama that debuted on Fox on March 7, 2007. The series was greenlighted after the network became interested in a series centered on wedding planners. The network approached David E... |
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| 2006–2007 | Standoff Standoff (TV series) Standoff is an American drama series that premiered on the Fox network on September 5, 2006. Created by Craig Silverstein, the series focused on an FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit whose members negotiated hostage situations and shared relationships. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television... |
Moved to Friday midway through its first and only season |
| 2007 | Nashville Nashville (TV series) Nashville is an American reality television/soap opera series featuring several aspiring country music artists. The show, which was based in Nashville, Tennessee, aired on Fox Broadcasting Company for two episodes prior to its cancellation.-Reception:... |
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| 2008 | Canterbury's Law Canterbury's Law Canterbury's Law is an American legal drama, which ran from March 10, 2008 to April 18, 2008 as a mid-season replacement on Fox. The show was created by Dave Erickson and executive produced by Denis Leary, Jim Serpico, Walon Green, John Kane, and Mike Figgis, who also directed the pilot... |
Moved to Friday midway through its first and only season |
| 2008 | The Return of Jezebel James The Return of Jezebel James The Return of Jezebel James is an American situation comedy television series, starring Parker Posey as a successful children's book editor who, unable to have children herself, asks her estranged younger sister to carry her baby... |
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| 2008–2009 | Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | Moved to Friday midway through its second and final season |
| 2007–2009 | Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (U.S. game show) Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? is an American quiz game show on Fox. It is produced by Mark Burnett and is hosted by Jeff Foxworthy. The show premiered as a three-day special which began on February 27, 2007 with the first two shows each a half-hour in length... |
Third season, last one on Fox. Moved to syndication, CMT Country Music Television Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs... and sister network MyNetwork TV with a new format in 2009. |
| 2007–2009 | Don't Forget the Lyrics! Don't Forget the Lyrics! Don't Forget the Lyrics! is a game show that originally aired on Fox from July 11, 2007 to June 19, 2009, hosted by Wayne Brady and produced by RDF USA, part of RDF Media. The launch of this show prompted NBC to move up the launch of their similar game show The Singing Bee... |
Third season, last one on Fox. Moved to syndication, VH1 VH1 VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly... and sister network MyNetwork TV with a new format in 2010. |
| 2009 | Mental Mental (TV series) Mental is a television series produced by Fox's subsidiary Fox Telecolombia, which aired in the summer and fall of 2009 on FOX international channels for Latin America, Europe and Asia, starring Chris Vance and Annabella Sciorra... |
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| 2009 | Brothers Brothers (2009 TV series) Brothers is a television sitcom, which ran on Fox from September 25, 2009 to December 27, 2009. It originally aired on Friday nights at 8:00 pm EST before moving to Sunday nights at 7:00 pm EST as part of the 2009 fall schedule.- Premise :... |
Started off on Friday and then the rest of its first and only season aired on Sunday. |
| 2009–2010 | Dollhouse Dollhouse (TV series) Dollhouse is an American science fiction television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon under Mutant Enemy Productions. It premiered on February 13, 2009, on the Fox network and was officially cancelled on November 11, 2009. The final episode aired on January 29, 2010... |
Canceled during second season but aired to completion. |
| 2010 | Past Life Past Life (TV series) Past Life is an American crime drama television series which aired on Fox from February 9, 2010 to June 4, 2010. The series premiered on Tuesday, February 9 at 9:00 pm Eastern/8:00 pm Central... |
Moved to Friday midway through its first and only season. |
| 2010 | The Good Guys The Good Guys (2010 TV series) The Good Guys is an American action-comedy series about an old-school cop and a modern-day detective that premiered with a preview episode on Fox on May 19, 2010, and began airing regularly on June 7... |
Moved to Friday midway through its first and only season. |
In January 2011, the sci-fi drama Fringe
Fringe (TV series)
Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
was moved into this slot from Thursdays. According to FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly, nearly half of Fringes viewership time shifts
Time shifting
Time shifting is the recording of programming to a storage medium to be viewed or listened to at a time more convenient to the consumer. Typically, this refers to TV programming but can also refer to radio shows via podcasts....
the show to watch at their convinence, and that "if it does anywhere near what it did on Thursdays, we can glue that show to the schedule because it can be a big win for us". The FOX network created a promotion advertisement for Fringe that lampooned its reputation of the Friday night death slot prior to Fringes move. Despite encountering lower ratings after its move, Fringe was renewed for a fourth season.
The X-Files (1993–2002) At least one Fox show that premiered on Friday nights The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, eventually became a success in its time slot at 9 p.m. As TV Guide described it, the audiences, especially in the college-aged demographic, would watch the show just prior to heading-out for Friday evening movies or partying, and quickly grew from 6% to 10% household ratings during sweeps. Several other shows were paired with The X-Files, including The Adventures of Brisco County Jr, M.A.N.T.I.S., V.R.5, Strange Luck, and Sliders
Sliders
Sliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
, all of which were canceled by Fox. The show eventually moved to Sundays in 1996 ("Unruhe
Unruhe
"Unruhe" is a 1996 episode of The X-Files television series. It was the fourth episode broadcast in the show's fourth season, and the first episode to air on Sunday night when the show was moved from Fridays to Sundays. "Unruhe" features a man who kidnaps women and lobotomizes them...
" Sunday Oct 27), and another Chris Carter show Millennium
Millennium (TV series)
Millennium is an American television series created by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files. Millennium aired on the Fox Network from 1996 to 1999. The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, though most episodes were ostensibly set in or around Seattle, Washington...
filled the empty timeslot at 9 p.m. In addition, America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted is an American television program produced by 20th Television, and was the longest-running program of any kind in the history of the Fox Television Network until it was announced on May 16, 2011 that the series was canceled after twenty-three years, with the final episode...
aired in the 8:00 p.m. time slot for 3 seasons from 1990 to 1993.
UPN/The CW and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
UPN/The CW's WWEWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
Friday Night SmackDown!, originally named SmackDown!, was first broadcast on UPN on Thursdays to compete with WCW Thunder
WCW Thunder
WCW Thunder was a professional wrestling show produced by World Championship Wrestling which aired on TBS from January 8, 1998 to March 21, 2001...
(eventually forcing Thunder to Wednesdays because of high ratings, before WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
was ultimately purchased by Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
in 2001). UPN moved the show to Friday nights in the United States on September 9, 2005, because of low ratings in its original Thursday night slot, and the show retained its Friday night time slot after moving to The CW. Upon its move to the "death slot," UPN/The CW Friday nights saw a substantial increase in ratings over UPN's movies and most of The WB's sitcoms. SmackDown! had also initially garnered even better ratings in the death slot than the ratings on its former Thursday night airings (after the merging of WCW with WWE in 2001). Despite this, The CW chose not to renew SmackDowns contract in 2008 due to the change of the demographic of the network's viewers, and the show moved to MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
that fall, eventually leaving network television altogether with a move to SyFy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
in 2010.
General network practices today
Exceptions above notwithstanding, networks now usually reserve Friday and Saturday nights for either movies or repeats of popular shows originally aired Sunday through Thursday. Newsmagazines, game shows, and candid video shows like NBC's Most Outrageous Moments are also used often to fill these slots.Outside the United States
Don Messer's JubileeDon Messer's Jubilee
Don Messer's Jubilee was a television folk musical variety show produced at station CBHT in Halifax, Nova Scotia and broadcast by CBC Television nationwide from 1957 until 1969....
was a popular country music series that aired on Saturday (later Monday) nights on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. During the mid-1960s, the show was the most popular non-hockey program in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. However, in 1968, CBC chose to move the show to Friday nights, the slot it had aired in in the late 1950s. The Jubilee was canceled at the end of that season, sparking outrage among its numerous fans and a revival effort in syndication that lasted until Messer's death in 1973. Such a "death slot" is not universal in Canada; The Littlest Hobo
The Littlest Hobo
The Littlest Hobo is a Canadian television series based upon a 1958 American film of the same name directed by Charles R. Rondeau. The series first aired from 1963 to 1965 in syndication, and was revived for a popular second run on CTV from October 11, 1979 to March 7, 1985.All three productions...
had success on CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
in the early 1980s, and CBC has had a block of satires including 22 Minutes
This Hour Has 22 Minutes
This Hour Has 22 Minutes is a weekly Canadian television comedy that airs on CBC Television. Launched in 1993 during Canada's 35th general election, the show focuses on Canadian politics, combining news parody, sketch comedy and satirical editorials...
and Royal Canadian Air Farce
Royal Canadian Air Farce
Air Farce Live, also credited as Air Farce, previously Royal Canadian Air Farce, and Air Farce—Final Flight! for the final season, was a Canadian comedy series starring the comedy troupe The Royal Canadian Air Farce that previously starred in an eponymous radio show on CBC radio from 1973 to 1997...
since the early 1990s.
In Germany SAT.1
Sat.1
Sat.1 is a privately owned German television broadcasting station. Sat.1 was the first privately owned television broadcasting station in Germany, having started one day before RTL Television....
is not using the Friday for intentionally wrecking programs. However Fun Freitag produced a spectacular series of failures. At the moment, the hours of comedy reruns have even more viewers (and shares) than The Oliver Pocher Show
The Oliver Pocher Show
The Oliver Pocher Show is a late-night show with Oliver Pocher shown by Sat.1 in Germany on Fridays. The show is a mix of late-night comedy and personality. Each broadcast begins with stand-up comedy. There are generally two celebrity guests...
, a first-run late-night talk show
Late-night talk show
In American television, the late-night talk show is a specific kind of comedy-oriented talk and variety show that airs late at night. Characteristics of the genre include topical monologues in which the host makes fun of the day's news, comedy sketches, celebrity interviews, and musical performances...
currently airing at the end of the Friday prime time slot.