Should production companies start using syndication for sitcoms as well? there are several advantages to this. the show can be aired at various times and in more than one place. and the shows aren't subject to going up against reality programming which kills them. I think there should be some syndicated sitcoms.

There have been sitcoms aired in first-run syndication, in the past. The problem with first-run syndication is that most markets and affiliates would rather purchase rights to a hit show that is more or less guaranteed to pull in viewers rather than gamble on a syndicated series that nobody has ever seen before.

Today, almost every first-run syndicated series is either science-fiction or fantasy related, which, in my experience, lends itself to the syndicated format because sf/fantasy caters to a niche market that is willing to watch the show in obscure time periods.

Originally posted by tvobscurities
There have been sitcoms aired in first-run syndication, in the past. The problem with first-run syndication is that most markets and affiliates would rather purchase rights to a hit show that is more or less guaranteed to pull in viewers rather than gamble on a syndicated series that nobody has ever seen before.

Today, almost every first-run syndicated series is either science-fiction or fantasy related, which, in my experience, lends itself to the syndicated format because sf/fantasy caters to a niche market that is willing to watch the show in obscure time periods. you make some valid points. syndication is good to me, because it offers a whole separate spectrum, it not a network and it's not cable. also, the production companies can reach a wider audience. the only problem is promotion and time periods.

Originally posted by CoolCounty
you make some valid points. syndication is good to me, because it offers a whole separate spectrum, it not a network and it's not cable. also, the production companies can reach a wider audience. the only problem is promotion and time periods.

Exactly. In the past few years there were quite a few first-run syndicated shows that I enjoyed but I usually had to tape them at 2:00 in the afternoon on Saturdays. Most of the good syndicated slots, 6:00PM - 8:00PM, 11:00PM - 12:00AM, etc, are taken up by second-run syndicated shows, like Friends, Frasier and, oddly enough in my area, Walker, Texas Ranger!

The only show I remember being syndicated while it ran was Star Trek: The Next Generation, it came on around 5 or 6pm on Fox.

Originally posted by Ant-Lox
The only show I remember being syndicated while it ran was Star Trek: The Next Generation, it came on around 5 or 6pm on Fox.

We got Star Trek: The Next Generation on our FOX affiliate at 7:00PM, I believe. Good times, good times.

Syndicated first run sitcoms were big in the late 80s. I remember What's Happening Now!!!, Small Wonder, Harry and the Hendersons, Munsters Today, New WKRP in Cincinatti, Check it Out, Throb and a bunch of others. They all came on on the weekends, usually around early evening.

There were some on a few years ago like Honey I Shrunk the Kids and a Peter Engel show about teens at a benchhouse (forgot the name of it).

I wouldn't mind seeing some sitcoms in first run syndication as I'm not into those sci-fi shows like Beastmaster, Xena etc.

Abbott and Costello, Adventures of Superman and Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse were some old shows that were produced for first run syndication in the 50s and/or 60s.

Originally posted by CoolCounty
Should production companies start using syndication for sitcoms as well? there are several advantages to this. the show can be aired at various times and in more than one place. and the shows aren't subject to going up against reality programming which kills them. I think there should be some syndicated sitcoms.

I like the idea of first-run syndicated sitcoms. Mama's Family did very very well as a first-run syndicated series (another 80s syndicated sitcom). It went on for several seasons and even today can be seen everyday in reruns on TBS. Of course, it had an advantage because it had been a NBC series for 2 years before it got canceled, so it had an audience. Now that is an idea, shows that get canceled, but that have a decent following should be given a chance in syndication. But the biggest problem is it takes time to get an audience, if the show is ever able to get an audience.

Originally posted by FamilyTiesGOP
I like the idea of first-run syndicated sitcoms. Mama's Family did very very well as a first-run syndicated series (another 80s syndicated sitcom). It went on for several seasons and even today can be seen everyday in reruns on TBS. Of course, it had an advantage because it had been a NBC series for 2 years before it got canceled, so it had an audience. Now that is an idea, shows that get canceled, but that have a decent following should be given a chance in syndication. But the biggest problem is it takes time to get an audience, if the show is ever able to get an audience. There have been some shows that were good, but got cancelled and syndication gave them the chance to gain an audience. syndication is good also because people turn to their local stations when cable and network television is showing something the don't like. syndicated shows can air more than once, because various stations buy them, so if you miss the show, you can sometimes catch it again. plus the production company can control the episode orders so they can make as many episodes as they like. http://www.snta.com/ is the website for syndicated tv

Originally posted by CoolCounty
There have been some shows that were good, but got cancelled and syndication gave them the chance to gain an audience. syndication is good also because people turn to their local stations when cable and network television is showing something the don't like. syndicated shows can air more than once, because various stations buy them, so if you miss the show, you can sometimes catch it again. plus the production company can control the episode orders so they can make as many episodes as they like. http://www.snta.com/ is the website for syndicated tv

That's an informative site you linked us to.

There must be some missing element in explaining why more shows that get cancelled by the networks don't go into first run syndication. Something like Yes Dear which was cancelled then uncancelled but which seems to be only coming back for a handful of episodes could go into first run syndication I suppose, although I read on that site that the reruns are going to be syndicated in the fall so they probably won't syndicate fresh episodes along with reruns.

Has that ever been done, BTW? Has any show had reruns syndicated while original episodes are being produced specifically for syndication? I think this has happened with things like Baywatch which ran 12 years. Somewhere in that time I'm guessing the reruns began to show up as a separate syndicated package.

I think that first run syndication for sitcoms and some dramas should become an option again with popular shows like Arrested Developement and American Dreams in danger of being cancelled.

I think putting first run sitcom episodes in syndication would actually be a great idea. I can think of so many sitcoms that would still be on if they had a chance with syndication. But I highly doubt this will ever happen. Since most sitcoms these day fail or have only decent ratings.

I wish sitcoms were put in first run syndication again. Their were a bunch in the 80's I enjoyed watching. It looks like everyone forgot this as an option and dramas in syndication seems to have cooled down some too during the last few years.