Shows that saved a Network - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Raisingdad2004 · 02-06-2006, 08:31 AM

I am just wondering what shows have saved a Network (or atleast got them out of last place...).

tv star collector · 02-06-2006, 09:00 AM

Reportedly, THE COSBY SHOW not only saved NBC but the whole sitcom genre.

MichaelKane20 · 02-06-2006, 09:39 AM

Desperate Housewives on ABC

Dean Winchester · 02-06-2006, 12:43 PM

well, Desperate Housewives AND Lost saved ABC, you needed both for it really to be saved.

What about Everybody Loves Raymond on CBS? It was their first real sitcom hit since Murphy Brown and CBS' only "bid" at a blockbuster in the past twenty years the way NBC had Seinfeld, Friends, Cosby and Cheers and ABC had Roseanne and Home Improvement.

spunkygirl · 02-06-2006, 01:16 PM

I don't know if this counts, but I'd say 7th Heaven saved the WB. I mean if 7th Heaven hadn't been a hit like it was, the network probably would have went under, so thanks to 7th Heaven being one of the very first hits on the WB, that paved the way for Charmed and Gilmore Girls, etc....

Dean Winchester · 02-06-2006, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barwars

Can't save a network that died....

well, look at it this way... the WB died with Charmed and 7th Heaven, lol

megamanj2004 · 02-06-2006, 05:13 PM

Oooooh, boy. This is gonna be a very tough one.

All I can think of is The Cosby Show saving NBC's backsides.

Dallas for getting CBS back to it's #1 top spot again after the brief slump in the late '70s, thanks to ABC w/ Happy days, Three's Company, and Laverne and Shirley.

bad_boy · 02-06-2006, 05:14 PM

Married With Children?

comedyfreak · 02-06-2006, 05:21 PM

I'd go with Married with Children and 21 Jump Street, they put Fox on the map and Fox was struggling at the time.

spunkygirl · 02-06-2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barwars

Can't save a network that died....

The network wasn't dead in 1996, and if you're referring to now, 7th Heaven will be gone before the CW comes along.

Hard to tell how successful the CW will be

megamanj2004 · 02-06-2006, 05:45 PM

Oooooh, boy. This is gonna be a very tough one.

All I can think of is The Cosby Show saving NBC's backsides.

Dallas for getting CBS back to it's #1 top spot again after the brief slump in the late '70s, thanks to ABC w/ Happy days, Three's Company, and Laverne and Shirley.

treky · 02-07-2006, 04:44 AM

the only ones I know of are "The Cosby show" on NBC and "Dallas" on CBS

Dean Winchester · 02-07-2006, 12:26 PM

was CBS ever dead in the 70's? even in the late 70's, it was a strong #2 to ABC thanks to shows like M*A*S*H, The Jeffersons, Alice, One Day At A Time and latter-era (which wasn't as big, but still a frequent top 10 hit) All In The Family. I think that's a lot different than Cosby on NBC, before TCS came out, NBC was #3 out of 3 and The A-Team and The Facts Of Life were really the only hits NBC had at that point (Diff'rent Strokes had fallen from a top 20 show to the 40's by 84) and then suddenly when Cosby hit the scene, NBC became the "it" network.

db108108 · 02-07-2006, 05:34 PM

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire propelled ABC from third to first. Then it promptly helped the network to slide back to (an eventual) fourth again.

Last season on ABC was a comeback like never experienced before. It was a combination of series working for ABC and all hitting at once- DH, Lost, Extreme Makeover: HE, and later, Grey's Anatomy. Even more impressive still, the year has been even stronger, with "GA" breaking out, Commander In Chief having huge early numbers and Dancing With The Stars busting out.

Another case would be American Idol on Fox. Fox had never ranked higher than fourth place (in viewers) until "Idol" came along. Last season it was first in adults 18-49 for the first time ever (although that was owed to the Superbowl pushing the network just slightly ahead of CBS on the season).

Watch out for NBC now. It's in dire straights. What show will pull it out? It hasn't happened yet this season.

As for Raymond & CBS, it really didn't save the network. Raymond broke 15 million viewers on the season for the first time in 1998, and by that time CBS was already on the mend. CBS's worst season was 1994/1995. What show pulled it out of that? I would say "Touched By an Angel" which frequently drew 25-28 million viewers on Sunday nights in the fall of 1996.

Dr. John Becker · 02-07-2006, 05:35 PM

I'd say The Simpsons and Married...With Children saved Fox.

02-06-2006, 05:13 PM	#7
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,361	Oooooh, boy. This is gonna be a very tough one. All I can think of is The Cosby Show saving NBC's backsides. Dallas for getting CBS back to it's #1 top spot again after the brief slump in the late '70s, thanks to ABC w/ Happy days, Three's Company, and Laverne and Shirley.
	__________________ 10 AND A HALF YEARS GOING STRONG!!!

02-07-2006, 04:44 AM	#12
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	the only ones I know of are "The Cosby show" on NBC and "Dallas" on CBS
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

02-07-2006, 05:35 PM	#15
Dr. John Becker A Great American Senior Member Join Date: Sep 12, 2003 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 2,645	I'd say The Simpsons and Married...With Children saved Fox.
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02-06-2006, 08:31 AM	#1
Raisingdad2004 Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 05, 2004 Posts: 715	Shows that saved a Network I am just wondering what shows have saved a Network (or atleast got them out of last place...).

02-06-2006, 09:00 AM	#2
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,487	Reportedly, THE COSBY SHOW not only saved NBC but the whole sitcom genre.

02-06-2006, 09:39 AM	#3
MichaelKane20 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 07, 2003 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 128	Desperate Housewives on ABC
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02-06-2006, 12:43 PM	#4
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	well, Desperate Housewives AND Lost saved ABC, you needed both for it really to be saved. What about Everybody Loves Raymond on CBS? It was their first real sitcom hit since Murphy Brown and CBS' only "bid" at a blockbuster in the past twenty years the way NBC had Seinfeld, Friends, Cosby and Cheers and ABC had Roseanne and Home Improvement.

02-06-2006, 01:16 PM	#5
spunkygirl Member Moderator Forum Celebrity Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 21,563	I don't know if this counts, but I'd say 7th Heaven saved the WB. I mean if 7th Heaven hadn't been a hit like it was, the network probably would have went under, so thanks to 7th Heaven being one of the very first hits on the WB, that paved the way for Charmed and Gilmore Girls, etc....

02-06-2006, 05:14 PM	#8
bad_boy Member Forum Star Join Date: Sep 18, 2003 Location: Merritt Island, FL Posts: 19,576	Married With Children?

02-06-2006, 05:21 PM	#9
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,061	I'd go with Married with Children and 21 Jump Street, they put Fox on the map and Fox was struggling at the time.

02-06-2006, 05:45 PM	#11
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,361	Oooooh, boy. This is gonna be a very tough one. All I can think of is The Cosby Show saving NBC's backsides. Dallas for getting CBS back to it's #1 top spot again after the brief slump in the late '70s, thanks to ABC w/ Happy days, Three's Company, and Laverne and Shirley.

02-07-2006, 12:26 PM	#13
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	was CBS ever dead in the 70's? even in the late 70's, it was a strong #2 to ABC thanks to shows like MAS*H, The Jeffersons, Alice, One Day At A Time and latter-era (which wasn't as big, but still a frequent top 10 hit) All In The Family. I think that's a lot different than Cosby on NBC, before TCS came out, NBC was #3 out of 3 and The A-Team and The Facts Of Life were really the only hits NBC had at that point (Diff'rent Strokes had fallen from a top 20 show to the 40's by 84) and then suddenly when Cosby hit the scene, NBC became the "it" network.

02-07-2006, 05:34 PM	#14
db108108 Teacher (for now) Senior Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2003 Location: 2 hours north of Detroit, 2 hours south of Toronto Posts: 1,023	Who Wants To Be A Millionaire propelled ABC from third to first. Then it promptly helped the network to slide back to (an eventual) fourth again. Last season on ABC was a comeback like never experienced before. It was a combination of series working for ABC and all hitting at once- DH, Lost, Extreme Makeover: HE, and later, Grey's Anatomy. Even more impressive still, the year has been even stronger, with "GA" breaking out, Commander In Chief having huge early numbers and Dancing With The Stars busting out. Another case would be American Idol on Fox. Fox had never ranked higher than fourth place (in viewers) until "Idol" came along. Last season it was first in adults 18-49 for the first time ever (although that was owed to the Superbowl pushing the network just slightly ahead of CBS on the season). Watch out for NBC now. It's in dire straights. What show will pull it out? It hasn't happened yet this season. As for Raymond & CBS, it really didn't save the network. Raymond broke 15 million viewers on the season for the first time in 1998, and by that time CBS was already on the mend. CBS's worst season was 1994/1995. What show pulled it out of that? I would say "Touched By an Angel" which frequently drew 25-28 million viewers on Sunday nights in the fall of 1996.