Adamantium: Nick at Nite Hater Since ‘The Cosby Show’ Days

[Adamantium]

This is the sad story of a boy (now a man) and his favorite channel, Nick at Nite. Back in the mid 1980s, 1985 to be exact, a new channel debuted on cable called Nick at Nite. It was the primetime lineup for the children’s network Nickelodeon, showing old television reruns from the 1950s and 60s. Adam didn’t really know the channel until I’d say either 1986 or 1987. I don’t remember. However, he was young then, four or five years old. Adam loved watching reruns of such shows as “My Three Sons”, “The Donna Reed Show”, “Car 54, Where Are You?”, “The Patty Duke Show”, “The Monkees”, “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis”, “Make Room for Daddy” and “Mister Ed.” The channel added new shows and replaced others, but staying with their classic TV format. In the early 1990s, a schedule came that Adam didn’t like. One that had shows that Adam likes today, but at this time, he wasn’t a fan of. Shows like “Green Acres“, “The Lucy Show”, “F Troop”, “The Adventures of Superman”, “Get Smart” and “The Partridge Family.” Again, he likes those shows now, but not when they were on Nick at Nite.

Things changed in 1994, when Nick at Nite added “I Love Lucy”. This was a classic show, and one of Adam’s favorites. However, it was the first show at the time which aired on a different network as well as on N@N. Today, it’s rare for a show to be on N@N and NOT air on another channel. Still though, Nick at Nite treated “I Love Lucy” right, airing it uncut. In the mid 1990s, while Adam was in 7th thru 10th grades, the channel had reached a second golden era. Airing the classics of “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, “The Munsters”, “Welcome Back, Kotter”, “Bewitched”, “Taxi”, “The Odd Couple”, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, “Rhoda” and others. Adam was in TV Heaven. Every night he would stay up as late as he could. In the summer, he’d stay up until 6am if he was able to. Some nights, he would put a blank tape in, and record the whole night and watch it during the day. Nick at Nite was the best channel Adam had seen. It wasn’t just the shows, but also the channel’s sense of humor, wonderful commercials and a great lineup.

The late 1990s were just okay in Adam’s eyes. Some great shows aired, but the scheduling started to suck. It had turned into hour long blocks of shows from the late 1970s and even 1980s. This is also when two 1960s shows that Adam didn’t care for at the time, “Gilligan’s Island” and “The Beverly Hillbillies” joined the lineup. Even though Adam eventually liked “Gilligan’s Island”, he didn’t at the time. And with Nick at Nite airing shows from the 1980s, it seemed weird to have those two 1960s shows on the lineup. “Cheers” came, and Adam, who didn’t like that show, became a fan of it. “The Cosby Show” came. Adam wasn’t a fan of the show, but tried to be. He just couldn’t get into it. And Nick at Nite began airing it A LOT! It became ridiculous with the amounts of airings it had. In the 2000s, two of Adam’s favorite shows came and went with low ratings, “Wings” and “NewsRadio.” Instead shows that were huge hits were “Roseanne”, “Three’s Company” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”. Those shows aired all the time. At first “Roseanne” aired like crazy, but “The Fresh Prince” took over, airing more than any show ever!

Things hit rock bottom for Adam when Nick at Nite began airing reruns of “George Lopez.” Why? For one reason Adam couldn’t stand the show. But the main reason was it had ended it’s run just before coming to N@N. Things got a little better with “Home Improvement” and “Family Matters”.

This story ends with that boy (now a man) taking Nick at Nite out back. With a shotgun in his hand, Adam puts Nick at Nite out of it’s misery. The foam mouthed network was lying on the ground dead (to Adam). Bye-Bye to a once great channel. Bye-Bye. (If only the ending could really be that simple)

Sorry to fans of “George Lopez”, but I don’t like that show and finding out that it’s Nick at Nite’s #1 rated show, makes me convinced that I’m living in the Bizarro World.

[DSfan]

nice post but what was with referring to yourself in the third person?

[Adamantium]

Originally Posted by DSfan

nice post but what was with referring to yourself in the third person?

Just to be crazy.

[Ireneparalegal]

I can understand your frustration abt George Lopez, Adam. I love that show, however, to see it air on N@N, a station that is supposed to air shows that have been off the air for some time, makes no sense. GL should have stayed on ABC for at least another season, but if it wasn't meant to be, then some other station should be airing it. I guess N@N is just moving away from their agenda like most stations. It gets annoying to see the same old shows on there, even the ones I like. I love THE COSBY SHOW, but c'mon, that show was wearing thin. Even the overplay of ROSEANNE was annoying. I know the station could be airing other shows in those slots, rather than have mini-marathons.

[Adamantium]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I can understand your frustration abt George Lopez, Adam. I love that show, however, to see it air on N@N, a station that is supposed to air shows that have been off the air for some time, makes no sense. GL should have stayed on ABC for at least another season, but if it wasn't meant to be, then some other station should be airing it. I guess N@N is just moving away from their agenda like most stations. It gets annoying to see the same old shows on there, even the ones I like. I love THE COSBY SHOW, but c'mon, that show was wearing thin. Even the overplay of ROSEANNE was annoying. I know the station could be airing other shows in those slots, rather than have mini-marathons.

I know that Nick at Nite's going in a different direction now, and I'll have to accept it. However, I refuse to, lol. Nick at Nite was such a huge part of my life growing up and I'm just sad (and angry) that I can't have that wonderful channel with me through my adulthood.

And it's not just the shows. It's the scheduling. I admit, it's gotten better since Family Matters came. But once a show gets high ratings for them, they run it into the ground.

If I had it my way, I'd put Nick at Nite back to the sitcoms of the 1950s and 60s and have TV Land air shows from the 1970s and 1980s. I love shows from the 1990s and even some from the 2000s. But I don't want them anywhere near Nick at Nite and TV Land.

[TVFactFan]

Adam we have no choice but to SUCK IT UP and DEAL WITH IT because changes will continue to show each year. You went back to 85, I only have to go back to 2002 and can see how it has changed since then but I will say N@N has it's strong points and weak points but to me overall it's still the NUMBER 1 Cable Network at this point.

[Adamantium]

Originally Posted by KingofTVResearch

N@N has it's strong points and weak points but to me overall it's still the NUMBER 1 Cable Network at this point.

I think that's my main problem. There are no other cable channels that I really like. So when Nick at Nite changed, there was no place for me to turn to. Well TV Land for a while, but then they changed. I watch USA for "Monk" and the occasional "Wings" rerun, but besides that I don't watch cable at all. And I was the kind of guy who thought I would die without cable back in the day.

In fact, the TV in my bedroom doesn't have cable hooked up to it. I just play DVDs all day long.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Adamantium

I think that's my main problem. There are no other cable channels that I really like. So when Nick at Nite changed, there was no place for me to turn to. Well TV Land for a while, but then they changed. I watch USA for "Monk" and the occasional "Wings" rerun, but besides that I don't watch cable at all. And I was the kind of guy who thought I would die without cable back in the day.

In fact, the TV in my bedroom doesn't have cable hooked up to it. I just play DVDs all day long.

Well Family Matters is starting to take over the N@N schedule

[Schmoopie]

Originally Posted by Adamantium

I know that Nick at Nite's going in a different direction now, and I'll have to accept it. However, I refuse to, lol. Nick at Nite was such a huge part of my life growing up and I'm just sad (and angry) that I can't have that wonderful channel with me through my adulthood.

And it's not just the shows. It's the scheduling. I admit, it's gotten better since Family Matters came. But once a show gets high ratings for them, they run it into the ground.

If I had it my way, I'd put Nick at Nite back to the sitcoms of the 1950s and 60s and have TV Land air shows from the 1970s and 1980s. I love shows from the 1990s and even some from the 2000s. But I don't want them anywhere near Nick at Nite and TV Land.

I totally agree with you all. Nick at Nite is just not the same. I loved it in the beginning when they showed Donna Reed and Patty Duke. The really funny thing is that my little brother was in junior high or elementary school when those shows were on Nick at Nite. I had never even heard of them, so he was the one that introduced me to them (and I am in my 40's! ).

Although I still watch Nick at Nite occasionally, I do miss the older shows. Instead of being a classic TV "station" like it was, it's become an 80's/90's station. At least with the older shows, it was as though they were introducing a whole new generation to shows that their parents watched.

As much as I LOVE Seinfeld, I hope they don't go that route and try to put it on Nick at Nite. Seinfeld is too adult-oriented and is better off on CW or other networks.

Ahhh.. the good old days. When Nick at Nite used to show the old shows, I would literally sit and watch for hours... Patty Duke, The Munsters, Car 54 Where Are You?, Donna Reed, I Love Lucy.

Thank God for Netflix and TV on DVD, huh?!

Although in all fairness I should say that I never really liked The Cosby Show or Family Matters and now that they are on Nick at Nite (over and over again ), I've gotten into them somewhat.

Andrea

[TVJunkie101]

I've got nothing against George Lopez (thank god it wasn't According to Jim), but I'm pretty happy to have Home Improvement and Family Matters airing and doing well. I'm actually watching N@N again for the first time in years.

But I loved the 90s N@N. It was a dream. I remember it so vividly. Being fairly young and just loving watching all of the old shows. The marathons were all so much fun. It was just ... fun.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

I totally agree with you all. Nick at Nite is just not the same. I loved it in the beginning when they showed Donna Reed and Patty Duke. The really funny thing is that my little brother was in junior high or elementary school when those shows were on Nick at Nite. I had never even heard of them, so he was the one that introduced me to them (and I am in my 40's! ).

Although I still watch Nick at Nite occasionally, I do miss the older shows. Instead of being a classic TV "station" like it was, it's become an 80's/90's station. At least with the older shows, it was as though they were introducing a whole new generation to shows that their parents watched.

As much as I LOVE Seinfeld, I hope they don't go that route and try to put it on Nick at Nite. Seinfeld is too adult-oriented and is better off on CW or other networks.

Ahhh.. the good old days. When Nick at Nite used to show the old shows, I would literally sit and watch for hours... Patty Duke, The Munsters, Car 54 Where Are You?, Donna Reed, I Love Lucy.

Thank God for Netflix and TV on DVD, huh?!

Although in all fairness I should say that I never really liked The Cosby Show or Family Matters and now that they are on Nick at Nite (over and over again ), I've gotten into them somewhat.

Andrea

I don't think you have to worry about Seinfeld appearing on N@N since it's not a family type sitcom.


Welcome to the Boards

[Adamantium]

There are some shows that I disliked because of N@N and others that I liked because of N@N.

"Roseanne" - This was an okay show in my opinion. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. I was fine with it coming to N@N since they were headed in the 1990s at the time. However, N@N got me to actually hate this show at one point, since they showed it so much. I'm over hating it now and I own the DVDs. It's a funny show, but it'll never be a favorite of mine.

"The Cosby Show" - I never liked this show. But when I heard it was coming to N@N, I was willing to give it a chance. While I liked some of the early episodes, it became clear to me that I just don't like the show and probably never will. Then, of course, it took over N@N and I began to hate it. At one point, it aired on both N@N and TV Land. Heck, I'd turn past both channels and they'd both be airing it (different episodes, though). If I never see "The Cosby Show" again, I'm good. That's not to bash the man himself. I actually like Bill Cosby, just not his 80s sitcom.

"Cheers" - This was a show I never liked. However, once it came to N@N I started liking it. I even taped alot of the episodes (though they've been replaced with the DVDs). So this was a show that N@N helped me to like.

"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" - I liked this show when it was new and even in reruns on TBS and WGN. I wasn't upset or anything when it came to N@N. I didn't really watch it all that much and at first was glad for it's success. However, that turned sour when N@N ran it into the ground. I was so tired of turning past N@N and no matter what time of the night it was "Fresh Prince" would be on. In the end, I still like the show, but I can go a good six years without watching it again. I still intend to buy the DVDs once they release the rest of the series.

"Home Improvement" - I like this show. However, I've not watched it on N@N. By the time it came on, I had given up on the channel. I think it's a step in the right direction, but I have the DVDs of this show and rarely watch the channel these days.

"Family Matters" - I loved this show growing up and I still love it. I admit to watching a couple episodes on N@N, though I'd much prefer season sets on DVD.

"George Lopez" - I didn't like this show when it was new and I was upset when I heard it was coming to N@N. I think we all felt it would fail, and of course it didn't. My two problems with this show: 1.) It doesn't make me laugh. 2.) It's too recent to be on N@N.

[Ireneparalegal]

I don't agree with the comment, "we all thought it would fail" concerning George Lopez, simply because the show was a hit (not so much ratings wise on ABC) but nonetheless it was a very well-liked show with a great following. I knew it would not fail on N@N because it was cancelled abruptly by ABC, and with no finale to boot. The fans simply followed the show to where it would be. I also knew it would be a hit in syndication because when I attended a GL concert and he announced the show would be in syndication, the audience roared. As GL stated, "The GL show will live on forever."

[Mr. Television]

GL did have pretty good ratings for quite a few years until ABC started using it to go up against AI every year. The only reason it was canceled and ATJ wasn't was because ABC owns ATJ. I like GL...I always have. One of the few recent sitcoms that I can say that was actually funny.

[Brent88]

Originally Posted by Adamantium

"Family Matters" - I loved this show growing up and I still love it. I admit to watching a couple episodes on N@N, though I'd much prefer season sets on DVD.

I wish they would release season sets. I don't know why they haven't.