Popular shows of today that wouldn't do well in the '90s - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 06-19-2013, 02:39 PM

http://officialfan.proboards.com/thr...hows-today-90s

Can you think of any?

Regulus · 06-19-2013, 03:35 PM

Yes, the "Reality" Shows for starters. If All of the "Big Four" Networks took their current schedules, went back to say 1995 and replaced ALL of the shows with today's programming all at once the feedback (Irate Calls) they'd get from viewers would make the 2004 Super Bowl and the 1968 "Heidi Game" seem trivial!

EmoJoe · 06-19-2013, 08:50 PM

Pretty much any "cult" show like 30 Rock, Community, Fringe, any of the prestigious cable dramas...ect. You couldn't skirt by on modest ratings and critical acclaim back then like you could now.

Realistically, anything that wasn't a traditional multi-camera sitcom or a procedural drama would probably have difficulty finding an audience. Most of the shows that resisted those formulas back then didn't stick around too long...although it'd be interesting to see how some of those shows would perform now. Off-beat animated sitcoms like Family Guy and Futurama struggled then but were revived and found success, and I bet something like Twin Peaks could've run for several years if it aired now.

Mr. Television · 06-19-2013, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmoJoe

Pretty much any "cult" show like 30 Rock, Community, Fringe, any of the prestigious cable dramas...ect. You couldn't skirt by on modest ratings and critical acclaim back then like you could now.

Realistically, anything that wasn't a traditional multi-camera sitcom or a procedural drama would probably have difficulty finding an audience. Most of the shows that resisted those formulas back then didn't stick around too long...although it'd be interesting to see how some of those shows would perform now. Off-beat animated sitcoms like Family Guy and Futurama struggled then but were revived and found success, and I bet something like Twin Peaks could've run for several years if it aired now.

I don't know. Twin Peaks was weird even for now. lol

UMFaninMD · 06-19-2013, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regulus

Yes, the "Reality" Shows for starters. If All of the "Big Four" Networks took their current schedules, went back to say 1995 and replaced ALL of the shows with today's programming all at once the feedback (Irate Calls) they'd get from viewers would make the 2004 Super Bowl and the 1968 "Heidi Game" seem trivial!

MTV's The Real World and FOX's COPS were very popular reality shows during the 90's but back then they were a much different breed then the competition, romance, crazy family and catty women reality that clogs up the airwaves now. I don't think DWTS, American Idol, The Voice, or The Bachelor/Bachelorette would have made it either unless it wasn't a public voting show.

Other possibilities:

The Walking Dead
Once Upon a Time
Criminal Minds
30 Rock
The Office
Pretty much any of the cable dramas (Mad Men/Glee/Breaking Bad/Homeland, etc)
Two Broke Girls
Two and a Half Men
Modern Family
The Vampire Diaries

factsoflife · 06-20-2013, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UMFaninMD

MTV's The Real World and FOX's COPS were very popular reality shows during the 90's but back then they were a much different breed then the competition, romance, crazy family and catty women reality that clogs up the airwaves now. I don't think DWTS, American Idol, The Voice, or The Bachelor/Bachelorette would have made it either unless it wasn't a public voting show.

I think it's also important to mention that The Real World and Cops were shows that fit the mold of their network. The Real World was on MTV, which targeted the youth audience, so in general it was watched by a small niche. Cops on FOX was also heavily targeted at younger viewers. I think shows that weren't the "norm" did well on smaller, niche networks.

Fox in the 90's was still an up and comer and was still trying to figure out its audience. It wasn't until the mid-90's with say, Ally McBeal that they started to target a more adult audience on purpose.

I think a lot of today's single-camera shows like The Office, 30 Rock, Parks & Rec, etc wouldn't survive back then. A number of similar shows were quickly cancelled back then.

factsoflife · 06-20-2013, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UMFaninMD

Other possibilities:

Pretty much any of the cable dramas (Mad Men/Glee/Breaking Bad/Homeland, etc)
Two Broke Girls
Two and a Half Men

Glee is not a cable drama, #1 it airs on a broadcast network (Fox), #2 it's a comedy/musical.

Two Broke Girls I think would still have been a big hit... and Two and A Half Men I also think would have survived.

EmoJoe · 06-20-2013, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

I don't know. Twin Peaks was weird even for now. lol

True lol...but weirder than, say, Lost? I don't know. Then again, even Lost was kind of an anamoly (seeing as to how many times the networks have tried to copy its formula and failed).

visaman666 · 06-20-2013, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UMFaninMD

MTV's The Real World and FOX's COPS were very popular reality shows during the 90's but back then they were a much different breed then the competition, romance, crazy family and catty women reality that clogs up the airwaves now. I don't think DWTS, American Idol, The Voice, or The Bachelor/Bachelorette would have made it either unless it wasn't a public voting show.

Other possibilities:

The Walking Dead
Once Upon a Time
Criminal Minds
30 Rock
The Office
Pretty much any of the cable dramas (Mad Men/Glee/Breaking Bad/Homeland, etc)
Two Broke Girls
Two and a Half Men
Modern Family
The Vampire Diaries

Of all those shows the only one I've seen is Half Men, and only in syndication.

EmoJoe · 06-20-2013, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UMFaninMD

MTV's The Real World and FOX's COPS were very popular reality shows during the 90's but back then they were a much different breed then the competition, romance, crazy family and catty women reality that clogs up the airwaves now. I don't think DWTS, American Idol, The Voice, or The Bachelor/Bachelorette would have made it either unless it wasn't a public voting show.

Other possibilities:

The Walking Dead
Once Upon a Time
Criminal Minds
30 Rock
The Office
Pretty much any of the cable dramas (Mad Men/Glee/Breaking Bad/Homeland, etc)
Two Broke Girls
Two and a Half Men
Modern Family
The Vampire Diaries

2 Broke Girls and Two and a Half Men would probably be okay if they toned down the raunchiness a bit. Same with Criminal Minds and the violence. I agree with your other choices, although I could sort of see Once Upon a Time working on The WB or something.

jimpickens · 06-21-2013, 03:57 AM

Longmire
American Hogger
Duck Dynasty
The Big Bang Theory
Justified
Sons Of Anarchy
Robot Chicken
Swamp People
Mountain Men

Tubehead · 06-26-2013, 09:03 AM

numbers
THE BIG BANG THEROY
The Mentalist
ARROW
PERSON OF INSTREST
HAWIE FIVE O REMAKE
SHARK, TANK
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
WHIP OUT
PAWN STARS
'STORAGE WARS
VEAGS
EXTRERAM COUPPOING
America got Talent
Continuum
LONG MIRE
THE GLADES

SMALLVILLE
HEREOS
KAYLE XY

06-19-2013, 08:50 PM	#3
EmoJoe Cool cool cool Forum Addict Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 71,478	Pretty much any "cult" show like 30 Rock, Community, Fringe, any of the prestigious cable dramas...ect. You couldn't skirt by on modest ratings and critical acclaim back then like you could now. Realistically, anything that wasn't a traditional multi-camera sitcom or a procedural drama would probably have difficulty finding an audience. Most of the shows that resisted those formulas back then didn't stick around too long...although it'd be interesting to see how some of those shows would perform now. Off-beat animated sitcoms like Family Guy and Futurama struggled then but were revived and found success, and I bet something like Twin Peaks could've run for several years if it aired now.
	__________________ "I know the difference between TV and reality, Jeff. TV has structure, it makes sense, there are likable leading men. In real life, we have this. We have you." - Abed Nadir, Community www.sitcomsarestupid.blogspot.com

06-26-2013, 09:03 AM	#12
Tubehead Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 12, 2007 Location: chattanooga.tn Posts: 5,139	SHOW TODAY WOULDN'T DO WELL IN 1990S numbers THE BIG BANG THEROY The Mentalist ARROW PERSON OF INSTREST HAWIE FIVE O REMAKE SHARK, TANK WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WHIP OUT PAWN STARS 'STORAGE WARS VEAGS EXTRERAM COUPPOING America got Talent Continuum LONG MIRE THE GLADES SMALLVILLE HEREOS KAYLE XY

06-19-2013, 02:39 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,441	Popular shows of today that wouldn't do well in the '90s http://officialfan.proboards.com/thr...hows-today-90s Can you think of any?

06-19-2013, 03:35 PM	#2
Regulus Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 07, 2011 Location: Port Orange, Florida Avatar - Poiuyt Posts: 3,374	Yes, the "Reality" Shows for starters. If All of the "Big Four" Networks took their current schedules, went back to say 1995 and replaced ALL of the shows with today's programming all at once the feedback (Irate Calls) they'd get from viewers would make the 2004 Super Bowl and the 1968 "Heidi Game" seem trivial!
	__________________ Grail Shows: *Doc Elliot, Owen Marshall-Counselor of Law, Here's Boomer, Three for the Road, Holmes and YoYo* Bucket List Shows: *Hot Wheels, Skyhawks, Run Joe Run, Westwood*

06-21-2013, 03:57 AM	#11
jimpickens Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 01, 2007 Location: weston,wv Posts: 1,389	Longmire American Hogger Duck Dynasty The Big Bang Theory Justified Sons Of Anarchy Robot Chicken Swamp People Mountain Men