Shows that were bigger hits in reruns - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

installLSC · 04-13-2015, 11:30 AM

CMT is now heavily promoting a "Reba takeover weekend", which got me thinking about the success of "Reba" in cable reruns. The funny thing it was never a hit, never even getting into the top 100. (Admittedly a lot of that is being on the WB.) What other shows were far more popular in cable/syndicated reruns than their network runs?

TMC · 04-13-2015, 12:35 PM

Vindicated By History: Live-Action TV

*The original Star Trek is the most obvious example that comes to mind.

*WKRP in Cincinnati

*What's Happening!!

*Family Guy after its original, 1999-2002 run

boechsner · 04-13-2015, 01:39 PM

The Brady Bunch and Leave It to Beaver

Both not ratings hits during their original runs. Neither of them even cracked the top 30. Leave It to Beaver was even cancelled after it's first season by CBS before moving to ABC. However, once they went into syndication, they've both been on the air non-stop. Both enjoying revivals throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

The Brady Bunch - The Brady Bunch Hour, The Brady Girls Get Married/The Brady Brides, The Bradys ....

Leave It to Beaver - Still the Beaver/The New Leave It to Beaver

mets82 · 04-13-2015, 04:00 PM

I guess Married with Children would be a show that was bigger in reruns. I also think Melrose Place too. I mean both were on FOX but once they started with reruns they did great.

LUNCH · 04-14-2015, 12:41 PM

Gilligans Island even though it was fairly successful during it's initial run,was Giant in reruns making it one of the most successful syndicated shows ever made.If they had any idea what a hit it would have been in re-runs they would have probably kept the show going for 20 years or so.

TMC · 04-15-2015, 03:51 PM

http://www.buzzfeed.com/kelleylcarte...y-jane-and-bet

Quote:

The network had picked up their show The Game — which The CW unceremoniously had canceled in 2009 — in syndication. And it wasn’t long before executives at BET noticed that the viewership for reruns of the series, which chronicled the off-the-field lives of a professional football team and the women who love them, was at times bigger than that of its original airings on The CW. In 2011, after a long social media campaign from crushed fans, BET struck a deal to bring The Game back with new episodes, making it the network’s first scripted show.

treky · 04-15-2015, 11:45 PM

THE ODD COUPLE was never a hit during its 5 seasons on ABC, it fact it was nearly cancelled at the end of each season.

Mace Dolex · 04-16-2015, 12:53 AM

Didn't Seinfeld get more popular once it began in syndication while still airing on NBC?

icecream · 04-16-2015, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mace Dolex

Didn't Seinfeld get more popular once it began in syndication while still airing on NBC?

I think Seinfeld became popular when it got off Wednesdays and replaced Cheers Thursdays at 9:00.

Mace Dolex · 04-16-2015, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catsrule

I think Seinfeld became popular when it got off Wednesdays and replaced Cheers Thursdays at 9:00.

I think you're right, I think that started NBC's "Must See TV" slogan.

Frenky · 04-16-2015, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mace Dolex

I think you're right, I think that started NBC's "Must See TV" slogan.

Seinfeld became popular when it was moved on Thursday 9:30pm in March 1993 and then NBC started "Must See TV" slogan in August 1993.

I think Seinfeld entered syndication in 1995.

TMC · 04-16-2015, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mets82

I guess Married with Children would be a show that was bigger in reruns. I also think Melrose Place too. I mean both were on FOX but once they started with reruns they did great.

I don't know about MWC. I mean, it was really Fox's first big hit TV show and along w/ the Simpsons, was drove the network in the years prior to them landing the NFL contract. MWC didn't really become a "big deal" so to speak to the masses until the whole Terry Rakolta controversy.

FuriosityShell · 04-16-2015, 08:57 PM

Boy Meets World.

The show got OK ratings during its original run and was not a hit. But in syndication, it gained so much popularity that it got its own sequel/spin-off series.

factsoflife · 04-17-2015, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mets82

I guess Married with Children would be a show that was bigger in reruns. I also think Melrose Place too. I mean both were on FOX but once they started with reruns they did great.

No to MP. Melrose Place was a huge hit in its early seasons, but very quickly declined in popularity. In fact, reruns did little to nothing to improve ratings.

factsoflife · 04-17-2015, 07:32 PM

Beverly Hills, 90210 was a massive success by all measurements, but hitting national syndication in 1994 or 1995 certainly increased the series popularity and overall appeal. In fact, very few believed the series would be a hit in syndication, but reruns on local stations far exceeded any expectation and at times it was the #1 rated syndicated drama in syndication at the time. Reruns clearly improved the shows overall popularity, to the extent it is still in syndication today.

04-13-2015, 04:00 PM	#4
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	I guess Married with Children would be a show that was bigger in reruns. I also think Melrose Place too. I mean both were on FOX but once they started with reruns they did great.
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04-15-2015, 11:45 PM	#7
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	THE ODD COUPLE was never a hit during its 5 seasons on ABC, it fact it was nearly cancelled at the end of each season.
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04-16-2015, 08:57 PM	#13
FuriosityShell PharaohSnell Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 03, 2013 Location: Lanford, Illinois Posts: 275	Boy Meets World. The show got OK ratings during its original run and was not a hit. But in syndication, it gained so much popularity that it got its own sequel/spin-off series.
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04-13-2015, 11:30 AM	#1
installLSC Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 19, 2013 Location: United States Posts: 271	Shows that were bigger hits in reruns CMT is now heavily promoting a "Reba takeover weekend", which got me thinking about the success of "Reba" in cable reruns. The funny thing it was never a hit, never even getting into the top 100. (Admittedly a lot of that is being on the WB.) What other shows were far more popular in cable/syndicated reruns than their network runs?

04-13-2015, 12:35 PM	#2
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,739	Vindicated By History: Live-Action TV The original Star Trek* is the most obvious example that comes to mind. *WKRP in Cincinnati *What's Happening!! *Family Guy after its original, 1999-2002 run

04-13-2015, 01:39 PM	#3
boechsner Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2000 Location: Green Bay, WI Posts: 2,212	The Brady Bunch and Leave It to Beaver Both not ratings hits during their original runs. Neither of them even cracked the top 30. Leave It to Beaver was even cancelled after it's first season by CBS before moving to ABC. However, once they went into syndication, they've both been on the air non-stop. Both enjoying revivals throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The Brady Bunch - The Brady Bunch Hour, The Brady Girls Get Married/The Brady Brides, The Bradys .... Leave It to Beaver - Still the Beaver/The New Leave It to Beaver

04-14-2015, 12:41 PM	#5
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	Gilligans Island even though it was fairly successful during it's initial run,was Giant in reruns making it one of the most successful syndicated shows ever made.If they had any idea what a hit it would have been in re-runs they would have probably kept the show going for 20 years or so.

04-16-2015, 12:53 AM	#8
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,670	Didn't Seinfeld get more popular once it began in syndication while still airing on NBC?

04-17-2015, 07:32 PM	#15
factsoflife Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 11, 2000 Posts: 8,747	Beverly Hills, 90210 was a massive success by all measurements, but hitting national syndication in 1994 or 1995 certainly increased the series popularity and overall appeal. In fact, very few believed the series would be a hit in syndication, but reruns on local stations far exceeded any expectation and at times it was the #1 rated syndicated drama in syndication at the time. Reruns clearly improved the shows overall popularity, to the extent it is still in syndication today.