The Worst Fall Line-Up in TV History (NBC 1983)

[TMC]

Here’s an article I found about it: https://www.portablepress.com/blog/2...up-in-history/

• The Yellow Rose. CBS’s Dallas, a soap about a family of Texas oil barons was the #1 show on TV at the time. The Yellow Rose was NBC’s take. It was a soap opera about…a family of Texas oil barons.
  
• Mr. Smith. The titular character is a put-upon political advisor…as well as a chimpanzee made super-smart with an experimental chemical. It starred the orangutan from the popular movie Every Which Way But Loose.
  
• Jennifer Slept Here. A typical American family moves into a new home in Los Angeles…that’s still inhabited by the ghost of the Old Hollywood movie star who once lived there.
  
• Bay City Blues. Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law) created this show about the bittersweet lives of a constantly touring minor league baseball team.
  
• We Got it Made. Much to the chagrin of their girlfriends, two New York roommates hire a sexy live-in maid.
  
• Boone. A 1950s-set drama about a teenager named Boone Sawyer who wants to be a part of that newfangled “rock and roll music,” much to the chagrin of his conservative father.
  
• The Rousters. The adventures of two modern-day bounty hunters who are descended from Western lawman Wyatt Earp.
  
• For Love and Honor. A romantic drama set on a military base, clearly inspired by An Officer and a Gentleman.
  
• Manimal. A handsome playboy helps police solve crimes…with his unique ability to transform into any animal he wishes. (Man + animal = “manimal.”)

In 1983-84, NBC’s schedule of nine new series became nine new failures.

[TJ]

The viral video of the orangutan attacking the guy at the zoo made me think about this short-lived sitcom.

Mr. Smith AND Manimal on the same night? What could possibly go wrong?

NBC was in pretty bad shape with those new shows in 1983. Only We Got It Made had a second season in first-run syndication.

[AMackII]

These 9 new series of The 1983-1984 NBC TV Season didn’t work out by Once Hunter & The Cosby Show debuted at the beginning of the 1984-1985 TV year and then The Premieres of Golden Girls & 227 at the start of 1985-1986 TV season, NBC regain its steam with good luck. As For Night Court, It was only Sucessful New NBC Show of the 1983-1984 TV season.

[icecream]

Boone should have been more successful inheriting Little House's longtime slot and being about Elvis Presley. Maybe Tom Byrd was the wrong choice to play him (I never saw the show). With going a horrendous 0 for 9 on the new fall premieres, NBC could have also given sophomore Fame a 3rd season but at least it had several more seasons in syndication. If Fame had remained on NBC though, maybe Lori Singer would have stayed longer.