Bob Crane Show.....1975

[TVFactFan]

Premeire Date.......March 6, 1975 on NBC

Killed by Waltons on Thursday Night

Intial ranking after 1st episode.......#52

Final airing......June 12, 1975

Final overall ranking.....#65 out of 85 shows

Episode is actually in existence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j56AnFbHcZo

[Duster76]

If I were to pick one word to sum this show up it would be contrived. Crane plays a lawyer who is studying to become a doctor and has some kind of odd housing circumstance, I think he was residing in a former factory building. Nothing about it felt real, and to be honest, Crane was more of a personality than an actor so his range was limited.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Duster76

If I were to pick one word to sum this show up it would be contrived. Crane plays a lawyer who is studying to become a doctor and has some kind of odd housing circumstance, I think he was residing in a former factory building. Nothing about it felt real, and to be honest, Crane was more of a personality than an actor so his range was limited.

I dont understand why networks back then put new shows up against well established shows. People wont stop watching new eps of the waltons to watch something new before VCRS

[Bonniegirl]

I don't remember this show at all. I was a big Walton's fan, so I guess that is why I never watched this.

All I remember about Bob Crane was he was in Hogan's
Heroes. And he got murdered in a hotel room in Arizona in the late 70's.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

I don't remember this show at all. I was a big Walton's fan, so I guess that is why I never watched this.

All I remember about Bob Crane was he was in Hogan's
Heroes. And he got murdered in a hotel room in Arizona in the late 70's.

Probably because it was a short mid season tryout that didnt make the fall schedule

Damm just read about it. in 1978

[opus]

Another one of those short lived shows that still managed to find the time to get onto the cover of one of those newspaper TV inserts

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by opus

Another one of those short lived shows that still managed to find the time to get onto the cover of one of those newspaper TV inserts


Attachment 336549

Probably because he was already well known from Hogans

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I dont understand why networks back then put new shows up against well established shows. People wont stop watching new eps of the waltons to watch something new before VCRS

On the surface it would appear NBC was clueless but there was actually a method to the madness. The Bob Crane Show premiered March 6 as did the show that preceded it, Sunshine. Sunshine was a comedy/drama about widower folk/rock musician (think John Denver like) and his young daughter. This heartwarming family oriented series might appeal to the same audience as The Waltons so putting it up against the very established Waltons really didn't make any sense unless... . As these two series premiered The Waltons were wrapping up season 3, the last first run episode of the season also aired March 6. NBC was hoping the reviews would be good and the Walton viewers might like to sample something new in the weeks that followed rather than watch season 3 repeats, shows the viewers had just seen a few months before. Obviously the strategy didn't work but part of that might have been related to the two series involved. Sunshine received good reviews but the whole young widower/widow theme had been explored many times over the years so it may have had a been there done that feel to it. If I recall properly, the Crane show wasn't good and generally did not receive good reviews.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Duster76

On the surface it would appear NBC was clueless but there was actually a method to the madness. The Bob Crane Show premiered March 6 as did the show that preceded it, Sunshine. Sunshine was a comedy/drama about widower folk/rock musician (think John Denver like) and his young daughter. This heartwarming family oriented series might appeal to the same audience as The Waltons so putting it up against the very established Waltons really didn't make any sense unless... . As these two series premiered The Waltons were wrapping up season 3, the last first run episode of the season also aired March 6. NBC was hoping the reviews would be good and the Walton viewers might like to sample something new in the weeks that followed rather than watch season 3 repeats, shows the viewers had just seen a few months before. Obviously the strategy didn't work but part of that might have been related to the two series involved. Sunshine received good reviews but the whole young widower/widow theme had been explored many times over the years so it may have had a been there done that feel to it. If I recall properly, the Crane show wasn't good and generally did not receive good reviews.

I forgot back then the TV season ended in March so I can see how NBC thought maybe it would get more viewers. But I decided to look and saw that a repeat of the Waltons on March 13th ranked #16 way above a new episode of Bob Crane. Why was a repeat episode so high anyway? lol

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I forgot back then the TV season ended in March so I can see how NBC thought maybe it would get more viewers. But I decided to look and saw that a repeat of the Waltons on March 13th ranked #16 way above a new episode of Bob Crane. Why was a repeat episode so high anyway? lol

Interesting, some of the audience may not have realized that the season had concluded. There's also the fact that in those days many medium and smaller markets had just the three networks and one independent station (and some didn't even have that many) so the choices were limited.