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NOTE:
This page is currently under construction and will be revised and more
information will be added over the next few weeks. If you see any
incorrect info, or
have any additional pictures/info form this era, please e-mail me! Local Programming Time Slots
During
the mid 1980's, and even pretty much today, local stations which are
major network affiliates have just a limited time to fill with local
and syndicated programming. Whereas early in that period, the mid
80's, weekday mornings were filled with a hodgepodge of syndicated or
network provided newscasts, business or farm news, by the 1990's,
most stations were expanding local news into the early mornings.
WICS/WICD was no exception, although WICS would reach that goal a few
years before WICD. More on the local newscasts later.
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The
next weekday block of programming which would have to be provided was
the period from 3pm to 7pm. During the time from the mid 1980's the
program genres changed considerably on WICS/WICD. In the mid 1980's
programming consisted of cartoons, off network syndicated programming
appealing to young viewers and other more mass appeal sit-coms and
game shows. By the 1990's, late afternoon fare included more adult
talk shows such as “Ricki Lake,” “Montel” and others. During
the early 2000's, the block included the adult talk shows, and the
courtroom shows, as it remains today.
The weekend afternoon
local availabilities fell around a variety of short form and long
form sports programs from NBC. Other weekend local time slots were
becoming more and more filled with infomercials. Local stations
reduced the amount of syndicated programming, simply because there
were not enough hours in the day to program any regular scheduled
series when a reliable source of income consisted of infomercials.
Most syndicated programming was available as a barter-meaning the
station didn't pay for running the series, and just agreed to air the
attached network quality commercials contained in the shows. Each
show would then provide a number of local commercial slots which
could be sold by the station.
There were exceptions to the
this, though, as more and more off network hits were entering the
syndication market. Local stations would bid on the rights to air
these popular shows, such as “Seinfeld,” “Home Improvement”
and others and would pay for the rights to show them during
potentially high viewer time slots. This arrangement allowed the
station to charge much higher advertising rates for those local
commercial availabilities.
WICS/WICD Non Network Programming
By 1986, WICS was under new ownership
under Guy Gannett Communications, but the list of syndicated programs
remained pretty much consistent from the previous years. The list
included off network series like “Family Ties,” “Diff'rent
Strokes” and “The Jeffersons.” The weekend scheduling holes
were filled with off network TV movies as well as off network series
like “The Guns of Will Sonnett” and “The Jeffersons.” First
run programs included the game show combo “Jeopardy” and “Wheel
of Fortune” along with the weekend comedy/variety show “Hee Haw,”
the daytime drama “True Confessions” and the late night
talk/variety show “Night Life-with David Brenner” which followed
NBC's “David Letterman.”
In 1987 other off network shows were
added to the list of programs seen on WICS/WICD. The program genres
included cartoons, sit-coms and westerns. “Bullwinkle” replaced
“The New Archies” being offered as part of the Saturday morning
schedule on NBC. Weekend schedule holes were filled with “Guns of
Will Sonnett,” “Laverne and Shirley and Company,” “Branded,”
and “Hee Haw.”
The weekday schedule also included a
new mid day local newscast at 11:30am on WICS, while WICD aired “The
INN News(Independent News Network)” and later “Facts of Life”
and “Family Ties.” WICD did try a mid day newscast by Fall of
1987, but it was soon replaced by “INN.” It was also during this
period that WICS and WICD sometimes took different paths of
programming. The mid day newscast was just one example. There were
the WICS public affairs programs which sometimes took a duel role of
filling weekend programming voids as well as fulfilling public
service time for the stations license requirement. WICS would air
“Saturday on 20” and “Capitol Conference.” WICD would air
“Channel 15 Roundtable” and “Assignment 15.” Late night
programming following “David Letterman” was filled by “Success
in Life” a religious paid program length commercial on WICS, while
WICD signed off following “Letterman.”
In the late 1980's the weekend and late
night programming of local stations would change considerably. Thanks
to program length commercials(or infomercials), local TV
stations would no longer have to purchase or barter as much for
syndicated programming. Like most TV stations which found the cash
being too hard to refuse, the central Illinois TV stations made the
decision to broadcast infomercials. The WICS/WICD combo was no
exception. By 1990, Saturday afternoons consisted of
huge blocks of time being dedicated to the infomercial. For example
on Saturday, October 6, 1990, WICS/WICD ran a block of two-and a half
hours of straight program length commercials. On September 13, 1998,
WICS/WICD ran a 3 hour block of paid commercial programs from 11am to
2pm. Many stations later found it profitable to stay on the air 24
hours a day filling the former off-air hours with program length
commercials. WICS/WICD began to schedule overnight programming of
infomercials in the early 2000's.
In mid 1994, the ownership of WICS,
Guy Gannett Communications, purchased it's former sister station
WICD. At that time the program schedule of the two stations would
coincide more, but there were still some exceptions. The most
obvious one was the broadcast of the Saturday and Sunday editions of
“Today.” WICS, did not carry the NBC morning show, choosing
instead to air alternative programming on Saturday, “What's Up
Network,” “Martha Stewart Living” and a local newscast at 8am.
On Sundays WICS would cover “Today” with an hour long program
length paid religious program.
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David Brenner
Night Life
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Hard Copy
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Maury Povich
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Sally Jessy Raphael
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Tempestt
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Sightings
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Poltergeist: The Legacy
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Adventures of Sinbad
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Regis and Kathie Lee
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Roseanne Show
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Donny and Marie
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Judge Mills Lane
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Ilania
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Crossing Over
with John Edward
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Mutant X
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Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
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By the fall of 1994, the
combo of “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” would be dropped
by WICS/WICD and picked up by competitor WAND. In their place other
first run syndicated and off network programs would include “Hard
Copy” at 5pm and “Coach” was moved from 4:30pm to 6:30pm where
it would play through 1995. The game show combo of “Jeopardy”
and “Wheel of Fortune” was an unbeatable combination of
programming. The reason for the move of the combo to WAND could have
been that WICS/WICD was outbid for the programs as the contract
expired for the programs on Channels 15 and 20, or it could be that
WICS/WICD under Guy Gannett saw more potential in the purchase of
“Seinfeld” and “Home Improvement” for the Fall of 1995. During 1994-95 the stations would air “Coach” at
6:30pm. Also during the 1994-95 season the afternoon schedule included "Full House" and "Fresh Prince."
In the fall of 1995, the WICS/WICD combo scored an off
network syndicated coup with the first year availability of “Home
Improvement” and “Seinfeld.” “Home Improvement” would air
at 5pm against the local newscasts of the other network affiliates in
the market. “Seinfeld” would air at 6:30pm and be a major
syndicated program success story for many years through at least 2009
on WICS/WICD.
In 1997 there was another off network sit com
which promised to be a syndicated hit, “Grace Under Fire” was
added to the late afternoon schedule airing at 4:30pm in the fall of
1997. “Grace” would fail and would run the rest of the contract
during the overnight the next year. “Hangin' with Mr. Cooper”
was another once promising off network series which would not see the
light of day and was immediately exiled to the overnight schedule,
following the late night infomercial and before the late late night
infomercial!
Daytime during the late 1990's was filled with
first run syndicated talkers like “Sally Jessy Raphael” “Ricki
Lake,” “Montel Williams,” “Maury Povich,” “Tempestt”
and “Susan Powter.” Late afternoons included
“Empty Nest,” “Full House,” “The New Price is Right,”
“Fresh Prince of Bell Air” and “Extra: The Entertainment
Magazine.”
The NBC daytime schedule in 1995 had been reduced drastically. Local stations had to program the entire block from 9am to
11am, a block which had been formerly filled with off NBC network
reruns and game shows. Now local stations would fill the two hour
slot with “adult” talk shows. NBC would air “Leeza” from
11am to Noon and WICS/WICD would follow with the mid day newscast.
At 12:30pm the stations would air “Coach” which was recycled from
its former 6:30pm slot, to filling the post Noon newscast slot.
“Judge Judy” would fill the 12:30pm slot in 1996 to air one year
before being replace by infomercials. That post midday newscast
infomercial continues today.
First run syndicated
programming during the 1990's included “Sightings,” “Baywatch,”
“Judge Judy,” “Baywatch Nights,” “One West Waikiki,”
“Poltergeist: The Legacy,” “Sunset Beach,” “Earth: Final
Conflict,” “Adventures of Sinbad,” “Nightman,” “Tracker,”
“Mutant X” and “Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda”
1997 marked the return of “Regis and
Kathie Lee” to the 9am time slot of WICS/WICD. It formerly ran on
WICS/WICD in 1989-90, after which it served as a lead in to the
daytime programming of WCIA. It would eventually return to WICS/WICD
in 1997. The daytime talker/variety show produced by Disney/ABC at
WABC in New York was always out of place on a CBS or NBC station as
many guests and features served as promotions for ABC programs. It
would later become a “natural” addition to WICS/WICD after Labor
Day of 2005!
During the fall of 1998, WICS/WICD were
both airing the Saturday edition of “Today” for the first time.
The Saturday eastern time live feed would air from 6am-8am, where at
8am it would be followed by an hour long simulcast morning newscast.
On Sunday, “Today” would only air on WICD, during which time WICS
would air infomercials or paid religious programs.
The weekday afternoon schedule included
the first run talker “Roseanne Show” at 3pm, followed by “Montel”
and “Home Improvement.” The late night schedule would
immediately go to overnight infomercials following “Conan.”
At the turn of century during the
2000-2001 the Saturday morning early newscast was history, as
WICS/WICD returned “Today” to the 7am to 9am time slot before the
NBC Saturday morning schedule. The late night Saturday schedule
after “SNL” included . On Sunday, late nights slots
were filled by “Seinfeld,” “Home Improvement” and “Baywatch:
Hawaii.”
The weekday late afternoon schedule
consisted of “Montel,” a double run of “Judge Mills Lane” and
at 5pm a new simulcast of the 5pm local news. “Home Improvement”
took on the roll of filling odd weekend time slots such as between
6am and 7am on Sunday mornings and other slots where infomercials
were not scheduled.
In 2002 the off network series “Nash
Bridges” was added to the late Sunday night schedule along with
weekend repeats of “ Mutant X” and “Gene Roddenberry's
Andromeda.” “Seinfeld” aired overnight along with feeds of
the Home Shopping Network and other infomercials.
The next year, the Saturday night late
night would consist of “Andromeda,” “Adventure Inc.,” “Mutant
X,” “Road Rules(a reality show)” and infomercials. Sunday
nights included “Seinfeld,” “Adventure Inc.,” “Mutant X,”
“John Woo's Once a Thief,” “Andromeda” and infomercials.
Weekday afternoons consisted of “Montel,” “Who Wants to be a
Millionaire?” and “Entertainment Tonight. Overnights would air
repeats of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Conan.”
In 2005, the afternoon block included
“Montel” and “Judge Judy.” “Seinfeld” would anchor the
6:30pm time slot. This would be the year that WICS/WICD would be
involved in a network affiliation switch, losing NBC and picking up
ABC by Labor Day.
The WICS/WICD combo...
You might notice the information about WICS
also mentions WICD. As the stations are part of a central
Illinois mini-network, the programming of both stations was simulcast
for most of the schedule.
(more text, below)
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Sherman Hemsley, right off of "The Jeffersons" appeared in "Amen" from 1986-1991 on NBC. Co-stars included Clifton Davis and Anna Maria Horsford. |
"Our House" was a
two season entry on NBC from 1986-88. It starred Deidre Hall(from
"Days of Our Lives"L), Wilford Brimley and Shannen Doherty among
others. This family show aired on Sunday evenings. |
"J.J. Starbucks"
was the adventures of Texas millionaire played by Dale Robertson,
and co-stared Jimmy Dean and Ben Vereen. It was full of homey
Texas sayings and had a short run of NBC from 1987-88. |
"The Cosby Show"
was the number one show on television during most of the mid to
late 1980's. Bill Cosby starred as Dr Cliff Huxtable with
Phylicia Rashad as his wife Clair. He was the head of the family
which included the kids, Sabrina LeBeauf, Lisa Bonet, Malcolm-Jamal
Warner, Tempestt Bledsoe and Keshia Knight Pulliam.
The "Cosby Show" led NBC's "Must See TV" from 1984 to 1992.
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"A Different World" was a spin off of "The Cosby Show" starring
Lisa Bonet and Jasmine Guy. Denise Huxtable went to college
in this one which ran on NBC from 1987 to 1993. It followed "The
Cosby Show" on NBC's schedule and benefited from the lead taking this
show to high ratings during it's first few years.
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"Hee Haw" was a Saturday night tradition on WICS from the
late 1970's through
much of the 1980's. Buck Ownens and company did a country version
of "Rowan and Martin's Laugh In" This former CBS show ran for
many years in syndication. It was part of the late Saturday afternoon schedule on WICS/WICD in through late 1987.
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"Wheel of Fortune"
came from the NBC daytime schedule of the 1970's and continued for
while in the 1980's. Merv Griffin Productions also created a
night time version which continues today. From 1986 through the
fall of 1994, it would occupy the 6:30pm CT slot.
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Part of the syndication package of getting "Wheel of Fortune",
as a package deal stations air "Jeopardy" as well. "Jeopardy"
would air at 5pm as an evening news lead in. On WICS/WICD the
Alex Trebek game show would air through the fall of 1994.
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Right from "Father Murphy", Merlin Olson starred as an Amish patriarch with a close knit family. "Aaron's Way" also starred Belinda Montgomery and Jessica Walter. It's run was only a few weeks from March to May of 1988. |
This was another attempt by a TV star to go on to another successful
series. Odds are against the second hit, and this is no
exception. Kate Jackson from "Charlie's Angels" starred in "Baby Boom"
based on a successful movie. It aired on NBC from September 1988
to January 1989. As you can see, it ran in Stereo(where
available), but not yet on WICS. |
"Tattinger's" ran from
October 1988 to April 1989. It starred Steven Collins with Blythe
Danner, Patrice Colihan, Rob Morrow and even Chris Elliott among other
lesser knowns. Collins character was the owner of a restaurant in
Paris(France, not Illinois). It was canceled in January, then it
returned in April as a half hour sitcom called "Nick and
Hillary." One of the guest stars in the series was Danville
Illinois native Bobby Short. |
"Beverly Hills Buntz"
was a spin off from "Hill Street Blues." It included Dennis
Franz, Peter Jurasik, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson and Guy Boyd. The
big question, was this a comedy or a drama? Viewers didn't figure
it out, or when it was on as it was moved around the schedule many
times during its run from November to April 1987-88. |
It was billed as "He's a Lone Ranger in a black sportscar!" "Stingray"
was a guy with no history, who traveled about in a Corvette Stingray
and fought crime. It also bounced around the NBC schedule at
various times, but spent most of the schedule on Friday nights.
It ran from 1986 to 1987. |
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"Baywatch"
was one of the most successful cancelled series in TV history.
After one season on NBC after being introduced as a TV movie in April
of 1989, it was cancelled and went into first run syndication for 10
years. It spawned a couple of spin-off series including "Baywatch
Nights" and "Baywatch: Hawaii." The show made stars of Shawn
Weatherly, Erika Eleniak, Pamela Anderson Lee, Alexandra Paul(my
favorite), Yasmine Bleeth, Gena Lee Nolin, Donna D'Errico, Carmen
Electra and Brandi Roderick. It also sold magazines for Playboy
as many of the stars either began their careers with the magizine or
became models later. Other stars included the series star David
Hasselhoff with Parker Stevenson, Monte Markham, Richard Jaeckel and
even Pat Morita.
After it's network run, it would continue as weekend programming for
WICS during its run and would air back to back with "Baywatch Nights"
for awhile in the late 1990's.
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It was another attempt at sci-fi from NBC. "Something is Out There"
ran on NBC from October 21 to December 9th, 1988. It starred
Maryam d'Abo as an alien who teamed up with a cop to fight crime and an
alien invasion.
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"Roomies" was an
updated and younger version of "The Odd Couple" with the exploits of
two college freshman played by Burt Young and Corey Haim. The big
problem, Burt Young's character was a 42-year old, while Corey Haim's
character was of the more traditional age.
It didn't last a semester, only running from March to May of 1987. |
Sam Jones starred as "The Highwayman."
This fantasy action adventure series was a truckers dream as the
Highwayman drove a high tech 18-wheeler that would have been a dream
machine for James Bond. It was a production of Glen A. Larson who
brought us "The A-Team" and "Knight Rider" among others. |
Daytime on NBC included "Generations"
was the first daytime serial to be based on the stories of an
African-American family. It was included during the daytime
schedule from 1989 to 1991. Cast members included Vivica A. Fox,
Tony Addabbo, Jack Betts, Jonelle Allen, Patricia Crowley and many more. |
"Rags to Riches"
ran on NBC from 1987 to 1988 and starred Joseph Bologna and Douglas
Seale. This series was set in 1961 and was similar to those
cheap B-movie musicals of the era. |
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One of the last comedy variety shows of the era starred puppets, the
creation of Jim Henson. Kermit, Miss PIggy and the other
Muppets. "The Jim Henson Hour" aired on NBC from April to July of 1989. |
Ann Morgan Guilbert(from "The Dick Van Dyke Show") starred with Ned Eisenberg in "The Fanelli Boys."
Mrs. Fanelli, played by Guilbert, was the mom as her adult sons moved
back home. They stayed from September to February 1990 to 1991.
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"The Bronk Zoo"
referred to a Bronks high school who was led by principal Joe
Danzig, played by Edward Asner. Kathryn Harrold, Kathleen Beller
and David Wilson co-starred. This high school drama ran from
March 1987 to June of 1988. |
"FM" was not based
on the movie with the same title. Robert Hays(from "Airplane")
along with Patricia Richardson("Home Improvement") starred as workers
at a small public radio station in Washington D.C..
It ran from August 1989 to June of 1990.
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Jack Warden, Mason Adams and Hope Lange starred as characters involved in a long time love triangle in "Knight and Daye." This half hour sit com aired on NBC from July to August 1989. |
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Robert Loggia starred as F.B.I. agent Nick Mancuso in "Mancuso FBI." This police drama aired on NBC from 1989 to 1990, then returned in rerun form in 1993.
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"Empty Nest" was a
spin off of sorts of "Golden Girls." Richard Mulligan, Kristy
McNichol, Dinah Manoff and David Leisure. This NBC long running series
aired from 1988 to 1995. |
Suzanne Pleshette was back on a weekly TV series from the "Bob Newhart" show, now on "Nightingales."
This Aaron Spelling production featured the love lives of student
nurses at a hospital in southern California. It only lasted
for 4 months in early 1989. |
Realistic portrayals of the lives of those of the lower class.
This, from the producers of "Thirty Something" was very similar, but
dealt with the financial struggles of the main characters. "Dream Street" was filmed on location in Hoboken, it ran on NBC from April to June of 1989. |
Mel Brooks reunited some of his most famous movie actors in a TV series called "Nutt House."
Harvey Korman, Cloris Leachman, Mark Blankfield(from "Friday Nights")
and Brian McNamara. It was once a elegant New York hotel, now it
wasn't. In spite of the producers and its cast, in only lasted 4
episodes, September to October 1989. |
From
1987 to 1994, NBC began the TV seasons with the following series:
Our House, Family Ties, My Two Dads, Alf, Valerie's Family(Hogan
Family), Matlock, J.J. Starbuck, Crime Story, Highway to Heaven, A Year
in the Life, St. Elsewhere, Cosby Show, A Different World, Cheers,
Night Court, L.A. Law, Rags to Riches, Miami Vice, Private Eye, Facts
of Life, 227, Golden Girls, Amen, Hunter, Magical World of Disney, Day
by Day, In the Heat of the Night, Midnight Caller, Unsolved Mysteries,
Baby Boom, Tattingers, A Different World, Dear John, Sonny Spoon,
Something is Out There, Empty Nest, Sister Kate, My Two Dads, Nutt
House, Quantum Leap, Baywatch, Hardball, Mancuso FBI, Hull High,
Lifestories, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Ferris Bueller, Fanelli Boys,
Grand, Wings, Parenthood, Working it Out, Carol and Company, American
Dreamer, Adventures of Mark and Brian, Eerie Indiana, Man of the
People, Pacific Station, Blossom, I'll Fly Away, Seinfield, Real Life
with Jane Pauley, Expose, Flesh n' Blook, Reasonable Doubts, The
Torkelsons, Sisters, Secret Service, I Witness Video, Dateline NBC, Mad
About You, Blossom, Final Appeal, What Happened?, Round Table, I'll Fly
Away, Here and Now, Out All Night, I Witness Video, seaQuest DSV, Saved
by the Bell-College Years, Getting By, John Larroquette Show, Second
Half, Now, Law and Order, Frasier, Against the Grain, The Mommies, Cafe
Americain, Earth 2, Martin Short Show, Cosby Mysteries, Madman of the
People, ER, Homicide: Life on the Street, Something Wilder and Sweet
Justice.
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"Sonny Spoon" starred Mario Van Peebles and Terry Donahoe in this
private eye series which aired on NBC from February to December of 1988. |
Stephanie Beacham starred as sd
a nun as the head of a group of orphans. The theme song was sung
by Amy Grant. "Sister Kate" aired on NBC from 1989 to 1990. |
It began on NBC in 1989 and ran from January to March. "Father Dowling Mysteries" starred Tom Bosley and Tracy Nelson. ABC picked it up the next year where it lasted through 1991.
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"Carol and Company"
tried to revive the CBS feel with a Saturday night comedy variety show
which would put Carol Burnett in a half hour "play" in which she would
play a variety of characters with a group of regular players. It
lasted from the Spring of 1990 to the Summer of 1991. |
This legal drama, "Shannon's Deal"
starred Jamey Sheridan as Jack Shannon a lawyer with a number of
problems both from a professional and personal level. This series
ran from April 1990 to May of 1991. |
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Where do your start to describe this TV franchise of "Law and Order?"
This long running crime show would spin off several other titled shows
over the years. Stars included: Christopher Noth, Steven Hill,
Paul Sorvino, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterson, Carey Lowell, Angie Harmon,
Dennis Farina and many, many others. The original series began in
1990, and continued for much of the next 20 years.
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| This NBC musical variety show, "Hot Country Nights"
replaced two failed sit coms in the Sunday night schedule from November
1991 to March 1992. Stars like Clint Black, Dong Stone, K.T.
Oslin and many others wee included. |
From 1988 to 1999, Robert Stack hosted "Unsolved Mysteries."
This series brought to light various crimes, helped to find missing
persons, explored the supernatural and other such mysteries. Told
by reenactments it also solved many of those mysteries by announcing a
contact number in which producers would follow up on additional
information.
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John Bolger and Ally Walker starred in "True Blue" a realistic view of
the Emergency Services Unit of the New York City Police
Department. The series was filmed in New York and aired on NBC
from 1989 to 1990.
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"The Bob Hope Show"
specials continued well into the 1990's, but it became obvious he was
slowing down. The monologs didn't have the same punch as the
shows in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. They were becoming rather
routine, and let's face it, his audience was now longer part of the
18-49 year old audience. His last special aired in 1996 and his
participation was extremely limited, as his "show" was hosted by Tony
Danza. It's also been reported that in at least one of his final
specials, Dave Thomas(SCTV) did an impression of him and it was dubbed
in.
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Mayim Bialik starred as "Blossom" a disfunctional family which dealt with divorce, drug abuse and other modern issues....and it was a comedy sit com?! "Blossom" ran on NBC Monday nights from 1991 to 1995.
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"In the Heat of the Night"
starred Carroll O'Conner as Chief Bill Gillespie a white southern
police chief with his black Chief of Detectives played by Howard
Rollins. This series would run on NBC from 1988 through
1992 before ending its run through 1994 on CBS.
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"The Golden Girls" re teamed Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan from "Maude" in a sit com which
takes place in Miami. This terrific ensemble cast also included
Betty White and Estelle Getty. The smash NBC hit ran from 1985 to
1992. It also spun off "The Golden Palace" which starred just
about everybody except Bea Arthur. It ran for only one year. |
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"Fresh Prince of Bel Air"
starred future star Will Smith as Will Smith, "The Fresh Prince" from
1990 to 1996. Others in the cast included James Avery, Daphne
Maxwell Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Tyra Banks.
"Fresh Prince" also ran in syndication weekday afternoons on WICS
in 1994 and 1995.
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Roy
Scheider, Don Franklin, Stephanie Beacham and others starred in
seaQuest DSV which was another vehicle from Stephen Spielberg's Amblin
Productions. It was part of the NBC schedule from 1993 to 1995.
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Timothy Daly and Crystal Bernard(pictured) starred with Steven Weber in "Wings."
Produced by the same production company as "Cheers" it had a similar
feel although it took place in a small airport. "Wings" ran on NBC from 1990 to 1997.
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"Malibu Shores" starred
Kerri Russell and Greg Vaughan in this Aaron Spelling produced serial
drama. This night time soap ran on NBC from March to June of
1996....a short run before being canceled.
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Channel 20, Channel 15 Newscasts
The newscast schedule of WICS would
grow during the years of 1986 to 2005. In the Fall of 1986, WICS
newscasts included Monday-Friday news drops during “Today” from 7
to 9am. The 11:30am local newscast hosted by Ann Gillies and Darryl
Crouch in 1983 was dropped by 1986 and replaced by a syndicated
daytime drama “True Confessions.” During the late 60's and
throughout the 70's, WICS newscasts included a 5pm newscast, but by
1986 the weeknight news only included a 6 and 10pm newscast. On
Saturday with the move of “Hee Haw” to 5pm instead of 6pm, it
allowed for a 6pm Saturday newscast in addition to the standard 10pm
newscast. On Sunday local news only included the 10pm newscast.
The next Fall weekday mornings added a
morning farm feature, “Sunrise on the Farm” which aired at 6:25am
on WICS. This forced the “Morning Agricultural Report”to move
ahead 5-minutes and sign-on at 5:55am. The WICD sister station would air
“Twin Cities Today” hosted by WICD Promotions Director Geni
Roark. Its not sure the source of “Sunrise on the Farm” but it
could have been the University of Illinois Extension Service. Also
in 1987 the 11:30am mid day newscast was added back on the schedule
at WICS. According to former WICD Operations Manager Larry Waters,
the 11:30am newscast on WICD originated at WICD.
In late 1988 the public affairs
feature “Twin Cities Today” was replaced by a simulcast of
“Sunrise on the Farm” at 6:25am. “Twin Cities” today more
than likely would air during one of the “Today” local news
cut-ins. It appears that during the fall of 1989, the simulcast
ended as WICD would originate a pre-recorded farm feature “Today on
the Farm.” Also by the Fall of 1988, WICS would move its mid day
newscast to Noon. WICD would air instead “Headline News” from
the alternative cable news network of CNN.
By 1989 more and
more stations were placing an emphasis on local newscasts in the
early morning. WICS and WICD would shake up the pre- “Today”
show schedule. Sign-on would remain at 5:55am with “This Mornings
Business” followed by “Sunrise on the Farm” on WICS and
“Agriculture Today” on WICD. At 6:30am NBC began an early
morning newscast which would air by local stations right before
“Today.” That network newscast would also allow for a 5 minute
local news window at 6:55am.
In 1990 WICD would break with the
broadcast of “Headline News” and replace it with the off network
series “Facts of Life.” Meanwhile the stations continued with
the lack of a Sunday late afternoon/early evening newscast at 5:30pm,
as many NBC stations did.
The weekday morning schedule changed
once again by the Fall of 1991, as the stations would air the NBC
morning newscast with anchor Ann Curry, then WICS would air a half
hour morning newscast from 6:30 to 7am, before the broadcast of
“Today.” WICD with its lack of resources of its ownership under
Plains Television Partners would air instead “This Mornings
Business.” The mid day newscast would continue on WICS, as the
WICD broadcast of “Facts of Life” switched in 1992 to “Family
Ties.”
The Saturday morning schedule would include what
appears to be some kind of a local news presence in the form of
“Weekend” which aired at 8am by the Fall of 1993. In fact the
Saturday morning “Today” show would not air on WICS, instead
filling with syndicated first run shows, followed by “Weekend.”
By 1995, the Saturday morning 8am program was listed as
“News.”
During the mid year of 1994, the ownership of WICS
would purchase its sister station WICD in Champaign. Between the
Summer of 1994 and the Winer of 1995, many changes would take place
at WICD in the complete re-build of the Champaign TV station. That
also included re-emphisis on local news. It was in February of
1995, the individuality of the two stations would be paralleled under
the “NewsChannel” brand. WICD would add a mid day local
newscast in early 1995 as well, although the stations would not
simulcast the early morning WICS newscast. WICD would continue to
air “Today” from 7am to 9am on Saturdays.
In 1995, the
early morning local newscast on WICS was expanded to an hour from 6
to 7am. This forced an early sign-on at 5:30am with the NBC morning
news anchored by Ann Curry. WICD, meanwhile would air the NBC-Curry
newscast at 6am right after sign-on, followed by “This Mornings
Business.” By the Fall of 1996, WICS and WICD would simulcast most
of the morning local newscast. WICD didn't sign-on until 6am, not
airing the NBC morning news, but would include a couple of local news
cut-ins to the market wide local newscast.
Sign-on for both stations would
coincide by 1997 at 5:30am with the NBC morning news, anchored by
Linda Vester, followed by the simulcast local news(and local cut-ins
by WICD) at 6am. In 1998, the Saturday morning news would be
simulcast market wide on both WICS/WICD from 8am-9am. In fact, WICS
would also add the Saturday morning NBC “Today” to the schedule
at 6-8am, eliminating all of the former first run syndicated
programming from the schedule.
In 1998, the early morning simulcast of
local news would be dropped as WICD would originate its own early
morning newscast. It was also
expanded on WICS to begin at 5:30am until the 7am “Today”
broadcast. Both WICS and WICD would air the NBC morning newscast
anchored by Linda Vester at 5am, following sign-on. The next year it
would expand again to 2 hours beginning at 5am, backing the NBC early
morning news even earlier to 4:30am.
By the Fall of 2000, the 5pm simulcast
of local news would air with the local news segments originating at
WICS, while the local weather segments would originate at WICD.
Elizabeth Wooley would anchor the news portion, while Jerome Ritchie
would be the weathercaster.
The Saturday morning schedule would see
change once again on WICS/WICD with the run of “Home Improvement”
beginning the day at 5am. This would mark the beginning of the end
of the Tim Allen sit-com being removed from the afternoon schedule to be relegated to weekend
fill-in times during the very early morning and overnights.
Infomercials would fill the period from 5:30am to 7am. This would
also mark the end of the Saturday morning newscast, being replaced by
the central time zone feed of “Today” airing from 7am to 9am.
As
in 2003 to 2005 the local newscast schedule would remain with 30
minute newscasts on Saturday at 6 and 10pm, Sunday at 10pm, Weekdays
at Noon, 5, 6 and 10pm, as well as weekday mornings at 5am-7am, and 5
minute cut-ins at 7:25, 7:55, 8:25 and 8:55am.
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"Another World" was part of the NBC daytime schedule from 1964 to 1999. It was one of the Proctor and Gamble Produced daytime serials.
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"Super Password" was
the continuation and the last evolution of the original CBS
daytime/night time game show "Password" which starred Allen
Ludden. The game show was produced by Goodson-Todman Productions
and later by Mark Goodson Productions as it ran on NBC daytime from
1984 to 1989.
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NBC teamed with Spelling Productions for
"Sunset Beach" which only
aired on NBC daytime from 1997 to 1999. Even though the serial
received many Emmy award nominations, it didn't attract
enough audience to remain very long on NBC.
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By the mid 80's to early 90's, Johnny Carson was
still the "king of late night." He and his many fill-in
hosts, including Jay Leno, populated the
night time NBC classic series.
He would retire from the late night talker in 1992.
TV Guide lists it as being #12 of the Greatest
TV shows of all time.
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"Crime
and Punishment" starred Jon Tenney as Detective Ken O'Donnell and
Rachel Ticotin was Detective Annette Rey as police partners in this
crime drama which raon from March to April 1993. In its two month
run on NBC it changed time slots three times. It did have a
gimmick, in that it would feature the story from the point of view of
the victim, the police and the criminal.
That gimmick still didn't bring success, especially when NBC was moving it around the schedule.
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Part of the "Homicide" franchise, "Homicide: Life on the Street" starred Ned Beatty, Richard Belzer and Danial Baldwin. This police drama ran on NBC from 1993 to 1999.
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After the retirement of Johnny Carson in 1992, Conan O'Brien was chosen
to replace David Letterman's slot after "The Tonight Show with Jay
Leno."
Conan O'Brien was a writer for the "The Simpsons" before being
convinced to audition for the job by "SNL" producer Lorne
Michaels. The result was "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."
His right hand guy was Andy Richter who would leave the show later,
then return. Conan was replaced by Jimmy Fallon, after O'Brien
was moved to the ill fated "Tonight Show" in 2009.
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Above are the various on air personalities of WICS,
Channel 20 from the early 1990's.
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"SNL" or "Saturday Night Live" continued
its weekly run on NBC during the late 1980's and 90's through
today. Major stars included: Dana Carvey, Phil Harman, Mike
Myers, Chris Farley, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, David Spade, Rob
Schneider, Sarah Silverman, Norm McDonald, Will Ferrell, Darrell
Hammond, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler and many, many more.
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"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" took
off where Johnny Carson left off. The show continued with the
same basic format....a monolog, skits, guests and a musical guest.
Ratings were low initially, against David Letterman on CBS who also
tried to fill the post-Carson position on the NBC variety/talker.
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After Leno was chosen, Letterman walked from NBC and went to CBS to
compete with his former network. Leno eventually overtook
Letterman in the ratings, where he would stay until 2010.
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During
most of the 1980's Bryant Gumbel would be hosting "Today" with Jane
Pauley. In 1989, Pauley left the morning show and was replaced by
Deborah Norville. At that, the ratings began to drop and
she was slowly dropped from "important" show segments including the
entire first hour. Katie Couric came on board as the co-anchor in
early 1991. Soon after Couric was added to the show, Bryant
Gumbel left "Today" and was replaced by Matt Lauer. The team of
Lauer/Couric would continue until 2006.
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From
1995 to 2005, NBC began the season with the following TV series:
Brotherly Love, Minor Adjustments, Made About You, Hope and Gloria,
Fresh Prince of Bel Air, In the House, Wings, NewsRadio, Frasier,
Pursuit of Happiness, Dateline NBC, seaQuest 2032, Law and Order,
Friends, Single Guy, Seinfeld, Caroline in the City, ER, Unsolved
Mysteries, Homicide: Life on the Street, JAG, John Larroquette Show,
Home Court, Sisters, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Boston Common, Jeff
Foxworthy Show, Mr. Rhodes, Mad About You, Something So Right, Frasier,
Mr. Rhodes, Wings, Med Behaving Badly, Single Guy, Suddenly Susan, Dark
Skies, The Pretender, Profiler, Jenny, Fired Up, Naked Truth, Just
Shoot Me, Tony Danza Show, Built to Last, Working, Union Square,
Veronica's Closet, Players, Sleepwalkers, Conrad Bloom, Will and Grace,
Encore! Encore!, Jesse, Trinity, Homicide: Life on the Street, Wind on
Water, Third Watch, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Mike O'Mally
Show, The West Wing, Strark Raving Mad, Providence, Cold Feet, Freeks
and Geeks, Ed, Daddio, Tucker, Michael Richerds Show, Dag, Titans,
Cursed, Weakest Link, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, UC: Undercover,
Crossing Jordan, Emeril, Three Sisters, Scrubs, Inside Schwartz,
American Dreams, Boomtown, Fear Factor, In-Laws, Hidden Hills, Good
Morning Miami, The Lyons Den, Fear Factor, Las Vegas, Whoopi, Happy
Family, Coupling, Miss Match, LAX, The Biggest Loser, Father of the
Bride, Hawaii, Joey, The Apprentice, Medical Investigation.
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| "Nurses" aired on NBC from 1991-1994. The stars included Stephanie Hodge, Arnetia Walker and Mary Jo Keenen.
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Scott Bakula and one time child actor Dean Stockwell starred in this time travel/sci-fi character study. "Quantum Leap" aired from 1989 to 1993.
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"Sisters" starred
Swoosie Kurtz, Sela Ward, Patricia Kalember and Julianne Phillips in
this nightitme serial. It aired on NBC from 1991 to 1996.
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James McCaffrey and Frankie Waters starred in "Viper."
This was another series about a unique vehicle equipped with an armour
plate and helped to fight crime in a futuristic society. It ran
on NBC during the spring of 1994, and later went to first run
syndication.
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"Earth 2" was a
product of Stephen Spielberg's Amblin Studios which was similar to
"Lost in Space." The stars were Debrah Farentino and Joey
Zimmerman. It would run from November of 1994 to May of 1995.
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Martin Sheen played President Jed Bartlet on "West Wing" which also
starred Stockard Channing, Elizabeth Moss, John Spenser, Rob Lowe,
Timothy Busfield, Tim Matheson, Jimmy Smits and many others. This
successful series mixed personal stories with the political stories
pulled from the headlines. Unfortunately, it wasn't as exciting
as reality. "West Wing" ran on NBC from 1999 to 2006, with the
final year not being seen on WICS after the network switch.
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"ER" was one of the most
successful TV medical dramas ever and helped to maintain NBC's "Must
See TV" ratings dominance on Thursday nights. This series began
in 1994 and would continue on NBC through 2009, although it left WICS
with the network switch in September of 2005.
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Richard Belzer, Danny Baldwin, Ned Beatty and a large cast starred in "Homicide: Life on the Streets." This gritty crime drama was shuffled around the NBC prime time schedule from 1993 to 1999.
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"JAG" was an
NBC project which crossed the street after 1996 to CBS. Its run
on NBC was from September 1995 to July 1996. David James Elliott,
Tracey Needham, W.K. Stratton, Andrea Thompson and others.
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"Law and Order: Special Victims Unit"
aired on NBC as part of the long running franchise beginning in
1999. It would end its run on WICS with the network switch in
September of 2005.
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Larry David and Jery Seinfeld created and produced "Seinfeld."
The classic series is considered to be one of the best TV
series of all time(perhaps even the best!). Seinfeld starred with
one of the best ensemble casts of all time, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason
Alexander and Michael Richards. Other re-occuring guest stars
helped to push the envelope in situations which were based on real life
isues and agrivations. Wayne Knight as "Newman," Jerry Stiller
and Estelle Harris as the parents of George(Alexander) along with John
O'Hurley and many others kept the show "about nothing" about life in
general. As I say, everything you experience could be a
"Seinfeld" episode! It was at the 8pm(CT) anchor slot on
Thursday night for most of its run which began in 1990, completing 9
years.
Seinfeld would become part of the WICS schedule in the mid 1995 where it would occupy the 6:30pm time slot through 2009.
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"Frasier"
starred Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney and Jane Leeves
in another superbly cast ensemble comedy. Kelsey Grammer starred
as Dr. Frasier Crane(from "Cheers") after moving in with his father in
Seattle where he hosted a self-help radio show. He would hire
household help to care in part his father, Daphne Moon. His
brother the prissy Dr. Niles Crane was played by Pierce. It would
be a part of NBC's schedule from 1993 to 2004 and was a part of
"Must See TV" on Thursday nights from 1999 to 2000 and 2003.
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"Friends"
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"The Weakest Link"
was an imported game show from England and was part of the prime-time
game show craze which quickly burnt out. It ran on NBC from
2001(April through August), then again from
2001(June)-2003(July). Between the earlier NBC runs it aired on
the short lived PAX network. It then became a permanent fixture
on PAX through 2004. First run syndication of "The |Weakest Link"
continued through most of 2003.
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"Friends"
was another NBC hit having premiered in 1994 and continued through
2004. It was part of the Thursday night comedy block "Must See
TV" where it spent most of its time.
Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt
LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow starred as a group of hip 20-somethings living
in New York. It was part sit-com and part serial as the
relationships between them would change during the run of the
series.
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How do you not have a hit with Gene Wilder as the star? "Something Wilder"
starred the movie comic as an ad man, who was the head of the family
with two adorable twin children. During it's nearly one year
season run, it changed time periods three times.
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Paul Reiser and Danny Jacobson created "Mad About You"
about a sexy young couple and their life together living in the big
city. Reiser stared with Helen Hunt and a strong cast of
supporting players.
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A
sit com about two single women living in Pittsburgh. Two
opposites, one was a local TV talk show producer while the other was a
hairdresser. Cynthia Stevenson and Jessica Lundy starred as "Hope and Gloria."
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"NewsRadio"
was another sit com based in the media. Dave Foley starred with
Maura Tierney, Phil Hartman, Khandi Alexander and Andy Dick among
others. NewsRadio was another NBC series which was bounced around
the schedule. During its run from 1995-1999, it was scheduled in
13 different time slots.
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"Dateline"
was a series of nighttime news magazines offered by NBC a multiple of
nights each week during the 1990's and early 00's. Anchored by
Jane Pauley, Stone Phillips and others from NBC News.
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"The
Single Guy" starred Jonathan Silverman in this sitcom created by Brad
Hall. It was centered around the life of a group of young
friends. This modern urban comedy ran on NBC from 1995-1997.
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This
long running NBC sitcom ran from 1998-2006 and starred a terrific
ensemble cast which included Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes
and Megan Mullally. "Will and Grace" was also a big Emmy Award
winner during its run as well.
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Lea Thompson starred in "Caroline in the City" a romantic sit com set in New York. It ran on NBC from 1995 to 1999.
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"Third Rock"
was another NBC series which seemed to have wings. It landed in
over a dozen different time periods during its on-again, off-again run
from 1996-2001. The stars included John Lithgow, Kristen Johnson,
French Stewart and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Former SNL cast member
Jane Curtin also co-starred.
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From 1993 to 1996, "The John Larroquette Show"
was a part of the NBC schedule. Other stars included Liz
Torres, Gigi Rice, Daryl Mitchell and others. As a side note the
theme was written and performed by David Cassidy.
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"Just Shoot Me"
starred Laura San Giacomo, George Segal, Wendie Malick and David
Spade. The series revolved around the inner workings of a women's
magazine. NBC included it on the schedule from 1997-2003.
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The conversion from standard definition to hi-definition was underway from the mid 1990's through the early 2000's.
Here is a pretty good representation of the difference between the two. WICS made the initial move to hi-def in the
1990's with a broadcast of the Summer Olympics games.
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Michael T. Weiss starred as "The Pretender"
a somewhat sci-fi series about a guy who could be anyone. He was
a child prodigy and taken from his parents to be studied. He
later escapes and uses his abilities to avoid re-capture. This
interesting series, part "The Immortal" and part "The Fugitive" ran on
NBC from 1996-2000.
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"Down Home"
was a single season sit com about a successful big city executive who
returns home to save the family business....a bait shop. Judith
Ivey starred as Kate McCrorey. The series ran from 1990 to 1991.
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A rather disturbing crime series, "The Profiler" featured
the abilities of Dr. Samantha Waters and her ability to visualize
murders from the aspect of the victim and the killer. Ally Walker
starred from 1996 to 2000.
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This "Everything's Relative"
was the second series with the same name. The first one was in
1987, this one was on NBC during April of 1999. Just four
episodes aired which starred Kevin Rahm and Eric Shaeffer, but also
major stars Jeffrey Tambor and Jill Clayburgh.
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A sit com about life in the suburbs, "Hidden Hills"
ran just a few months, from September of 2002 to January of 2003.
Justin Louis starred as a construction worker with typical suburban
problems.
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(left): The anchor lineup of WICS in early
1995. Gus Gordon, Don Hickman, Susan Fenzen
and Paul Wappel.
The station began using the slogan,
"Where Local News Comes First."
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The "Jeff Foxworthy Show"
originally aired on ABC from 1995 through 1996, but made the move to
NBC in September of 1996 through May 1997. This sitcom was based
on his "southern-blue collar" comedy routine.
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Before he was a senator, Al Franken played Al Freundlich on "Lateline"
another media sit com which involved the behind the scenes working of a
show similar to "Nightline" on ABC. The ensemble cast included
Megyn Price, Miguel Ferrer, Robert Foxworth and others.
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This
drama starred Heather Locklear and Blair Underwood as former lovers who
become managers of a Los Angeles International Airport, "LAX" . It was part of the NBC schedule from 2004-2005.
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Christina Applegate(from "Married with Children") was now grown up and starred as "Jesse." Jesse Warner was a 26 year old single mom living in Buffalo. This half hour sit com aired on NBC from 1998 to 2000.
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"Crossing Jordon" starred Jill Hennessy and Miguel Ferrer in a crime drama set in Boston. It aired from 2001-2007.
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"Last Comic Standing"
was based on the "American Idol" concept, expect instead of singing and
dancing, it featured stand up performers. It was hosted by Jay
Mohr, Anthony Clark and Bill Bellamy during its run from 2003 to 2005
on WICS. It continued on NBC through at least the 2009 season.
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Michael Richards was the first from the "Seinfeld" cast to get his own show. "The Michael Richards Show"
also starred William Devane and Amy Farrington along with Tim Meadows
and Bill Cobbs. The former Kramer starred this time as Vic
Nardozza a bumbling detective. Its run on NBC lasted from October
2000 to January 2001.
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"Dog Eat Dog"
was another prime time game show which consisted of stunts, games and
even some metal challenges. This summer season series ran during
the summer re-run series in 2002 and 2003.
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This
reality show hosted by Donald Trump put a number of business types in a
contest to be the most successful. It was judged by Trump who
would fire contestants as they failed in their tasks. "The Apprentice" continues on NBC today, but left WICS in 2005.
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If you research this series, it will sound very similar to the new version of "Hawaii Five-O." "Hawaii"
starred Michael Biehn, Sharif Atkins, Ivan Sergei and Eric Balfour
among others. It had comedic elements but it was primarily a
typical police drama. It was part of the NBC lineup from
September to early October 2004.
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(Above): Various screen captures during the early 2000's at WICS.
Anchors include Elizabeth Wooley, Jerry Lambert, Julie Staley, Susan Fenzin and Sara Vincent
with reporters Rebecca Rausch. Weather casters Gus Gordon and Joe Crain are also pictured.
Note, the "15" logo was added to the simulcast 5pm newscast on WICD.
(pictures from the Doug Quick collection)
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