ABC's TGIF block (1989-2000) began to die in the fall of 1997: stemming from a combination of aging sitcoms like Family Matters and Step by Step moving to CBS (who started - and ended - their own family-friendly Friday night sitcom line-up in 1997-98 called "The Block Party"), the oversaturation of supernatural/magic type shows (Sabrina the Teenage Witch and new series You Wish and Teen Angel, the latter of which both lasted only one season), the failure of Two of a Kind (which was the last sitcom produced by the previously reliable Miller-Boyett group) starring the Olsen twins the following year. Ultimately: the ending of Boy Meets World after seven seasons and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch moving to The WB after the 1999-2000 season. ABC would bring back the TGIF brand for the 2003-05 & 2018-19 seasons, but it never met the same success it had before.
1:20 I Love Lucy had higher ratings than any sitcom or half hour show today, and there were few people alive back then and a smaller chunk of the population owned TV's.
TGIF was strictly kept up by Xennials. I recall watching this religiously every Friday night as a kid, and looking forward to it all week. Once I hit high school, it started to fade bc I was no longer a little kid, and the family shows were fading out, and TGIF were putting shows on like Muppets Live and stuff that just wasn't as good. I spent Friday nights with my N64 and PlayStation 1 instead. People my age did the same and they eventually had to drop the program block. Now they would just put on adult-oriented shows with singles and office work and similar stuff. That junk doesn't relate to kids, thus they wouldn't care.
Would you say that TGIF’s downfall was inevitable, as their primary demographic aged out and The WB rose up to take its place in young adult programming?
@@historyofnetworktv yes, that's another way of putting it. Unless they were able to remake lightening-in-a-bottle shows like Full House, Family Matters, Step by Step, and Perfect Strangers, they weren't going to stand a chance at a newer generation.
Even though the show was entitled, "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," Melissa Joan Hart was long out of her teen years, by then. Apparently, playing a 16-year-old at the age of 20 had become taxing, and she had turned to alcoholism. In fact, she had shown up for what was supposed to be a nude photo shoot at Maxim magazine drunk and couldn't continue. I remember reading that in a magazine at the time, and a few years ago, I'd also seen it mentioned on RUclips. Clearly, she wasn't having as much fun as we'd thought. These days, you're more likely to see her appearing in made-for-cable Holiday movies. My sister often watched the TGIF lineup with our mom, when our dad was at work. It was such a special way to end the week. Remember when Friday nights meant sitcoms, and Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons meant cartoons? Ah, the good old days!
I remember watching the 1st Ep. of 'I Married Dora' when it 1st aired. & After the emotionally devastating opening sequence I simply couldn't accept it as a Comedy!
Thing is, Full House wasnt on TGIF that long.
ABC's TGIF block (1989-2000) began to die in the fall of 1997: stemming from a combination of aging sitcoms like Family Matters and Step by Step moving to CBS (who started - and ended - their own family-friendly Friday night sitcom line-up in 1997-98 called "The Block Party"), the oversaturation of supernatural/magic type shows (Sabrina the Teenage Witch and new series You Wish and Teen Angel, the latter of which both lasted only one season), the failure of Two of a Kind (which was the last sitcom produced by the previously reliable Miller-Boyett group) starring the Olsen twins the following year. Ultimately: the ending of Boy Meets World after seven seasons and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch moving to The WB after the 1999-2000 season.
ABC would bring back the TGIF brand for the 2003-05 & 2018-19 seasons, but it never met the same success it had before.
TGIF should've had a 1 hour teen drama in the fall of 1998 or '99 alongside Boy Meets World and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
1:20 I Love Lucy had higher ratings than any sitcom or half hour show today, and there were few people alive back then and a smaller chunk of the population owned TV's.
Only difference is there were a lot fewer stations back then. Only 3 networks to choose from and Lucy was the best option of 3.
TGIF was strictly kept up by Xennials. I recall watching this religiously every Friday night as a kid, and looking forward to it all week. Once I hit high school, it started to fade bc I was no longer a little kid, and the family shows were fading out, and TGIF were putting shows on like Muppets Live and stuff that just wasn't as good. I spent Friday nights with my N64 and PlayStation 1 instead. People my age did the same and they eventually had to drop the program block. Now they would just put on adult-oriented shows with singles and office work and similar stuff. That junk doesn't relate to kids, thus they wouldn't care.
Would you say that TGIF’s downfall was inevitable, as their primary demographic aged out and The WB rose up to take its place in young adult programming?
@@historyofnetworktv yes, that's another way of putting it. Unless they were able to remake lightening-in-a-bottle shows like Full House, Family Matters, Step by Step, and Perfect Strangers, they weren't going to stand a chance at a newer generation.
What if you lived with the people you work with? Star Trek lol.
Interesting trip down memory lane
Even though the show was entitled, "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," Melissa Joan Hart was long out of her teen years, by then. Apparently, playing a 16-year-old at the age of 20 had become taxing, and she had turned to alcoholism. In fact, she had shown up for what was supposed to be a nude photo shoot at Maxim magazine drunk and couldn't continue. I remember reading that in a magazine at the time, and a few years ago, I'd also seen it mentioned on RUclips. Clearly, she wasn't having as much fun as we'd thought. These days, you're more likely to see her appearing in made-for-cable Holiday movies.
My sister often watched the TGIF lineup with our mom, when our dad was at work. It was such a special way to end the week. Remember when Friday nights meant sitcoms, and Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons meant cartoons? Ah, the good old days!
awesome vid thanks!
I watched TGIF for one reason, that mean Saturday morning wasn't too far behind. So that meant kids commercials in between the shows
Thursday nights on NBC from 2008-2015 were good too. You had shows like The Office, Parks and Rec, Community (such an underrated show), and 30 Rock
Never loved TGIF. All I saw was stupidity and wastes of time. Not sure why it was so popular at the time. Probably cuz it was cute and safe.
Just goes to show how our entertainment tastes have changed over 30 years.
@@historyofnetworktv I guess. They still make cute safe family friendly shows. But now we also have stuff like Game of Thrones and The Boys.
I loved TGIF as a kid.....Friday night winding down and I looked forward to wwf superstars every Saturday
I remember watching the 1st Ep. of 'I Married Dora' when it 1st aired. & After the emotionally devastating opening sequence I simply couldn't accept it as a Comedy!
They should bring TGIF back
It would be woke shows
They tried twice already and both times were faliures.