Seems like only yesterday the Labor Day holiday songs started flooding the radio. As I sit here on this low cyber-traffic weekend I’m reminded of how, as a kid, September was always a big month. So much to look forward to.
As hard as it is to believe, when the networks unveiled their fall shows it was a BIG DEAL. A real big deal. Remember “NBC WEEK”? When they rolled out their new fare they also offered full-color glossy yearbooks you could send away for. I must’ve had six. Now it’s “NBC WEAK.” CBS had a half hour “preview show” in which they would show snippets of their new shows. It got the highest rating of the week. During the summer you would watch daytime game shows just to see the promos. ABC usually got the jump on the other networks by premiering their new lineup first. THE JETSONS was water cooler stuff.
And to coincide with the new season, US automakers unveiled their new models for the year. All summer they would tease you by showing the cars hidden under large sheets. Major speculation over whether the Chevy Impala’s fins could get any larger. They were already the size of A-frame houses. And what was this new car Ford was introducing called the Mustang?
So what do I have to look forward to this September? I’ll let you know next post. Hint: It’s not the two hour season premiere of THE BIGGEST LOSER nor the new Kia sedan (which probably isn’t big enough to fit the winner of the BIGGEST LOSER).
What are you looking forward to…besides the finals of the WNBA?
Dramas that don't have CSI, L&O or the supernatural in them such as Studio 60, Friday Night Lights and that one with Marky Mark. Also a glimmer of hope that one of the new comedies might actually be funny (pretty sure it's not going to be The Class). That's all...
ReplyDeleteHow about an episode of Elimadate that doesn't have one catty bitch and one pushy slut in each foursome?
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued by 'Heroes', 'Daybreak', 'Studio 60', 'Jericho', and 'Eureka' which won't start playing here in Canada 'til mid-Sept.
ReplyDeleteIn the 70s, the best thing about ABC's fall premiere week was the music. Their treatment of "Still The One" was classic.
ReplyDeleteI was living in Providence, RI at the time, and was floored that WCVB in Boston had the entire campaign customized for them - and sung even better than ABC's version.
Then the shows came on, Fonz met a shark, and everything went south.
I really miss the fall previews of Saturday Morning Cartoon line ups. Each network had there own FUNTASTIC presentations. I never missed a single one. It was a double edge sword though...watching them also meant that summer vacation was OVER. (So did JERRY LEWIS).
ReplyDeleteChris
http://savinoboy.blogspot.com
I've been seeing these posters for JERICHO showing the mushroom cloud in the background, with the slogan "Today is the last normal day." Looks to me like YESTERDAY was the last normal day.
ReplyDeleteIn the guilty pleasures catagory, I admit to looking forward to "Survivor: Helter Skelter Edition".
What you can look forward to - a brilliant 7 episode run of VERONICA MARS debuting the first Tuesday in September, before the CW sends it to the brilliant television graveyard but not "enough" people are watching.
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.myspace.com/adicaroy
What I am looking forward to the fall. A short list.
ReplyDelete1. Scorsese's "The Departed".
2. Aaron Sorkin's "Studio 60". Caught the pilot through Netflix and it kicked my ass.
3. A Congress and Senate that actually takes care of the people's business.
4. Crterion's September release slate. Fellini's "Amarcord", "Seven Samurai", Tati's "Playtime" and a brand new spanking transfer for Gilliam's "Brazil".
5. My 41st birthday.
As for TV here's what I look forward to:
ReplyDeleteReturning Shows:
The Office
Lost
House
New Shows:
30 Rock- Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey NBC
20 Good Years – Jon Lithgow, Jeffry Tambor NBC
Help Me, Help You – Ted Danson, Jane Kaczmarek ABC
Kidnapped- Timothy Hutton, Dana Delaney ABC
One other big debut every September -- btw, you notice how the "new year" on TV and in schools roughly coincides with the Jewish New Year -- the new TV's. Every year, more features, better color, squarer and larger picture tubes from leading makers such as Zenith, Admiral, RCA, Sylvania, Sears/Silvertone, GE and Motorola. Back in '63, my Aunt Rose and Uncle Sam got the first color set among my close relatives. It was an RCA model with the round picture tube. Theirs obviously became the best house to visit on Sundays during football season -- and, by living in Waterbury, Connecticut, they lived close enough to Hartford that they even got New York Giants home games! Wow. I'm dating myself.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's back to thumbing through the Hirshfeld caricatures in that CBS previous booklet, catching NBC Week... and waiting for ABC to announce what shows will be introduced in their Second Season (was happy to see Batman's arrival, but not at the expense of losing Shindig).