YEAR IN REVIEW: Top 10 Episodes of 2022

Here's a look at my Top 10 Episodes of 2022! Following this post, my blog will take a holiday break and return on January 3!

Close Calls

A League of Their Own "Stealing Home" (8/12/22)

Yellowjackets "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" (1/16/22)

The Patient "The Cantor's Husband" (10/25/22)

10. FOR ALL MANKIND "Stranger in a Strange Land" (August 12, 2022, Apple TV+)

I have been banging the drum for For All Mankind for a couple seasons now. I wish it was more in the conversation among best dramas on TV because it definitely belongs there. Just like the second season finale (which ranked #5 last year on my list), the season-long tension boiled over with an explosive and very intense season finale. Some of the stories that were frustrating during the season paid off in a big way. The show once again boldly killed off some prominent characters and it also once again gave a very intriguing flash forward in the final moments. Bring on Season 4!

9. THIS IS US "The Train" (May 17, 2022, NBC)

Despite its lack of Emmy love, I thought the final season of This is Us was expertly done. The emotions of the final season did not crescendo with the finale though. It happened in the penultimate episode that focused on the death of matriarch Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore). The story was told with the framework of a train taking Rebecca to the caboose, where her beloved Jack was waiting for her. The whole ordeal could have felt a little bit gimmicky, but it was done with such earnestness and love for the characters we spent time with for six years. Truthfully, it should have been the finale.

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Love and Marriage

On Wednesday, I take a look at shows that lasted one season or less. Here's a look at Love and Marriage!

LOVE AND MARRIAGE

September 28, 1996 - October 12, 1996
3 episodes
FOX

Starring: Tony Denison, Patricia Healy, Alicia Bergman, Erik Palladino, Adam Zolotin, Adam Wylie, Michael Mantell and Meagen Fay

Created by: Amy Sherman

Plot: Jack (Denison) and April (Healy) are a husband and wife who barely have time for each other or their kids (Palladino, Bergman, & Zolotin) with their busy jobs. They live in New Rochelle and have new neighbors Louis and Trudy (Mantell & Fay) with their son, Max (Wylie).

Brief Pilot Review:

Love and Marriage got me thinking about family comedies. This one is like so many other family comedies that have come before and since. It has a couple who is in love with each other and they love their kids, even though they're often exasperated by their kids. How many times have we seen that in TV history? From the most famous examples like The Cosby Show and Roseanne on down, that has been the premise for an insane number of family comedies. Obviously some, like the ones I just mentioned, are transcendent in their writing and performances. But among the rest of them, why do some of them work and some of them don't when they all follow a simple formula? Because the truth is, this comedy wasn't anything special but it was inoffensive. It was no worse or better than a show like Yes, Dear which ran for years on CBS and yet this ran for three episodes.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1996-1997 Sundays

On Tuesdays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Sunsdays in the 1996-97 season! After this week, I will be taking a two week holiday break from the blog.

ABC	7:00	7:30	8:00	8:30	9:00	10:00
Sep	America’s Funniest Home Videos	America’s Funniest Home Videos	Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman		Sunday Night Movie
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan	Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman		America’s Funniest Home Videos	America’s Funniest Home Videos
Feb	America’s Funniest Home Videos	America’s Funniest Home Videos	Various Programs
Mar	Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman		America’s Funniest Home Videos	America’s Funniest Home Videos
Apr	America’s Funniest Home Videos	America’s Funniest Home Videos	Various Programs
May

It looks like there was a lot happening on Sunday nights on ABC when looking at this grid but the reality is there was just a lot of flip-flopping between America's Funniest Home Videos and Lois & Clark. The two shows were airing on Sunday nights together for a fourth consecutive season but ratings were dropping for both shows. ABC tried flipping the hours for both then pulled Lois & Clark for a month with Videos going back to 7pm. Then Lois came back and Videos flipped back to 8pm. At the end of the season, Lois & Clark got sent to Saturdays before being cancelled while Videos returned to 7pm. Host Bob Saget decided to leave the show as his contract was expiring and he had grown tired of the hosting role. ABC ended up putting America's Funniest Home Videos on the bench to start the 1998-99 season as it was re-tooled. The show had gone from being a Top 10 hit to an afterthought over the years. The movie at 9pm was well behind competing movies on CBS and NBC.

THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 12/9/22

Here's a look at the Top 5 TV news stories this week!

#1 - R.I.P. KIRSTIE ALLEY

The TV world was shocked this week when it was announced that Kirstie Alley died at the age of 71 after a brief cancer battle. Alley had a long and successful career on film and TV and ruffled some feathers in her later years with her political beliefs that she shared frequently on Twitter. But she is best known for stepping into a very difficult situation on Cheers in 1987. Fan favorite Shelley Long left the series and it wasn't a sure thing the show would ever be the same again. But Alley blossomed as the mess of a character that was Rebecca Howe. She made the character her own with a ridiculous yet grounded performance that earned her five Emmy nominations (and one win). Alley breathed new life into a show that had an incredible second act in its run. Alley's other TV credits included the starring role on a three year run for NBC's Veronica Closet as well as a one year run for TV Land's Kirstie. Alley is the first major Cheers actor to pass away besides Nicholas Colasanto, who passed away during the run of the show in 1985.

EPISODE GUIDES: A Recap of Happy Days

Here is a look at all eleven seasons of Happy Days including the ultimate countdown of the best and worst episodes!

HAPPY DAYS

January 15, 1974 - July 19, 1984

255 episodes

Starring

Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham (170 episodes)

Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli (255 episodes)

Tom Bosley as Howard Cunningham (255 episodes)

Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham (250 episodes)

Erin Moran as Joanie Cunningham (233 episodes)

Anson Williams as Potsie Webber (208 episodes)

Don Most as Ralph Malph (166 episodes)

Al Molinaro as Al Delvecchio (142 episodes)

Scott Baio as Chachi Arcola (129 episodes)

Ted McGinley as Roger Phillips (60 episodes)

Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth Allen Cunningham (58 episodes)

Cathy Silvers as Jenny Piccolo (54 episodes)

Linda Purl as Ashley Pfister (15 episodes)

Pat Morita as Arnold Takahashi (25 episodes)

Beatrice Colen as Marsha Simms (21 episodes)

Harris Kal as Bobby (19 episodes)

Crystal Bernard as K.C. Cunningham (15 episodes)

Kevin Sullivan as Tommy (13 episodes)

Billy Warlock as Flip Phillips (13 episodes)

Heather O'Rourke as Heather Pfister (12 episodes)

Dennis Mandel as Eugene Belvin (10 episodes)

Ed Peck as Officer Kirk (9 episodes)

Neil J. Schwartz as Bag Zombrowski (9 episodes)

Misty Rowe as Wendy (8 episodes)

Scott Mitchell Bernstein as Melvin Belvin (7 episodes)

Gavan O'Herlihy as Chuck Cunningham (7 episodes)

Suzi Quatro as Leather Tuscadero (7 episodes)

Randolph Roberts as Chuck Cunningham (2 episodes)

Lorrie Mahaffey as Jennifer Jerome (6 episodes)

Season by Season Ratings

Reminder: 9-10 is Exceptional, 7-8 is Strong, 5-6 is OK, 3-4 is Mediocre, 0-2 is Terrible

Season One (1974): 5.8/10

Season Two (1974-75): 6.3/10

Season Three (1975-76): 5.9/10

Season Four (1976-77): 6.3/10

Season Five (1977-78): 6.4/10

Season Six (1978-79): 5.7/10

Season Seven (1979-80): 5.7/10

Season Eight (1980-81): 5.3/10

Season Nine (1981-82): 5.5/10

Season Ten (1982-83): 4.5/10

Season Eleven (1983-84): 5.3/10

AVERAGE RATING FOR ALL ELEVEN SEASONS:

5.7/10

Top 25 Episodes

Reminder: 9-10 is Exceptional, 7-8 is Strong, 5-6 is OK, 3-4 is Mediocre, 0-2 is Terrible

25. "Richie Falls in Love" (Season 7, Episode 148) - 8.5/10

24. "Hot Stuff" (Season 7, Episode 159) - 8.5/10

23. "The Howdy Doody Show" (Season 2, Episode 33) - 8.5/10

22. "Hard Cover" (Season 5, Episode 92) - 8.5/10

21. "Big Money" (Season 2, Episode 25) - 8.5/10

20. "Here Comes the Bride Again" (Season 7, Episode 156) - 9/10

19. "Our Gang" (Season 5, Episode 109) - 9/10

18. "A Place of His Own" (Season 4, Episode 70) - 9/10

17. "The Other Richie Cunningham" (Season 3, Episode 44) - 9/10

16. "Empty Nest" (Season 10, Episode 214) - 9/10

15. "King Richard's Big Night" (Season 7, Episode 152) - 9/10

14. "Marion's Misgivings" (Season 5, Episode 105) - 9/10

13. "Welcome Home Part 1" (Season 11, Episode 237) - 9/10

12. "The Deadly Dares" (Season 1, Episode 6) - 9/10

11. "Wish Upon a Star" (Season 2, Episode 23) - 9/10

10. "Married Strangers" (Season 6, Episode 135) - 9.5/10

9. "Christmas Time" (Season 6, Episode 131) - 9.5/10

8. "The Hucksters" (Season 7, Episode 161) - 9.5/10

7. "Welcome Home Part 2" (Season 11, Episode 238) - 9.5/10

6. "The Muckrakers" (Season 4, Episode 72) - 9.5/10

5. "A Date with Fonzie" (Season 3, Episode 49) - 9.5/10

4. "They Shoot Fonzies, Don't They" (Season 4, Episode 71) - 10/10

3. "My Favorite Orkan" (Season 5, Episode 110) - 10/10

2. "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas?" (Season 2, Episode 27) - 10/10

And the Best Happy Days Episode of All Time is...

1. "Haunted" (Season 2, Episode 22) - 10/10

Bottom 10 Episodes

Reminder: 9-10 is Exceptional, 7-8 is Strong, 5-6 is OK, 3-4 is Mediocre, 0-2 is Terrible

10. "Fonzie Meets Kat" (Season 7, Episode 145) - 1.5/10

9. "A Sight for Sore Eyes" (Season 3, Episode 62) - 1.5/10

8. "Like Mother, Like Daughter" (Season 11, Episode 245) - 1.5/10

7. "Welcome to My Nightmare" (Season 8, Episode 178) - 1.5/10

6. "The Mechanic" (Season 7, Episode 154) - 1.5/10

5. "A Mind of His Own" (Season 4, Episode 67) - 1/10

4. "Wild Blue Yonder" (Season 10, Episode 229) - 1/10

3. "Be My Valentine" (Season 5, Episode 108) - 0/10

2. "I Drink, Therefore I Am" (Season 10, Episode 224) - 0/10

And the Worst Happy Days Episode of All Time is...

1. "American Musical" (Season 8, Episode 189) - 0/10

Tomorrow: The Friday Five - Top 5 TV news stories of the week!

Next Thursday: The Top 10 Episodes of 2022!

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Relativity

On Wednesday, I take a look at shows that lasted one season or less. Here's a look at Relativity!

RELATIVITY

September 24, 1996 - April 14, 1997
17 episodes
ABC

Starring: Kimberly Williams, David Conrad, Jane Adams, Cliff DeYoung, Lisa Edelstein, Adam Goldberg, Devon Gummersall, Robert Katims, Poppy Montgomery, Ricard Schiff, Mary Ellen Trainor

Created by: Jason Katims

Plot: Twentysomethings Isabel Lukens (Williams) and Leo Roth (Conrad) are both from Los Angeles but meet by chance in Italy and instantly fall for each other. Once they get back to Los Angeles, they have to deal with Isabel's long time boyfriend, Everett (Randall Batinkoff) as well as their families and friends.

Brief Pilot Review:

Jason Katims knew what he was doing even before Friday Night Lights and Parenthood. This is a fully realized pilot that felt a lot different than many of the other 90s-era drama pilots. It was a high production quality and the performances and writing were strong. Of course it dabbled into melodrama quite a bit, that was to be expected, but it was ultimately a very intriguing story with a pilot that laid the groundwork for a strong series. The pilot did a really nice job of serving the two main leads and the rest of the cast within the episode. They devoted nearly 15 minutes just to the two main characters and that led us to believe there really was something there. Most shows would not give that much time to the background of two characters falling in love before getting to the crux of the series but it really aided the rest of the episode.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1996-1997 Saturdays

On Tuesdays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Saturdays in the 1996-97 season!

ABC	8:00	9:00	9:30	10:00
Sep	Second Noah	Coach	Common Law	Relativity
Oct
Nov	Saturday Night Movie
Dec
Jan
Feb				Various Programs
Mar	Dangerous Minds	Saturday Night Movie
Apr	Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman	Leaving L.A.		Gun
May	Saturday Night Movie

Once again, ABC was giving it the old college try on Saturday night. This was before the networks just gave up on Saturdays and even though ABC had year after year of Saturday fails in the 90s, they were trying again with two returning shows and two new shows. Second Noah aired at 8pm. The family drama was already on the ropes in the ratings and then its fate was sealed when ABC was purchased by Disney because Second Noah took place partly at Disney World's rival, Busch Gardens. It was followed by a comedy hour with Coach returning and in its ninth season followed by Common Law, a sitcom starring Greg Giraldo as a Latino lawyer at a mostly white firm. The first two hours of the night were yanked by November Sweeps (with Coach returning to mid-week) but the 10pm romance drama lasted a little bit longer. It was Relativity, starring Kimberly Williams and David Conrad as a young couple. Relativity came from the same producing team as the acclaimed but ratings challenged Thirtysomething and My So-Called Life but this one was actually created by a young Jason Katims. It wasn't quite as praised as the earlier series but it had the same ratings troubles. Check back tomorrow for a One Season Wonder post on Relativity! By February, ABC was airing movies and specials but they tried again with Saturday night programming late in the season. First, they aired a few weeks of Dangerous Minds, but in April they aired a trio of dramas starting with a transplanted Lois & Clark. The series had been a Sunday staple for several seasons but was quickly dropping in the ratings. It was followed by two new dramas. At 9pm was Leaving L.A., a dramedy set at the Los Angeles Coroner's Office. The drama was not a success (it was the lowest rated show of the "Big Three" networks) but its cast included Christopher Meloni, Melina Kanakaredes, Hilary Swank and Lorraine Toussaint. It was followed by Gun, an anthology that followed a .45 semi-automatic pistol as it traveled from place to place and person to person. Guest stars in the series included several big names like Carrie Fisher, Martin Sheen and Randy Quaid, and it counted Robert Altman as a producer. Something tells me the plot of this show would be a little more politically charged today. It lasted into May Sweeps while Lois & Clark and Leaving L.A. were pulled after just a few weeks and returned in the summer. And once again, ABC was back to the drawing board on Saturday nights.

THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 12/2/22

Here's a look at the Top 5 TV news stories of the week!

#1 - "WEDNESDAY" SETS NETFLIX RECORDS

Netflix has a new hit on their hands with Wednesday. The Addams Family-universe series starring Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman with direction by Tim Burton did not get great reviews, but it quickly became a hit with viewers. According to Netflix, it set an English language series record for hours viewed in its first week with 341.23 million hours viewed. That beats the first week for the most recent season of cultural icon Stranger Things though the record holder when factoring in international shows is Squid Game. Even though Netflix's numbers are always hard to verify, it's clear this show has gotten into the cultural conversation. A Season Two renewals feels like it will be coming very soon.

EPISODE GUIDES: Happy Days Season Eleven (Part 2)

On Thursdays, I take a critical look at a TV show by season. Here's a look at Season 11 (Part 2) of Happy Days! For Part 1, click here!

245. Like Mother, Like Daughter (1/24/84)

Marion's high school boyfriend comes to visit and Howard prepares to be jealous but then turns angry when he starts dating Joanie.

I don't know why the show felt the need to do so many gross Joanie storylines in the final season, especially in the last stretch of episodes. From her "shower screaming" recurring gag to the student hitting on her to the much older man dating her, the show is really doing some icky things with the character. And surprise, surprise, it requires Fonzie and Howard to attempt to save her. The show spent basically the entire second half of its run with Howard treating Joanie like a helpless little girl who can't make any decisions on her own and, like most things with Happy Days at this point in its run, it's tiresome.

RATING: 1.5/10

246. Social Studies (1/31/84)

Fonzie tries to get Chachi back into the dating world after realizing how long it has been since he dated a girl other than Joanie.

This episode feels like it should have aired earlier in the season, soon after Joanie and Chachi broke up. Maybe it was supposed to? I like that this episode focuses on the core characters - Chachi, Joanie, Howard, Marion and Fonzie. In fact, they're the only ones who appear in this episode besides a quick appearance from Bobby. The show seemed to realize in its final season (with the return of Joanie and Chachi) that all the extra characters were dragging the show down. So many of them are gone or barely seen (along with original character Potsie who does a vanishing act yet again this season). The episode is fine, but it's back to basics and I like that.

RATING: 7/10

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Mr. & Mrs. Smith

On Wednesday, I take a look at shows that lasted one season or less. Here's a look at 1996's Mr. & Mrs. Smith!

MR. & MRS. SMITH

September 20, 1996 - November 8, 1996

9 episodes

CBS

Starring: Scott Bakula, Maria Bello, with Timothy Olyphant and Ray Dotrice

Created by: Kerry Lenhart & John J. Sakmar

Plot: "Mr. Smith" (Bakula) is a spy who works for a private security organization under Mr. Dig (Dotrice) and with a partner (Olyphant). He meets a rival, "Mrs. Smith" (Bello) who loses her job after a failed mission and she teams up with Mr. Smith as they continue to spar.

Brief Pilot Review:

Mr. & Mrs. Smith was a nicely shot pilot for 1996. Set and filmed on location in Seattle, it made great use of its location with lots of on-location filming that worked quite well. It wasn't up to today's production standards of course but it definitely didn't feel as drab as so many dramas did back in the 1990s. It felt like the network spent some money on it and the show made an effort to be a little more stylish, which is fitting for a spy show. The other strong part of the pilot was the stars. Scott Bakula and Maria Bello had an easy chemistry when they were fighting and an easy chemistry when they were on the same side (and there was a lot of both in the pilot).

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1996-1997 Fridays

On Tuesdays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Fridays in the 1996-97 season!

ABC	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00
Sep	Family Matters	Sabrina the Teenage Witch	Clueless	Boy Meets World	20/20
Oct
Nov		Boy Meets World	Sabrina the Teenage Witch	Clueless
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar				Step by Step
Apr
May

After two years of a very steady lineup for ABC's TGIF, there were many changes for the 1996-97 season. Both Step by Step and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper were held for midseason (and Mr. Cooper didn't even air until summer). Family Matters continued at 8pm while Boy Meets World was slated to close out the block at 9:30pm. In between were two fairly high profile new shows. At 8:30pm was Sabrina the Teenage Witch which starred then-Nickelodeon star Melissa Joan Hart as the title character from the comic book. At 9pm was Clueless, based on the hit 1995 movie of the same name. The series was a rare single camera sitcom in an era where multi-cam sitcoms were pretty much the only format on TV. Some characters reprised their role on the show though star Alicia Silverstone did not make the jump with Rachel Blanchard taking the lead role. ABC was pinning its new TGIF revamp around Clueless expecting that show to be the big hit, but it was Sabrina that ultimately proved to be the new hit. After just a couple weeks, ABC shuffled the lineup around and made Sabrina the 9pm tentpole while Clueless got bumped to 9:30pm and Boy Meets World returned to 8:30pm. Clueless was cancelled by ABC after 18 episodes and was picked up by UPN for a second season. ABC started to regret the cancellation when Clueless began to repeat well in the summer. They couldn't get it back from UPN but they did prevent it from launching on UPN until September when the rest of the UPN lineup started in late August. Speaking of changing networks, it was the changing of the guard at the end of the season as the production company behind 

Family Matters and Step by Step (which returned after Clueless ended for the season) was feuding with ABC and its new corporate parent, Disney. So ABC ended the season with only Boy Meets World and Sabrina slated for another season. And of course, 20/20, which remained a big hit at 10pm.

THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 11/18/22

Here's a look at the Top 5 TV news stories of the week!

#1 - CBS MIDSEASON PLANS

After NBC, ABC and FOX all announced midseason plans on the same day last week, CBS announced its midseason plans this week. There wasn't too much to see with only two new shows joining the fold. A RuPaul hosted version of the game show Lingo will make its debut on January 11, airing between The Price is Right at Night and Tough As Nails. Then on February 23, a sneak preview premiere of the new drama True Lies will air after Young Sheldon and Ghosts. It will then settle into its regular Wednesday 10pm slot after the return of Survivor on March 1. Elsewhere, as previously announced, freshman drama Fire Country will get the coveted post-AFC Championship Game slot on January 29 and a three show NCIS crossover event will kick off the midseason on January 2. 

EPISODE GUIDES: Happy Days Season Eleven (Part 1)

On Thursdays, I take a critical look at a TV show by season. Here's a look at Season 11 (Part 1) of Happy Days!

HAPPY DAYS: SEASON ELEVEN
1983-1984

22 episodes

Happy Days ends its long run with the eleventh season. It's an improvement from the misguided and almost unrecognizable tenth season, but it doesn't restore the show back to its former glory. The closest it comes is when former star Ron Howard returns for a two part episode early in the season. The show also benefits from Scott Baio and Erin Moran returning to the series as full time characters and the departure of many superfluous and unmemorable characters. It helps send the show off in a way that leaves a slightly better taste in the mouth.

Starring:

Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli (22 episodes)

Tom Bosley as Howard Cunningham (22 episodes)
Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham (22 episodes)

Scott Baio as Chachi Arcola (22 episodes)

Erin Moran as Joanie Cunningham (20 episodes)
Anson Williams as Potsie Webber (5 episodes)

Ted McGinley as Roger Phillips (12 episodes)

Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham (3 episodes)

Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth Cunningham (3 episodes)

Cathy Silvers as Jenny Piccolo (2 episodes)

Don Most as Ralph Malph (1 episode)

Al Molinaro as Al Delvecchio (1 episode)

Kevin Sullivan as Tommy (4 episodes)

Harris Kal as Bobby (3 episodes)

Pat Morita as Arnold Takahashi (1 episodes)

234. Because It's There (9/27/83)

After finding a note taped to the bottom of a childhood cookie jar, Fonzie decides to try to conquer Suicide Hill on his motorcycle.

The final season of Happy Days begins with a twist on the theme song that makes the harmony line on the chorus the melody line, it's unusual and different after years of a very similar theme. The show is also "back to basics" in terms of the cast. Jenny, Ashley, Heather, Flip and K.C. are gone abruptly. Even Joanie doesn't appear in this episode. This is yet another in the "jump the shark" family of episodes with a nearly 40 year old Fonzie going up a ridiculous hill on his motorcycle. Some of it is tied to Fonzie's realization about who he is now but I would have preferred to see him not conquer the hill.

RATING: 4/10

235. The Ballad of Joanie and Chachi (10/4/83)

After a fight between Joanie and Chachi, Joanie decides they need to break up while Chachi decides to propose to her.

This episode marks a big milestone in the Joanie and Chachi relationship. After being together for quite awhile including on their own spinoff, Joanie and Chachi break up in this episode. I think it needed to happen to not have the eleventh season be a rehash of the ninth season. This was the right move temporarily to get the show and these characters to their endpoint. There's sort of an awkward subplot with Fonzie not being able to see after going to the eye doctor.

RATING: 5/10

ONE SEASON WONDERS: Moloney

On Wednesday, I take a look at shows that lasted one season or less. Here's a look at Moloney!

MOLONEY

September 19, 1996 - May 22, 1997

21 episodes
CBS

Starring: Peter Strauss, Nestor Serrano, Wendell Pierce, Cherie Lunghi

Created by: Ronald Bass & Jane Rusconi

Plot: Nicholas Moloney (Strauss) is a psychologist who is also a Los Angeles cop. Because of that, he can make arrests which can lead to conflicts of interest with his job as a psychologist. He works with Lt. Matty Navarro (Serrano), Dr. Sarah Bateman (Lunghi) and his poker buddy, D.A. Cal Patterson (Pierce). 

Brief Pilot Review:

This was a very gentle procedural that offered nothing offensive or exciting. I can already tell as I start to write this review that it's going to be hard to write two paragraphs about this show. It might be one of the most non-descript, boring shows to last a full season. The hook was of course that the lead character was not just a cop but also a psychologist so they were trying to mash two procedural characters together. But all that led to was some really exhausting dialogue between Moloney and Dr. Bateman about the difference between being a cop and being a doctor. It was nauseating to listen to. On top of that, we also had a scene set in a courtroom so we really ticked off all the procedural mainstays.

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1996-1997 Thursdays

On Tuesdays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Thursdays in the 1996-97 season! Also, after this week of posts, I will be taking a one week break for Thanksgiving!

ABC	8:00	9:00	10:00
Sep	High Incident	Various Programs	Turning Point
Oct		Murder One
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb		Thursday Night Movie
Mar		Vital Signs	Turning Point
Apr
May		Thursday Night Movie

Thursdays belonged to NBC so the other networks sort of threw up their hands with no one really going after the Peacock as they tried at the beginning of previous seasons. ABC went with a pair of modest second year dramas. At 8pm was High Incident. The police drama had aired on Monday the previous spring and was sent to the wolves against Friends on Thursday. It lasted the whole season but the ratings were poor and the show was cancelled at the end of the season. At 9pm was Murder One, which had been ABC's big swing the previous season. They had put it head-to-head against ER where it quickly failed and then they tried to save face by moving the acclaimed drama to Mondays. It got renewed for a second season, mostly based on prestige, but was no longer a high priority for the network. Unlike the innovative approach to the first season of one trial over the course of an entire season, the second season, which added Anthony LaPaglia to the cast, tackled three different trials. It was pulled from the night in February and eventually replaced by the reality show Vital Signs, hosted by Robert Urich. Newsmagazine Turning Point rounded out the night.