This Was Television On June 29
1981: TBS introduces “TBS time”
Trying to boost viewers’ awareness of its programming, the Atlanta-based Superstation offset the start times of its shows by five minutes. By beginning at the :05 or :35, TBS shows were listed in a separate time slot in listings such as TV Guide, and thus stood out more. The pattern fell out of use in the late 1990s and was abandoned completely in 2000.
Having redefined its brief to feature fewer syndicated reruns and more original comedy programming, TBS has considered reinstituting the quirky scheduling, although contractually it would now need to be called “Tyler Perry’s Standard Time.” -A.D.
Today’s Birthdays: Gary Busey, Trump-in-training (68); Robert Evans, excuse to remind you Kid Notorious was a thing (82); Fred Grandy, Gopher (64); Melora Hardin, Dunder Mifflin escapee (45); Sharon Lawrence, 90s NYC ADA, Non-Dick Wolf Division (51); Richard Lewis, did a sitcom with Jamie Lee Curtis you’d forgotten about until just now (65); Matthew Weiner, Mad Men maestro (47); Ruth Warrick, All My Children’s gloriously-named Phoebe English Tyler Wallingford Matthews Wallingford (d. 2005).
Matthew Weiner, Mad Men maestro (47)
One Response to “This Was Television On June 29”
I watched so many episodes of so many bad sitcoms on TBS Time – Saved by the Bell, Family Matters, Three’s Company, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan’s Island.
They showed The Andy Griffith Show and Leave It to Beaver too, so it certainly wasn’t all bad, but in my mind “TBS Time = Mindless Junk.”