Have you ever noticed that there isn’t anything good on television to watch on Saturday nights? Maybe you haven’t, because you’re out enjoying life. I, however, have free time on my hands and I like to spend it on the couch watching television. This is, of course, when there is something good to watch.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are a plethora of reruns of perfectly entertaining shows to be found across the dial, but I remember when original programming actually ran on a Saturday evening. I’m referring to the days of Sisters on NBC. Yes, kids, long before Pushing Daisies, Swoosie Kurtz, the one-eyed Darling Mermaid Darling, was on a great ensemble show about four sisters and the trials and tribulations of their lives. They had cheating husbands, child-rearing problems, and sex. It was awesome. But that was years ago, when Saturday night wasn’t a place where TV shows go to die.
Another great show - although some may disagree - that aired on Saturdays was Malibu Shores. This teen drama from producing legend Aaron Spelling was canceled after 10 short - but so worth it - episodes, and helped launch the career of a little known actress named Keri Russell. And we know where she ended up. (R.I.P Felicity. We still miss thee.)
Now the only original programming on Saturday nights is American Idol Rewind and Cops. Ick. And while it’s totally understandable why networks don’t want to invest in a Saturday night show when they know most people are not home to watch, it would be nice to have something substantive to enjoy on those Saturday evenings where the couch is the only place you want to be. Aren’t we still waiting for the conclusion to FOX's Reunion?
Here’s an idea: Saturday between 8pm and 10pm would be a great time to finish the runs of all of the shows canceled before their big payoffs. The Nine, anyone? Perhaps a little Smith? Life As We Know It? The possibilities are endless.
Article comments
1 - Jocelyn
here, here on this blog on sarturay night tv is dead because it is (except for saturday night live but i can't stay up that late anymore!)!! hope this is the beginning of big tv producers payng attention to the many people who will respond to this article WANTING REAL TV shows on saturday. there are many of us home on saturday's and we want to enjoy the couch watching a show that's new. i've seen enough reruns of Bonanza for a lifetime (the show had already ended by the time i started to watch as a kid and now i watch it just to see a show that has 'new' episodes)! and what we pay for the cost of cable, why must we be subjected to so many reruns on a saturday night? this article was on the mark!
2 - Erica
Whoa, Malibu Shores... I think I had just about convinced myself that it was all a wonderful, elaborate dream I had years ago. Good to know, good to know.
3 - Lauren
You summed it up perfectly! This past Saturday night in Boston was a washout with wind and rain all night - a perfect night to stay in and watch some "good" TV. I ended up popping in a DVD - the best of SNL - because there wasn't anything "good" on.
4 - Jackie
Great article and ohhh so true! I am a TV-Addict myself and I totally agree! Where is some original/new programming for Saturday nights!?!? I guess we'll have to produce something ourselves ; )
5 - Ray Ellis
And that, kids, is why we have Showtime and HBO.
6 - Mark Saleski
And that, kids, is why we have books.
7 - Erin S Medley
Reading books is great, but necessarily not what one wants to do on a Saturday night. And even so, you can read a Jackie Collins novel or "The Lovely Bones". I'm just looking for more shows of "The Lovely Bones" quality on a Saturday evening.
8 - El Bicho
And that, kids, is why we have friends.
9 - Baronius
Yes, friends and family and books and video games... but it is surprising that network tv isn't even pretending to air 7 nights of programming. TV as a medium is in trouble. I sometimes feel like they have contempt for the viewer - like they've realized that Cryer and Sheen as a nerd and a pervert is enough to bring in a few million viewers, so they won't try to do anything better than that. They give us six days of borderline unwatchable shows, then rerun them on Saturday.