Certainly some of us do wind up staying home some Saturday evenings like I did this past one and it's just unbelievable that there is nothing on TV on Saturday nights outside of college football these days and SNL of course. Granted I understand the reasoning for giving up on Saturday nights and half way giving up on Friday nights but still it's lame and a sorry sight to see. 

I agree. I feel like there needs to be original programming every night. But with networks lacking patience for shows to grow audiences and cancelling shows left and right, that'll never happen again. 

On the one hand, I agree.  But, on the other hand, weren't Friday nights in the post-DALLAS era considered a wasteland before "The X-Files" came on the scene?  Not that Friday nights aren't a wasteland again, but my point is, all it takes is for one good show to catch on with the audience during a night the networks have given up on (...like Saturday nights...) to reverse this way of thinking.  And these days, at least, I feel positive that that could still happen.

When did they stop programming Saturday's? I have to admit I don't really remember when they had real shows on that night.

They usually burn off the cancelled shows on Saturdays in the summer. I admit, I usually use Saturday to clear out my DVR....There really isn't much else to watch...

Saturday's use to be ratings success…NBC had the best with 227….The Golden Girls……Empty Nest…..Now we get crappy programming on Saturday due to no one is at home on Saturdays attitude ...

I'd say its been at least a good 15 years since whenever both Walker Texas Ranger and The District went off the air that the networks gave up completely on anything scripted for that night. I think CBS tried one year with Canadian content(Like ABC does in the summertime) but it didn't work. Even the cable networks don't have anything going either mainly airing third-rate movies or reality show reruns that don't have much of an audience in the first place. 

 

Of course in addition to the above 227 and The Golden Girls mentions go even a bit further back and see that All in the Family and MTM were the Saturday night staples of the '70s.

 

I can't remember where the Friday night death slot idea originated from aside that Friday nights can be a boom or bust cycle for shows. Even in the '90s the networks got by well with Fox airing X-Files, ABC's TGIF block, and NBC having Unsolved Mysteries and Homicide that night. These days shows like Blue Bloods, Hawaii Five-O, Grimm, and Reign seem all have stable audiences although in the cases of the CBS Fri night line-up the demographics are indeed very hideous in spite of overall both being considered Top-20 shows. 

Edited November 24, 201510 yr by soapfan770

Not to mention, CBS's 70's Saturday night lineup is often considered the gold standard for network television programming.

Saturdays have gotten so bad that CBS usually show reruns on that night.

I remember watching the whole NBC Saturday night lineup in the '80s, all the comedies and then "Hunter". Good times. And shows were a hit on Saturdays! Then came the NBC '90s era and "Sisters".

 

Sad to see what has become of Saturdays, although with ratings being beyond anemic, I do get why the networks have essentially given up on Saturdays. Fridays are barely alive, too.

NBC could send its old skewing marginal players like The Mysteries of Laura to Saturday's to free up Wednesday's @ 8. Shows like Blue Bloods on CBS would thrive there. 

Not to mention, CBS's 70's Saturday night lineup is often considered the gold standard for network television programming.

Specifically, the 1973-1974 season:

 

8PM: All In the Family

8:30 PM: M.A.S.H.

9PM: Mary Tyler Moore

9:30 PM: Bob Newhart

10PM: The Carol Burnett Show

 

At least ABC found a way to work with Friday night with the TGIF lineup for kids. Hell, in the 70's, they had the precursor to TGIF by showing stuff like The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family on Friday nights!  

The 1971-1972 Friday night lineup on ABC was:

8PM: The Brady Bunch

8:30 PM The Partridge Family

9PM: Room 222

9:30 PM: The Odd Couple

10PM: Love American Style

NBC could send its old skewing marginal players like The Mysteries of Laura to Saturday's to free up Wednesday's @ 8. Shows like Blue Bloods on CBS would thrive there. 

This has always been my opinion, too. Older people will watch scripted shows on Saturday nights. Hallmark Channel has had success with naturally older-skewing shows on Saturdays for the last few years. I don't understand the technicalities of it all, but if the networks and advertisers could just get off the 18-49 tit for a night, they'd have something.

honestly, im fine with no tv on Saturday. I use the weekend to catch up on the stuff Ive missed during the week