Looking back...Primetime Ratings from the 80's

[Khan]

Roller-skating hookers.  Need I say more?

[Paul Raven]

Street of Dreams aired as a CBS Friday movie special in Wk 3 of the season. Because of the strike, the networks were filling timeslots with repeats, TV Movies and specials.

Dallas/Falcon Crest weren't available so CBS pulled this movie out of it's inventory.

Was it a pilot? Anyway it ranked 40th 9.5/17.

The opposition was an NBC movie that ranked which was 25th 14.5/26 and ABC Baseball playoffs 27th 12.5/23.

[DRW50]

Thanks. The end did make me wonder if it was a pilot.

[DRW50]

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Obviously, Mariah was a midseason replacement, but this is still such an odd pairing. What did it replace? I don't even know why this show was greenlit...and starring Jaclyn Smith? Was this a remake of that Sissy Spacek prison movie, Marie? I know that was based on a true story. Why not cast someone more suited to the part? 

[Paul Raven]

Mariah was a tryout series in the Hotel timeslot, Wed 10pm following Dynasty.

It was set in a prison. Some AW alumni were in the cast -John Getz (Neil) Wanda De Jesus (Gomez) and Kathleen Latman (MJ).

@DRW50 No Jaclyn Smith- not sure who that lady is that resembles Jaclyn.

Mariah was a non starter. Dynasty was 29th for the week and Mariah was 55th. The opposition was Houston Knights on CBS 28th and The Bronx Zoo on NBC 50th.

[DRW50]

Thanks. That's what I get for watching a promo and not reading more.

 

[Paul Raven]

Thinking about Mariah, it seems odd for ABC to order  a 10pm show when there was no space for it.

Sunday and Monday were out due to movies, Thurs had 20/20. Fri  and Sat were struggling leaving only Tues and Wed with possibility of launching the show with some sort of stronger lead in.

They chose Max Headroom for Tues and Mariah for Wed. Both shows seemed incompatible with their lead ins and failed.

Edited 13 hours ago by Paul Raven

[soapfan770]

Thanks @DRW50…what an odd concept show to pair with an aging Dynasty while Hotel was just flailing in the wind.

Overall another messy season for ABC for the 86-87 season. Outside of the Tuesday night combo of WTB?, Growing Pains, Moonlighting, and Monday Night Football there wasn’t much going on. Dynasty was sinking to the bottom of the Top 30 and Head of the Class just barely broke into the Top 30.

As Bridger Cunningham summed it up:

“ABC again dropped below the chill factor as its suds sank and most of its sitcom helpings landed in the bottom of the barrel.  Freshman news outlets tanked and were dispensed like an outlandish soap twist.  Revamping and moving struggling shows failed to ignite interests, as well as Friday viewers becoming obsolete.”