1990 in television.html



The year 1990 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.

Debuts

• January 1 - Mr Bean premieres on ITV (1990-1995)
• January 4 - One Foot in the Grave premieres on BBC1 in the UK (1990–2000).
• January 17 - Ching Roi Ching Lan premieres on BBTV Channel 7 in Thailand (1990–2009).
• January 20 - Saturday Disney premieres on Seven Network of Australia
• February 5 - Supermarket Sweep first revival premieres on Lifetime Television (1990–1995).
• February 1 - Kyattou Ninden Teyandee (1990-1991)
• February 9 - The Bradys premieres on CBS (1990-1990)
• February 15 - The Crystal Maze premieres on Channel 4 in the UK (1990–1995).
• March 2 - Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman premieres on TV-Asahi (1990-1991)
• May 5 - TaleSpin premieres on the Disney Afternoon (1990-1994)
• April 8 - Twin Peaks premieres on ABC (1990-1991).
• April 15 - In Living Color premieres on FOX (1990–1994).
• April 19 - Wings premieres on Must See TV (1990-1997)
• July 2 - Masterchef debuts on BBC1 in the UK.
• July 12 - Northern Exposure premieres on CBS (1990-1995)
• July 15 - Match Game returns for one season on American Broadcasting Company with host Ross Shafer.
• August 23 - Ferris Bueller premieres on NBC (1990–1991).
• September 7 - DEA premieres on FOX (1990-1991).
• September 8 - America's Funniest People premieres on ABC (1990–1994).
• September 8 - Fox Kids debuts. (1990-2002)
• September 8 - The Disney Afternoon debuts. (1990-1997)
• September 10 - The Joker's Wild returns with host Pat Finn and a new format and taped at CBS Television City
  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premieres on NBC (1990–1996).
• September 13 - Law & Order premieres on NBC (1990— ).
• September 13 - Babes, a sitcom about a trio of overweight siblings, debut on Fox (1990-1991).
• September 16 - America's Funniest Home Videos premieres on ABC (1990— ).
• September 20 - The Flash premieres on CBS (1990-1991). *September 23 - Dream On premieres on Fox Broadcasting Company (1990-1996).
• September 26 - The poorly received Cop Rock premieres on television, TV's first (and last) musical police drama.
• September 28 - Have I Got News for You debuts on BBC2 in the UK. (1990-2009)
• September 30 - Heil Honey I'm Home! premieres on Galaxy on BSB as a "long-lost" 1950s US sitcom featuring Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun getting used to a Jewish couple moving in next door. The controversy that followed meant that it became the first and, to this date, only UK television show to be cancelled after one episode.
• October 4 - Beverly Hills, 90210 premieres on FOX (1990-2000)
• November 3 - The NBA on NBC debuts with the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Spurs in San Antonio (1990–2002).
• September 14 - Tiny Toon Adventures premieres (1990-1992,1994-1995)

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947— )
• Candid Camera (1948— )
• Come Dancing (UK) (1949–1995)

1950s

• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951— )
• Guiding Light (1952— )
• The Today Show (1952— )
• Panorama (UK) (1953— )
• Face the Nation (1954— )
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992)
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955–2003)
• As the World Turns (1956— )
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956— )
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957— )
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958— )
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-2007)

1960s

• Coronation Street (UK) (1960— )
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961— )
• It's Academic (1961— )
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• General Hospital (1963— )
• Another World (1964–1999)
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-2006)
• Days of our Lives (1965— )
• Play School (1966— )
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966— )
• 60 Minutes (1968— )
• One Life to Live (1968— )
• Hee Haw (1969–1993)
• Sesame Street (1969— )

1970s

• All My Children (1970— )
• Monday Night Football (1970— )
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971— )
• Soul Train (1971— )
• Emmerdale (UK) (1972— )
• Newsround (UK) (1972— )
• The Price Is Right (1972— )
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973— )
• The Young and the Restless (1973— )
• Derrick (1974–1998)
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974— )
• Arena (UK) (1975— )
• Good Morning America (1975— )
• Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975–1994)
• Saturday Night Live (1975— )
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975— )
• Wheel of Fortune (1975— )
• 20/20 (1978— )
• Dallas (1978–1991)
• Grange Hill (UK) (1978— )
• Knots Landing (1979–1993)
• Antiques Roadshow (UK) (1979— )
• Nightline (1979— )
• This Old House (1979— )

1980s

• Entertainment Tonight (1981— )
• What Now (1982— )
• Timewatch (UK) (1982— )
• Cheers (1982–1993)
• Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1993)
• The Journal (Canada) (1982–1992)
• Loving (1983–1995)
• Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984— )
• Mother and Son (Australia) (1984–1994)
• Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996)
• Night Court (1984–1992)
• Santa Barbara (1984–1993)
• The Bill (UK) (1984— )
• The Cosby Show (1984–1992)
• Who's the Boss? (1984–1992)
• EastEnders (UK) (1985— )
• Growing Pains (1985–1992)
• MacGyver (1985–1992)
• Neighbours (Australia) (1985— )
• Only Fools and Horses (UK) (1981–1983, 1985–1993, 1996–1997, 2001–2003)
• Sally (1985–2002)
• T-Bag and the Pearls of Wisdom and T-Bag's Christmas Ding Dong (There were various T-Bag series between 1985 and 1992)
• The Golden Girls (1985–1992)
• Amen (1986–1991)
• Designing Women (1986–1993)
• Double Dare (1986–1993)
• Hey Dad...! (Australia) (1986–1994)
• L.A. Law (1986–1994)
• Matlock (1986–1996)
• Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986–1991)
• Perfect Strangers (1986–1993)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986— )
• Comic Relief (UK) (1986— )
• Casualty (UK) (1986— )
• A Different World (1987–1993)
• Beadle's About (UK) (1987–1996)
• ChuckleVision (UK) (1987— )
• Full House (1987–1995)
• Going Live! (UK) (1987–1993)
• Inspector Morse (1987–2000)
• Knightmare (UK) (1987–1994)
• Married... with Children (1987–1997)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987–1996)
• The Bold and the Beautiful (1987— )
• thirtysomething (1987–1991)
• Unsolved Mysteries (1987-1998, 2001-2002, 2008-present).
• America's Most Wanted (1988— )
• The American Experience (1988— )
• Fair City (1988— )
• Home and Away (1988— )
• This Morning (1988— )
• Red Dwarf (UK) (1988–1999)
• Children's Ward (UK) (1988–2000)
• Empty Nest (1988–1995)
• Family Feud (1976–1985, 1988–1995, 1999— )
• Garfield and Friends (1988–1995)
• Murphy Brown (1988–1998)
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988–1999)
• Roseanne (1988–1997)
• The Wonder Years (1988–1993)
• 48 Hours (1988— )
• The Adventures of Superboy (1988–1992)
• Electric Circus (1988–2003)
• Acropolis Now (Australia) (1989–1992)
• Baywatch (1989–2001)
• Cops (1989— )
• Family Matters (1989–1998)
• Fast Forward (Australia) (1989–1992)
• Inside Edition (1989— )
• Life Goes On (1989–1993)
• Maid Marian and her Merry Men (UK) (1989–1994)
• Press Gang (UK) (1989–1993)
• Seinfeld (1989–1998)
• Tales from the Crypt (1989–1996)
• The Arsenio Hall Show (1989–1994)
• About Face (1989–1991)
• The Big Gig (Australia) (1989–1992)
• The Simpsons (1989— )
• Match Game (1962–1969, 1973–1984, 1990–1991, 1998–1999)

Ending this year

• March 12 - Mama's Family (1983–1984, 1986–1990)
• March 23 - Scrabble (1984-1990, 1993)
• March 24 - ALF (1986–1990)
• April 9 - The Labours of Erica (1989-1990)
• April 13 - The Pat Sajak Show (1989-1990)
• May 6 - 227 (1985–1990)
• May 7 - Alien Nation (1989-1990)
• May 17 - Falcon Crest (1981–1990)
• May 21 - Newhart (1982–1990)
• May 26 - The Tracey Ullman Show (1987–1990)
• June 14 - The NBA on CBS (1973–1990)
• July 8 - Mr. Belvedere (1985–1990)
• August 25 - The Smurfs (1981-1990)
• November 10 - Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986-1990)
• November 11 - The Comedy Company (Australia) (1988–1990)
• November 28 - Duck Tales (1987-1990)
• December 29 - Muppet Babies (1984-1990)
• You Can't Do That on Television (Canada: 1979–1990 and United States: 1981–1990)
• May 26 - T. and T. (1988–1990)
• April 6 - Baywatch (1989-1990)

Cancelled, but eventually to return on air

• The Magical World of Disney (1988–1990)
• Baywatch (1991-2001)

Changes of network affiliation

• The Major League Baseball Game of the Week debuts on CBS (April 14) after spending 25 years on NBC.
• The Gummi Bears moves from ABC to first-run syndication.
• The Hogan Family moves from NBC to CBS until 1991, when it got cancelled due to low ratings.

Births

• January 30 - Jake Thomas, actor
• March 23 - Luke Tarsitano, actor (Fudge)
• April 23 - Matthew Underwood, actor
• May 1 - Caitlin Stasey, actress
• October 22 - Jonathan Lipnicki, actor

Deaths

• January 2 - Alan Hale, Jr., actor (Skipper Jonas Grumby on Gilligan's Island)
• January 9 - Northern Calloway, actor (David on Sesame Street)
• January 18 - Rusty Hamer, former child actor (Make Room For Daddy), suicide
• February 15 - Jack Fletcher, character actor
• March 24 - Ray Goulding, comedian, half of the comedy team Bob and Ray.
• May 10 - Susan Oliver, actress
• May 16 - Jim Henson, puppeteer
• May 21 - Franklyn Seales, actor (Dexter on Silver Spoons), AIDS
• May 25 - Vic Tayback, actor (Mel Sharples on Alice)
• June 2 - Jack Gilford, actor
• July 7 - Bill Cullen, game show host
• July 8 - Howard Duff, actor
• October 26 - William S. Paley, founder and longtime head of CBS
• November 3 - Mary Martin, actress/singer
• November 27 - David White, actor (Larry Tate on Bewitched)
• December 2 - Bob Cummings, actor
• December 28 - Kiel Martin, actor (Officer J.D. LaRue on Hill Street Blues)