CNN’s ‘Nineties’ recalls network TV at its peak
At a time when television series from “Stranger Things” to “The Americans” can’t get out of the 1980s, CNN begins a seven-part look at “The Nineties” (9 p.m. Sunday).
As this series has done since “The Seventies,” it begins with a two-hour survey of the decade’s notable TV.
Any period that kicks off with “The Simpsons” and ends with “The Sopranos” is one for the ages. Network executive Warren Littlefield, various producers and a gallery of critics and writers recalls the heyday of NBC’s “Must-See TV” era, when shows like “Seinfeld,” “Friends” and “ER” would attract upward of 75 million people to “appointment” TV on Thursday nights.
Along the way, we’re reminded of the growing depth and sophistication of TV dramas like “NYPD Blue” and “Homicide”; the increasing commercial pressures on television news bureaus, the rise and fall of programming for black audiences on the Fox, WB and UPN networks, and the emergence of niche networks from MTV to Nickelodeon, Lifetime, ESPN and Fox News, which measured success in much smaller numbers of passionate viewers.
With few exceptions, most of the executives interviewed here are male, giving one the impression that the entire decade was hurtling toward the “Difficult Men” period of dramas ushered in by “The Sopranos.” In doing so, this study completely ignores very popular shows with strong female leads. Comedies including “Roseanne,” “Grace Under Fire,” “Murphy Brown,” “Designing Women,” and even “The Nanny” ran well into the late 1990s. But they’ve been written out of this history. So is the U.K. import “Absolutely Fabulous,” one of the more influential sitcoms of the decade.
Worse, it devotes precious space to the most overcovered subject in television history, rehashing the epic battle to replace Johnny Carson as if it were as important as the Battle of the Bulge.
Like any such survey, “The Nineties” covers a great deal of ground, chronicling the flowering of intelligent programming in a medium that would face the explosion of the “reality” genre and digital internet competition in the decade to follow.
Next Sunday, part two of “Nineties” recalls the Bill Clinton phenomenon.
‘MILLIONAIRE’S’ LEGACY
The year 1999 would bring us quality series such as “The Sopranos,” “Freaks & Geeks” and “The West Wing.” It would also witness the smash success of “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.” That taught networks that they could replace actors, writers and stories with cheap game shows and reality series of dubious merit.
The influence of “Millionaire” is still being felt, as seen on Sunday’s network schedule. Four networks offer 11 hours of programming, but only two halfhour cartoons feature scripted dialogue. The rest are “reality” contests or game shows. Again, over 11 hours, there is not one second of professional “acting” on the network schedule.
Sunday features the premiere of “Candy Crush” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-PG), adapted from the addictive mobile app. But even this show has one foot in the 1990s. It’s hosted by Mario Lopez, a ubiquitous presence since appearing on “Saved by the Bell.”
ALIEN CONTACT
Saturday marks the 70th anniversary of the purported “sighting” of UFOs over Roswell, New Mexico, spawning decades of fantasy, conspiracy theories and faux-documentaries.
Destination America commemorates the event (if it was an event) with three hours of “UFOs: The Lost Evidence” (8-11 p.m. today) speculating on contact between aliens and ancient Egyptians (8 p.m.), pre-Columbian American Indians (9 p.m.) and evidence of alien contact stretching from Roswell to Mars and beyond.
FLAG STILL STANDS
Don’t put away that Fourth of July flag just yet. It could save your life. “20//20: In an Instant” (8 p.m. Saturday, ABC, TV-14) recalls a casual trip for Army veteran Kenny Pasten, his dog Rex and friend Tiffany Finney that turned into a near-death experience. Pasten had received a flag as a reward for being an Honor Guard serviceman. He had hoped to take a photo of Old Glory atop San Gorgonio, an 11,500-foot summit in Southern California’s San Bernardino range.
The flag came in handy as the weather changed from pleasant to whiteout blizzard conditions. Pasten leaned on his military training to dig a foxhole and use the flag for shelter. With Finney barely conscious, Pasten would reach the top of the mountain (and clear cellphone reception) with only seconds to go before his phone’s battery died. Both hikers would survive, but suffer frostbite. Later, a hiker who heard of their ordeal climbed the mountain and retrieved their still-frozen flag.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
› A frantic Persian named Mr. Weasley needs Jackson’s magic touch on “My Cat From Hell” (8 p.m., Animal Planet, TV-PG).
› Secrets emerge about Kira’s gift on “Orphan Black” (9 p.m., BBC America, TV-14).
› Abe links up with Arnold on “Turn: Washington’s Spies” (9 p.m., AMC, TV-14).
› A family feud explained on “Still Star Crossed” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
› On two episodes of “Doubt” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14), memory lane (8 p.m.), DNA (9 p.m.).
› “Dateline” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
› “48 Hours” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).