In the real world, CBS in the early 1970's, as put by Pat Buttram, "they cancelled everything with a tree in it." Now my question is what if CBS decided to keep the high rated shows despite of rural themes. What shows would be affected positively or negatively? Would certain shows last significantly longer? Would some shows never be made?
WI: No CBS Rural Purge in the 70's
- Thread starter 20thCenturyBoy
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marathag
Banned
Since HeeHaw ran for 20 years in syndication after the Purge, it's likely it would have had a long life as long as variety shows remain popular thru the '70s
Without the Norman Lear sitcoms, CBS may not be seen as Liberal though ratings may be similar, won't be winning Emmy's as often
Without the Norman Lear sitcoms, CBS may not be seen as Liberal though ratings may be similar, won't be winning Emmy's as often
Driftless
Donor
Westerns (I count them as rural) had mostly run their course by the 70's and some of the rural sitcoms ( Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, Beverly Hillbillies, etc) while popular, where running on fumes for material. I'm not sure how you re-charge the batteries - maybe things just need to run their course.
Westerns got a breath of life on TV with the popularity of "Lonesome Dove" and it's kin. You can maybe make a case that the Bob Newhart series set in Vermont; "Wings", with it's setting at a resort town airport were "rural" stories. I think the writers also need to consider the shocking idea that not everyone outside of New York or LA are ignorant rubes. That should give them plenty of material. Maybe a TV take on "Lake Wobegon" tales?
Westerns got a breath of life on TV with the popularity of "Lonesome Dove" and it's kin. You can maybe make a case that the Bob Newhart series set in Vermont; "Wings", with it's setting at a resort town airport were "rural" stories. I think the writers also need to consider the shocking idea that not everyone outside of New York or LA are ignorant rubes. That should give them plenty of material. Maybe a TV take on "Lake Wobegon" tales?
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marathag
Banned
1970-71 CBS has nine shows top 20, thirteen in top 30
1. Marcus Welby, M.D. ABC 17,789,600
2. The Flip Wilson Show NBC 16,767,900
3. Here's Lucy CBS 15,686,100
4. Ironside NBC 15,445,700
5. Gunsmoke CBS 15,325,500
6.ABC Movie of the Week ABC 15,085,100
7.Hawaii Five-O CBS 15,025,000
8.Medical Center CBS 14,724,500
9.Bonanza NBC 14,363,900
10.The F.B.I. ABC 13,823,000
11.Mod Squad ABC 13,642,700
12.Adam 12 NBC 13,582,600
13. Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In NBC 13,462,400
14. The Wonderful World of Disney NBC 13,462,400
15. Mayberry R.F.D. CBS 13,402,300
16. Hee Haw CBS 12,861,400
17. Mannix CBS 12,801,300
18. The Men from Shiloh NBC 12,741,200
19. My Three Sons CBS 12,500,800
20.The Doris Day Show CBS 12,440,700
1971-72 Eight Shows top 20, fourteen in top 30
1. All in the Family CBS 21,114,000
2. The Flip Wilson Show NBC 17,512,200
3. Marcus Welby, M.D. ABC 17,263,800
4. Gunsmoke CBS 16,146,000
5. ABC Movie of the Week ABC 15,897,600
6.Sanford and Son NBC 15,649,200
7.Mannix CBS 15,400,800
8.Funny Face CBS 14,841,900
9.Adam 12 NBC 14,841,900
10.The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS 14,717,700
11.Here's Lucy CBS 14,717,700
12.Hawaii Five-O CBS 14,655,600
13. Medical Center CBS 14,593,500
14. The NBC Mystery Movie NBC 14,407,200
15. Ironside NBC 14,283,000
16. The Partridge Family ABC 14,034,600
17. The F.B.I. ABC 13,910,400
18. The New Dick Van Dyke Show CBS 13,786,200
19. The Wonderful World of Disney NBC 13,662,000
20. Bonanza NBC 13,599,900
1972-73 10 shows in top 20, thirteen in top 30
1. All in the Family CBS 21,578,400
2. Sanford and Son NBC 17,884,800
3. Hawaii Five-O CBS 16,329,600
4. Maude CBS 16,005,600
5. Bridget Loves Bernie CBS 15,681,600
6.The NBC Sunday Mystery Movie NBC 15,681,600
7.The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS 15,292,800
8.Gunsmoke CBS 15,292,800
9.The Wonderful World of Disney NBC 15,228,000
10.Ironside NBC 15,163,200
11.Adam 12 NBC 15,098,400
12.The Flip Wilson Show NBC 14,968,800
13. Marcus Welby, M.D. ABC 14,839,200
14. Cannon CBS 14,515,200
15. Here's Lucy CBS 14,191,200
16. The Bob Newhart Show CBS 14,126,400
17. Tuesday Movie of the Week ABC 13,932,000
18. Monday Night Football ABC 13,608,000
19. The Partridge Family ABC 13,348,800
20. The Waltons CBS 13,348,800
Note, each season roughly two million more households had TV sets
1. Marcus Welby, M.D. ABC 17,789,600
2. The Flip Wilson Show NBC 16,767,900
3. Here's Lucy CBS 15,686,100
4. Ironside NBC 15,445,700
5. Gunsmoke CBS 15,325,500
6.ABC Movie of the Week ABC 15,085,100
7.Hawaii Five-O CBS 15,025,000
8.Medical Center CBS 14,724,500
9.Bonanza NBC 14,363,900
10.The F.B.I. ABC 13,823,000
11.Mod Squad ABC 13,642,700
12.Adam 12 NBC 13,582,600
13. Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In NBC 13,462,400
14. The Wonderful World of Disney NBC 13,462,400
15. Mayberry R.F.D. CBS 13,402,300
16. Hee Haw CBS 12,861,400
17. Mannix CBS 12,801,300
18. The Men from Shiloh NBC 12,741,200
19. My Three Sons CBS 12,500,800
20.The Doris Day Show CBS 12,440,700
1971-72 Eight Shows top 20, fourteen in top 30
1. All in the Family CBS 21,114,000
2. The Flip Wilson Show NBC 17,512,200
3. Marcus Welby, M.D. ABC 17,263,800
4. Gunsmoke CBS 16,146,000
5. ABC Movie of the Week ABC 15,897,600
6.Sanford and Son NBC 15,649,200
7.Mannix CBS 15,400,800
8.Funny Face CBS 14,841,900
9.Adam 12 NBC 14,841,900
10.The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS 14,717,700
11.Here's Lucy CBS 14,717,700
12.Hawaii Five-O CBS 14,655,600
13. Medical Center CBS 14,593,500
14. The NBC Mystery Movie NBC 14,407,200
15. Ironside NBC 14,283,000
16. The Partridge Family ABC 14,034,600
17. The F.B.I. ABC 13,910,400
18. The New Dick Van Dyke Show CBS 13,786,200
19. The Wonderful World of Disney NBC 13,662,000
20. Bonanza NBC 13,599,900
1972-73 10 shows in top 20, thirteen in top 30
1. All in the Family CBS 21,578,400
2. Sanford and Son NBC 17,884,800
3. Hawaii Five-O CBS 16,329,600
4. Maude CBS 16,005,600
5. Bridget Loves Bernie CBS 15,681,600
6.The NBC Sunday Mystery Movie NBC 15,681,600
7.The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS 15,292,800
8.Gunsmoke CBS 15,292,800
9.The Wonderful World of Disney NBC 15,228,000
10.Ironside NBC 15,163,200
11.Adam 12 NBC 15,098,400
12.The Flip Wilson Show NBC 14,968,800
13. Marcus Welby, M.D. ABC 14,839,200
14. Cannon CBS 14,515,200
15. Here's Lucy CBS 14,191,200
16. The Bob Newhart Show CBS 14,126,400
17. Tuesday Movie of the Week ABC 13,932,000
18. Monday Night Football ABC 13,608,000
19. The Partridge Family ABC 13,348,800
20. The Waltons CBS 13,348,800
Note, each season roughly two million more households had TV sets
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The problem was that the network had a comfortable audience, but it wasn't the next generation audience. It wasn't an audience that would grow. It wasn't programming that would do anything new or explore, or target new demographics. It was comfortable stagnation. As any capitalist can tell you, that is not a good place to be. Ratings are a red herring, and it was the ignorance of early television that relied on that simplicity, and bad entertainment leaders rely on it still. Its demographics that matter. The rural purge launched shows like All In The Family, and the shows that came from that. It began the process of mature television that developed into the 80s. It closed out that era of "Gee Whiz, Mom" television where it was programming like a Disney nightmare that had no resemblance to the real world. It began a process that let there be an HBO, St. Elsewhere, David Letterman, Thirty Something, Good Times, etc. Even comfort food sitcoms never went back to the simple mindedness of the Beverly Hillbillies. Compare that series with Family Ties or the Cosby Show with Father Knows Best. Television looked to reflect something real and genuine, even if it was a saccharine version of it. Everybody Loves Raymond was a PG sitcom, but it reflected real family dynamics and experiences. Leave It To Beaver never did that. So it began a process of letting television be reflective, and letting television push itself into new directions. Even shows like The Waltons looked to reflect something true and human, even if it was a sweetened version of the reality.
In terms of CBS itself, imagine the audience for Lawrence Welk and that's what you end up with. An aging but dedicated audience on one hand. No new viewers on the other. No relevance, no meaning, and eventually no viewers. Meaningless nostalgia in terms of production. And mounting irrelevancy in economic terms as well. The economics were already pushing the networks away from that earlier direction, and in reality CBS got out front of the trend. It would therefore be forced to move with it, but much delayed. And it may be forced to position itself in that Middle American programming. Even so, the totally phony vibe of Gilligan's Island era programming may be dead, and it may be more the sweetness but emotional reflection of The Waltons.
In terms of CBS itself, imagine the audience for Lawrence Welk and that's what you end up with. An aging but dedicated audience on one hand. No new viewers on the other. No relevance, no meaning, and eventually no viewers. Meaningless nostalgia in terms of production. And mounting irrelevancy in economic terms as well. The economics were already pushing the networks away from that earlier direction, and in reality CBS got out front of the trend. It would therefore be forced to move with it, but much delayed. And it may be forced to position itself in that Middle American programming. Even so, the totally phony vibe of Gilligan's Island era programming may be dead, and it may be more the sweetness but emotional reflection of The Waltons.
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Although I quiver at the thought of disputing Pat Buttram's observations, and I consider my Walter Brennan impression, "Dagnab it Luke!" tour de force when I don't have my teeth in, the sit-coms were superceded on CBS by the maudlin "Waltons" and NBC's "Little House on the Prairie" so it is a little less contra-rural and a bit more just letting the older stuff die. Network executives know what they're doing. Star Trek just wasn't keeping up with the times.
FBKampfer
Banned
CBS would have become pretty irrelevant pretty quickly.
They may run into problems if they sit too long on that "Gee wiz, mom" programming @Emperor Norton I mentions, and then make the jump to the new Magnum PI, Airwolf, etc, or even Fresh Prince of Bel Air-esque programing, they'll be to late to just transition in new, younger viewers.
I mean frankly, growing up, I didn't give a single fuck about anything on TV Land, nor even bother checking to see what they were airing at the moment. And that right there is where you lose demographics to an image or reputation.
If CBS hadn't moved forward, they would have simply become another TV Land, or MTV, or Spike, or *insert irrelevant brand with a generational gap*.
Your average 2017 teen (which is really where you need to capture them) is interested in compelling, relatable drama and human interest, or off the wall, borderline-bat-shit-crazy that pushes the envelope of believability so they can not think too hard for a while. Gunsmoke, and Little House on the Prarie, or Lassie, or Gilligan's Island, or anything else like that is none of what that demographic wants.
And if you want an "edgier, more realistic" side of rural life, you end up with all the least appealing aspects.
The fact of the matter is that, unless you're putting forward an idealized version of things (or are reasonably well off and white; see again, idealized), rural life looks a hell of a lot like redneck loggers, immigrant farmers getting by on what many in the US would consider poverty wages, endless fields of corn, or sugar beet, or potatoes on homogenized, big-company farms further than the horizon, and ignorant, heavily conservative, mildly racist, and definitely homophobic small towns.
Trust me, I grew up there.
The popular culture idea of rural, the small family farm, riding a horse through the mountains, the stern, untamed beauty of nature, the cute little mountain town, the independence, and grit, and personal strength of making it on your own. It died a long time ago. Even back in the 1970's, it was at the end of its death throws.
They may run into problems if they sit too long on that "Gee wiz, mom" programming @Emperor Norton I mentions, and then make the jump to the new Magnum PI, Airwolf, etc, or even Fresh Prince of Bel Air-esque programing, they'll be to late to just transition in new, younger viewers.
I mean frankly, growing up, I didn't give a single fuck about anything on TV Land, nor even bother checking to see what they were airing at the moment. And that right there is where you lose demographics to an image or reputation.
If CBS hadn't moved forward, they would have simply become another TV Land, or MTV, or Spike, or *insert irrelevant brand with a generational gap*.
Your average 2017 teen (which is really where you need to capture them) is interested in compelling, relatable drama and human interest, or off the wall, borderline-bat-shit-crazy that pushes the envelope of believability so they can not think too hard for a while. Gunsmoke, and Little House on the Prarie, or Lassie, or Gilligan's Island, or anything else like that is none of what that demographic wants.
And if you want an "edgier, more realistic" side of rural life, you end up with all the least appealing aspects.
The fact of the matter is that, unless you're putting forward an idealized version of things (or are reasonably well off and white; see again, idealized), rural life looks a hell of a lot like redneck loggers, immigrant farmers getting by on what many in the US would consider poverty wages, endless fields of corn, or sugar beet, or potatoes on homogenized, big-company farms further than the horizon, and ignorant, heavily conservative, mildly racist, and definitely homophobic small towns.
Trust me, I grew up there.
The popular culture idea of rural, the small family farm, riding a horse through the mountains, the stern, untamed beauty of nature, the cute little mountain town, the independence, and grit, and personal strength of making it on your own. It died a long time ago. Even back in the 1970's, it was at the end of its death throws.
marathag
Banned
No, no they don't.
Fred Silverman had as many misfires as hits at the time he spent at all three Networks
Well, they could do stuff like Twin Peaks, Murder She Wrote, Harper Valley P.T.A., In the Heat of the Night, The Dukes of Hazard, The B.J./Lobo Show, Newhart, The Torkelsons, Heartland (Either version), Picket Fences, and the fictionalized version of Friday Night Lights.
There's no real reason it has to be all The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres, all the time.
There's no real reason it has to be all The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres, all the time.
Fred Silverman did have that midas touch at CBS and especially at ABC aroound 1976-77, with numerous big hits. But at NBC, he had more misses than hits, especially that colossal dud Supertrain (Anyone remember seeing that one? It was about a nuclear-powered luxury passenger train complete with swimming pool and bowling alley and was more or less a complete rip-off of the Love Boat). But his biggest failure was when the USA boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics and in retaliation, the Soviets withdrew the rights to NBC's Olympic coverage.
marathag
Banned
Every hit, you had a dozen like this, well known trainwrecks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Mother_the_Car
to the newer, yet totally forgotten ones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Monkey
All the execs would try to chase hits the other networks were doing
Twin Peaks was 1st season interesting, but not able to keep up ratings. Butts in front of the Tube is what makes the Network profitable.
So it was foolish to axe everything, both high and lowrated shows. The lists I put upthread showed that the Purge didn't help CBS all that much.
Sure, the Hillbillies had run out of steam, but the replacement for HeeHaw, the Sony and Cher Show, never got close to having as many viewers.
Prune, not axe your shows
Network executives killed Star Trek, canceled Gilligan's Island to let Gunsmoke run forever, screwed Johnny Carson and David Letterman, and worship Jay Leno.
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
I think the most desired demographic was something like 25-45 upper middle-class and above
(not so much seniors because they're choosier shoppers)
"Gunsmoke" was already on its last legs & Arness wanted out, even if the network didn't... How much longer the frankly preposterous "Green Acres" or "Beverly Hillbillies" could last, IDK, but I wouldn't bet it'd be much longer anyhow.
Consider: it wasn't more than a couple of years (5?) til CBS had "The Waltons" & NBC had "Little House", which actually had good writing & less absurd concepts.
Was the Western dead? No, just out of fashion for awhile. It happens.
Consider: it wasn't more than a couple of years (5?) til CBS had "The Waltons" & NBC had "Little House", which actually had good writing & less absurd concepts.
Was the Western dead? No, just out of fashion for awhile. It happens.
I remember those 'rural shows" well... "Mayberry" "Andy Griffith", "Beverly Hillbillies", "Gomer Pyle", and "Petticoat Junction"
It was an interesting and strange world where the American South had no Black people in it
Take a look at an episode on any of them and it is pretty glaringly obvious.
That would have ultimately doomed them no matter what
They were fantasy, and because of the above not harmless fantasy
It was an interesting and strange world where the American South had no Black people in it
Take a look at an episode on any of them and it is pretty glaringly obvious.
That would have ultimately doomed them no matter what
They were fantasy, and because of the above not harmless fantasy
Yeah, it wasn't "Rural" that went away, but rural fantasy. "Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman" had a very long run too. There was also "Grizzly Adams" and "Dukes of Hazard" and on a more serious note, "Heat of the Night"
I always thought of "Heat of the Night" as more cop show, or racial commentary, than "rural", myself. And "Dukes"...that was "rural fantasy" if I ever saw it.
(Or "make work for stunt drivers". )As for Westerns? "Walker" & "Justified" come to mind (both a bit late for the '70s, I know...). "Lonesome Dove", too. In between, also "Deadwood" & "Longmire", & up here, "North of 60" & "The Rez" (which broadly fit "Western"...)
marathag
Banned
There were hardly any Black people in any CBS shows with speaking parts, and CBS cancelled the one show the network had with a Black supporting character that showed up in most episodes, _Hogans Heroes_.
George Jefferson didn't show up till 1973, and that spin off in 1975
And you might want to look at http://legendsrevealed.com/entertai...ere-there-really-no-black-people-in-mayberry/
But parts of North Carolina Hill Country were really White
Driftless
Donor
I think you can also make the case that most 30's through mid 60's sitcoms were not based in reality, regardless of setting. That was a market driven by folks wanting to escape their own realities of The Depression, The War, and post-war a desire to come home to a ideal world. That collective idea ran out gas before the end of the 50's, but the premise kept staggering along for a few more years. Cripes, we're in the middle of another melt-down, with the whole un-real, tightly scripted, "reality-TV" slowly dragging Cable TV into the ground . There's a genre that should have been still-born.
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Yes they are, so is the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks
My point though is that the success of the Archie Bunker spinoffs, as well as changes in audience would have doomed them anyway.