5 Programming Blocks You Forgot About

 

With fall TV kicking back up and the recent anniversary of TGIF. I started thinking about TV blocks throughout the years. Everyone knows iconic programming blocks like ABC's 90's juggernaut TGIF or NBC's Must See TV. Even Nick At Nite's summertime party block, but what about those blocks that tried and failed to catch on draw audiences in? That's why I'm here folks, here are 5 programming blocks you probably forgot about. 

5. CBS Block Party

In the spring of 1997, ABC cancelled Family Matters and Step By Step. CBS decided to save the day and pick both series up to debut in the fall of '97. Thus the network decided to compete against ABC's TGIF and create the Friday Night Block Party. They're hopes were to use the sitcoms to spearhead this new TV block, replicate the success of TGIF and help some CBS original sitcoms Meego and Gregory Hines show in the ratings.

None of that happened, by this time Family Matters and Step By Step were at the end of their respective runs, even had jumped the shark and many moved on to other programming. Meego and Gregory Hines Show never caught fire, and the block was cancelled after the 1998 season. CBS realizing it was best to throw in the towel. I'll admit, the promos made it look like a damn good time.

4. The N

In the early 2000's during the advancement of technology that allowed digital cable. Viacom created a spin-off of Nickelodeon, a education channel called Noggin. Noggin was primarily geared towards toddlers during their development years. In 2007, the network decided expand their audience a bit and create a programming block devoted to preteens and teens on the network dubbed The N. While The N was geared towards pre-teens and teenagers, the same goal was in mind make the programming educational.

Degrassi: The Next Generation aired on The N and introduced American teens to the future rap superstar Drake. Soon The N started pulling programming from Viacom's library that sometimes were educational sometimes weren't quite educational, A Different World, Moesha, Clueless, My So-called Life, Dawson's Creek, One On One, Summerland, and The Hills. There was original programming added in as well, but The N never fully caught on. 

3. UPN Kids

When it comes to kid's themed cartoon blocks, Fox Kids and WB Kids are considered the holy grail depending on one's generation. Toonami, Disney Afternoon, USA Cartoon Express and Action Extreme Team were no slouches either, and ABC's One Saturday Morning Cartoons was another hit. One block that is often forgotten was UPN Kids, which deviated from the norm and aired on Sunday mornings. Debuting September 10, 1995 it last just under four years ending September 5, 1995.

The biggest hit that aired on UPN Kids was the Jumanji animated series. Before Marvel was the entertainment juggernaut it is now, it was a struggling comic book company trying to make it by also licensing out their characters. As such there were several Marvel cartoons on UPN Kids, led by The Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four, and Spider-man. UPN Kids actually had some good cartoons on it, but UPN struggled throughout it's entire existence with perception as a big boy brand which led people not to tune in no matter how good it was. Combat that with the growing technology of the internet and digital cable, the block sadly never stood a chance. 

2. Screen Gems Network 

In the late 90's/early 2000's when regular TV stations were still giving cable a fighting run for their money. A new syndicated block of sitcom's from the 80's and 90's debuted, The Screen Gems Network. I vividly remember it airing on local Baltimore station channel 54 somewhere in the midnight time slot or a little after. It kicked off September 20, 1999 and featured programming owned by Columbia Tri-Star/Sony. Sitcoms like Benson, What's Happening, Silver Spoons, The Jeffersons, One Day At A Time, All In The Family, Different Strokes, Charlie's Angels, Starsky and Hutch, Bewitched, I Dream Of Jeannie and so much more aired. 

Episodes were often grouped in themes for the block, and it was a good way to watch alot of classic sitcoms at once. It was a very clever program block for it's time period, but being in syndication each market got to choose which time to air it which I think is why it didn't catch on.

1. Action Pack

Action Pack sometimes called Universal Action Pack, was a syndicated TV block. I'm not sure most people were aware was an actual block. It featured programs owned by Universal TV and is best known for airing 90's action dramas Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. It also aired lesser known series Cleopatra 2525 and Jack Of All Trades starring B-movie legend Bruce Campbell. Over time B-movies were added to the block too such as BeastMaster III and The Adventures Of Captain Zoom In Outer Space.

In my local Baltimore market, I remember it airing on Saturday afternoons on again Channel 54 which later became our WB affiliate, before moving to our Fox affiliate Channel 45. Or maybe it was the other way around. Anyway it was an interesting block of low-budget TV action films and movies, and lasted from 1994 until 2001. Another relic of a bygone era.