Some years back, I read an article about Nick @ Nite in which an executive gushed about how they only rerun the best of the best of campy old sitcoms. He even pointed out that the network had a chance to rerun “the Mod Squad”, but upon viewing a few episodes realized the series just didn’t hold up over the years. It seemed creaky & thin, and not nearly as memorable as, say, “Bewitched.”
I guess they’ve strayed away from that high standards in recent years. I mean, “Designing Women”??? Who the hell watched this banal, by-the-books formula show when it was originally aired, let alone wants to see it reran every night nowadays?
Personally, for 1980s shows that deserve to get rebroadcast, I’d like to see them air “Northern Exposure” or “Married…with Children” (although it got to be insipid in its’ later run, “Married” was a brilliantly scathingly cynical show its’ first few years.)
So, anyway, what shows that are on now (or very have been on recently) ought to be on Nick @ Nite twenty years from today? Nick at its’ best showcased really great groundbreaking touchstone series like the original “SNL”, as well as quirky neglected gems like “Fernwood Tonight.”
My votes go to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Malcolm in the Middle” and “Arrested Development” for future Nick shows.
Scrubs, My Name is Earl, and The Office (though since those last two are only in their second season, they might need 25 years, but it looks like we have only one or two more seasons of Scrubs left.)
Just look at what shows Fox reruns in the 5pm-8pm block, and you’ve probably got your answer: Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Malcom in the Middle, the Simpsons, maybe Frasier. When Fox starts to cycle them out, Nick will pick them up.
You had to be a middle aged woman to like Designing Women. I watched it with my mom growing up. By the last few seasons it got to be cliche and ridiculous but it really did address gender and race issues pretty smartly for a mid to late 80s sitcom.
I think I’ll be dead before every local affiliate stops showing the Simpsons every day at 5ish. I’d like to think the same for Seinfeld, but they’ve got to stop that sometime.
Actually, you’re probably right about the Simpsons, especially since they’re still cranking out new episodes, and will continue to do so for some time yet. I think Seinfeld is already being slightly weaned out of my local market – I think it used to play about five times a day (what with Fox, TBS, UPN, etc.); now I think it plays about four.