Launched in 2003, Television Obscurities is dedicated to the study and preservation of the forgotten history of television in the United States. For the past 15 years, I’ve researched, watched, and written about short-lived TV shows, unsold pilot episodes, fall preview specials, network image campaigns, and so much more. Check out my blog, follow me on Twitter, and contact me with any questions.
Blog
Nielsen Bottom 5, October 22nd-28th, 1979
Here are the 10 lowest-rated programs on TV during Week 6 of the 1979-1980 season. Prime Time Sunday on NBC was at the bottom of the ratings chart.
TV Guide 365: Thursday, October 22nd, 1964
Read TV Guide’s listings for Thursday, October 22nd, 1964. Programs include The Flintstones, Dr. Kildare, The Baileys of Balboa, and Peyton Place.
Sons and Daughters Article Revised
I’ve updated and expanded my article examining short-lived CBS drama Sons and Daughters, starring Gary Frank and Glynnis O’Connor. It ran for 9 episodes during the 1974-1975 season.
Articles
Enjoy more than 80 articles covering a variety of topics, from short-lived TV shows like The New People and The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. to untold stories about the TV networks and the TV industry.
Spotlight
Each Spotlight focuses on either a short-lived TV show like The Second Hundred Years and Struck By Lightning or an unsold pilot like “Men Against Evil” (1966) and “The Karen Valentine Program” (1974).
Exhibits
Browse early program guides from the 1940s, watch vintage sponsor spots for Marlboro Cigarettes or Breck Shampoo, read a promotional booklet for an unsold dramatic anthology, and more.
TV’s Lost & Found
Sadly, much of our television history no longer exists. Many early, live broadcasts were never recorded. Others that were recorded (on film or videotape) were later destroyed, erased, or misplaced. The search for lost and missing television never ends.