1978: What's on TV Thursday Nights?

Mom pitched camp in the kitchen Thursday nights in 1978. Her portable was absolutely locked in all prime time to Channel 12.  

But, for me, it's more 7-9 p.m. Central sitcom domination by ABC.

The new show (a last-second shift from Monday nights) is the stud of the Channel 3 Thursday bunch. I found both Mindy and Mork to be adorable in their own ways.

And I'm satisfied to roll the next 90 minutes with What's Happening!! Season 3, Barney Miller Season 5 and Soap Season 2. Mom's Waltons/Hawaii Five-O/Barnaby Jones bender is helpful in this regard, as it is likely to keep her distracted from helicoptering the Channel 3 storylines on the portable in my bedroom.

As for 9 p.m., the new NBC show about broadcasting doesn't sound like nearly as much fun as the new CBS show about broadcasting. 

I might opt for a Season 4 Quincy, M.E. on SelectaVision. Or, every other Thursday night, I might expand my horizons with some public broadcasting, as PBS is bringing to its national audience an appealing creation germinating from its Chicago affiliate.

What's On TV Tonight (1973)?

Long-time followers of the HP's Hooray for TV!™ desk know that I tend to favor sitcoms in coverage; however, I am thrilled that the offerings of tonight, Jan. 28, 1973, present the opportunity to learn the origin story of Barnaby Jones. at 8:30 p.m. Central on Channel 12.


"Barnaby Jones, who turned his detective business over to his son, is forced out of retirement on his Southern California ranch to track down his son's killer." I'm surprised that this little blurb from The Paducah Sun's TV previews fails to emphasize the Quinn Martin crossover with Cannon.

Frank Cannon is at home winding down after a busy day of privately detecting by doing some late-night whipping up of a spinach soufflé, when the phone rings.

It's colleague Hal Jones, who reports he is in some kind of trouble.

Frank Cannon helpfully invites his friend over for reassuring words and fresh soufflé.

And Hal Jones is obviously relieved, until he opens the telephone-booth door.

Bang! Bang! (It's really perverse how totally unbothered American society of the last 100 years, at least, has been with murder in mass media, relative to, say, sexuality or bathroom stuff.)

Well, deal with it, Snowflake--Hal Jones is dead. 

Meanwhile, back at Frank Cannon's house, ...

... the soufflé turned out fantastic!

It's getting kind of late, though; whatever happened to Hal Jones?

Frank Cannon's got a bad feeling about this. He better call Hal Jones's house and see what's up.

It's Barnaby Jones, consoling his daughter-in-law and cooperating with the police.

He's perplexed and intrigued with the call from Frank Cannon. They better get together and compare notes before these dull-witted cops muck everything up.

Buddy Ebsen is freaking magnificent.

Whoever this dude is who killed Hal Jones is in bad trouble with these two pros on the case!

1975: The new season (Fridays)

Now this is some rock-'em, sock-'em/capital-T, capital-V TV, baby!

With Sanford and Son and Chico and the Man, Nielsen's second- and third-rated shows of last season, respectively, one would think NBC would have locked down the 7 p.m. Central hour. But CBS has No. 5 M*A*S*H right there in the 7:30 rearview, and this season it leads off with rookie Big Eddie, which is led by no newcomer. Producer and director of The Andy Griffith Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show, Sheldon Leonard gets back in the acting game (I'd forgotten he was in It's a Wonderful Life).

But what about ABC? They're giving brilliant Jack Webb a new go. I'll definitely have to give Mobile One a try, too, as I love both Jack Webb and TV shows about media.

It's a solid night at 8 and beyond, too. TV Guide tells us that The Sound of Music and Sounder are among the titles planned for The ABC Friday Night Movie. For me to tune in, however, it will have to be a proven, stellar commodity like one of those two. I am totally in the tank for Rockford Files, and I will happily enjoy a 9 p.m. nightcap with either sultry Angie Dickinson in Police Woman or steady Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones.

What a night--Friday nights in 1975. This is the kind of night that encouraged my dad to write in his American history, The Death of Democracy, "Television continued to provide the working man with dependable and affordable entertainment."

Previous dispatches:

-- Mondays

-- Tuesdays

-- Wednesdays

-- Thursdays