My Journey Through 1970s TV: Wednesday Nights, 1971

 

Thus far it’s been smooth sailing through 1971 in my quest to watch every 1970s prime time series, but there are storm clouds on the horizon now that we’ve hit hump day. Let’s get the easy ones out of the way first:

 

 

NBC

Adam-12

The NBC Mystery Movie (Columbo, McCloud, McMillan and Wife)

Night Gallery

 

Adam-12 moves to Wednesdays from its previous Saturday night timeslot, a change that resulted in a move from #12 to #8 in the season ratings.

 

This was the first year for the classic Mystery Movie lineup, when viewers knew whichever installment was up each week, it was bound to be a good one. That would not be the case in later seasons, when classics like Columbo and McCloud were joined by the likes of Madigan, Tenafly, and The Snoop Sisters.  

Night Gallery was a horror anthology that delivered a few memorable episodes, and always featured world-class talent both behind the camera (Steven Spielberg, making his directorial debut, writer Richard Matheson) and in front (Diane Keaton, Joan Crawford, Patty Duke, Agnes Moorehead, and even Ozzie and Harriet Nelson). But the finished product never consistently measured up to the sum of its parts. Still, “They’re Tearing Down Tim Riley’s Bar,” written by Rod Serling, is a 40-minute masterpiece, and the climax of “The Dead Man” might keep you awake for a few nights. 

 

  

 

CBS

The Carol Burnett Show

Medical Center

Mannix

 

Carol Burnett and company did not move into its familiar Saturday time slot until December of 1972, where it would wrap up one of the most celebrated prime time schedules in TV history. But here it kicks off the evening’s entertainment, where it was certainly not followed by more music and laughs courtesy of Medical Center and Mannix. Surprisingly Burnett was the night’s weak link, finishing at #23 in the ratings behind Medical Center (#13) and Mannix (#7). 

 

 

ABC

Bewitched

The Courtship of Eddie’s Father

The Smith Family

Shirley’s World

The Man and the City

 

The ABC lineup was bereft of hits in 1971. Bewitched, long past its prime, had dropped out of the top 30, serving as a poor lead-in to what was then a much better series in The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. When lists are made of the greatest TV dads, Bill Bixby’s Tom Corbett deserves a place alongside Ward Cleaver, Jim Anderson and Mike Brady. But I fear his relationship with young Eddie (Brandon Cruz) may be too touchy-feely for a jaded modern audience that prefers sarcasm to sincerity.

 

The Smith Family was released on DVD despite lasting just one season. It was a blind buy for me that I mostly liked, and it’s grown on me more in subsequent viewings. Here’s my full review

 

And here’s where the trouble starts.

 

Shirley’s World disappeared after just 17 episodes, and if the trivia section of IMDB is to be believed, that quick cancelation was a relief to everyone involved. The series continues the trend this year of movie stars trying their luck on TV, following Henry Fonda in The Smith Family, Glenn Ford in Cade’s County, Jimmy Stewart in The Jimmy Stewart Show, and Rock Hudson in McMillan and Wife. Here, it’s Shirley MacLaine as a globetrotting photojournalist always going after the next big story. Like Lois Lane she always gets into trouble, but there’s no Superman here to bail her out. 

 

 

“It was crap,’ Shirley once told Johnny Carson about the finished product. But it was expensive crap for its time, and I’m certainly curious to find out if this is another example of whether a charismatic star can make a substandard script work. There is a DVD release – I just haven’t gotten around to picking it up. 

 

One of the most satisfying parts of this journey will be going back and experiencing the shows I’ve missed thus far. This will be one of them, and I’ll certainly let you know the verdict in an upcoming “Purchase or Pass” blog.

 

Next up is The Man and the City, yet another attempt by a movie star to anchor a series. Anthony Quinn plays Thomas Jefferson Aclala, the long-serving mayor of a growing southwestern city that looks a lot like Albuquerque, New Mexico (because that’s where the series was shot). From what I’ve read each episode is about a problem faced by one of Alcala’s constituents, and how the mayor takes matters into his own hands because that’s what devoted politicians do. At least on television. 

 

 

There’s one intriguing clip on YouTube, in which one of the mayor’s donors asks him to do something about the illegal immigrant situation. The scene is not very well written and also betrays the show’s political perspective. You can watch it here. From that I think I see where this one’s going, but the deal is one full episode or it doesn’t count, so I have to also add The Man and the City to the list below.

 

 

Shows Missed:

The Don Knotts Show (1970)

San Francisco International Airport (1970)

Nancy (1970)

The Headmaster (1970)

Shirley’s World (1971)

The Man and the City (1971)