My Journey Through 1970s TV: Friday Nights, 1976

I've been rough (though not without reason) on NBC during these reviews of network prime time schedules in 1976, so let’s give some credit where it’s due: on Friday night if you were home, you were probably spending at least part of your evening with the Peacock. Some of those props may be by default since ABC and CBS both opted for movies on this evening, but three of NBC’s four scheduled series were hits then and are fondly remembered now.

ABC
Donny & Marie
ABC Friday Night Movie

It seemed like a hit at the time, but the variety show starring Donny and Marie Osmond never ranked higher than #27 during its three seasons. This was the first foray into prime time for Sid & Marty Krofft, after years of unleashing bizarre but delightful Saturday morning shows to confound the children of the ‘70s.

Looking back, it’s even more impressive for an hour of prime-time real estate to be turned over to an 18-year-old Donny and his 16-year-old sister, obviously making them the youngest entertainers in history to host their own series. But they carried it well on shear talent, with able support from the Osmond family, a cluster of ice skaters and appearances from pretty much anyone who was anyone in the 1970s, from Evel Knievel and Andy Gibb to Farrah Fawcett and Kristy McNichol.

The Kroffts would go on to create one more successful variety series featuring Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell sisters but missed with shows built around the Brady Bunch and Pink Lady & Jeff. Yes, I own both of those shows on DVD. Don’t judge me.


NBC
Sanford and Son
Chico & The Man
The Rockford Files
Serpico

In its final season Sanford and Son still drew more viewers than any other Friday series. Chico & The Man was a natural sitcom pairing with Sanford, and while The Rockford Files still ranked outside the top 40 shows, it was already winning Emmy Awards and providing an ideal showcase for James Garner, one of television’s most charismatic leading men. 

Serpico was one of many attempts this decade to adapt a hit film into a successful television series. It rarely worked, and it didn’t in this case either – only 15 episodes were shot before it was canceled. Al Pacino played NYPD detective Frank Serpico in the film, but viewers of the series got David Birney instead.

This was one of many short-lived police shows shown on TV Land, so I’ve seen it but didn’t care for it. Birney’s a fine actor but this was not a role suited to his talents, no matter now they tried to toughen him up with facial hair and a grimy complexion. The whole thing came off like a dinner theater version of the genuine article.


CBS
Spencer’s Pilots
CBS Friday Night Movie

It won’t be long before CBS would dominate Friday nights with hits like Dallas and The Dukes of Hazzard. That winning streak would not begin with Spencer’s Pilots, a pleasant time-killer of an adventure series about a small charter plane outfit in California.

The cast is comprised of familiar character actors that veteran classic TV fans will know by name, and everyone else will recognize as “that guy from…” There’s Gene Evans (the guy from all those old TV westerns!), Christopher Stone (from Bionic Woman!), Todd Susman (from Newhart!) and Britt Leach (from the Partridge Family Christmas episode!). Not a bad show, but no match for Donny and Marie and Sanford and Son.

Shows Missed:
The Don Knotts Show (1970)
San Francisco International Airport (1970)
Nancy (1970)
The Headmaster (1970)
The Man and the City (1971)
Search (1972)
Assignment: Vienna (1972)
The Delphi Bureau (1972)
Jigsaw (1972)
The Little People (1972)
The Sixth Sense (1972)
Tenafly (1973)
Faraday & Company (1973)
Kodiak (1974)
The New Land (1974)
McCoy (1975)
Joe and Sons (1975)
Beacon Hill (1975)
Mobile One (1975)
Big Eddie (1975)
Executive Suite (1976)
Ball Four (1976)