There has been concern about the NBC network, given its last-place status and its purchase by Comcast. It's a good chance to look at the best television NBC has had through the years, divided by decade: (Note: News programs are not included in this list.)
1940s:*Texaco Star Theater - Before there was almost anything else, there was Uncle Miltie. Milton Berle was television's first real star, and though his humor is regarded as corny today, he had huge ratings today's youngsters can't even dream about.
1950s:*Bob Hope: His first television program came on Easter, 1950; by the time he was done in the mid-1990s, he'd opened and closed countless seasons for NBC television. As the late, great NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff said during the comedian's 85th birthday celebration in 1988: "We always had Hope."
*Dragnet: Set the standard for every cop show that has come since. Jack Webb created it, starred in it and gave us just the facts, Ma'am.
*Your Show of Shows: Sid Caesar begat every television spoof of popular culture with Imogene Coca and a stable of writers that included Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and Larry Gelbart.
1960s:*Wonderful World of Disney: It started on ABC, but with Walt Disney hosting almost until his death in 1966, the anthology series had its biggest popularity here during the 1960s and 70s. This was where Disney introduced his plans for a theme park in Florida - Walt Disney World.
*Spy shows: After the popularity of James Bond films, NBC did the best job of any network of turning the spy show genre on its head. It brought together East and West with "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," made Bill Cosby a star with "I Spy" and spoofed the whole thing with the Mel Brooks-Buck Henry creation "Get Smart!"
*Police shows: NBC had two of the best with "Ironside," in which Raymond Burr played the title character, whose wheelchair didn't undermine his toughness, and "Adam 12," based on real cases solved by the Los Angeles Police Department.
*The Tonight Show: Steve Allen started the fun in 1954, but Jack Paar's erudite style made it must-see - and Johnny Carson immortalized himself and it.
*Laugh-In: The bridge between Sid Caesar, Saturday Night Live and Jon Stewart was this program? You bet your bippy.
*Julia: Of the three major networks at the time, NBC did the finest job of creating programs that celebrated diversity. This comedy, with Diahann Carroll playing a nurse, was a good example.
*Bonanza: It started in 1958 and ended in 1972. This western program was arguably the most popular television show of the 1960s and made Lorne Greene and Michael Landon stars.
1970s:*NBC Mystery Movie: This rotating series introduced us to Columbo (Peter Falk), McCloud (Dennis Weaver) and McMillan & Wife (Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James). Great fun.
*Flip Wilson Show: NBC's on-air openness continued with this talented comedian and his many faces.
*Sanford and Son: A great Quincy Jones opening theme, Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson anchored this very funny show, Norman Lear's primary contribution to the network.
*Chico and the Man: Before his tragic death, Freddie Prinze broke down barriers for Hispanics with this comedy.
*The Rockford Files: James Garner, always at ease, was at his peak in this private eye show, which made America appreciate answering machines and Pontiac Trans-Ams.
*Police Story: The 1970s "true-life" program, which introduced Angie Dickinson's "Police Woman," among others.
*Little House on the Prairie: NBC's primary family show, based on the books by Laura Ingells Wilder, continued Michael Landon's hot streak and made young Melissa Gilbert into an icon.
1980s:*Cheers: "Of course," as its first promotions said. After Sam & Diane, Sam & Rebecca, Coach, Woody, Norm, Cliff, Frasier and Lillith and 11 seasons, of course.
*Family Ties: Great spin on family comedies, with Michael J. Fox in the star-making role as the conservative son of two flower children parents.
*Hill Street Blues: "Let's be careful out there." Actually, they weren't - and the show went on to win a record number of Emmy Awards because of it.
*St. Elsewhere: This unusual hospital program also found success - and was the launching pad for Denzel Washington's success.
*The Cosby Show: Bar none, the most successful show of the decade - and the one that brought NBC and the situation comedy back to life.
*The Golden Girls: Proved that life begins at 60. Emmys for all four stars, and a lot of laughs.
*Miami Vice: Gave Miami - "Paradise Lost," according to Time, a second life. No earth tones. And neither Miami nor television ever looked the same.
1990s:*Frasier: Probably the most successful spin-off ever - and even more humanity and humor than Cheers.
*Law & Order: Reworked both the cop show and the lawyer show. The 1990s, which featured Jerry Orbach as the inimitable Detective Lenny Briscoe, were the peak.
*The West Wing: The show began in 1999, with its first and probably best season. After a bunch of shows that showed politicians as oversexed buffoons, this Aaron Sorkin creation was a breath of fresh air.
(Incidentally, I did not watch Seinfeld, Friends or ER, which were also very successful during this decade.)
Will NBC ever have true "Must See TV" again? Let's hope so.
See you next week, with the best holiday specials. Until then, Happy Viewing!
