Prime Time Previews
General Notes: ABC was probably the first to have fall TV preview shows. Most of the information listed was gathered from tapes recordings of the programs, except where otherwise noted. As with the Saturday morning specials, I've found little information on these on the Internet. Although these shows were introduced in the special, a few shows may have been cancelled before being aired, and many new shows were cancelled quickly. Not all new shows premired in the fall and I'm only listing those that premired the september of, or after, the special. Since most reality shows premired during the summer, few are listed.
Except for the ones I taped, I don't recall many of these. Mostly this was due to my age and the lack of interest (as well as lack of interesting material) in the specials. Many of these are simply “throwaways” since all they do is to list off the new shows. These shows are interesting more for the shows they list than their content. Still, I chose to list them since one is unlikely to find much information about them elsewhere.
I should also point out that I have not listed any Canadian previews, particularly since I only know of one network special which consists primarily of American shows. (Most specials I've seen were produced by the regional broadcasters, but I'm not going to get into the differences between the American and Canadian systems of broadcasting.) Interestingly, it was mass mailed and sent out on special free (but poor quality) videotapes, so those Canadians interested are likely to have a copy.
ABC (abc.go.com)
ABC was one of the few networks to title their preview shows.
Title: 1966 ABC Fall Preview
Year: 1966
Main Characters/Hosts: Batman (Adam West) & Robin (Burt Ward)
Plot Summary: Batman & Robin search for a missing show.
Shows Introduced/Featured: see http://www.tvparty.com/fall3.html
Notes: Information from TVParty.com.
Title: The Magic Of ABC
Year:1977
Main Character/Host: David Copperfield
Plot Summary: David Copperfield performs magic and introduces new fall shows.
Shows Introduced/Freatured:
Notes: This was Copperfield's first TV special. Info gathered from web.
Title: ABC Primetime Preview Special
Year: 1992
Main Characters/Hosts: Mark Curry & Delta Burke
Plot Summary: Curry and Burke travel around ABC lot showing new fall shows.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Delta, Covington Cross, Going To Extremes, Hangin' With Mr. Cooper, Laurie Hill
Notes: This is the earliest prime time special I have archived.
Title:What I Did On My Summer Vacation
Year:1993
Main Character/Host: Joan Lunden
Plot Summary: Joan introduces Craig T. Nelson (TV movie), Olsen Twins (TV movie), Brett Butler, Bill Campbell, Ally Walker, George Foreman, Judith Light, Peter Onorati, Ben Savage, and Thea Vedal showing what they did on their summer vacation while showing clips of their new shows.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Thea, Boy Meets World, George, Moon Over Miami, Phenom, Grace Under Fire, Joe's Life.
Notes: One of the most ambitious previews, running about an hour long. (Most are only 1\2 hour shows.) Done in the typical "Florida/California/Summer" style (lots of sun).
Title: The ABC Fall Preview Special “Definitely ABC”
Year: 2000
Main Character/Host: none (narrated)
Plot Summary: Shows announced with clips of new and existing shows.
Shows Introduced/Featured: The Geena Davis Show, Madigan Men, The Trouble With Normal and Gideon's Crossing.
Notes: While ABC dropped it's Saturday morning preview, it made the effort to produce primetime specials. I can't remember if there was a 1999 primetime preview, so they may have chosen to switch over.
Title: The ABC Fall Preview Special “An All New Season Inpired By Bob Patterson”
Year: 2001
Main Character/Host: none (narrated)
Plot Summary: Shows announced with clips of new and existing shows the same way as 2000.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Bob Patterson, What About Joan, Philly, According To Jim, Thieves.
Notes: It's funny how they centered the preview about a show which was one of the first to be cancelled.
Title: ABC Coast To Coast (The New Season Special)
Year: 2002
Main Character/Host: none (narrated)
Plot Summary:
Shows Introduced/Featured: Push Nevada, Dinotopia, 8 Simple Rules, That Was Then, Life With Bonnie, Mds, Less Than Perfect
Notes: There were more new shows this year since ABC stopped relying upon “Who Wants To Be A Millionare”. Graphics were different than previous two years (orange based, rather than yellow), but the presentation style was much the same.
Title: The ABC Fall Preview Special With The Cast Of George Lopez
Year: 2003
Main Character/Host: The cast of “George Lopez” with narration.
Plot Summary: Cast of George Lopez show sitting on an 8 cushion long red couch (it reminds me of the ones in the game “Monster Bash”) discussing the new shows while coloured ABC logo circles flash about overhead.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Married To The Kellys, Hope & Faith, I'm With Her, It's All Relative, Karen Sisco, Threat Matrix, 10-8
Notes:
CBS (http://www.cbs.com/) (Sneak Peak)
Year:1994
Main Character/Host: Mark McEwen
Plot Summary: Mark McEwen walking along New York streets and introducing the new shows.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Chicago Hope, The Five Mrs. Buchanans, The Boys Are Back, Due South, Daddy's Girls, Touched By An Angel, Under Suspicion
Notes: Mid-season Sneak Preview also made for this year, in similar fashion. Most likely filmed at the same time.
Year:1995
Main Characters/Hosts: Farrah Forke & Peter Scolari
Plot Summary: Farrah Forke & Peter Scolari (from Dweebs) sit in a car watching a drive-in movie of previews.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Bless This House, Central Park West, Dweebs, The Bonne Hunt Show, If Not For You, Almost Perfect, The Bonnie Hunt Show, Cybill, New York News, CourtHouse, American Gothic, The Client
Notes:
Year: 1997
Main Character/Host: Ray Romano
Plot Summary: Ray Romano walks into his set while under construction.
Shows Introduced/Featured: George & Leo, Brooklyn South, Michael Hays, Dellaventura, Meego, The Gregory Hines Show, Public Eye with Bryant Gumble.
Notes: This was not one of CBS's better seasons for fall shows.
Year: 2003
Main Character/Host: Liza Snider and Mike O'Malley
Plot Summary: The two stars introduce news shows from the living room set of “Yes Dear”
Shows Introduced/Featured: Cold Case, Two And A Half Men, Joan Of Arcadia, The Handler, The Brotherhood of Poland New Hampshire, Navy NCIS
Notes: Navy NCIS was always intended to be shortened to just NCIS.
NBC (http://www.nbc.com/) (Must See TV Primetime Preview/NBC Primetime Preview Show)
NBC appears to have been the most consistant producers of these shows, although prior to the early 90's I didn't have access to a VCR and I've only really developed a serious interest in recording them over the past decade.
Year: 1995
Main Character/Host: Alan Thicke
Plot Summary: Alan Thicke introducing the NBC's fall line-up.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Brotherly Love, Minor Adjustments, The Pursuit Of Happiness, The Single Guy, Caroline In The City, JAG, The Home Court
Notes:
Year: 1996
Main Character/Host: Lea Thompson
Plot Summary: Lea Thompson introducing NBC's new line-up.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Men Behaving Badly, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Mr. Rhodes, Something So Right, Suddenly Susan, Dark Skies, The Pretender, The Profiler
Notes:
Year: 1997
Main Characters/Hosts: John Lithgow, French Stewart, Kristen Johnson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Plot Summary: Aliens from 3rd Rock drive through space looking for their new home on Wednesday nights.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Fired Up, Naked Truth, The Tony Danza Show, Built To Last, Working, Jenny, Veronica's Closet, Union Square, Players, Sleepwalkers
Notes: One of the more interesting previews for NBC.
Year: 1998
Main Characters/Hosts: Laura San Giacomo, Wendie Malick, & Enrico Colantoni
Plot Summary: Hosts introducing new shows in gallary-like setting.
Shows Introduced/Featured: All fall primetime shows covered. Amongst the new shows are Conrad Bloom, Encore! Encore!, Jessie, and Trinity.
Notes:
Year: 1999
Main Characters/Hosts: Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) & Karen Walker (Megan Mullally)
Plot Summary: Jack & Karen in a lounger singer/Captain & Tennille setting introducing the new shows.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Law & Order:Special Victims Unit, The Mike O'Malley Show, The West Wing, Stark Raving Mad, Providence (mid-season replacement from '98 season), Cold Feet, Freaks & Geeks, Third Watch
Notes:
Year: 2000
Main Character/Host: Megan Mullally (as herself)
Plot Summary: Megan Mullally walks through the NBC studios introducing NBC's new fall line-up and searching for star recognition.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Tucker, Deadline, The Michael Richards Show, DAG, Titans, Cursed, XFL (eXtreme FootBall), Ed
Notes:
Year: 2001
Main Character/Host: Rob Lowe
Plot Summary: Rob Lowe giving a tour of the set of “The West Wing” and introducing the new shows.
Shows Introduced: Crossing Delaney, Emeril, Scrubs, Lost (a reality show), Inside Schwartz, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, UC: Undercover
Notes: Preceeded by a sombre post-911 ad of new season. This also appears to be the start of a trend of “on-set” preview specials.
Year: 2002
Main Character/Host: Jill Hennesy
Plot Summary: Jill Hennesy on the set of “Crossing Delaney” introducing the shows.
Shows Introduced: In-Laws, Hidden Hills, Good Morning Miami, American Dreams, Boomtown
Notes:
Year: 2003
Main Character/Host: Alicia Silverstone and Rob Lowe
Plot Summary: Alicia Silverstone and Rob Lowe on the set of “The Lion's Den”
Shows Introduced: The Lyon's Den, Mismatch, Las Vegas, Whoop, Happy Family, Coupling
Notes:
WB (http://www.wb.com/)
Year: 2001
Main Character/Host: Joanna Garcia, Kat Dennings and Reagan Dale Neis
Plot Summary: Three girls announce new season from the back of some sets.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Maybe It's Me, Reba, Raising Dad, Smallville (all new shows)
Notes: Season premieres delayed by 9-11. Preceeded the 9-11 telethon “America: A Tribute To Heros” and referenced it. It's possible that the planned design of the special was changed by the events or that they chose to create a special to fill time they originally planned to put a regular show into. I am also not aware of WB showing any other preview specials.
UPN (http://www.upn.com/)
Title: UPN - It's Hot In Here
Year: 1996
Main Character/Host: Malcolm Jamal Warner
Plot Summary: Malcolm Jamal Warner introduces UPN's new fall line-up from the Star Trek: Voyager set.
Shows Introduced/Featured: Malcolm & Eddie, In The House, Good Behavior, Sparks, Moesha, Homeboys In Outer Space, Burning Zone, Star Trek: Voyager, The Incredible Hulk, The Mouse and The Monster, Jumanji, B.A.D. (all new)
Notes: This is the only Fall TV Preview (of which I am aware) which UPN has shown. The preview was also shown on some non-UPN channels. Since it was a new network, their entire line-up was featured. This was also the first time since before 1972 (that I'm aware of) that Saturday (or in their case Sunday) morning shows were shown on a primetime special.
(For those counting I have 23 shows listed, and most of those archived.)