Midcourse Corrections News Today

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ slowly but surely, the 1970s are disappearing. the 1980s will be upon us. and what a decade it is coming up. happy new year! >> as we began the 80s in the television world, the landscape was on any given evening, 9 out of 10 people watching only one of three networks. >> more than 30 million people are addicted to it. social critics are mystified by its success. what is it? its televisions primetime prairie potboiler "dallas." >> a move like that will destroy all of ewi...

♪ ♪ slowly but surely, the 1970s are disappearing. the 1980s will be upon us. and what a decade it is coming up. happy new year! >> as we began the 80s in the television world, the landscape was on any given evening, 9 out of 10 people watching only one of three networks. >> more than 30 million people are addicted to it. social critics are mystified by its success. what is it? its televisions primetime prairie potboiler "dallas." >> a move like that will destroy all of ewing oil...

television. >> we have seen the news, and it is us. ♪ ♪ slowly but surely, the 1970s are disappearing. the 1980s will be upon us. and what a decade it is coming up. happy new year! >> as we began the 80s in the television world, the landscape was on any given evening, 9 out of 10 people watching only one of three networks. >> more than 30 million people are addicted to it. social critics are mystified by its success. what is it? its televisions primetime prairie potboiler "dallas...

embarrassed to admit they watch television. >> hello. >> people used to say i was there. now they say i watch it on television. ♪ slowly but surely, the 1970s are disappearing. the 1980s will be upon us. what a decade it is coming up. >> happy new year! >> as you begin the 80s in the television world, the landscape nine out of ten watching one of only three networks. >> more than 30 million people are aducked to it. social critics are mystified by its success. what is it? its telev...

will bring out both the best and worst in us. and television has been that. >> they dont pay me enough to deal with animals like this. >> people are no longer embarrassed to admit they watch television. >> we have seen the news, and it is us. ♪ ♪ slowly but surely, the 1970s are disappearing. the 1980s will be upon us. and what a decade it is coming up. happy new year! >> as we began the 80s in the television world, the landscape was on any given evening, 9 out of 10 people watchin...

The first five years. >> whats the matter? >> im devastated. i need something expeditious and brutal to numb my sensibilities and blast me into sweet oblivion. >> how about a boilermaker? >> make it a mimosa. >> we had the luck to be able to rotate cast, and every time we put somebody in, there were explosions. >> there was something very special about that setting, those characters, that i never got tired of writing that show. >> sophisticated surveys, telephonic samplings, test audiences. all ...

All of those things help to separate winners from losers and make midcourse corrections. but you cant cut all comedies from the same cookie cutters. all you can hope is every night turns out like thursday. >> yo, angela! >> next! >> how rude. >> hes quick, ill give him that. >> all of television said, oh, well, maybe the sitcoms are alive again. and thats all that it took. it took one success. >> a few years from now, something new may tempt the people who pick what we see. but its a very safe g...

Those characters, that i never got tired of writing that show. >> sophisticated surveys, telephonic samplings, test audiences. all of those things help to separate winners from losers and make midcourse corrections. but you cant cut all comedies from the same cookie cutters. all you can hope is every night turns out like thursday. >> yo, angela! >> next! >> how rude. >> hes quick, ill give him that. >> all of television said, oh, well, maybe the sitcoms are alive again. and thats all that it too...

Oblivion. >> how about a boilermaker? >> make it a mimosa. >> we had the luck to be able to rotate cast, and every time we put somebody in, they were explosions. >> buh! >> there was something very special about that setting, those characters, that i never got tired of writing that show. >> sophisticated surveys, telephonic samplings, test audiences. all of those things help to separate winners from losers and make midcourse corrections. but you cant cut all comedies from the same cookie cutters...

I guess we know how to tease the audience. >> this incredible chemistry between the two of them ignited the show. thats whats drove the show for the first five years. >> whats the matter? >> oh, im devastated. i need something expeditious and brutal to numb my sensibilities and blast me into sweet oblivion. >> how about a boilermaker? >> make it a mimosa. >> we had the luck to be able to rotate cast, and every time we put somebody in, they were explosions. >> buh! >> there was something very spe...