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or a movie. NBC also believed that marketing the three shows as a single programming entity would build viewer loyalty to the 90-minute block as a whole rather than merely to each of its shows separately, also tending to make viewers stay tuned for the entire 90 minutes rather than switch channels as
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ourt spelled "NBC." The programming idea behind it was that viewers would be inclined to stay tuned to NBC for 90 straight minutes if they were watching three half-hour situation comedies marketed as a single block of programming and having a common theme of taking place in the same locale than they
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a "mess of unpalatable comic fodder," describing it as "three excursions into idiocy in a row" that constituted "cruel and inhuman punishment." Cecil Smith called it "as synthetic in concept as a $ 15 suit" and wrote that he believed viewers "will probably choose the segment that fits their
31:
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The series showed Harris's frustrations with his bosses, work, finances, family, and people in general as he deals with the various setbacks in his life (not the least being Kate's spendthrift ways and her regularly "finding" Harris part-time jobs to pay for them).
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gave it one of the kinder reviews, writing that "none of the three shows is, by itself, terrible; but, with the exception of the middle one neither are they, on the average, strong enough to do anything more than grin and bore you." He found a few positives in
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between 7:30 and 9:00 p.m., had earned only a weak 14.4/24 Nielsen rating during the
November-to-December 1964 rating period, compared to 19.3/32 for CBS and 20.1/34 for ABC. During the period,
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as a whole and drawing viewers to the new shows as they became a part of the 90-minute programming block. In fact, NBC already had a fourth show under development as a possible replacement:
295:. Another benefit of the concept was the cost-savings of requiring only a single exterior set for all three shows, since they all took place at the same apartment complex. Larry Wolters of
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lineup or reschedule hit series from it as fully stand-alone shows by having families move out of the apartment complex. NBC could also easily introduce new series into
670:) and her tomboyish little sister Mimi (Gina Gillespie). The two girls' activities continually confounded and frustrated their parents (Steve and Barbara, portrayed by
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that season), being the only common component. The only on-air continuity from one series to the next other than the title and common street address was provided by
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apartment complex located at the title address. The 90-minute block aired Monday nights from
October 5, 1964, through January 5, 1965, and consisted of
745:), also an intern, moved in to share the expenses, but often became an irritant to the newlyweds as he "played the field" in the world of romance.
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he wrote that "in none of the episodes we've seen has there been a single redeeming feature" except for the theme song. Larry
Wolters called
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182:, who portrayed handyman Cliff Murdock, often seen greeting the residents in all three series as they approached their apartments.
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allowed for "an extraordinary elasticity" because each show was a separate entity; if viewers got in the habit of tuning in for
164:— were individual series with separate casts, writing, and production staffs, with the core production companies, Kayro-Vue and
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617:
685:, Cliff Murdoch, the handyman who appeared in all three series set at the complex, disappeared from the remaining episodes of
470:, Thoreau influenced Karen and her complicated love life when she mistakenly made three dates for the same Saturday night; on
441:
111:
41:
666:, the first of the three sitcoms set at 90 Bristol Court, presented the exploits of 16-year-old Karen Scott (played by
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wrote, "Not a jolt of originality in story, characterization, or direction attended any of the opening installments of
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particular taste and turn to it as they would any other situation comedy" rather than watch all three as NBC hoped.
713:
portrayed Harris's wife Kate, and Claire Wilcox and David
Macklin played their children Deedee and Billy Harris.
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in
February 1965. Its last new episode aired on April 19, 1965, and its last primetime rerun on August 30, 1965.
259:, the chief of television production at Universal Television, further explained to the press that the format of
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offered "a decided viewer convenience: It will be only necessary to tune out one program to skip three shows."
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and therefore was a better fit for the 8:30–9:00 p.m. programming block, so the shows instead aired with
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NBC's programming experiment came to an end on
January 4, 1965, as it aired the 13th and final episodes of
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Classic
Television Archive 90 Bristol Court: Harris Against the World (1964–65) Accessed 6 November 2021
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Classic
Television Archive 90 Bristol Court: Tom, Dick and Mary (1964–65) Accessed 6 November 2021
30:
911:
Total
Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming From 1948 to the Present, Fourth Edition
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898:
988:
975:
941:
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486:, Dick used Thoreau's philosophy as he attempted to fix several broken household appliances.
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as Alan Harris, a resident of the apartment complex who worked at a large
Hollywood studio.
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Classic Television Archive 90 Bristol Court: Karen (1964–65) Accessed 6 November 2021
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by having new families move into the complex, all while retaining viewer interest in
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they might if the three shows were not marketed as a single programming block.
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got its name from the fact that the program ran 90 minutes and the initials of
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The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present
937:
The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present
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survived until sometime around 1981 and were used in the television series
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lasted the rest of the 1964-65 television season, but did not long outlive
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wrote, produced, and directed all three episodes that aired as part of
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While they were promoted as a single programming block under the title
115:
89:
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magazine reported that NBC's Monday evening lineup, which included
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reported that the November 9 and November 16, 1964, broadcasts of
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sitcoms to air in the order of their main characters' ages, with
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Television Obscurities 90 Bristol Court Accessed 6 November 2021
813:
Classic Television Archive The Munsters Accessed 6 November 2021
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as a whole, the network could easily remove weak shows from the
940:(9 ed.). New York: Random House Publishing. p. 726.
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was under development as a stand-alone series. By March 1964,
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The third series centered on newlyweds Tom and Mary Gentry (
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fared very poorly in the ratings, as did each of its shows.
416:. It faced formidable competition opposite the venerable
412:was among the last new programs to premiere in the
193:magazine reported that the three sitcoms making up
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564:survived as a stand-alone series, but all ties to
305:programming concept as "a new wrinkle in comedy."
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356:When it premiered, television critics savaged
474:, Thoreau inspired Harris to take his family
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324:concluding the programming block. However,
1043:American English-language television shows
29:
1053:Television series by Universal Television
1038:Black-and-white American television shows
558:ceased to exist as a programming entity.
511:reported that NBC was planning to cancel
466:as a starting point for each of them: On
478:, only to find that he had to renew his
248:would if NBC aired a 90-minute drama or
1028:1965 American television series endings
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189:began in August 1963. In January 1964,
1023:1964 American television series debuts
20:
7:
677:The theme song was performed by the
283:, possibly an alternative title for
1048:Television shows set in Los Angeles
454:on November 23, 1964, and used the
14:
913:, New York: Penguin Books, 1996,
408:First broadcast October 5, 1964,
344:following at 8:00 p.m., and
539:91st out of 96 primetime shows.
308:Originally, NBC planned for the
437:Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
1:
970:Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh,
550:, both victims of their low
332:was more sophisticated than
110:is the umbrella title of an
531:ranked 86th in viewership,
114:series consisting of three
16:1960s American sitcom block
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705:The second series starred
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519:as of early January 1965.
328:′s producers decided that
1009:at Television Obscurities
985:TV Guide Guide to TV 2006
340:first at 7:30 p.m.,
152:, the three components —
66:January 4, 1965
51:October 5, 1964
28:
701:Harris Against the World
694:Harris Against the World
544:Harris Against the World
537:Harris Against the World
513:Harris Against the World
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373:Harris Against the World
342:Harris Against the World
334:Harris Against the World
322:Harris Against the World
207:Harris Against the World
158:Harris Against the World
131:Harris Against the World
934:; Marsh, Earle (2007).
434:on CBS and a fledgling
1033:1960s American sitcoms
659:Karen (1964 TV series)
654:
587:The exterior sets for
431:The Andy Griffith Show
281:The Trouble with Artie
221:had been dropped, and
681:. Upon the demise of
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554:. With their demise,
379:, but with regard to
285:That Old Gang of Mine
225:had been included in
203:That Old Gang of Mine
201:(also referred to as
168:(which also produced
501:averaged below a 17
166:Universal Television
729:Tom, Dick, and Mary
674:and Mary LaRoche).
548:Tom, Dick, and Mary
460:Henry David Thoreau
298:The Chicago Tribune
137:Tom, Dick, and Mary
134:(8:00-8:30pm), and
120:Southern California
25:
722:Tom, Dick and Mary
655:
594:The Rockford Files
529:Tom, Dick and Mary
517:Tom, Dick and Mary
508:The New York Times
484:Tom, Dick and Mary
377:Tom, Dick and Mary
352:Critical reception
348:at 8:30 p.m.
346:Tom, Dick and Mary
330:Tom, Dick and Mary
318:Tom, Dick and Mary
211:Tom, Dick and Mary
162:Tom, Dick and Mary
947:978-0-345-49773-4
482:that day; and on
425:I've Got a Secret
419:To Tell the Truth
404:Broadcast history
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1058:NBC sitcoms
932:Brooks, Tim
293:Kay Medford
287:, starring
213:, and that
180:Guy Raymond
1017:Categories
953:2024-07-01
749:References
679:Beach Boys
606:Emergency!
521:Television
462:regarding
456:philosophy
390:Jack Gould
320:next, and
191:Television
144:Background
99:90 minutes
70:1965-01-04
55:1964-10-05
921:, p. 445.
754:Footnotes
197:would be
118:set in a
495:TV Guide
367:TV Guide
48:Launched
987:(2006)
974:(2003)
612:Adam-12
600:Banacek
476:fishing
316:first,
250:Western
243:ristol
116:sitcoms
68: (
53: (
38:Network
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978:
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615:, and
428:, and
239:inety
209:, and
160:, and
90:Sitcom
86:Format
63:Closed
687:Karen
664:Karen
650:Karen
631:Karen
625:Shows
582:Karen
574:Karen
570:Karen
562:Karen
533:Karen
503:share
468:Karen
381:Karen
338:Karen
314:Karen
223:Karen
215:Karen
154:Karen
125:Karen
989:ISBN
976:ISBN
942:ISBN
915:ISBN
737:and
546:and
515:and
375:and
291:and
174:for
647:in
458:of
442:ABC
440:on
364:of
205:),
176:CBS
112:NBC
42:NBC
1019::
891:^
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762:^
689:.
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609:,
603:,
597:,
444:.
422:,
360:.
229:.
156:,
956:.
653:.
245:C
241:B
237:N
72:)
57:)
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