Another TV season is coming to a close. However, it seems as if the TV season never ends in our current world. Streaming now brings an endless supply of new shows, even during what was once considered the barren wasteland for television networks: summer.
At one time, the major networks looked upon the summer season of beaches, pools, bar-b-ques, and vacations as a time when people were not sitting at home and watching tv; instead, reruns ruled the schedule, and the networks regrouped for the new TV season in the fall.
However, a tactic became so popular among the three major networks - ABC, NBC, and CBS, that there was even a term for it: "The Summer Replacement Show."
These were new shows that would be produced specifically for the short two-three month stint of summer, in place of reruns, to try and coax audiences back in front of their TV screens.
What follows are just some of these "summer replacements," some famous, some forgotten and some now just a "misty water-colored memory" of the "lazy, hazy, crazy" summer TV days of the past.
The Ken Berry 'Wow' Show (ABC, Summer, 1972)
Ah, the era of a variety show! Berry, The F-Troop star, got the chance to showcase his singing and dancing talents with his variety show, which came with a very '70s name, look, feel, and overall time-capsule-like tone of the decade.
In addition to comedy sketches, Berry's show also featured several famous guest stars, including Carol Burnett, Phyllis Diller, and George Burns. Also, the show provided a career kick-off for regulars Teri Garr, Cheryl Ladd, and Carl Gottlieb, who would go on to a career as a screenwriter, penning such films as Jaws (!) as well as a young comedian named Steve Martin.
The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour (ABC, Summer 1973)
When comedy teams were popular came this duo, a favorite on variety shows, who were given a chance at their own variety show during the summer of '73.
Jack Burns, with his deep voice and "slick" tone, and Avery Schreiber, with his wild hair and physical comedy, were a good match, and they had great chemistry together in sketches. They would also end the summer in "grand style," co-hosting the "Preview Show" for the line up ABC's offerings on Saturday mornings.
Burns and Schreiber would eventually go their separate ways. Schreiber went on to star in several TV shows and movies, including Mel Brooks' Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), and became well known for a number of years as the spokesperson for Doritos.
Burns transitioned behind the camera, entertaining a new generation as he became a writer for The Muppet Show and co-wrote the script for The Muppet Movie.
The group responsible for hit songs like "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" and "Knock Three Times," which seemed to provide the soundtrack for the '70s, were given their own variety show during the summer of 1974.
The show was initially brought in to replace the popular Sonny and Cher Show (which started as a summer replacement show) after that famous couple broke up. Tony Orlando and Dawn proved so popular that they eventually continued into the regular network schedule beyond the summer and aired for another two years.
The Seinfeld Chronicles (NBC, Summer, 1989)
Before it made history as "the show about nothing" and was renamed just Seinfeld, Jerry had this modest sitcom that debuted quietly in July of 1989. The first episode starred Seinfeld and Jason Alexander, with Michael Richards as a character named "Kessler," not Kramer.
Julia-Louis Dreyfus would later join the show, making it complete. NBC would temporarily add the show to its regular schedule in May of 1990 and then as a permanent prime time member in 1991.
Northern Exposure (CBS, Summer, 1990)
This quirky show about the inhabitants of a small town in Alaska, starring Rob Morrow and Janine Turner, at first, seemed like a more grounded version of Twin Peaks. It was shuffled into the summer line-up, which helped it find its audience, and it became a popular favorite on CBS and part of the network's regular line-up for five years.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (ABC, Summer, 1999)
Regis Philbin hosted this blockbuster adaptation of the same-titled British game show that became so popular from its initial summer run that it not only joined ABC's regular prime-time line-up but, for some time, it was shown multiple nights during the week.
It also entered our pop culture lexicon ("Is that your final answer?") and has gone on to have new iterations, hosts, and re-boots (including the most recent, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, airing in 2020).
Who Wants to be a Millionaire also kicked off a trend where networks look to produce game shows, and reality shows, as part of their summer line-up.
New versions of these types of shows continue during the warm weather months (Family Feud and 100,000 Pyramid will be back this summer), as do other new shows that continue to be introduced during this season.
So, while the term "Summer Replacement Show" isn't used as much anymore, it's safe to say that networks (which now include endless cable and streaming services) have learned their lesson about the summer season.
It's not the barren wasteland once thought, and sunburned viewers may just find themselves watching next fall's biggest hit.
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