What shows were on opposite Star Trek?

[Mike Have-Not]

During its initial three season network run, what shows were on the other two major tv networks, in the same time slot?

In other words, what was Star Trek's competition? :-p

 

[ItsGreen]

According to TV Guide The First 25 Years

1966 Thursday 8:30-9:30
ABC-Tammy Grimes Show/Bewitch
CBS-My Three Sons/The CBS Thursday Night Movie

1967 Friday 8:30-9:30
ABC-Hondo
CBS-Gomer Pyle/The CBS Friday Night Movie

1968 Friday 10PM
ABC-Judd, For the Defense
CBS-The CBS Friday Night Movie

 

[Mike Have-Not]

Thanks!

Hmmm...

Personally, I would much rather have watched Star Trek than any of those other shows!

But, considering the huge cost of the show, I'm thinking NBC felt they needed Star Trek to garner a much larger chunk of the viewing audience than it did...

Still, the choice, for me, would've been an easy one :-p

 

[T'Bonz]

My parents did not like Trek, and in fact, made fun of it. They watched My Three Sons, and Gomer Pyle for sure. I guess they did the Friday night movie too, but at that age, I was in bed by 8:30 so I don't remember what they watched past that.

I remember so wanting to watch My Three Sons, as it had kids on it. Nope, bedtime for me.

 

[ToddPence]

It should be noted that The Tammy Grimes Show was a flop and was quickly replaced by The Dating Game, and later in the season by That Girl (which switched timeslots with Bewitched).

Likewise, Hondo the next year was another failed series, and was replaced midway through the season by Operation: Entertainment.

Star Trek's lead-ins on NBC during its run:
First season: Daniel Boone
Second season: Tarzan
Third season: The Name of the Game

 

[Mysterion]

^^^
Been catching some of Daniel Boone the last couple of months, and while I don't recall watching back then, I am liking it now. I would think it was a pretty-good lead-in for TOS.

They both have a similar feel to them, IMO:

Boone (as portrayed by Fess Parker) would probably get along pretty well with Kirk. (Parker would have rocked as a guest-star in TOS!) And Mingo is a sort of Spock figure to Boone's Kirk, if you want to draw the analogy.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

According to TV Guide The First 25 Years

1966 Thursday 8:30-9:30
ABC-Tammy Grimes Show/Bewitch
CBS-My Three Sons/The CBS Thursday Night Movie

1967 Friday 8:30-9:30
ABC-Hondo
CBS-Gomer Pyle/The CBS Friday Night Movie

1968 Friday 10PM
ABC-Judd, For the Defense
CBS-The CBS Friday Night Movie

In other words, stuff basically nobody remembers - other than Star Trek. Say what you will, but most people (with access to pop culture) have at least heard of it.

Looks like Star Trek got the last laugh.

 

[Ssosmcin]

My Three Sons and Gomer Pyle aren't really all that lost to the mists of time. Gomer is the more remembered of those two, though.

 

[Mike Have-Not]

Yesm but there aren't Gomer Pyle conventions held every weekend somewhere in the world :-p

 

[Ssosmcin]

And that is the world's loss. I would absolutely show up in my Sgt. Carter costume.

 

[T'Bonz]

Golllllleeeee.

 

[Christopher]

My Three Sons and Gomer Pyle aren't really all that lost to the mists of time. Gomer is the more remembered of those two, though.

And Bewitched is probably better-remembered than either of those.

Not to mention that the movie nights probably got pretty high ratings. Remember, they didn't have home video yet, or even cable, so networks' "____day Night Movies" would've been the only opportunity for most audiences to see theatrical movies that were no longer in theaters. So a show competing against a movie-of-the-week slot would've probably been at a much bigger disadvantage in the 1960s than it would be today.

Looking at the actual ratings of Trek's competitors: In the 1966-7 season, Bewitched was #8 and The CBS Thursday Night Movie was #30. In 1967-8, Gomer Pyle was #3 (!) and The CBS Friday Night Movie was #15. So ST was up against some respectable competition.

 

[RandyS]

According to TV Guide The First 25 Years

1966 Thursday 8:30-9:30
ABC-Tammy Grimes Show/Bewitch
CBS-My Three Sons/The CBS Thursday Night Movie

1967 Friday 8:30-9:30
ABC-Hondo
CBS-Gomer Pyle/The CBS Friday Night Movie

1968 Friday 10PM
ABC-Judd, For the Defense
CBS-The CBS Friday Night Movie

In other words, stuff basically nobody remembers - other than Star Trek. Say what you will, but most people (with access to pop culture) have at least heard of it.

Looks like Star Trek got the last laugh.

Well, speaking only for myself, this is not entirely true. I was too young to see any of these in their first run, but I know of Gomer Pyle, seen a few episodes, but never really got into it.

And Bewitched, well, not only did I watch the reruns growing up in the 1970's (sometimes they were on right before TOS), but that entire series is on the shelf right below my TOS DVD's.

 

[ahkyahnan]

For some reason I'm now imagining Jim Neighbors (Gomer Pyle) making a guest appearance on Star Trek. Maybe he could've played a red-shirt "security guard of the week".

Kirk: "Ensign Pyle, take up position in those bushes over there, and alert us if you see any aliens."

Moments later...."Hooty-Hoot!!! Hooty-Hoot!!!"

 

[T'Girl]

Sulu: "There a Klingon ship, closing fast."

Pyle: "Well surprise surprise surprise."

 

[Nerys Myk]

I'm sure Pyle would tell Kirk that "them Klingon fellers aint so bad." and solve the problem with out firing a shot. Or the Klingons would all commit ritual suicide after Pyle regales them with story after story of Grandpa/Grandma Pyle.

 

[Green Shirt]

Yesm but there aren't Gomer Pyle conventions held every weekend somewhere in the world :-p

Which is a good thing, considering there would probably be pugil stick fights in the hotel hallways over how green the fatigues should be.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Yesm but there aren't Gomer Pyle conventions held every weekend somewhere in the world :-p

Don't forget that "The Danny Thomas Show" begat "The Andy Griffith Show", which begat "Gomer Pyle USMC", which led to cousin Goober starring in "Mayberry RFD", which lent Goober to "Hee Haw", and then we had reunion telemovies like "Return to Mayberry".

And, of course, Floyd's Barber Shop is visible briefly in TOS.

 

[Joanna McCoy-Kirk]

My family would have been watching Gomer Pyle and My Three Sons--certainly not a "weird" show like Star Trek.