It's time to revisit Saturday mornings on our journey through 80s Month, this time to CBS in the Fall of 1980. With this post, I'll have covered all three major networks' lineups for that one season, the first time since I've done this feature that this has happened. You can check out ABC here and NBC here for comparison. But now, on to CBS!
The lineup starts at 8am with, unfortunately, The Mighty Mouse and Heckle & Jeckle Show by Filmation. I've already discussed how bad this version was previously, but if you're a glutton for punishment, here is another example.
Up next at 8:30 is another Filmation destruction of cartoon icons, The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show. All I could find was the intro and outro of this series, but I've seen the actual cartoons before, and like the Mighty Mouse cartoons, they are pale imitations of the true classics. These clips (from a Spanish language version) say it all.
At 9am was the classic Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show. It really wasn't Saturday morning for me as a kid if I didn't hear this theme song.
Or this one:
If you really need to laugh, watch this--now!
This should help too!
At 10:30 the All New Popeye Hour returned for another season. This was one classic character revival that actually wasn't too bad. Not as good as the originals, of course, but comparatively, not bad.
Part of this show featured Olive Oyl in the army. Don't ask me why.
At 11:30 CBS featured The Drak Pack. They were a trio of teens that had the powers of classic horror characters but used their powers for good against other horror characters who were truly evil. Don't even try to apply logic to any of this. This is one I enjoyed quite a bit as a youngster. Sadly, I could only find the intro. If I ever find a whole episode, I'll blog it in a heartbeat!
Next at high noon is a Saturday morning classic: Fat Albert. In this episode, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids learn that "Rules is Cool." Hey hey hey!
At 12:30 was the Tarzan/Lone Ranger Hour. Tarzan had been on CBS for at least one other season, if not longer. Here he is.
The Lone Ranger was new to CBS this season, and was very good. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any footage. Sorry :(
The morning (afternoon, at this point) was rounded out by 30 Minutes, a teen-focused news program for which I can't find footage and no one likely cares about.
CBS must have done well in 1979, because this lineup doesn't differ all that much, just a few tweaks here and there. This is probably the best of the three networks lineups in 1980, with ABC and NBC almost tied for second place, quality-wise. Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments section. Thanks!
1 comment:
I remember, and watched, most of those. I was most excited about The Drak Pack - SUCH FUN!
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