program. >> john, barbara and thank you so much to my panel as well. thank you so much for watching. to our viewers here in the united states, a very happy fourth of july to you.

slowly but surely the 1970s are disappearing. 1980s will be upon us. what a decade it is coming up. happy new year!

>> as you begin the '80s and the television world, the landscape was on any given evening nine out of ten people watching only one ohree networks. >> more than 30ilon people are addicted to it. social critics are mystified but its success. what is it? it's television prime time show "dallas". >> a move like that will ruin our family name. >> brother or no brother, whatever it takes, i'll stop you from destroying oil. >> they did establish new ground in terms of a weekly one hour show that literally captivating america for 13 years. >> dallas is a television show which is rooted in the 1970s and one of the crazy things that emerges is this character, j.r.ewing. >> which slut are you going to stay with tonight? >> what difference does it make?

it's got to be more interesting than the slut i'm looking at now. >> everyone was completely enamored by this character. >> you could do something to unexpected that it would become news overnight. >> the national obsession in 1980 around who shot j.r., it is hard to imagine how obsessed we all were with that question. but we were. >> who shot j.r. is a cliff hanger. >> we may never get an answer to that question. the people that produced that question are going to keep us in suspense for as long as they possibly can. >> the actors went on strike and it delayed the resolution and it just started to percolate

through the world. i remember going on vacation to england that summer and that's all the people were talking about there. >> well, we know you don't die. you couldn't die. >> we don't know that. >> well, how could you die? you couldn't come back next season. >> i couldn't come back, but the show could still go. >> oh, but you wouldn't. what is that show without j.r. >> well, that's what i said to them. >> if you don't kw by now who shot j.r., you probably don't care. but last night americas watched. it could become the most watched television show ever. >> who shot j.r. is a reflection of old-fashioned television. it is a moment that gathering everybody around the electronic fireplace, which is now the television set. >> one special program critics said transients every other american statement about war and something special happened today to mobile armies surgical hospital 4077 that will touch

millions of americans. >> it was the kind of event that would draw the world's breath. fox studios, the end of the korean war. the television version mash. >> it has been an honor and a privilege to have worked with you, and i'm very, very proud to have known you. >> there were those landmark times when shows that had been watched through the '70s and into the '80s like mash has its final episode and we were all sad to see them go. >> miss you. >> i'll miss you. a lot. >> all over the country, all fans crowded around television sets to watch the final episode and to bid "mash" farewell. >> it was unprecedented. 123 million people watched one television program at the same time. >> you know, i really should be allowed to go home. there is nothing wrong with me.

>> when we ended the show, we got telegrams of congratulations from henry kissinger and ronald reagan. the size of the response and the emotional nature of the response that we were getting was difficult for us to understand. >> who shot j.r. and the last episode of "mash" are the last call for the precable world of television. it is like they are the last time that that huge audience will all turn up for one event. >> all right. that's it. let's roll. hey, let's be careful out there. >> dispatch, we have a 911. armed robberyn progress. >> when quality does emerge on television, the phrase too good for tv is often heard. one recent network offering that seems to deserve that phrase is "hills street blues".

>> it is one of the changes points of the industry in tv. >> we had all watched a documentary about cops and had this real hand-held in the moment quality that we were very enamored of. >> the minute you looked at it, it looked different. it had a mood to it. you could almost smell the stale coffee. >> we didn't want to do a standard cop show where, you know, you got a crime and you got your two cops and you go out and you catch the bad guy and you sweat them and he confesses. and that's it. cops have personal lives that impact their behavior in profound ways. >> well, what about it? is he here? >> don't get excited. we're working on it. >> how is this for logic? if he's not here and he's not elsewhere, he's lost. >> we didn't say that,

counselor. >> never in my entire life have i listened to so much incompetence. find my client or i swear i'll have you up on charges. >> there would be these ongoing arks for these characters that would play out over five, six episodes, sometimes an entire season and in a way throughout the entire series. and no one had done that on an hour-long show. >> these past four months i have missed you. i had to point that out. come home, pizza man. >> i think in the past people had watched television passively. and the one thing i think we did set out to be were provocateurs. >> what the hell is the matter with you, man? >> i'll tell you something, they don't pay me enough to deal with animals like this. >> listen to me, cop, it was a

white finger that pulled the trigger, not a black one. >> it set a trend that the audience c accept its characters being deeply flawed. and i thought that was important to finally get across. >> we wanted to make a show that made you participate. made you pay attention. and i think that worked pretty well. >> and the winner is. >> "hill streets blues". >> it got 21 nominations and it won eight emmys. it put us on the map literally and that's when people finally checked us out. >> programming chief used to say to me about shows like hill street and saint elsewhere what the american public wants is a cheeseburger and what you're trying to give them is a french delicacy. your job is to keep shoving it down their throat until after a while they'll say that doesn't taste bad and maybe they'll even order it themselves when they go

to a restaurant. >> the success is a critical phenomenon, influenced everything that came after. and then of course you saw shows like saint elsewhere. >> do you know what people call this place? saint elsewhere, a place you wouldn't want to said your mother-in-law. >> when it first came on, it was actually promoted as hill street hospital. >> you give your patients the wrong antibiotics. you're pathetic. >> bill! >> what? >> dr. moore needs you right away. >> i'm sorry. >> saint elsewhere broke every rule there was and then built some new rules. >> the blood bank called a little while ago. they ran a routine panel. the t-cell count was off. >> they could have tragic things happen to these characters. there is real heart ache in these people's lives and you really felt them. >> i've got aids?

>> saint elsewhere challenged people and it challenged you as an acr, much less the audience to think the stuff they gave you was extreme and what they did was they were dealing with aids or having one of their main doctor characters rapeed in a prison. >> saint elsewhere was run by people who were trying to stretch the medium and in the '80s television producers were encouraged to stretch the medium. >> okay. clear. after five hours of spinning and one unfortunate ride on the gravitron, your grandkids spot a 6 foot banana that you need to win. in that moment, you'll be happy you partnered with a humana care manager and got your health back on track. because that banana isn't coming home with you until that bell sings. great things are ahead of you when your health is ready for them. at humana, we can help you with a personalized plan

for your health for years to come. finding the best hotel price is now a safe bet. because tripadvisor searches over 200 booking sites - so you save up to 30% on the hotel you want. lock it in. tripadvisor. yet up 90% fall short in getting key nutrients from food alone. let's do more. add one a day women's complete with key nutrients we may need. plus it supports bone health with calcium and vitamin d.

one a day women's in gummies and tablets. for her compassion and care. he spent decades fighting to give families a second chance. but to help others, they first had to protect themselves. i have afib. even for a nurse, it's complicated... and it puts me at higher risk of stroke. that would be devastating. i had to learn all i could to help protect myself. once i got the facts, my doctor and i chose xarelto®. xarelto®... to help keep me protected. once-daily xarelto®, a latest-generation blood thinner... ...significantly lowers the risk of stroke in people with afib not caused by a heart valve problem. it has similar effectiveness to warfarin. xarelto® works differently. warfarin interferes with at least 6 blood-clotting factors. xarelto® is selective, targeting just one critical factor interacting with less of your body's natural blood-clotting function. for afib patients well-managed on warfarin, there is limited information on how xarelto® compares in reducing the risk of stroke. don't stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase risk of stroke. while taking, you may bruise more easily, or take longer for bleeding to stop.

it may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. get help right away for unexpected bleeding, unusual bruising, or tingling. if you've had spinal anesthesia, watch for back pain or any nerve or muscle-related signs or symptoms. do not take xarelto® if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. tell your doctor before all planned medical or dental procedures... ...and before starting xarelto®-about any conditions, such as kidney, liver, or bleeding problems. it's important to learn all you can... ...to help protect yourself from a stroke. talk to your doctor about xarelto®. there's more to know™.

a lot of people used to say, i was there. now people say, they watch it on television. >> a lot of excitement connected to sports in the '80s. you used to have to depend on the five minutes at the end of your local newscast. there just hadn't been enough. give us a whole network of sports. >> there's just one place you need to go for all the names and games making sports news. espn "sportscenter." >> what happened in the 1980s is sports becomes a tv show. and what are tv shows built around? they're built around characters. >> you can't be serious, man. you cannot be serious! you got the absolute -- >> mcenroe, the perfect villain. the new yorker that people loved to hate. wore the cool swede never giving any emotion away. >> what tennis really wants is to get its two best players playing over and over again in the final. whether they are john mcenroe and bjorn borg or chrissy and

navratilova. that's what we want to turn in over and over. >> three match points to martina navratilova. >> this man has a smile that lights up a television screen from here to bangor, maine. >> and that there is magic johnson, this urban kid from michigan and larry bird, this guy who worked carrying trash. one plays for the lakers. the other plays for the boston celtics. it's a great story. >> lakers had several chances. here's larry bird. >> magic johnson leads the attack. >> look at that pass. oh, what a show! oh, what a show! >> when the championship games are in primetime and people are paying attention to that, television feeds into those rivalries and makes them bigger than they've ever been before. >> primitive skill. they're just as good as dead.

>> every mike tyson fight was an event. every fight was like an ax murder. when he fought michael spinks. the electricity, you could just feel it on tv. tyson was made for tv because there was drama. >> it's all over! mike tyson has won it! >> not a lot of junior high school kids can dunk. especially at -- >> everybody tries. >> i think that he is starting to transcend his sport that he's becoming a public figure. >> michael jordan becomes the model every other athlete wants to shoot for. they want to be a brand. and that's what television does for these athletes. turns them into worldwide iconic brands. >> the inbounds pass comes in to jordan. michael at the foul line. the shot is good! the bulls win. >> athletes in the '80s became part of an ongoing group of people we cared about. we had an enormous pent-up demand for sports and the '80s began to provide.

thank goodness. cable television is continuing to grow. it's estimate tuesday will grow into 1 million more u.s. households this year. >> with cable television offering an array of different channel choices, the audience bifurcated. that's an earthquake. >> i want my mtv! >> i want my mtv! >> i want my mtv! ♪ >> a new concept is born. the best of tv combined with the best of radio. this is it. welcome to mtv music television. the world's first 24-hour stereo video music channel. >> music television, what a concept. mtv was, pow, in your face. you were not going to turn us off. >> mtv did nothing but play current music videos all day long. so let me get this straight. you turn on the tv, and it's like the radio? >> music will continue nonstop

on mtv music television's newest component of your stereo system. >> when mtv launched a generation was launched. 18 to 24-year-olds were saying, i want my mtv. i want my mtv videos. i want my mtv fashion. >> yo. >> mtv was the first network really focused on the youth market. and becomes hugely influential because they understand each other. the audience and the network. >> mtv had a giant impact. visually and musically on every part of the tv culture that came next. >> freeze, miami vice. ♪ >> friday nights on nbc are different this season thanks to "miami vice." it's a show with an old theme but a lot of new twists. described by one critic as containing flashes of brilliance, shot entirely on location in south miami, the story centers around two undercover vice cops. >> i don't know how this is going to work, tubbs.

i mean, not exactly up my alley style and persona-wise. heaven knows i'm no box of candy. >> television very much was the small screen. it was interesting about tony's pilot screen play for "miami vice." it was not that. very much the approach was, okay, they call this a television series. but we're going to make one-hour movies every single week. >> here we go. stand by. >> action. >> police. >> just describing the show as a new wave cop show. >> it's a cop show for the '80s. we use a lot of mtv images and rock music to help describe the mood and feeling of our show. >> in a lot of ways you don't get "miami vice" without mtv because in lot of ways "miami vice" was a long video. the music was such a big part of that show. >> there was an allure to using great music that everybody was listening to as opposed to the routine kind of tv scoring of that period.

♪ i can feeling coming in the air ♪ >> it was only not afraid to let long scenes play out. it would drag -- a car going from point a to point b could be a four-minute phil collins song. and it was. ♪ >> being able to take a television series like "miami vice" and let's rock 'n' roll with this until somebody says stop or are you guys crazy, you can't do that? and nobody ever did. >> freeze! police. ♪

be the you who doesn't cover your moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. be the you who shows up in that dress. who hugs a friend. who is done with treatments that don't give you clearer skin. be the you who controls your psoriasis with stelara® just 4 doses a year after 2 starter doses. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections and cancer. some serious infections require hospitalization. before treatment, get tested for tuberculosis. before starting stelara® tell your doctor if you think you have an infection or have symptoms such as: fever, sweats, chills, muscle aches or cough. always tell your doctor if you have any signs of infection, have had cancer, if you develop any new skin growths or if anyone in your house needs or has recently received a vaccine. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems, including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. some serious allergic reactions can occur. do not take stelara® if you are allergic to stelara® or any of its ingredients. most people using stelara® saw 75% clearer skin

and the majority were rated as cleared or minimal at 12 weeks. be the you who talks to your dermatologist about stelara®.

yeah, and i can watch thee bgame with directv now.? oh, sorry, most broadcast and sports channels aren't included. and you can only stream on two devices at once. this is fun, we're having fun. yeah, we are. no, you're not jimmy. don't let directv now limit your entertainment. xfinity gives you more to stream to more screens.

magnum? >> hammond? >> private investigator? >> oh, you are probably wondering about the goat. just let me drop off my friend, and then we'll talk. >> when we entered the '80s, a lot of dramas that were lighthearted like "magnum p.i." were very popular. after "m.a.s.h." went off the air, the next season there wasn't a single sitcom in the top ten. first time that had ever happened in tv history. the prevailing feeling was that the sitcom was dead.

>> brandon tartikoff, nbc programming chief, says reports of the sitcom's death were greatly exaggerated. >> time and time again, if you study television history, just when someone is counting a forum out, that's exactly the form of programming that leads to the next big hit. ♪ >> 1984 "the cosby show" comes on. bill cosby is not new to tv but "the cosby show" is different. stands apart from everything else he's done. >> i wanted my eggs scrambled. >> coming up. >> they talked about parenting. before that, the kid were cool and the parents were idiots. "cosby" says the parents are in charge and that was something new. >> instead of acting disappointed because i'm not like you, maybe you can just accept who i am and love me anyway because i'm your son.

>> that's the dumbest thing i've ever heard in my life! >> it helps the casting a lot in television. the kids were just great. >> if you were the last person on this earth, i still wouldn't tell you. >> you have to tell me what you did. just tell me what's they're going to do to you. >> unlike every other show on tv, it's showing an upper middle class black family. this wasn't "all in the family." they weren't tackling deep issues but that was okay. the mere fact they existed was a deep issue. >> the decade was waiting for something real. in other words, unless it's real, it doesn't seem like it moves anybody. if someone is feeling something, you get to the heart and the mind. if you can hit the hearts and minds, you've got yourself a hit. >> how was school? dear, i brght home two children that may or may not be ours. >> "the cosby show" brought this tremendous audience to nbc.

and that was a bridge to us. our ratings went way up. ♪ sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name ♪ >> even the theme song to "cheers" puts you in a good mood. >> hello, everybody. >> what's shaking, norm? >> all four cheeks and a couple of chins. >> by the end of the "cheers" pilot, not only did you know who everybody was, but you wanted to come back and see what was going to happen. it's like all you have to do is watch it once. you're going to love these people. these are universal characters, and the humor worked on so many levels. >> i was up until 2:00 in the morning finishing off kierkegaard. >> i hope he thanked you for it. >> you have to create a community that people are identifying with. and "cheers" gives you that community. >> i've always wanted to skydive. i've just never had the guts. >> what's did it feel like?

>> i imagine a lot like sex. >> i have to imagine what sex is like. but i have plenty of sex. and plenty of this, too. why don't you just get off my back, too. >> in the first episode, there was a rather passionate annoyance. something is going on here. a really intelligent woman would see your line of bs a mile away. >> i never met an intelligent woman that i would want to date. >> on behalf of the intelligent women around the world, may i just say, phew. >> you saw what ted and shelly had together. we said, oh, no. we've got to do this relationship. >> ted and i understood what they were writing right away. >> if you'll admit that you are carrying a little torch for me, i'll admit that i'm carrying a little one for you. >> oh, i am carrying a little torch for you.

>> well, i'm not carrying one for you. >> diane knew how to tease sam. sam knew how to tease diane, and i guess we know how to tease the audience. >> incredible chemistry between the two of them ignited the show. that's what's drove the show for the first five years. >> what's the matter? >> i'm devastated. i need something brutal to 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. >> 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 help to separate winners from losers and make midcourse corrections.

you can't cut all comedies from the same cookie cutters. all you can hope is every night turns out like thursday. >> yo, angela! >> next. >> how re. >> quick, i'll give him that. >> all television and, oh, maybe sitcoms are alive again. and that's all that it took. it took one success. >> a few years from now, something new may tempt the people that pick what we see. it's safe whatever gets hot for a season or two those who create good television comedy will be laughing all the way to the bank. ♪ award winning interface. award winning design. award winning engine. the volvo xc90. the most awarded luxury suv of the century.

visit your volvo dealer today and get up to $4,500 in allowances. looking for a hotel that fits... ...your budget? tripadvisor now searches over 200 sites to find you the hotel you want at the lowest price. grazie, gino! find a price that fits. tripadvisor. atmore than one flavor, oruch texture, or color.ing. a good clean salad is so much more than green. and with panera catering, more for your event. panera. food as it should be. [ rock music playing ] have fun with your replaced windows. run away! [ grunts ] leave him! leave him! [ music continues ] brick and mortar, what?! [ music continues ] [ tires screech ] [ laughs ] [ doorbell rings ]

when you bundle home and auto insurance with progressive, you get more than a big discount. that's what you get for bundling home and auto! jamie! you get sneaky-good coverage. thanks. we're gonna live forever! introducing the new sleep number 360™ smart bed. the only bed smart enough to change sleep as we know it. it senses your every move and automatically adjusts on both sides to keep you comfortable. and snoring.... does your bed do that? right now ve oslp number 360™ smart beds. plus, it's the lowest prices of the season with savings of $500 on our most popular p5 bed. ends sunday.

this is my last broadcast as the anchorman of the "cbs evening news." for me it's a moment for which i long have planned but which nevertheless comes with some sadness. for almost two decades, after all, we've been meeting like this in the evenings, and i'll miss that. and that's the way it is, friday, march 6th, 1981. i'll be away on assignment and dan rather will be sitting in here for the next few years. good night. >> uncle walter had dominated, certainly cbs, but in a way, the country. people used to saye was the most trusted man in the country. >> once walter cronkite retires,

all three network news anchors within a couple of years switch over to a new generation. the '80s may have been the last gasp where people liked and trusted the media. >> nuclear arms and how to prevent global destruction expected to be the major topic of president reagan's news conference tonight. that conference will be nationally televised within the hour. leslie stahl is at the white house. >> the white house is hoping -- >> in the '80s, women came into the newsroom. when i first joined, it was '72. there are very few. by the '80s, there were more and more. the decade of the '80s was still sink or swim. you had to be resilient in your own way to survive in a period when you were going up against a lot of people who still didn't think women had what it took. >> these are some of the most famous faces in broadcasting. all of them happen to be women. >> the best producers, i'm going to get fired -- the best producers at cbs news are women. and they're at the level of taking hold and making decisions about individual pieces.

they are not yet executive producers of all the news shows. but they will be. >> the past 24 hours, christine craft has taken her cause to many of the nation's news and talk programs. >> i didn't set out to be joan of ark, but i think what happened to me deserves some attention. >> reporter: christine craft had a very successful career but there she was in her late 30s and the tv station said to her, we're taking you off the air because you've gotten older and you aren't as attractive as you once were, which was outrageous. she decides to make an issue of it. she filed a lawsuit and it became a huge national topic of discussion. >> a jury said she got a raw deal because she is a woman. >> women in television news everywhere were asked, what do you think about christine craft. >> unfortunately in recent years the emphasis has been on physical appearance and to the extent this decision helped swing the emphasis back to substance and to good journalism. i think we've got something to

be happy about. >> it was important to make the point that what mattered was, what's kind of reporter are you? it took the christine craft incident, i think, to bring that conversation out into the open. >> this coming sunday, a new televisionetwork opensor business. cnn. cable news network. you are throwing all the dice on this one. >> why not? nothing ventured, nothing gained. >> well, on that original point, mr. turner, thank you very much, indeed. >> i wanted to see what was going on in the world. and it was no way that you could do it watching regular television stations. news only comes on at 6:00 and 10:00. but if there was news on 24 hours, people could watch it any time. >> we decided on june 1 and barring satellite problems in the future, we won't be signing off until the world ends. >> it was widely believed it was a fool's errand. how could this possibly find an audience? >> well, he did. >> camera three.

>> good evening. i'm david walker. >> i'm lois harp. now here's the news. >> television news before this was stuff that had already happened. for the first time, cnn brought the world to people in realtime. >> cnn, the world's most important network. >> i didn't do cable news network because somebody told me it couldn't be done. i figured it was a very viable concept, and i went ahead and did it. it was after we announced we were going to do it that the detractors showed up. >> is cable news network just going to be a new means of delivering the same kind of fare? >> no. it already does provide different fare. cable news network is a perfect and maybe the best example of that. >> people love news. and we had lots of it. and the other guys had not very much. so choice and quantity won out. >> new york city, hello. >> the major catastrophe in america's space program.

>> i am lou dobbs along with myron kandel. >> jessica mcclure trapped for almost three days in a dry well. >> the iron curtain between east germany and west berlin has come tumbling down. >> i'm pat buchanan, the conservative on "crossfire." >> the american people appreciated the new television. they certainly came to cnn in droves. >> mr. gorbachev and i both agree on the desirability of freer and more extensive personal contact between the peoples of the soviet union and the united states. >> we began to realize that the best way to get a message to a foreign leader was to have the president go in the rose garden and make a statement. because everybody was watching cnn. >> cnn was a breakthrough. it changed the whole world. >> it changed quickly. the network news business. that business that we weren't the only ones. and it was hard. it's hard to be on the top

little perch and have to come down off it. >> a special segment tonight, the network news. the first in a two-part series on the profound changes taking place in television news. changes being brought about by business, competition and technology. >> there were a variety of reasons why people who worked at the broadcast networks were freaked out in 1980s. one of them was cnn. and the rise of cable. another was being taken over by foreign entities in corporate america. >> new owners spend billions buying the networks recently, and all of them want their money's worth. >> people began to find out that news could be a profit center. and that foced aot of attention on us. a t from people in wall street, for instance. >> if you think about the news divisions of cbs, nbc and abc, they were part of a really proud tradition. a journalistic tradition that really matters. we serve the public. this is not about profit and loss. the people who worked at those news stations were very freaked out by what it meant they were

now owned by these larger corporate entities. >> the television news isn't profitable at some point there won't be any more television news on the networks. >> i worry about people only worried about money and power getting a hold of television. it has higher purposes than that. >> we have seen the news, and it is us. ♪ you'll see what you're really made of. after five hours of spinning and one unfortunate ride on the gravitron, your grandkids spot a 6 foot banana that you need to win. in that moment, you'll be happy you partnered with a humana care manager and got your health back on track. because that banana isn't coming home with you until that bell sings. great things are ahead of you when your health is ready for them. at humana, we can help you with a personalized plan for your health for years to come. ♪ if you have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis,... isn't it time to let the real you shine through? maybe it's time for otezla (apremilast).

otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable after just 4 months,... with reduced redness,... thickness, and scaliness of plaques. and the otezla prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don't take otezla if you're allergic to any of its ingredients. otezla may increase the risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts... or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight... and may stop treatment. side effects may include diarrhea,... nausea, upper respiratory tract infection... and headache. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you're pregnant or planning to be. ask your dermatologist about otezla today. otezla. show more of you.

at where instead of payinging a befor middlemen,em. we work directly with family farms to deliver higher quality ingredients for less than you pay at the store. get $30 off at blueapron.com/cook

sometimes ambition in a woman is considered to be a dirty word unfortunately. >> i don't hear the female voices reverberating in the halls. >> i'm sure the aren't more shows about women. >> directing seems to be an area that is almost impossible to breakthrough. >> i think the '80s were the era when women were being looked at. with a little skepticism, but definitely with more acceptability. you could see the door opening. but it wasn't wide open. >> cagney and lacey was huge. that there would be two women and they had a serious job and they solved crimes and were out on the streets and tough.

that was emblematic or out in front of what was happening in the country. >> so we're a terrific team. >> this is true. >> by that point, hundreds of buddy cop shows. these buddies were women. it had never been done before. >> i didn't go after this job because i couldn't find anything else. all right. i did not come here because i needed some kind of work to help pay the orthodontist. this means something to me. >> what the hell are we talking about here? >> we didn't even realize this was going to be such a big deal. and strangely, all these guys would say to us, well, yeah. i mean, it's a good script, but who is going to save them in the end? >> come on. we're getting out of here. >> you don't take one more step. you understd me sergeant nelson, you have until 8:00 tomorrow morning to turn yourself in. if you don't, i ll. >> it was the time where you really saw an emergence of women

on television who were not necessarily just 20 and blond and had a small role. but women who had substantial roles. ♪ thank you for being a friend ♪ traveled down the road and back again ♪ >> it was unpredictable that an audience, a young audience, a not so young audience and lots in between, could relate to those older ladies. >> ma, you couldn't see, why didn't you call me to come get you. >> i tried to. every time i put in a dime and dialed, a condom popped out. i got five in my pocket. here, dorothy. a lifetime supply. >> she was recently named as one of television's most gifted creative writers. when you look back at the past women's role models on tv, it's easy to see susan harris' impact.

>> susan harris was the greatest writer of her generation at that time, singularly. so all credit to her for coming up with so many iterations of something so amazing. >> do you think there is a woman's voice as a writer? >> woman's voice? they speak higher, softer? >> i should know not to ask that of a writer. >> yes, of course, there's a woman's voice. women have a different perspective. women laugh at different things. so, yes, there very definitely is a woman's voice. >> oh, do you know how many problems we have solved over a cheesecake at this kitchen table? >> no, dorothy. exactly how many. >> 147, blanche. >> cut-throat primetime time this fall as some 23 new shows ngmpete in one of the hottes raraces in years. here's one just everybody predict wills be a big hit, "designing women" on

four friends forming an interior design business giving each other the business. >> suzanne, if sex were fast food, there would be an arch over your bed. one of the funniest shows. they were a different group of women than you really saw on television. they were feisty and sexy, and linda's voice came through shining. >> a man can get away with anything. look at reagan's neck, it sags down to here. >> and everybody raves about how great he looks. can you imagine if nancy had that neck? they'd be putting her in a nursing home for turkeys. >> they had given me this 23 minutes to address whatever topic i want, and it is such a privilege, more than the president of the united states gets, and it is thrilling to get that every week. i would be lying if i didn't say i put my opinions in the show.

>> excuse me, but you lovely ladies look like you are in need of male companionships. >> trust me when i say you have completely misassessed the situation at this table. >> i am a woman and i am a writer, but i don't really enjoy being called a woman's writer. i think labels are harmful to us. >> with "murphy brown," just about everything about that program felt new. the civil rights movement and the women's movement had just begun to sort of be reflected in the programming you saw in television in the '80s. >> murphy, you know the club is for men only. >> and they have great dinners with great guests, and i don't get to go for one reason and one reason only, and it has to do with something you've got and i don't. a tiny, pathetic, little, "y" chromosome. >> murphy brown was sea change because she was so popular and

such a strong, independent, tough woman. >> no matter what yothink of a guest or their views, you are obligated to ask the questions in a dignified manner. she was unprofessional, am i right? >> he thinks that it's neat that his office chair swivels and he's calling me unprofessional. . now you drive 300 miles to watch this. yes, nice pop toss! flag dancing? we've been there. and with free hot breakfast and a warm welcome, we'll be there for you. hampton by hilton. buried just under the surface, the answer to it all. ♪ we want to need each other. ♪

finding the best hotel price is now a safe bet. because tripadvisor searches over 200 booking sites - so you save up to 30% on the hotel you want. lock it in. tripadvisor. and it's also a story mail aabout people and while we make more e-commerce deliveries to homes than anyone else in the country, we never forget... that your business is our business the united states postal service. priority: you can we at least analyze customer can we push the offer online? legacy technology can handcuff any company. but "yes" is here. you're saying the new app will go live monday? yeah. with help from hpe, we can finally work the way we want to. with the right mix of hybrid it, everything computes.

your insurance on time. tap one little bumper, and up go your rates. what good is having insurance if you get punished for using it? news flash: nobody's perfect. for drivers with accident forgiveness,

liberty mutual won't raise your rates due to your first accident. switch and you could save $782 on home and auto insurance. call for a free quote today. liberty stands with you™ liberty mutual insurance. yogig-speed internet.me? you know what's not awesome? when only certain people can get it. let's fix that. let's give this guy gig- really? and these kids. and these guys. him. ah. oh hello- that lady. these houses! yes, yes and yes. and don't forget about them. uh huh. sure. still yes! you can get it too. welcome to the party. introducing gig-speed inteet from xfinity. finally, gig for your neighborhood too.

you are in a good mood tonight, and i tell you, we have put a great show together. it will be on a week from thursday. [ laughter ] >> johnny carson in the '80s is making the transition from being the king of late night to being a national treasure. he was a throw-back to the old show biz stuff. >> i've been on with you for a long time. >> a long time. >> well, you've been busy with other things. >> and the tide is starting to turn in terms of where late-night television is going to go, and johnny was holding out. and he was not of his time in the '80s, but he did sustain a certain timelessness. he's the king. [ laughter ] >> my next guest not only has a

college degree, but he also has a high school degree. >> that is right, i do. >> as well. he's hosted "the tonight show" as often as johnny carson and he has his very own show, weekday mornings at 10:00 on nbc. >> a good idea gone awry. an incredible screw-up. >> david letterman originally had a one-hour daytime show, and nbc, after like 13 weeks, decided to cancel it. >> today is our last show on the air. monday, las vegas -- have these people been frisked? >> it was a dismal failure in terms of the ratings, but not in terms of introducing us to letterman. >> david, thank you for being with us tonight. >> thank you for having me. i appreciate it. >> in spite of all this nonsense that goes on in the background,

stay with it, and don't give up. stay with us here in new york. >> dave is back in new york. you're going to host a late-night television program that premieres monday night. what are critics likely to say on tuesday morning? >> i don't much care because i found a way to deal with that, pills and whisky. >> david, you're on. proceed. >> i'm enjoying listening to you snort. >> they gave him the late-night show, after "the tonight show." and at the time, people thought who is going to watch television at 12:30 at night. who is up? i'll tell you who is up. young people. college people. >> i think this guy needs a little support, david letterman. >> he was anti-establishment at his core. he was thumbing his nose to any existing social structures. >> who are those out there? >> neighbors. >>l get rid of them. hey, excuse me.

>> he kind of spoofed the whole notion of talk shows. >> it is the late night guest cam. please say hello to tom hanks. here he is. >> no one could go on "the david letterman show" and try to steer it toward a point of view or push something in particular. he just wouldn't stand for it. you are on to do one thing and one thing only and be as funny as the rest of the show. >> we could get in a two-shot here, david. >> we could actually send the crew home, couldn't we? >> as a comedian, you want the biggest audience that you could get. for dave, he knew a lot of things that he would do that were going to alienate people, but he didn't care. he wanted his thumbprint out there, and that was the most important thing. >> it's time for small-town news. paul -- excuse me, paul? do you have any accompanying music here for small-town news? paul shaffer, ladies and gentlemen. >> the show making fun of itself and turning itself inside-out that way was something kind of

new. >> don't we look like guys you see hanging around together. >> absolutely. >> would you like to hang around with me? >> nope. >> i'll say it again, this is the stupidest show -- >> i thought i would never want to do this show with you. >> now why? >> because you thought i was -- >> a [ bleep ]. >> there is one rule i keep trying to abide by, and, unfortunately, i only get to it about 12% of the time. and that is, it is only television. we're not doing cancer research. in the 40-year odd history of commercial broadcasting has taught us one thing, there is nothing sacred about television. >> steven is upstairs. >> dave, i was just curious, is there any way i can get mtv on this? >> that is just a monitor and all you can get on that is our show. >> oh, that's okay. >> there was a degree of cynicism that was needed in the

art form at that time, and it was a cynicism that became common sense after awhile because it never got old. >> i watched johnny carson, and you are no johnny carson. [ laughter ] >> welcome the great white north. today we got a real big show. >> there was a second city chicagcompany and a second city toronto company. the ronto one is the one tha fueled the sc tv series that was syndicated and got to the states that way. >> thank you very much for that marvelous reception. i particularly want to thank my supporters over there in the cesarean section. >> it is healthy to be an outsider. as a comedian, and canadians are always outsiders, but they are looking at the culture that is right next door to them.

>> it was the type of comedy that had only been accessible if you could have gotten into the improv clubs in toronto or chicago. i had never seen anything like second city tv. >> james bridgman, hartdale. >> i'm sorry. >> it was far more conceptual in its humor because it didn't have to be performed in front of an audience. and there was also just the idea it was this low-rent thing. by the seat of our pants kind of operation that give it an authenticity. >> now that our programming day has been extended -- >> where do you want me to put the kielbasa? >> put it in the fridge. >> you were rooting for the show and the characters they created. there was something you got behind. whereas "snl," right from the gate and through the '80s was this big enterprise.

>> after five golden years, lauren decided to leave and so did those close to him, including me, al frank. so nbc had to pick a new producer. now most knowledgeable people, as you might imagine, hoped it would be me, al franken. >> well, there was a question of whether "saturday night live" would continue at all. whether it would die. >> the press hasn't been very kind. >> is "saturday night live" "saturday night dead"? >> my favorite is vile from new york. >> they were having a hard time. and then came the man to save the show, eddie murphy. >> there was buzz about him so you tuned in. and there was this kind of explosion of talent in front of your eyes. ♪

>> it really kind of rejuvenated the show. >> i'm gumby. you don't talk to me that way. >> after awhile, the show regained its status and clout and became even more of an institution than it had been. >> hey, bob. >> looks great today. >> listen, if you're unhappy, tell me right now. >> you'll never work in this town again. >> don't leave me hanging by a thread. let me know where i stand. >> we were a little worried because we had a new cast, but everyone loves us. >> you guys have been so nice to us during our stay. >> isn't that special? >> i am hans. >> and i am franz. >> and we just want to pump you left, mr. president. >> let me just sum up, on track, stay the course.

a thousand points of light. stay the course. >> governor dukakis, rebuttal? >> i can't believe i'm losing to this guy. >> it is "the garry shandling show." >> people were taking the old principles of comedy and trying to turn them into something new. we spent years watching sitcoms and dramas and talk shows and we knew them by heart, that if somebody played on that and parodied that, we got it instantly. >> i appreciate you coming in under these conditions. you want to hold the credits? we were going to roll the credits but you screwed that up because you were late. >> "the garry shandling show" was aware that it was a situation comedy. it highlighted the cliches in funny ways. >> are you looking into the camera? >> no. >> don't look into the camera. >> i didn't.

>> i'll bop you. i will. if i see a tape of this show and you're looking into the camera -- >> well, it's about that time. >> "pee-wee's playhouse" on cbs, a saturday morning kids show that adults could watch and wink at each other at the same time was very clever. >> today's secret word is "good." >> it was a show certainly for kids, and it was for stoned baby boomers who were totally wasted on saturday morning and watched "pee-wee's playhouse" and saw god. >> i sure had a lot of fun. see you all real soon. until then, everybody be good.

at whole foods market, we believe in food that's naturally beautiful, fresh and nutritious. so there are no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, no artificial preservatives in any of the food we sell. we believe in real food. whole foods market. great-granddaughter of benjamin rush.h he was actually the only medical doctor that signed the declaration of independence. i myself am a nurse, my daughter is going to physician's assistant school. i we're passing one, family traditions. ♪

yet up 90% fall short in getting key nutrients from food alone. let's do more. add one a day women's complete with key nutrients we may need. plus it supports bone health with calcium and vitamin d. one a day women's in gummies and tablets. it's not just a car, (work sfx) it's your daily retreat. the es and es hybrid. lease the 2017 es 350 for $329 a month for 36 months. experience amazing at your lexus dealer. ditching the cover-up for good? that's cool. showing off my arms? that's cool. being comfortable without a shirt? that's cool. getting the body you want without surgery,

needles, or downtime? that's coolsculpting. coolsculpting is the only fda-cleared non-invasive treatment that targets and freezes away stubborn fat cells. visit coolsculpting.com today and register for a chance to win a free treatment. when did you see the sign? when i needed to create ar bettevisitoexperience. improve our workflow. attract new customers. that's when fastsigns recommended fleet graphics. yeah! now business is rolling in. get started at fastsigns.com.

1968, the summer before high school and i don't mind saying i was a pretty fair little athlete. >> "the wonder years" was a guy in modern times looking back on his childhood. that in itself is not new, but "the wonder years" did it with the wit and the music. and it was brilliantly written and a great performance by that entire young cast. >> hey, steve -- looks like his baby brother and girlfriend have found each other.

>> she's not my girlfriend. >> kevin arnold has to cope with all the timeless problems of growing up during one of the most turbulent times that we've known. >> kevin arnold is just like a regular kid except in the 1960s, and he's not really aware of many of the events. like in one of the episodes, the whole family is watching the apollo 8 take off, but i'm sitting there trying to call a girl. >> the first episode of "the wonder years," anybody who saw it remembers the ending where the first kiss with winnie and kevin arnold. the song they play is "when a man loves a woman." that moment seems to pure and so real. ♪ when a man loves a woman can't keep his mind on nothing else ♪ >> it is about rebellion and being students. by the 1980s, it is time to grow up.

and so they shave their beards and put on power suits, a whole new notion. >> oh, the yuppies. last year the politicians were talking about nning their votes,nd now the rest of the baby boom generation are being wooed by advertisers and their agencies. >> by the '80s, it was pretty clear that after the generation of the '60s, embodied by alex keaton on "family ties" were more interested in the corner office than the new jerusalem. >> you are a young man you shouldn't be worried about success. you should be thinking about hopping on a steamer and going around the world. >> the '60s are over, dad. >> thanks for the tip. >> you weren't laughing at michael j. fox's character for being too conservative. you were laughing at the parents for being too hopelessly liberal. >> what is this? i found it in the shower. >> that is generic brand shampoo. >> this is him. this is the guy i've been telling you about.

this is everything you want in a president. >> the genius of "family ties," it allows a youth to recognize that is focused on the future and the critique of the '60s. >> michael j. fox as alex keaton really became the center of the show. and writers were smart enough to see that they had something special, and they wrote to that. >> it's not fair, alex. >> yeah, there is nothing you can do about it, jen. my advice to you is that you just enjoy being a child for as long as you can. i know i did. it was the best two weeks of my life. >> alex is a little bill buckley. the "wall street journal" is his bible. he has a tie to go with his pajamas. he is very conservative and very intense 17-year-old. >> the first thing the teacher will ask is what you did over the summer. a lot of kids will say i went to the zoo or i went to the beach

or to a baseball game. what are you going to say? >> i watched the iran/contra hearings. >> if mom and dad thought this generation was going to the dogs, think again. this is the generation that has discovered hard work and success. >> american culture is changing in the '80s. and in terms of television, there is demographic segmentation. >> networks were beginning to not be afraid to appeal to a very specific demographic. >> hey, handsome. look at that shirt. is that a power shirt or what? >> nice shirt, alan. good shoulder pads. you looking to get drafted by the eagles? >> 30-something said we're not going to have cops, lawyers or doctors. we're just going to be people. >> why did we start this business? >> to do our thing. but right now we have two wives, three kids, four cars, two mortgages a payroll. that is the life now.

you be the breadwinner now. >> is that what i am? >> "30 something" is a very important show as you are going into the era of television being more introspective and emotional. and some people weren't buying it. but for other people when they were talking about having kids and going back to work and some of the issues that hadn't been talked about a whole lot, it was important to people. >> i was so looking forward -- i was so looking forward to doing this. to be a grown-up for just an hour. >> in the beginning, there was talk of this being the yuppie show. and you mentioned it tonight. you said if there were a category for theost anying show, this might win as well. >> what some people perceive as annoying has nothing to do with yuppie. it is a word that is made up by demographers and advertisers. it doesn't have anything to do with what the show. >> "30 something" was not a giant hit, but it was a niche hit. it attracted an enormously upscale group of advertisers. >> the network cared who was watching and not how many were

watching, and that was more and more catching on in the '80s. >> the prosecution will ask you to look to the law, and this you must do, but i ask you to look to your hearts as well. thank you. >> "l.a. law" was partly a classic lawyer show. but it was intertwined with their personal lives and different lawyers who were sleeping together and trying to get ahead. >> the reality level on that show was like a foot or two off the ground. and you're willing to go with that because it was a whole new spin on a law show. >> tell the truth. if you had to do it all over again and she walked into your office and said take my case, would you? of course you would. because it is juicy, newsy, exciting stuff. >> it is really fun to take the "hill street blues" format and use it to frame an entirely different social and cultural strata with vastly different

results. >> i wonder if i might engage with my client privately. >> certainly. >> will you join me for dinner tonight? >> i was planning on having you. >> okay, skip lunch. >> the formula had gotten established of how you can do a dramatic show, and yet still have an awful lot of fun. >> we didn't used to be able to accept that very easily in a tv hour. and even before the '80s were out, it is like, okay, i get it. so it is like, all right, what are the rules now? >> what are you doing? >> i'm doing what i should have done all along. what i wanted to do originally. what i should have done last night. stop that, david. i'm calling the police, david. hello, police. >> the networks realized there was an audience looking for something less predictable than >> "moonlighting" was another show that said i see the formulas we've had up until

here. let's do different things. >> hello. >> hello. >> we're looking a little pale here today. who do we have here? >> i don't know. >> "moonlighting" was a really experimental show. they had a shakespeare episode, a black and white episode and a musical episode. they tried a lot of stuff. >> i don't give a flying fig about the lines on my face or the crow's feet by my eyes or the altitude of my caboose. >> well, i'm at a loss. i don't know what i flying feet is. >> that's okay. they do. >> there is no trouble on the set. >> we have a very volatile relationship. there is a hate/love element to it. >> the flirtations were great and bruce was great. glenn karen kept them apart for a long time and bravo to him. >> and they took the sam and diane dynamic from "cheers" and escalated it.

"cheers" was will they or won't they? "moonlighting" was, do they even want to? >> stay away from me. >> here i come. >> but i don't want you. i never wanted you. >> yeah, right. >> does entertaining mean at some point stopping the tease of dave and mattie? do they get together at some point? >> that is going to be resolved this year. we like to think of it as two and a half years of foreplay. >> people were waiting for this moment and your emotions are already there so when "be my baby" starts playing, it is a perfect storm of romance. ♪ ♪ the night we met i knew i needed you so ♪ with my moderate to severe crohn's disease,... ...i kept looking for ways to manage my symptoms. i thought i was doing okay... then it hit me... ...managing was all i was doing.

when i told my doctor,... ...i learned humira is for people who still have symptoms of moderate to severe crohn's disease... ...even after trying other medications. in clinical studies,... the majority of people on humira... saw significant symptom relief... ...and many achieved remission. humira can lower your ability... ...to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened;... ...as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where... ...certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb,... ...hepatitis b, are prone to infections,... ...or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. just managing your symptoms? ask your gastroenterologist about humira. with humira, remission is possible. ♪ ♪oh, my love ♪my darlin'

♪i've hungered for your touch papa, hola! ♪i've hungered for your touch no, no no, no no no! ♪i'll be coming home, wait for me♪

in recent years, it seems that television has become a kind of electronic confessional. where guests are willing to expose painful and sometimes embarrassing aspects of their lives quite readily to millions of viewers. >> at the beginning of the decade, we get the dominance of phil donahue, and that is a maturation of women's issues and he seemed to talk to them in the audience and through the tv screen. >> i'm glad you called.

kiss the kids. we'll be back in just a moment. rk we've had, you're going to see the '8 there >> i'm not here to say you're wrong, but let's understand this. when you bring a moral judgment without knowing them, against them for the way that they look, they feel that confirms the reason for their rebellion, if that is what you want to call it. >> he really believed that daytime television needed to talk about the ideas we were thinking about, the issues we were concerned about. >> i don't want to characterize his question, but why don't you get this fixed instead of doing this screwy stuff? >> there is not a single recorded case in history of any transsexual that ever, through psychological treatment, changed. it has never happened yet. >> and we were putting very important people on the program. all kinds of people. gay people. people going to jail. people running for office. sometimes the same people.

it was a magic carpet ride. >> you really do paint a very, very grim picture of the sitting president of the united states. >> let me just say this, i think he's probably the laziest president i've ever seen. >> the audience, for phil donahue, built and built and built and led the way to oprah. >> hello, everybody. >> oprah has a particularly magical combination of her own background, her own experience, her own incisive mind, and empathetic spirit. >> thank you. i'm oprah winfrey, and welcome to the very first national "oprah winfrey show." >> i was surprised at the rocket pace that oprah took off. because it took us a lot longer. the nahue show rrranged e

furniture, but the oprah show remodeled the whole house. >> people out there don't understand when you say we're in love. i remember questioning my gay friend, you mean you feel about him the way i feel about -- it is a strange concept for a lot of people to accept. >> oprah was connecting with people in a way that no one had on tv before. and it was really special to see. >> did you know that for the longest time i wanted to be a fourth grade teacher because of you. >> i was not aware of inspiring anyone. >> i think you did exactly what teachers are supposed to do, they create a spark for learning. it is the reason i have a talk show today. >> oprah winfrey now dominates the talk show circuit, both in the ratings and popularity. >> i want to use my life as a source of lifting people up. that is what i want to do. that is what i do every day on my show. we get accused of being tabloid

television and sensational and so forth, but what we do more than anything else is we serve as a voice to a lot of people that felt perhaps up until my show or perhaps others, that they were alone. >> that is what 67 pounds of fat looks like. i can't lift it. it is amazing that i can't lift it but i used to carry it around every day. >> there is nothing more endearing to an audience than to have that kind of honesty and humility and courage on the part of a host. and that, i think, has a lot to do with her power. >> it feels like i could do some good here, and i really do think that show does a lot of good. >> american television is drowning in talk shows, but it has never seen anything like morton downey jr. >> sit down and shut up. >> other competitors come and take the television talk show in two different directions. so you see the phenomenon of daytime television shows becoming less tame and more wild.

>> the '80s brought a lot of belligerence to television. whether it was morton downey jr. being the offensive person that he was or geraldo. he did his own outlandish things. >> stay with us, we're going to get into the mind of an american boy who came under the influence of satanism. took part in a crime without passion or motive. >> he takes the power of the talk show to a whole different level to put people on stage who hate each other and who will fight. >> in the case of the temple and the church of satan, we have not had problems with criminal behavior. >> but when you hear story after story of people committing these wretched and violent crimes in the devil's name. >> the more attention there is, the more conflict and violence there is, the more the ratings go up, and the american people love to complain about it, but they also love to watch. >> rivera drew sharp criticism

with his recent television special on devil worship, but today he's in a real free-for-all. >> i get sick and tired of seeing an uncle tom here trying to be a -- >> go ahead. >> sit down. >> hey, hold it. hold it. >> rivera suffered a broken nose but said the show will be broadcast later this month in its entirety. >> well, that is not something i would have done, but there was a lot of hypocrisy. one of the major magazines put the picture of geraldo getting hit with the chair on the front of the cover. and they said this is awful, look at what happened to television and yet they couldn't wait to use it to sell their own magazine. >> over the years, broadcasting has deteriorated and in this area of deregulation, it is

deteriorating further. >> give people light, and they will find their own way. relax, america will survive the talk shows. each year sarah climbs 58,070 steps. that's the height of mount everest. because each day she chooses to take the stairs. at work, at home... even on the escalator. that can be hard on her lower body, so now she does it with dr. scholl's orthotics clinically proven to relieve and prevent foot, knee or lower back pain, by reducing the shock and stress that travel up her body with every step she takes. so keep on climbing, sarah. you're killing it. dr. scholl's. born to move. we come into this world needi♪ others. then we are told it's braver to go it alone. ♪ but there is another way to live. ♪ a way that sees the only path to fulfillment-

is through others. ♪ but with my back pain i couldn't sleep or get up in time. then i found aleve pm. the only one to combine a safe sleep aid plus the 12 hour pain relieving strength of aleve. and now. i'm back! aleve pm for a better am. we cantake them to a game. help those fighting cancer. make them laugh. throw them a party. spend the day with them. be near them. and here's a good one: this summer, dine out and pay with your mastercard and... ...help support those in the fight against cancer.

one precious cent at a time up to 4 million dollars. because standing up for those who stand up to cancer... ...is priceless.

♪ the big thing that changes in the '80s is the number of

hours spent watching television goes up. the number of hours spent talking about television is going up. and one of those symbols of television phenomenon is "entertainment tonight." >> welcome to the premiere edition of "entertainment tonight." >> all of the critics were kind of unanimous in that they would say it would never last because there simply isn't enough entertainment news to fill a half hour every night. >> "entertainment tonight" has surveyed critics in the united states and canada to find out which television shows have the most impact on viewers over the years. >> up until this time, nobody had done television like this. nobody. >> burt reynolds, the hottest actor in hollywood. >> i'm surprised to see you here. >> i'm glad to see you. >> oh, thank you. >> we can meet here every night if you want. >> a lot of what makes successful tv programming is being in the right place at the right time. and it was the right time.

>> entertainment journalism got more curious and more access and until that point, the entertainment business was something we didn't know all that much about. >> we could go behind the scenes in our effort to really give an insiders' look. >> the actor j.r. of "dallas" fame was with his mother as he was presented with a star on the hollywood walk of fame. >> it was very honorific of the industry. they would do serious coverage of it. it wasn't salacious. you would see actors speaking as actors instead of on a johnny carson show. >> what are you like on camera? >> i'm like this. >> this was the beginning of a lot of money being made talking about entertainment and celebrities. >> robert redford plays the good guy in movies, but don't tell that to his neighbors in utah. they are still bitter. >> the audience grew and grew and that was showing us the appetite for celebrity news was

big. it was big. >> get ready for "lifestyles of the rich and famous." television's most dazzling hour of excitement. hi, i'm robin leach in monaco. the glimmering gem of the riviera. >> and you've got a vip ticket to the private party. >> your sunday newspaper is still delivered with the comics around the news. and that was what i always thought "lifestyles" was. we were the comic around the news. except we did it as seriously as they did news. >> finally in the driving seat of his own career, he burned rubber in a new ctiodire david hasselhoff, rock idol. >> it was a time where pushing the limits with wealth and ostentatiousness in a lot of cases was very comfortable. >> one of the earliest stories we presented to you on "lifestyles" was about the amazing real estate wizard donald trump. if he didn't shock and surprise you back then, he's had plenty of time since.

>> with all of this costing billions, not millions, do the figures ever frighten you? >> no, the answer is it is my business and my life. it is my lifestyle. i love it. the good, the bad. >> does this bring with it political aspiration? >> no political aspiration. >> your show has gotten a lot of ridicule. people say it is nothing more than trash. >> that doesn't upset me because i think it is the best trash there is on television. i'm not in the business of brain surgery. i'm in the business of fluff. >> that's the fantasy element. at a time when the access is possible. it is escapism and aspirational. you want to stand in a hot tub with a glass of champagne, rock on. >> we've never seen that kind of wealth ever before. we didn't mock it. we didn't say it was right, and we didn't say it was wrong. we were just through the keyhole. sometimes it absolutely amazes me. i walk away from a shoot and i

think, well, we did it again. >> there was more of everything in tv by the '80s. your opportunity for watching stuff is increasingly vast. >> nbc presents "real people." >> somebody once said that each one of us will be a star for 15 minutes, and i think that will probably happen. >> american culture celebrated privacy. in the 1980s as we're watching celebrities play out on stage, hey, i want to join, too. all the world is a stage and you start seeing shows like "real people" or "the people's court." >> "the people's court," where reality television is taken one step further. >> to see more tv producers had to come up with new and different ways to give them television. >> don't be stupid! i told you n to be stupid. >> what "cops" didas, it took

away the script and just brought the camera people and the crews on location to try and catch actual things happening. >> cocaine. possession of a stolen firearm no less. what else are you going to do? ♪ we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. ♪ if you have moderate to severe ulcerative colitis or crohn's, and your symptoms have left you with the same view, it may be time for a different perspective. if other treatments haven't worked well enough,

ask your doctor about entyvio, the only biologic developed and approved just for uc and crohn's. entyvio works by focusing right in the gi-tract to help control damaging inflammation and is clinically proven to begin helping many patients achieve both symptom relief as well as remission. infusion and serious allergic reactions can happen during or after treatment. entyvio may increase risk of infection, which can be serious. while not reported with entyvio, pml, a rare, serious brain infection caused by a virus may be possible. tell your doctor if you have an infection, experience frequent infections, or have flu-like symptoms, or sores. liver problems can occur with entyvio. if your uc or crohn's medication isn't working for you, ask your gastroenterologist about entyvio. entyvio. relief and remission within reach. we, the people, are tired of being surprised with extra monthly fees. we want hd. and every box and dvr. all included. because we don't like surprises. yeah. like changing up the celebrity at the end to someone more handsome. and talented.

really. and british. switch from cable to directv. get 4 rooms with hd, dvr, and every box included for $25 a month. i just saved a bunch of money on my car insurhuh. with geico. i should take a closer look at geico. geico can help with way more than car insurance. boats, homes, motorcycles... even umbrella coverage. this guy's gonna wish he brought his umbrella. fire at will! how'd you know the guy's name is will? yeah? it's an expression, ya know? fire at will? you never heard of that? oh, there goes will! bye, will! that's not his name! take a closer look at geico. great savings. and a whole lot more. yet up 90% fall short in getting key nutrients from food alone. let's do more. add one a day 50+ a complete multi-vitamin with 100% daily value of more than 15 key nutrients. one a day 50+.

problem is, you'reith neterrible with names. okay, this is the boss. you got this. anna!...yes! new clients? we've been there. and with breakfast on the run, we'll be there for you. book direct for a guaranteed discount. hampton by hilton.

♪ with this ring -- >> with this ring -- >> -- i thee wed. >> -- i thee wed. >> with my body -- >> with my body -- >> -- i thee honor. >> the biggest television event of the 1980s is the marriage of charles and diana. it is like the world stops when that happened. that was like, just massive. >> this was the final act of a spectacle that may never again be seen in this century, if ever. >> the archbishop of canterbury called the wedding of prince charles and lady diana spencer the stuff of fairy tales. >> the couple is off on the honeymoon while the people here in london are still talking about the events of the day. >> when you have great moments like the royal wedding, they are part of history and everybody can watch it on television and

everybody wants to drink a toast to chuck and di. >> a princess who must be aware as it was on this day that every single move she makes in public will be recorded and observed. a very difficult life indeed. >> we'll be back in just a moment with some closing observations and one final look at what has justifiably been called the wedding of the century. >> by the authority of the state of new york, i pronounce that they are husband and wife. you may kiss the bride. >> your wedding was seen by an astonishing number of people. 16 and 19 million viewers. how do you account for that kind of popularity? >> oh, i can't. i can't. the way it's grown is just amazing to me. >> it diappear in the '80s it was good for daytime soap operas, especially for "general hospital" whichad the success with luke and laura's wedding. >> i remember because it was nighttime newsworthy. >> the soap opera discovers the

blockbuster mentality, the sweeps month mentality. what can we do to get even more people watching? you have a wedding. you have a kidnapping, an evil twin, and primetime stole from daytime. >> the great time soap operas, "dallas" and "dynasty," they are all about excess. this is about being over the top, stabbing each other in the back and going for the gusto and having fun. >> i know what is wrong with you. the empty armed madonna, mourning the baby that she couldn't have and the baby that she almost got to adopt. that is it, isn't it? >> you miserable bitch! ♪

>> there was a bigness to the stories. and they could afford to do it on a network if you are doing one episode a week. you can't do that if you are doing five episodes a week for a daytime show. so just the production value gave it that pizzazz. >> if you can't have it, watch other people with it, or so say the three networks who are programming nearly 40% of the primetime fare with series about the very rich and the public is devouring it at such a rate that make believe money has become ratings gold. >> the characters were larger than life and more evil and more cunning and manipulative. and more gorgeous. i mean, really, look at the way they were dressed. look at the way they lived. everything, it was fascinating. >> alexis, i didn't thank you for your present. >> it's he who you should slap,

not i. >> we all wanted to live like everyone on "dynasty," like the carringtons and it was a wonderful picture of fun and debauchery. >> greed was encouraged in the '80s. there was a concept of conspicuous consumption being okay, and those shows exploited that. >> primetime families like the carringtons who live here in luxury on the "dynasty" sound stage are not the only rich folk on tv. in the last five years, more than half of all new shows featured the wealthy. ten years ago, that figure was zero. >> it was an accident. your father is dead. >> "falcon crest" was a wine family. there is lorenzo llamas and ronald reagan's first wife is on that show. >> emma is pregnant. >> i know a doctor who could take care of it right away. >> that will never happen. >> all of the shows, were, oh, my god, what is next? what is going to happen next? and he can't do that. it was a point to tune into

television. >> what will become of the missing twins on "knots landing"? >> they all had spinoffs. and "the colbys" was a spinoff for "dynasty." they would see how much they could max this stuff out because it was really successful. >> where is your son miles? isn't he going to be part of this venture or just playing polo as usual? >> the colbys could always find room for another trophy. >> you had people fighting over oil and mansions and -- it was fantasy, but in a kind of so over the top way that it was fun. >> there is nothing devious about using your femininity. >> these shows took themselves so unseriously that they were camp, but that was okay with the central audience that was loving them. >> it was entertainment. we weren't trying to do high drama. we were there to entertain. we were high glossy. and there was no getting around

what we were there for, and we did it as best as we could. ♪my darlin' ♪i've hungered for yo touch papa, hola! ♪i've hungered for your touch no, no no, no no no! ♪i'll be coming home, wait for me♪ with my moderate to severe crohn's disease,... ...i kept looking for ways to manage my symptoms. i thought i was doing okay... then it hit me... ...managing was all i was doing. when i told my doctor,... ...i learned humira is for people who still have symptoms of moderate to severe crohn's disease... ...even after trying other medications. in clinical studies,... the majority of people on humira... saw significant symptom relief... ...and many achieved remission. humira can lower your ability... ...to fight infections, including tuberculosis.

serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened;... ...as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where... ...certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb,... ...hepatitis b, are prone to infections,... ...or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. just managing your symptoms? ask your gastroenterologist about humira. with humira, remission is possible.

australia's most important export may be neither its animals, nor its beer nor its films. could in fact be one rupert murdoch. 55-year-old rupert murdoch is in the midst of building what "forbes" says is the most

extensive media empire in history. >> a huge development in television, the hegemon of the three broadcast networks that was presumed to be complete and rupert murdoch having disrupted the newspaper business in australia, television business in britain-e arrives in america and says i don't know why there should only be three broadcast networks. i'm going to make another one. this was a big bold bet. >> meantime, he will have to become an american citizen if he is to own tv stations here. something he says he is willing to do. >> there are some people who are saying it will take you 20 years to get your fox network on a par with the big three. are you prepared to wait that long? >> sure, i intend to live that long, but i don't believe in the 20 years. >> the reaction to murdoch's idea for a fourth network was similar to ted turner's idea to start cnn. it's ridiculous. what does he know about television? >> we don't think of ourselves as abc, nbc, or cbs. we don't have to reach everyone. there's no question we have an inferior lineup of stations to our counterparts. it means we have to work harder to get our message across and get shows sampled.

>> they had an idea that in order to succeed we have to differentiate ourselves from the networks. we have to do things they would not do. >> fox started throwing anything against the wall, not knowing what was going to go. first shows were things like "21 jump street." >> what exactly are we looking for here? >> joan rivers in terms of late night. >> we have been banned in boston, which i think is wonderful. wxme. so pick a finger. wxme. >> and "the tracey ullman show"" >> oh, please! >> it was a sketch show. and they needed something to go between the sketches. again they were looking for something different. >> i've got to have those candy bars. >> you better not be thinking of stealing those candy bars. >> that's it! >> "the simpsons" would never have come along had it not been for "the tracey ullman show." >> ultimately crime hurts the criminal. >> that's not true, mom. i got a free ride home, didn't i? >> bart! >> fox was thrilled that it was

different. they said, sure, be experimental, do whatever you want. we're just happy to have a show on the air. >> i'm home. >> "married with children" was their first big, big hit in that way that said if all the rest of television is going this way, we're going that way. >> bud, kelly, you want to come down and help me in the kitchen? [ doors slam ] there, that should buy us about 10 minutes. seven more than we'll need. >> the title of "married with children" on the script was "not the cosby show." how great. you have to love that. they were taking the piss out of american families. fun. great fun. >> never wanted to get married, i'm married. never wanted kids, i got two of them. how the hell did this happen? >> the bundys were almost like a purposeful reaction to the perfection of the huxtables. and it was funny because you had

this wonderful perfect black family and these horrible miserable white people. and each show works on its own terms because you could find things to relate to in both. >> howdy neighbor! >> yeah, yeah, yeah. i hate these people. >> there was a lot of fun to be had in al and peg bundy. >> after fox introduces "married with children," it does very well, then back on abc they came up with another major hit, "roseanne." >> you think this is a magic kingdom where you just sit up here on your throne. >> oh, yeah? >> yeah. >> and you think everything gets done by some wonderful wizard. oh, poof, the laundry's folded. poof, dinner's on the table. >> you want me to fix dinner? i'll fix dinner. i'm fixing dinner! >> oh, but honey, you just fixed dinner three years ago. >> typical american families weren't on television for the longest time. the donna reed days, the early days, "father knows best." hardly anybody lived that way. that was the way advertisers wanted you to live. >> i know what just might make you feel better. >> me too.

but i bet it's a different list than what you've got. >> the ideal situation is if you can subvert whatever common stuff is said about families and about parenting. >> what's in this? lead? >> oh, i got you kids new leg irons. >> her loudness and her unfilteredness were key to why we liked her. she was saying stuff about working-class people. she was saying stuff about men and women. so it was about marriage and about raising kids and about how hard it is. >> great. i'm just going to look like a freak. that's all. >> what else is new? >> shut up. >> this is why some animals eat their young. >> tv in the '80s was a big decade for the evolution of comedy, for the evolution of drama. it just pushed everything forward. >> do you think perhaps this generation are paying more attention to the dialogue, to the relationships they see on television than in years previous? >> clearly the people watching our shows are.

and "thirtysomething." and "cheers" and "st. elsewhere." these are shows that are smartly written. it's their words that define them, and i think that's what people like. >> what we're supposed to be here is the one thing people can trust. if you go out there like a bunch of knight riders, what are you but just another vicious street gang? >> that decade spawned an extraordinary number of shows that really carved out a unique niche for themselves. we began to turn television into an art form. and for the first time, people were proud to say, i write for television. >> up until that point, television was second class. in the '80s, it was something else entirely. and it was new, and it was kind of interesting. >> it's like everyone in the '80s starts to want to tell their stories. that's what really changes things. >> the unexpected was more welcome in the '80s. predictability lost its cachet. >> television has an impact on

every era, every decade. >> television still shapes the thinking of america like no other element in our country. sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. >> it gave rise to people pursuing artistic content in a way that i think has raised the bar in television production exponentially. >> i love you guys. >> there's a shift in the '80s from just wanting to placate the audience to wanting to please and challenge the audience, and that's the decade when it happened. >> we had one hell of a run, didn't we, partner? >> yeah, we sure did, sonny. >> i'm going to miss you, man. >> i'm going to miss you too, sonny. >> give you a ride to the airport? >> why not? ♪

-- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com we'll be doing for tv what fm did for radio. >> there are some that have accused your videos of being soft porn. >> we like to call them tastefully smutty. >> they never had any problems saying how they feel. you too. >> what are your dreams? >> to rule the world. >> michael jackson is the man of the '80s. >> music to a beat and talk. it's rap music. ♪ my life is over so i might as well speak my mind ♪ >> heavy metal. it glorifies sex and violence. it hates authority. and adolescent boys love it. >> this weird beastly presentation that was birthed in the pit of hell.