Today’s TV Flashback isn’t about a particular show, but an institution that seems to hit this time of year, every year: TV Guide Magazine’s annual Fall Preview issue.
I admit, when I first saw the TV Guide Fall Preview it had a bit more of an impact than it would today, in a world where TV show pilot developments are known up to a year in advance on the Internet. Back when I was growing up, though, it was the place to know which of my favorite shows were coming back, who might be joining them, and also, what new shows were on the horizon. The first newsprint page of the issue would often have a Kmart ad the Fall TV schedule grid, with new shows often printed in bold.
As a child, I was a huge collector of the TV Guide digests; something my teachers probably thought was a bit insane. The first issue I remember poring over obsessively was the 1985 Fall Preview. For starters, the Fall Preview was so packed that it was almost twice as thick as the usual issue; it must have set printing costs through the roof. The next thing you’ll notice is that, although TV Guide Fall Previews notoriously had great covers, this wasn’t really one of them. And then there’s the inside… where one could learn about such new TV shows as MacGyver, Misfits Of Science, Amazing Stories… and Charlie & Co.?
I’ve still saved my old Fall Preview issues and it’s interesting to see in retrospect. As a child, I remember reading about shows like Together We Stand and thinking “wow, that show sounds cool!” (You don’t remember it? You’re not alone.) Remember when ABC thought Life With Lucy was their next big thing? And there were the shows that looked so generic… like 90210 (Formerly Class Of Beverly Hills), which looked every bit as memorable as TV 101, Hull High, or Teech. TV Guide didn’t always call the hits correctly, either. Some of their recent years’ Fall Previews have had cover features that barely lasted a season, if that.
Also in the old Fall Previews, you can find summaries of earlier iterations of notable shows. The 1981 Fall Preview issue makes mention of Gimme A Break! where the Chief has two daughters and a son… when the series hit the air, it was three daughters. I actually wonder how many of these series were actually seen by the writers before the season started. One thing is for sure, though – TV Guide at the time was a bit of a “bible” for news about TV, and being the only big show in town surely meant they had some of the best writers.
TV Guide Magazine still does the annual Fall Preview issues. I will still bitterly miss the digests, and while most of the information about the new shows has already been known to me for months, their team seems to pull the extra effort to get exclusive photos and details that one wouldn’t find anywhere else. The 2012 Fall Preview comes out today, and they’re offering up five covers: Arrow, Elementary, The Mindy Project, Nashville and Go On. I think we all know which one I’ll be getting, and like seven year old me back in 1985, I’m sure I’ll be taking in every single detail. And if you like that… do what I did, hit up Ebay, find the classic Fall Previews, and see some TV history from year to year. At the very least it’s good for the “I didn’t remember that!” factor or for playing guessing games as to how long these shows actually lasted.
1 Comment
I agree with your article. I have to guess that TV Guide doesn’t want to sell it’s Fall Preview. I’m not in stores a lot, and I never know when to look for it. I generally have to twist arms at tvguide.com, to get an answer. This year, I’ve written to two execs. Each replied that they don’t know, and that TVG.com is separate from the magazine. They promised to send it along to someone at the magazine. I have yet to hear anything back.
They have zero promotion online. Or on TV. I’d guess, like me, it’s the only TVG anyone buys. And – all the articles are right there, online, for free. The magazine is like 5 bucks!
My wife still likes to hold that magazine in her hand. I do too, but I’m fine looking online, and printing a grid of what we might like. ANYONE know the shelf date??? (I may just skip it this year)