Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! This week, if you’re still stuck at home, you may be looking for things to watch. So, I thought I’d do something that we used to offer during the holidays — a little contest, with rare TV prizes. But, don’t worry, this is minimally invasive. First up, I’ll tell you what the reward is: access to an episode from each of the ten Sitcom Tuesday series covered so far on this blog that have not yet been released in full on DVD. The shows/episodes that I will be sending — for subscribers only; please subscribe here if you want to play along — to all of the eligible winners are as follows:
- Our Miss Brooks: “The Magic Tree” (1953)
- He & She: “The Coming-Out Party” (1967)
- The New Dick Van Dyke Show: “The Former Mr. Preston” (1972)
- Phyllis: “Phyllis And The Little People” (1975)
- Murphy Brown: “It’s Just Like Riding A Bike” (1994)
- Dream On: “May Divorce Be With You” (1992)
- The John Larroquette Show: “Rachel Redux” (1995)
- The Drew Carey Show: “The Bachelor Party” (1998)
- The George Burns And Gracie Allen Show: “Gracie Is Brilliant” (1958)
- The Danny Thomas Show: “Danny Meets Kathy” (1957)
Now for the game. What you have to do is guess what I have selected as my favorite collective TV season for the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. (And, just so there’s no confusion, the 1950s consists of every season from 1950-’51 to 1959-’60; the 1960s consists of every season from 1960-’61 to 1969-’70, and so on, ending with 1990-’91 and 1999-’00…)
I have selected my favorite seasons mostly based on my affinity for the sitcoms that were on the air during that TV year. I have also factored in the quality of the shows during each specific timeframe, and please keep in mind that volume alone does not mean quality… That said, I have not deliberately tried to trick you with my answers.
Also, all you have to do to receive the prize is guess ONE of my five answers correctly. That’s right — just ONE! However, if you manage to guess three or more correctly, I will throw in a special Danny Thomas Show collection of bonuses.
Leave your guesses in the comments. I will update this post with the correct answers and award the winners next Wednesday. Here’s a template. (And please make guesses clear, i.e. 1950-51, or 1950-’51, or 1950-1951, or 50-51, or ’50-’51.) Happy playing!
1950s:
1960s:
1970s:
1980s:
1990s:
UPDATE – 04/22/20 – Thanks to everyone who participated in our quiz! I have emailed all the prize winners, along with the three lucky players who got three answers correct and are receiving a bonus collection of episodes from the heretofore unreleased fourth season of The Danny Thomas Show! Below are my answers.
1950s: 1955-1956 (the only year with the decade’s three best sitcoms in weekly rotation)
1960s: 1964-1965 (the year where the ’60s’ early gems meet its defining mid-decade classics)
1970s: 1973-1974 (the peak year for both the MTM and Lear styles, before they start to stale)
1980s: 1986-1987 (the ’80s is in full swing, with its good shows in great form, and FOX’s debut)
1990s: 1994-1995 (the best mid-’90s sitcoms are strong, and the “MSTV” trend isn’t yet pesky)
Come back next week for another Wildcard — and check this post out again next Wednesday when I edit it and add in the answers! Also, stay tuned for a new Musical Theatre rarity!
I hope I do this right
1950s: 54-55
1960s: 67-68
1970s: 76-77
1980s: 86-87
1990s: 97-98
Hi, BB! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Yes — you did this exactly right. Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, BB! With one answer correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your AOL address.
1955 1956
1966 – 1968
1975 – 1976
1986 – 1987
1994 – 1995
Hi, Paul! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Clarification about your guess for the 1960s; do you mean 1966-1967 or 1967-1968?
Congratulations, Paul! With three answers correct, you have won both the prize and the bonus. I have emailed you at your AOL address.
1950s: 1955-56
1960s: 1964-65
1970s: 1973-74
1980s: 1988-89
1990s: 1995-96
Hi, Elaine! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, Elaine! With three answers correct, you have won both the prize and the bonus. I have emailed you at your yahoo address.
1950s: 1956-1957
1960s: 1965-1966
1970s: 1972-1973
1980s: 1987-1988
1990s: 1994-1995
Hi, Nat! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, Nat! With one answer correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your AOL address.
1950s: 1955-1956
1960s: 1967-1968
1970s: 1971-1972
1980s: 1984-1985
1990s: 1995-1996
Hi, Jon! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Please subscribe to this blog before next week in order to be eligible for the prize!
Congratulations, Jon! With one answer correct, you have won the prize. Please subscribe to this blog using your preferred email address in order to receive it.
I think I’ve now removed the pending status on my subscription. Please let me know if I need to do anything else. Thanks!
Yes, thanks for taking care of this matter — I have emailed you at your yahoo address!
53-54
67-68
78-79
83-84
94-95
Hi, John! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, John! With one answer correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your AOL address.
1950s: 1955-1956
1960s: 1964-1965
1970s: 1972-1973
1980s: 1988-1989
1990s: 1993-1994
Hi, Charlie! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, Charlie! With two answers correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your gmail address.
I’m guessing 1954-55 for the 50’s and 1973-74 for the 70’s.
Hi, Kyle! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Would you like to make guesses for the 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s as well?
1964-65, 1986-87, 1998-99
Got it; stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, Kyle! With three answers correct, you have won both the prize and the bonus. I have emailed you at your gmail address.
1955 – 1956
1965 – 1966
1975 – 1976
1985 – 1986
1995 – 1996
Hi, Eboni! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, Eboni! With one answer correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your yahoo address.
1958-59; 1967-68; 1973-74; 1984-85; 1993-94
Hi, Mark! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, Mark! With one answer correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your gmail address.
50s: 1954-55
60s: 1962-63
70s: 1972-73
80s: 1989-90
90s: 1997-98
Hi, Joey! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Although you did not win, Joey, I still have a little something for you in appreciation of your participation. I have emailed you at your yahoo address.
Ok, I’ll give it a shot
1956-57
1965-66
1973-74
1988-89
1994-95
Hi, Hal! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, Hal! With two answers correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your yahoo address.
1950s: 1955-’56
1960s: 1965-’66
1970s: 1976-’77
1980s: 1987-’88
1990s: 1998-’99
Hi, Ian! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, Ian! With one answer correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your AOL address.
1956-57
1964-65
1974-75
1986-87
1996-97
Hi, Kallman! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned next week when I reveal my answers and let you know how you scored!
Congratulations, Kallman! With two answers correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your yahoo address.
1950s: 1955-1956
1960s: 1963-1964
1970s: 1971-1972
1980s: 1987-1988
1990s: 1992-1993
Hi, Track! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Please subscribe to this blog before next week in order to be eligible for the prize!
Congratulations, Track! With one answer correct, you have won the prize. Please subscribe to this blog using your preferred email address in order to receive it.
1953-54
1964-65
1973-74
1985-86
1998-99
Hi, Mimsy! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Please subscribe to this blog before next week in order to be eligible for the prize!
Congratulations, Mimsy! With two answers correct, you have won the prize. I have emailed you at your yahoo address.