Industry honors TV milestones
By Kimberly Speight
With TV shows finding it more difficult to achieve long-term success, television executives and talent gathered last week to honor the 296
scripted primetime series that have earned the distinction of reaching the 100-episode mark.
More than 500 industryites were on hand Thursday night at a cocktail reception held by The Hollywood Reporter and Museum of Television & Radio in conjunction with the publication of The Hollywood Reporter’s “TV Milestones” collector’s edition issue.
“I don’t think anyone in this room doesn’t know how hard it is to achieve the goal of reaching 100 episodes,” Robert J. Dowling, editor-in-chief and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter, told the crowd assembled at the Beverly Hills museum. “With 80-100 pilots made each year and so few shows that actually make it on the air, it is truly a milestone and a testament to great writing, great directing, great concepts and great acting.”
Leslie Moonves, Viacom co-president and co-chief operating officer and CBS chairman, said in an interview during the event that it’s nearly
impossible to predict what shows will reach that 100-episode distinction.
“I don’t think you can ever foresee something like that,” he said. ” I thought (CBS’ short-lived 2000-01 series) ‘The Fugitive’ would be a hit…. But it’s tougher to hit 100 shows now, with only 22 episodes a year and tougher competition.”
Ed Asner has the distinction of starring in two series that have surpassed the 100-episode mark: “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which aired from 1970-77, and its spinoff, “Lou Grant,” which ended in 1982 after a five-year run. He said he wasn’t surprised “Mary” hit that mark, but he never thought “Lou” would go that far.
“With ‘Lou,’ it was always a battle,” he said. “We were never that high in the ratings, even though we received several prestigious awards.”
Marilu Henner also starred in two TV “milestones”: The 1978-83 series “Taxi” and early-1990s show “Evening Shade” both reached 100 episodes. But she thought “Taxi” would go even farther.
“We had 114 episodes, which was like having 114 parties,” she said. “I was expecting 10 more years for the show — and that we would reach 214
episodes.”
For Melissa Joan Hart, the 100th episode of “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” was especially meaningful: She got to direct that episode of the series, which ended its seven-year run last year.
“I directed seven episodes, but this one was really special,” she said. “Most shows end up doing special Christmas episodes, but we did a
Halloween episode (for episode No. 100) since the show was about a witch.”
Shirley Jones, on the other hand, said she isn’t disappointed that “The Partridge Family” just missed the 100-episode mark: The series reached 96
episodes before being canceled in 1974 after a four-year run.
“We had 4 _ great years,” she said. “And we did 96 episodes — that’s a great accomplishment.”
Credit: Hollywood Reporter
