“Quincy, M.E.” ran from 1976 to 1983 on NBC. Jack Klugman starred as a crime-solving Los Angeles medical examiner. The hour-long series went into syndication and has continued to run. All seasons are available on DVD.
“Soap” ran from 1977 to 1981 on ABC. The night-time parody of daytime soap operas created a lot of controversy as details about its first episodes leaked in the media.
The show’s sexual content provoked protests from many religious groups, even before it aired. Even some gay-rights groups were concerned about the show’s portrayal of a gay character’s storyline. Advertisers began cancelling in advance of “Soap’s” debut.
By the time it debuted, 18 of ABC’s 195 affiliates refused to air the show. Others chose to broadcast it after 11 p.m. so children wouldn’t be as likely watch it.
The publicity helped the first episode win its time slot. A University of Richmond poll found that 26 percent of viewers found it offensive and half of them planned to watch it the next week.
“Soap” earned mixed reviews early on, but critics turned positive in later seasons. Today, it is considered one of the best series in TV history. The show also launched the spinoff series “Benson.”
“The Munsters Today” aired from 1988 to 1991. It was a sequel to the classic sitcom “The Munsters,” which aired from 1964 to 1966. The pilot explains the family was involved in an accident and went to sleep for 20 years.
The show ran for three seasons in syndication, resulting in 72 episodes. Here’s an episode:
James Garner starred in “The Rockford Files” from 1974 to 1980.
The hour-long NBC drama featured Garner as often-impoverished private investigator Jim Rockford, who famously charged $200 a day plus expenses, lived in a dilapidated mobile home plopped in a parking lot on a Malibu, Ca., beach and avoided fights whenever possible.
Garner, an accomplished auto racer, performed most of his own stunts on the show, including stunt driving in his famous Pontiac Firebird Espirit.
The theme song was released as a single and reached No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. It won a Grammy Award in 1975 for Best Instrumental Arrangement.
“The Rockford Files” remains highly regarded for its quality. “Sopranos” creator David Chase wrote several episodes. It has remained popular in syndication for decades. "Rockford” is widely available on streaming services.
Each episode’s opening credits feature a quick answering machine message which gives some insight into Rockford’s life, from bounced checks to people creatively skipping out on paying him. A YouTube video features the answering machine messages from the series’ first season:
I am nostalgic for the 80s time when syndicated shows would be new on a Saturday at 5:30pm. Waiting for Star Trek: The Next Generation’s new episode, Saturdays at 7pm.
My Third Parent 