Today’s TV: Friday 4 January 1991
from the NZ Listener
TV One
10.50am Teletext in Vision
11.05 High Risk (Starting today) (PGR)
Noon Hi-de-Hi! (Rpt, PGR)
12.30 Film on One (Gregory Peck Week): Gentleman’s Agreement (1947) (Rpt, G)
2.30 Earthwatch
2.45 Matinee on One: Bonanza - The Next Generation (1988) (G)
4.30 The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Rpt, G)
5.00 Emmerdale (G)
5.30 Dad’s Army (Rpt, G)
6.00 One Network News
6.30 Survival
7.00 Sale of the Century
7.30 Coronation Street (G)
8.00 Magic Kiwis (Rpt, G)
8.30 London’s Burning (AO)
9.30 Three Up, Two Down (Part 6, final) (G)
10.10 One Network News
10.20 Kiri’s Homecoming (Rpt)
11.55 Closedown
Channel 2
6.15am Teletext in Vision
6.30 Gumby Adventures (Rpt, G)
7.00 The Flintstones (Rpt, G)
7.30 Space Knights (Rpt, G)
8.00 ITN World News
8.25 Heathcliff (G)
8.55 Wally Gator (Rpt, G)
9.00 Richie Rich (Rpt, G)
9.05 Sesame Street (G)
10.05 Alison Holst’s Cooking Class (Rpt, G)
10.40 Aerobics Oz Style (G)
11.05 Santa Barbara
Noon The Young and the Restless
1.00 Days of Our Lives
2.00 That’s Fairly Interesting (Rpt, G)
2.30 Fruitties
2.55 The Ratties (G)
3.00 Defenders of the Earth (Rpt, G)
3.25 Pepsi RTR Video Hit
Skid Row - “I Remember You”
3.30 The New Adventures of Batman
3.55 Pepsi RTR Video Hit
Jane Child - “I Don’t Wanna Fall in Love”
4.00 The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers
4.30 Count Duckula (Rpt, G)
5.00 Charles in Charge (G)
5.30 Best of Blind Date
6.00 Family Ties (Rpt, G)
6.30 Neighbours (Double episode)
7.30 Star Trek: The Next Generation
8.30 Married… with Children (Rpt, AO)
9.00 The Simpsons (Series premiere) (G)
9.30 Top Cops (Series premiere) (AO)
10.30 In Living Color (Series premiere) (AO)
11.00 Sledge Hammer! (Rpt, PGR)
11.30 Radio with Pictures (PGR)
12.30am Werewolf (Rpt, AO)
1.00 Closedown
TV3
11.00am 3 Sport - Honda Summer of Tennis
BP Men’s National Tennis Championships - quarterfinals (live from the Renouf Tennis Centre, Wellington)
5.30pm The Oprah Winfrey Show (G)
6.30 3 National News
7.00 Man About the House (Rpt)
7.30 Max Monroe: Loose Cannon (Feature-length series premiere)
9.30 Knightwatch
10.30 Nightline
10.45 Murphy Brown
11.15 Late Movie: Covenant (1985)
1.15am Closedown
Sky Sport
Noon Skiing - Val Gardenia Downhill
1.00 Cricket
Australia v England - third test, day one (live)
3.00 Table Tennis - US Open
3.40 Cricket (Continued)
Australia v England - third test, day one (live)
8.00 Rugby League
Regal Trophy - second semifinal (highlights)
9.00 Football
Scottish FA Cup - round two (highlights)
10.30 NBA Basketball
12.00am Closedown
Sky Movies
Noon On Our Merry Way (1948) (GA)
2.00 Stars and Bars (1988) (GA)
4.00 Bach and Broccoli (1986)
6.00 Rocket Gilbraltar (1988) (GA)
8.00 Hi, Mom! (1970)
10.00 New York, New York (1977)
12.20am Rocky II (1979)
2.45 Closedown
Sky News (CNN)
6.00am Newshour
7.00 BBC News (6pm bulletin)
7.30 Sonya Live
8.00 Newsday
9.00 International Hour
10.00 Newsday
11.00 Early Prime
11.30 Showbiz Today
Noon The World Today
1.00 Moneyline
1.30 Crossfire
2.00 Prime News
3.00 Larry King Live
4.00 CNN Evening News
5.00 Moneyline
5.30 CNN Sports
6.00 Newsnight
7.00 BBC News (9pm bulletin)
7.30 Newsnight Update
8.30 CNN Sports
9.00 Newsnight Update
10.00 Larry King Overnight
11.00 Crossfire
11.30 Early Bird News
12.30am Business Morning
1.00 Daybreak
1.30 Business Day
2.00 Daybreak
3.00 Daywatch
4.00 World Day
5.00 Daywatch (Continues to 6am)
“D’oh!”
The Simpsons came to NZ TV screens and premiered on Channel 2 (now TVNZ 2) at 9pm on the evening of Friday 4 January 1991.
With more than 600 episodes to date, The Simpsons is, by far and away, the longest running animated series and the longest running programme in the history of television. When The Simpsons began screening in NZ it was shown late (9pm) on a Friday night.
Other programmes airing on Channel 2 that night included the premieres of Top Cops (a documentary series which dramatised stories from the case files of US police officers) and In Living Color (a US sketch comedy series which starred Keenan Ivory Wayans and launched the career of Jim Carrey, who went on to star in such films as The Mask, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Batman Forever, Liar Liar and many more).
Meanwhile. TV3 (now Three) had live coverage from the quarterfinals of the US$175,000 BP men’s national tennis championships being played at the Renouf Tennis Centre in Wellington. Coverage started at 11am and ran until 5.30pm when Oprah took over.