1996: Premiere of Cable's TV Land
April 29, 2020
| By TV WW
This day in 1996 marked the debut of TV Land.
Inspired by the success of Nickelodeon's Nick at Nite block, the Viacom-owned cable channel built its initial lineup around classic and quality TV programs, including Gunsmoke, The Honeymooners, Green Acres, Hogan's Heroes, Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere and The Ed Sullivan Show. Other offerings over the years have included The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke Show, and more contemporary series such as Murphy Brown, The Cosby Show, Roseanne, Everybody Loves Raymond and Scrubs.
In 2010, TV Land presented its own scripted shows, including Hot in Cleveland, Happily Divorced, The Exes and The Soul Man.