1996 in television - Definition and Overview

See also: 1995 in television, other events of 1996, 1997 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• January 28 - Christopher Isaak makes a guest appearance on the television show Friends.
• February 7 - Dragon Ball GT premieres as being the third of its Dragon Ball series aired on Fuji TV, almost after 10 years.
• May 14 - Doctor Who, an American TV movie continuation of the famous British series of the same name, airs on the Fox Network in the Tuesday Night Movie slot. This TV movie is regarded as being a part of the same story as the original series and is an unsuccessful pilot for a new, American co-produced series. A new weekly series is scheduled to debut in the UK in 2005. Ironically, Jon Pertwee, one of the stars of the original series, dies only a couple of days after the telefilm's US premiere.
• July - When it becomes evident that Anna Stuart will be next to die in a serial killer storyline on Another World, many fans start letter-writing campaigns to save the actress; the NBC studios in New York City also report a high number of switchboard calls regarding Stuart's imminent demise. Executive producer Jill Farren Phelps decides that actress Alice Barrett will be killed off the show instead.
• The O. J. Simpson civil trial begins.
• Zenith introduces the first HDTV-compatible front projection TV in the U.S. Broadcasters, TV & PC manufacturers set industry standards for digital HDTV.
• Over a billion households worldwide now own television sets.
• News Corporation gets into the cable news fray with the launch of Fox News Channel.
• Main version of Dragon Ball Z ends (1989-1996).

Debuts

• September 13 - Everybody Loves Raymond premieres (1996-present).
• September - Spin City premieres on ABC (1996-2002).
• 7th Heaven premieres on the WB (1996-present).
• Dexter's Laboratory premieres (1996-present).
• Hey Arnold! premieres (1996-present).
• Judge Judy premieres (1996-present).
• The Daily Show premieres (1996-present).
• The Newsroom premieres on CBC (first limited run series aired in 1996-1997, second series aired in 2003-2004).

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present)
• Candid Camera (1948-present)
• Guiding Light (1952-present)
• The Today Show (1952-present)
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present)
• Face the Nation (1954-present)
• The Tonight Show (1954-present)
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003)
• As the World Turns (1956-present)
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present)
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present)
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present)
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present)
• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present)
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present)
• General Hospital (1963-present)
• Another World (1964-1999)
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present)
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present)
• Play School (1966-present)
• 60 Minutes (1968-present)
• One Life to Live (1968-present)
• Sesame Street (1969-present)
• All My Children (1970-present)
• Monday Night Football (1970-present)
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
• Soul Train (1971-present)
• Emmerdale (UK) (1972-present)
• Newsround (UK) (1972-present)
• The Price Is Right (1972-present)
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present)
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present)
• Derrick (1974-1998)
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present)
• Good Morning America (1975-present)
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present)
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present)
• 20/20 (1978-present)
• Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present)
• Entertainment Tonight (1981-present)
• Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present)
• The Bill (UK) (1984-present)
• EastEnders (UK) (1985-present)
• Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present)
• Sally (1985-2002)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present)
• Inspector Morse (1987-2000)
• Married... with Children (1987-1997)
• The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present)
• Murphy Brown (1988-1998)
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999)
• Roseanne (1988-1997)
• The Ward (UK) (1988-2000)
• Baywatch (1989-2001)
• Cops (1989-present)
• Family Matters (1989-1998)
• Seinfeld (1989-1998)
• The Simpsons (1989-present)
• Law & Order (1990-present)
• One Foot in the Grave (UK) (1990-2000)
• Home Improvement (1991-1999)
• Rugrats (1991-2004)
• The Jerry Springer Show (1991-present)
• Absolutely Fabulous (UK) (1992-1996, 2001-2003)
• Barney & Friends (1992-2002)
• Dateline NBC (1992-present)
• Mad About You (1992-1999)
• The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998)
• The Real World (1992-present)
• Beavis and Butt-head (1993-1997)
• Frasier (1993-2004)
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-present)
• NYPD Blue (1993-present)
• The Late Show with David Letterman (1993-present)
• The Nanny (1993-1999)
• The X-Files (1993-2002)
• ER (1994-present)
• Friends (1994-2004)
• Touched by an Angel (1994-2003)
• JAG (1995-present)
• Pamela Wallin Live (Canada) (1995-1999)
• Sesame Park (Canada) (1995-2002)
• Sliders (1995-2000)
• The Drew Carey Show (1995-2004)
• The Wheezer Bros. (1995-2001)
• Timon and Pumbaa (1995-1998)
• Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present)
• Doug (1991-1994, 1996-1999)
• Postman Pat (UK) (1981, 1996, 2003-present)

Ending this year

• Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996).
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996).
• Tales from the Crypt (1989-1996).
• Road to Avonlea (Canada) (1990-1996).
• Sisters (1991-1996).
• The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991-1996).
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993-1996).

Deaths

• June 2 - Ray Combs, 40, former host of Family Feud.
• September 13 - Tupac Shakur, 25, actor/songwriter.