http://ultimate70s.com/seventies_history/19821107/television
Before AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS and other reality shows that networks use to augment their schedules, there were Dick Clark and Ed McMahon.
Clark's TV'S CENSORED BLOOPERS and McMahon's TV'S GREATEST COMMERCIALS specials proved to be big hits. On this date 35 years ago, they were such valuable arsenal that NBC put them against CBS's hit Sunday comedies and ABC's premiere of the Oscar-winning "Kramer Vs. Kramer."
Eventually, the shows merged into TV'S BLOOPERS AND PRACTICAL JOKES joining the NBC Monday schedule in January 1984. NBC had launched nine new shows the previous fall and eventually, all nine failed. BLOOPERS turned out to be a big help in turning their fortunes around. It lasted on Mondays for a couple of years and would continue to be revived as specials beyond that.
Not missing a trend, ABC used its own reality/blooper shows to boost their schedule in 1984. Comedies were believed to be a dying breed as HAPPY DAYS and THREE'S COMPANY were ending after long runs. (No ABC comedy has lasted as long as HAPPY DAYS' eleven seasons since!) FOUL-UPS, BLEEPS AND BLUNDERS with Don Rickles and Steve Lawrence propped up the Tuesday line-up and PEOPLE DO THE CRAZIEST THINGS debuted on Thursdays along with a freshman comedy, WHO'S THE BOSS? Inevitably, both reality shows failed and BOSS shifted to Tuesdays where it became a hit.
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/16/arts/cbs-increases-tv-ratings-lead.html
In 2017, of course, AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS continues on Sunday nights, and was recently joined by SHARK TANK. In 2018, ABC will revive AMERICAN IDOL on Sundays. As this night continues to be a cornucopia of scripted shows, reality favorites still proves to be wise counter-programming.
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