Nick at Nite and Me in 1993

Have you recently heard someone mention something from 'thirty years ago' and think they referenced the 1960s or 70s?  I must admit that I do, before having a "HOLY COW!" moment when I realize that thirty years ago was 1993!

Every month when I post "This Month In YesterYear History," I'm shocked at the things that seem like just yesterday but are already thirty years ago!  By the way, you should definitely be reading those articles I put out on the first week of every month.  You can go to the Collections tab and find a link to every one of them that I've put up so far.  It's a quick trip down memory lane that covers the big topics and moments of 20, 25, and 30 years ago.  Maybe it'll spark a memory of something you did or the people you were with when those events happened.  Perhaps you went on a first date to the "top movie of the month" or remember driving your first car while listening to the "top song."  

Check it out, won't ya?

In any event, I was only nine years old in 1993.  As I mention nearly every week here, I watched what some may consider "too much" television as a kid.  I disagree, but too late now.  

My Dad was always a fan of classic television shows.  Classic shows, for me, that is.  Since these were shows from his childhood and he was probably in the middle of his very own "I can't believe this was 30 years ago" moment.  

They say nostalgia goes in 30-year cycles.  People grow up, and as they approach 40, they look back 30 years on their childhood affectionately.  Today in 2023, 1990s nostalgia is en vogue.  Back in the 80s and 90s, nostalgia for the 50s and 60s was just as great.  As that generation turned 40, they began seeking bits and pieces of their childhoods, and Nick-at-Nite was there to offer just what they wanted.   

When we got cable in the early 90s, it wasn't long before Nick-at-Nite became a fixture on our televisions every evening.  After watching most nights with Dad, I became a fan of many of the shows he enjoyed, such as I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke Show.  

In 2020, Nick-at-Nite celebrated its 35th Anniversary.  To commemorate the moment, I wrote what I sometimes consider a love letter to the network-within-a-network.  I'll forever consider my other piece about the Nick-at-Nite Block Party Summer my most significant contribution to the internet.  It's honestly the driving force behind this site and the reason I created the whole thing.  I always thought someone should document the Block Party Summer, and it may as well be me since it was such a large part of my childhood.  

The early to mid-90s was what many consider the "golden age" of Nick-at-Nite.  Those now-iconic retro jingles, ads, and graphics added to the memorable experience.  For those of us who grew up during that time period, Nick-at-Nite was a treasure trove of classic television.  It would often become, especially for me, more memorable than the regular television of my time.  Each night, as the clock hit 8 PM, the familiar jingle signaled the start of a magical memory.  Families everywhere, mine included, tuned in to be transported back to a simpler, more innocent time.  

Man, I said it earlier, and I've said it before, but I still just can't believe 1993 was THIRTY years ago.  

So, what were we all watching on Nick-at-Nite back then?  

Keep in mind, Nick-at-Nite schedules changed pretty often and would rotate shows in and out throughout the year.  The below schedule was the one I found most often listed as 1993's lineup.  To be honest, there isn't much coverage out there for old Nick-at-Nite listings other than a handful of YouTube videos.  What web pages I did find with official "listings" on were often suspect at best.

Let's take a look at the listings, shall we?  

8:00 PM - The Patridge Family

8:30 PM - Get Smart

9:00 PM - Dragnet

9:30 PM - The Bob Newhart Show

10:00 PM - The Mary Tyler Moore Show

10:30 PM - The Mary Tyler Moore Show

11:00 PM - The Dick Van Dyke Show

Looking at this schedule, I honestly can't say I remember watching much of it.  However, I remember watching the introduction to Get Smart on most nights.  I loved the long hallway, secret doors, gadgets, and gizmos.  Especially when Agent Smart reached the final telephone booth/elevator.

I would have likely been sent to bed right after the introduction turned into a commercial break, so in 1993, I only saw shows like Mary Tyler Moore or Dick Van Dyke when I was up late with an upset stomach.  

I had a lot of upset stomachs as a child.

One particular memory sticks out in my mind.  Oddly enough, I consider it a memory in the "fond" category, but I was up in the middle of the night with an upset stomach once again.  Once the worst was over, my parents gave up and went back to bed, leaving me to fall asleep in front of the television on the sofa.  As I drifted in and out of sleep, with my ginger ale and saltines, my mood was lifted by seeing different shows that only aired well after midnight.  

I remember seeing The Love Boat, which I enjoyed watching, although I had no idea what was happening.  I distinctly remember watching an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show, in which Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) blurts out on air that her husband's boss, Alan Brady, was bald.  Not sure why I remember that, but I do.  I also watched other fun things that weren't typically on before bedtime, like Green Acres or Mr. Ed.

Later in the year, the lineup changed slightly.  The Dick Van Dyke Show replaced The Bob Newhart Show at 9:30 PM.  The Lucy Show then filled the void left by Dick Van Dyke at 11 PM.  

Easily the greatest contribution to television history from Nick-at-Nite was the biggest bash of the year, The Block Party Summer.  Unfortunately for 9-year-old me in 1993, I would have to wait another year for Nick-at-Nite to begin the famed promotion.  Please check out my article about The Block Party Summer to learn more.

Nick at Nite was created with the intention of celebrating television history.  In fact, its original commercial tagline was "Preserving our television heritage."  Nick-at-Nite will always hold a special place in my heart and the hearts of those who experienced its golden era in the early 1990s.  

It was a time when families all bonded together over classic sitcoms.  Laughter filled our living room each night during that era, as Granny next door would sometimes attest the next morning when she reported hearing us laugh into the evening through the open windows.  That period of Nick-at-Nite captured the essence of timeless television, the power of nostalgia, and had a lasting impact on all of us as some of our most cherished memories.