1994 in Australian television

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Geraldo Perez (talk | contribs) at 03:12, 2 December 2016 (Reverted edits by 61.68.147.96 (talk) to last version by 111.220.168.233). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

List of years in Australian television
+...

Events

  • 18 January – Australian police drama series Blue Heelers premieres on Seven Network.
  • 28 January – American animated series Rugrats makes its debut on ABC at 5:30 pm.
  • 31 January – American children's action TV series Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers debuts on Seven Network.
  • February – Network Ten launches Heartbreak High, a brand new schoolroom drama which was a spinoff of the 1993 Australian romantic comedy feature film The Heartbreak Kid.
  • February – Derryn Hinch has taken over Ray Martin's place as host of the Australian award winning reality series Midday.
  • 28 February – Australian long running children's TV series Mr Squiggle returns to ABC for a brand new series at 3:55 pm.
  • 3 March – British long running science fiction series Doctor Who airs on ABC for the last time in its original run at 4:30 am with the fourth and final part of the sixth and final serial of Season 22 Revelation of the Daleks.
  • 21 March – Final episode of the Australian comedy series Mother and Son airs on ABC.
  • 27 March – The Animals of Farthing Wood, a British children's animated series based on the books by Colin Dann premieres on ABC at 8:00 am as part of Couch Potato.
  • 10 April – Australian children's TV series Lift Off has spawned into a game show titled EC Plays Lift Off with Mr. Fish as the host and only running for 13 episodes. It will air on ABC on every Sunday morning as part of Couch Potato.
  • 11 April – Australian children's comedy series The Ferals premieres on ABC.
  • 11 April – Michael Tunn, the host of the ABC's Afternoon Show returns with a brand new music series called Loud as a replacement for the weekday afternoon magazine show that was axed in late 1993. The show includes music videos as well as reviews on movies and video games, feature stories on youth culture, musicians talking about their favourite music videos and on location interviews with bands and will be shown from Monday to Thursday at 5:30 pm.
  • 23 April – American children's TV series Barney and Friends premieres on Nine Network.
  • 29 April – In Neighbours, Jim Robinson dies from a heart attack. The last ever of the original 1985 cast members, Alan Dale departs the series. Anne Haddy becomes the last original cast member in Neighbours 8-year history. Julie Martin is the next character to be killed off the show following the past deaths of characters Daphne Clarke (Elaine Smith, 1988), Kerry Bishop (Linda Hartley, 1990), Harold Bishop (Ian Smith, 1991), Todd Landers (Kristian Schmid, 1992) & Jim Robinson (Alan Dale, 1993) being terminated and written out.
  • 30 April – The Tasmanian television market is aggregated, with TasTV (now WIN Television) taking a Nine Network affiliation & Southern Cross taking a dual Seven and Ten affiliation.
  • 9 May – Frontline a satirical look at current affairs television from Australian comedy group The D-Generation starts airing on ABC.
  • 16 May – A brand new Australian game show for children called A*mazing debuts on Seven Network. Hosted by James Sherry and airing at 4:30 pm, the show pitted teams from two different primary schools against each other during the course of a week. Points gained by each contestant during the week would be totalled up to decide the winning school at the end of each week.
  • 20 May – SBS commences transmission in Darwin.
  • 23 May – Australia's favourite koala Blinky Bill returns to television with a brand new animated series on ABC at 4:30 pm.
  • 20 June – Australian teen game show Vidiot returns to the ABC for a brand new series with Scott McRae taking over as presenter.
  • August – The Commonwealth Games are televised live on Network Ten from Victoria, Canada.
  • 1 August – Melbourne's ATV10 celebrates 30 years of transmission.
  • 17 August – Australian comedy series Hey Dad..! hosts its final original episode on Seven Network.
  • 18 August – Australian soap opera Neighbours rebrands with new opening and closing titles and a brand new theme song sung by Melbourne-based singer Greg Hind.
  • October – In Neighbours The Kennedy Family (Susan, Karl, Libby, Billy, Mal) arrive at No. 28, Doug & Pam Willis leave for Darwin, Julie Martin is killed in the Murder Mystery Weekend.
  • October 19 - The Very Best Of The Don Lane Show (8.30pm, Nine) features Don Lane introducing some of the memorable segments to have come from the popular variety show that ran from 1975 to 1983, including footage of guest stars Mel Brooks, Billy Connolly, James Randi, Charlton Heston, Bob Hope, Liza Minnelli, Robin Williams, Sammy Davis Jnr, Peter Allen, John Farnham, Peter Sellers and Johnny O’Keefe. This special was remastered for a DVD release in 2004.
  • A Country Practice (1981–1993 on Channel 7) revival attempt on Channel 10 backfires and is swiftly cancelled due to low ratings.
  • Community Television starts with long-term trials of stations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

Debuts

Program Network Debut date
Blue Heelers Seven Network 18 January
Heartbreak High Network Ten February
The Big Byte SBS TV 1 April
EC Plays Lift Off ABC TV 10 April
The Reading, Writing Roadshow ABC TV 11 April
The Ferals ABC TV 11 April
Loud ABC TV 11 April
Consumer Power ABC TV 13 April
Frontline ABC TV 9 May
A*mazing Seven Network 16 May
The Adventures of Blinky Bill ABC TV 23 May
Janus ABC TV 1 September
Escape from Jupiter ABC TV 26 November

International Programming

Program Network Debut date
United States States of Mind SBS TV 2 January
United Kingdom Great Crimes and Trials of the 20th Century ABC TV 7 January
United States The Late Show with David Letterman Nine Network 12 January
Denmark Kings Without Crowns SBS TV 16 January
Greece A Very Merry Widow SBS TV 19 January
United States Rugrats ABC TV 28 January
United States Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Seven Network 31 January
United States Biker Mice from Mars Network Ten 31 January
United States The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Network Ten 31 January
United Kingdom Wales Funnybones ABC TV 1 February
United States United Kingdom Where's Wally? ABC TV 2 February
United States Missing Persons Nine Network 2 February
United States NYPD Blue Network Ten 3 February
United Kingdom Calling the Shots ABC TV 3 February
United States Eek! The Cat Network Ten 3 February
United States The X-Files Network Ten 10 February
United States Flesh 'n' Blood Seven Network 13 February
Canada Here's How! ABC TV 22 February
United States The Bob Morrison Show Nine Network 22 February
United Kingdom Gallowglass ABC TV 27 February
United States Sightings Seven Network 1 March
United States Animaniacs Nine Network 5 March
Canada Forever Knight Nine Network 9 March
United States Boy Meets World Nine Network 23 March
United States Dave's World Nine Network 24 March
United States Frasier Nine Network 24 March
United Kingdom The Animals of Farthing Wood ABC TV 27 March
United Kingdom Kevin's Cousins ABC TV 1 April
United States Ferris Bueller Nine Network 1 April
United Kingdom Blood and Honey ABC TV 3 April
Canada Northwood ABC TV 11 April
United States The Hat Squad Nine Network 15 April
United Kingdom Old Bear Stories ABC TV 18 April
United Kingdom Rat-a-Tat-Tat ABC TV 20 April
Canada Mathica's Mathshop ABC TV 20 April
United States Barney and Friends Nine Network 23 April
United States Walker, Texas Ranger Nine Network 28 April
United Kingdom Hit and Run SBS TV 11 May
Netherlands Miffy ABC TV 16 May
United Kingdom The Greedysaurus Gang ABC TV 23 May
United States Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Seven Network 25 May
United Kingdom Kinsey ABC TV 30 May
Canada Ready or Not ABC TV 17 June
United States Beakman's World Network Ten 19 June
United Kingdom Between the Lines Seven Network 28 June
United States Madeline (TV series) ABC TV 28 June
United Kingdom Philbert Frog ABC TV 28 June
United States Conan the Adventurer Network Ten 4 July
United Kingdom A Touch of Frost Seven Network 8 July
United Kingdom Murder Most Horrid ABC TV 11 July
United Kingdom Teddy Trucks ABC TV 15 July
Republic of Ireland Glenroe SBS 18 July
United Kingdom Jo Brand Through the Cakehole Seven Network 21 July
Germany Dolphin Stories SBS TV 21 July
Canada Ooh La La SBS TV 22 July
United States Great Chefs of San Francisco SBS TV 23 July
Germany Switch SBS TV 26 July
United Kingdom As Time Goes By ABC TV 8 August
France Canada Highlander: The Series Seven Network 11 August
France Orson and Olivia ABC TV 19 August
United States SeaQuest DSV Network Ten 28 August
United States Models Inc. Network Ten 30 August
United States Mad About You Network Ten 30 August
United States Burke's Law (1994) Network Ten 2 September
United Kingdom Ben Elton: The Man from Auntie ABC TV 17 September
Croatia Countess Dora SBS TV 21 September
United Kingdom So Haunt Me ABC TV 22 September
United Kingdom Sea Dragon ABC TV 26 September
Spain Seven Signs SBS TV 27 September
United Kingdom Wallace and Gromit ABC TV 30 September
United Kingdom Noel's House Party Nine Network 30 September
United States Exosquad Network Ten 15 October
United Kingdom Mansion: Great Houses of Europe SBS TV 18 October
United Kingdom Discovering Japan ABC TV 19 October
New Zealand Shortland Street SBS TV 24 October
United Kingdom The Dreamstone ABC TV 6 November
United Kingdom The Riff Raff Element ABC TV 12 November
United Kingdom Budgie the Little Helicopter ABC TV 18 November
United Kingdom Tumbledown Farm ABC TV 18 November
United Kingdom Bottom ABC TV 22 November
United States The John Larroquette Show Nine Network 28 November
United States The Mommies Seven Network 1 December
United States Diagnosis: Murder Nine Network 1 December
United States The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Nine Network 3 December
United States Cobra Seven Network 3 December
United States Babylon 5 Seven Network 3 December
United Kingdom Sea Trek ABC TV 8 December
United Kingdom Byker Grove ABC TV 13 December
Spain Three Stars SBS TV 16 December
United Kingdom Rubbish, King of the Jumble ABC TV 18 December
Germany Success SBS TV 23 December
United States Brains & Brawn (1993) Seven Network 26 December
France Twins of Destiny ABC TV 27 December
United Kingdom See How They Grow ABC TV 29 December
United Kingdom The World of Hammer SBS TV 31 December
United States Mighty Max Seven Network 1994
United States Doug Network Ten 1994
United States Canada Tales from the Cryptkeeper Network Ten 1994
United States Bonkers Seven Network 1994
United States Marsupilami Seven Network 1994

Changes to network affiliation

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had previously premiered on another Australian television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.

Domestic

Program New network(s) Previous network(s) Date
Ship to Shore ABC TV Nine Network 2 October

International

Program New network(s) Previous network(s) Date
United Kingdom Woof! ABC TV Nine Network 9 October

Television

ABC TV

Seven Network

Nine Network

Network Ten

Ending this year

Date Show Channel Debut
21 March Mother and Son ABC 1984
17 August Hey Dad...! Channel Seven 1987
November A Country Practice Channel Ten (Channel Seven, 1981–1993) 1994