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1990 in television

See also: 1989 in television, other events of 1990, 1991 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• January 21 - MTV Unplugged premieres on cable television with musical guest, Squeeze.
• February 17 - Aerosmith appears in the Saturday Night Live sketch Wayne's World, where they perform the Wayne's World theme song.
• April 30 - The long-lost pilot film to I Love Lucy airs on CBS as a special.
• Chris Farley and Adam Sandler join Saturday Night Live.
• The poorly received Cop Rock preimieres on television, TV's first (and last) musical police drama.
• Legislation is signed into United States law requiring close captioning decoders in all large color TVs manufactured after July 1, 1993.
• Genie Francis, in an attempt to shed her image as Laura Spencer, starts playing her third soap role, as Irishwoman Ceara Connor on All My Children.

Debuts

• January - One Foot in the Grave premieres on the BBC (1990-2000)
• January - Road to Avonlea premieres, airing on CBC in Canada and on The Disney Channel in the US (1990-1996)
• October - Law & Order premieres (1990-present)
• In Living Color premieres (1990-1994)

Popular 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• Fawlty Towers (UK) (1975-present)
• Good Morning America (1975-present)
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present)
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present)
• Dallas (1978-1991)
• Knots Landing (1979-1993)
• Entertainment Tonight (1981-present)
• Cheers (1982-1993)
• Late Night with David Letterman (1982-1993)
• The Journal (Canada) (1982-1992)
• Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present)
• Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)
• Night Court (1984-1992)
• The Bill (UK) (1984-present)
• The Cosby Show (1984-1992)
• Who's the Boss? (1984-1992)
• EastEnders (UK) (1985-present)
• Growing Pains (1985-1992)
• MacGyver (1985-1992)
• Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present)
• The Golden Girls (1985-1992)
• Amen (1986-1991)
• Designing Women (1986-1993)
• Matlock (1986-1995)
• Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986-1991)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present)
• Full House (1987-1995)
• Inspector Morse (1987-2000)
• Married with Children (1987-1997)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
• The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present)
• thirtysomething (1987-1991)
• Children's Ward (UK) (1988-2000)
• Empty Nest (1988-1995)
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present)
• Garfield and Friends (1988-1995)
• Roseanne (1988-1997)
• Cops (1989-present)
• Press Gang (UK) (1989-1993)
• Seinfeld (1989-1998)
• Tales from the Crypt (1989-1996)
• The Arsenio Hall Show (1989-1994)
• The Simpsons (1989-present)
• Match Game (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999)

Ending this year

• You Can't Do That on Television (Canada) (1979-1990)
• Falcon Crest (1981-1990)
• Newhart (1982-1990)
• 227 (1985-1990)
• Mr. Belvedere (1985-1990)
• ALF (1986-1990)
• Mama's Family (1983-1984, 1986-1990)
• The Tracey Ullman Show (1987-1990)
• Juke Box Jury (1959-1967, 1979, 1989-1990)

Cancelled, but eventually to return to the air

• The Magical World of Disney (1988-1990)

Deaths

• January 2 - Alan Hale Jr., actor on Gilligan's Island
• October 26 - William S. Paley, founder and longtime head of the CBS