A Year in the Life

I think about this show often and wish so much I could watch it again!

I too thought the series was well done and I believe it was gathering steam until the Sarajevo Winter Olympics started on ABC. It lost viewership to the Games for those couple weeks causing NBC to move it a less desirable time slot further causing a slide. It's a shame but all the major networks make the same business decision - appealing to the masses to sell more soap instead of finding and keeping niche audiences with quality programming (such as Byrds of Paradise (ABC) and Now and Again (CBS)). However, with the advent of niche cable channels (Lifetime, Oxygen, BET, etc...), more diverse programming can be aired. That trend could be accelerated if the FCC will allow us to choose only those cable channels we wish to subscribe. Then the market could work and quality programming may get a chance. Until then, the lowest common denominator will win out (Fox's recipe for success).

Although it may now be a bit dated, in fact two of the stars of the show (Kiley and Oliver) have passed away, this show would definitely be a hit on Lifetime or A&E. Trouble is, they don't want a series that only has 25 or so episodes to air. The ratings for this show were actually pretty good, in fact its 20-shares would be considered phenomenal in today's ratings game. But it aired at a time when cable was just emerging, network TV ratings were askew and indecipherable, and NBC just plain gave up on it. I can still remember Richard Kiley accepting his Emmy award that year, scolding "the network myopia that killed a fine show". A YEAR IN THE LIFE is still the best television series that I have ever enjoyed.

The subject matter, acting and directing of this series were, in its time, on the level of cable television -- and I knew upon viewing it that it would never last. I've got every episode, including the miniseries on videocasette, but they are now very hard to watch (on the edge of extinction), but I still have a "Year in the Life" marathon about once a year when I feel like visiting this most interesting Seattle family. My favorite scene, and the crowning glory of this series was when Anne explains to Sunny that she was not responsible for a friend's suicide.....just excellent. I don't know if this will ever be run again, perhaps on cable...but someone send a shoutout because I will resubscribe to cable just to tape fresh copies of every episode....network television is rarely this excellent.

It's so wild to see how many comments there are on this show after it's sad demise years ago now. I was SOOOO disappointed when it was cancelled. Somehow I had the feeling that it was just to good to stay on the air, as generally happens pretty regularly in television, no doubt.

I faintly remember exact story lines and characters, but I do remember it as being one of the best shows I've ever seen and it has stuck with me.

If anyone reads this, and know's how to get copies of the one and only season, I would be forever indebted...god I'd love to see this again! The 80's were a really good time for me, and it would just be a real gift to see one of my favorite shows from the era again..

I can be reached at jsbx5@yahoo.com..

Hope to hear from someone out there!