Why don't major networks like CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox show TV movies of the week anymore? My mom was telling me today that in the '80s and the '90s there were tons of TV movies. But today when you turn on the TV all the major networks show are movies that have been realised at the theatres. It's not that I don't like the movies that have been been at the theatres but I don't understand why these networks don't show more TV movies. I guess it's a sign of the times. :-\\

You're right...they don't show too many of those anymore.  Thank goodness for lifetime movies, I guess! :D

Sci Fi Channel and Disney also have their own made to tv movies  ::)

It is probably because of both cost, and the inexpensive cost of DVD.

In the past, there were several small movie companies that specialized in making movies like that.  They would make them, then shop them to the various networks, hoping to find somebody to show it.  Then you have the reverse, where the network approaches one of them with an idea for a movie they want made.

In most cases now, the small production companies simply make the movies, and release them directly onto DVD.  Or instead of approaching a network, they approach a cable channel that specializes in the type of content the movie contains.

You still se network produced movies however.  Most of the time, they are based on some kind of "real world" type of situation, like the OJ Simpson trial.  Or they are simply fleshed out more, and called a "Mini-series".

The "Movie Of The Week" format was largely from the 1970's.  ABC in fact had 2 or 3 of them every night, every week.  Until the last 1980's, the James Bond franchise had a contract with ABC< and normally one was shown a month on Sunday night for years.  And a lot of movies that were 2-3 years old were also shown that way.  That is now done by cable movie channels, like Starz, FMC and AMC, in addition to specialty channels like A&E, History, and Sci-Fi.

And I don't see that changing any time soon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_ABC_Sunday_Night_Movie

And here is a classic "ABC Sunday Night Movie" bumper, for "Raiders Of The Lost Ark".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZFFAgb5D1Y

And the full Friday Night Movie intro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6s07_G1G9o

I bet NBC no longer airs them because they don't wanna take away time slots from all their hit TV shows :D

And the full Friday Night Movie intro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6s07_G1G9o


  Oh wow...

  That ABC FNM intro is classic.  Hit me like a ton of bricks...

  That music, when I was a kid, meant that it was about bedtime.  What went on in the house after I had gone to bed was an enthralling mystery go ;)...

   Oh wow...

   That ABC FNM intro is classic.  Hit me like a ton of bricks...

   That music, when I was a kid, meant that it was about bedtime.  What went on in the house after I had gone to bed was an enthralling mystery go ;)...


Yea, that is why I went looking for those.  Those intros were very iconic of the era, and anybody old enough to remember them will find them instantly recognizeable.

They were also one of the first instances of "computer aided animation".  The stars and their movement was plotted on a computer, and were then "painted over" with traditional pen and ink animation.  Very much a fore-runner of what Disney would do decades later in The Great Mouse Detective and Beauty And The Beast.

During most of the 70's, I lived in Idaho, which was on Mountain Time.  My bedtime was normally 9pm on Sunday, which fell right in the middle of the movie.  However, if it was a particularly good movie (like a Jamed Bond movie, Pink Panther, or 2001), my parents let me stay up to watch the entire thing.

After having run movies on everything from Anthrax to Zits, the networks finally ran out of heart-wrenching movies to churn.

Back in the early 80's these movies were derided as "Disease of the Week" flicks.  ;D

My favorite or I should say most memorable movies of the week were from the 70's and both were tear jerkers.
The Boy In The Plastic Bubble starring John Travolta and Diana Hyland (his real life much older girlfriend, who died of cancer)
Something For Joey - the true story of John Cappeletti's younger brother who died of Leukemia. John went on to win the Heisman Trophy.
Both of these movies have remained in my memory after more than 25 years.

One of my favorites from the 70's was Brian's Song.  :\'(

Oh yes! that one killed me too. I loved the tear jerker/sports movies.

"Totally Awesome", probably first VH1 movie in about 5 years, will be on in 2 weeks  8) :D


"Sybil" did make Sally Field a respected actresses after getting typecasted in bad 60's sitcoms, though Farrah Fawcett still didn't get respected after  the "Burning Bed"...

My mom taped quite a few TV movies, mostly in the '80s. We didn't get a VCR until 1987. We still have the tapes and watch them from time to time and we still tape a lot of TV movies. Some of our favorites are, in no particular order:

Bridesmaids

Something about Amelia

Love Lives On

Don't Go To Sleep

Mother and Daughter: A Loving War

And many, many more. My mom has a whole cupboard in her bedroom full of TV movies that she has taped.

I loved the Tuesday and Wednesday movie of the week movies. Starsky & Hutch and Charlie's Angels started as ABC movies of the week and was later made into TV shows.

I loved the Tuesday and Wednesday movie of the week movies. Starsky & Hutch and Charlie's Angels started as ABC movies of the week and was later made into TV shows.


A lot of the "Movie Of The Week" were actually intended as pilots of future TV shows.  It let them get a "feel" for how a show wouild be recieved, and let them fine-tune it beofre spending all the money on cast and sets.

The Love Boat started as a 1976 "Movie Of The Week".  The show got great reviews, but it was realized that some of the casting did not work.  They then did The Love Boat II, and recast the role of "Gopher", and brought in a new crew (except for Isaac).  This time they got the go-ahead for a series, but needed to replace the Captain.  The brought in Darrin McGavin, and the cast was finally set.

Fantasy Island was much the same way.  It also had 2 "Made For TV" movies before getting the green-light for a TV series.

And sometimes things changed in mid-production, or worked in reverse.  "Buck Rogers" was intended to be a made for TV movie, but the reviews were so popular they decided to give it a theatrical run before bringing out the series.  The first "Star Trek" movie was intended to be a TV movie then series.  But was turned into a theatrical movie when the budget got increased, and Leonard Nimoy agreed to rejoin the cast.