TV flashback 1991

One of the advantages and disadvantages of having a family home that's been in the family for sixty-odd years is that random glimpses of the past turn up regularly. Particularly out in the garage, which was Grandad's haunt, and where he stored the many articles and clippings that took his fancy over the years. In going through some of this material recently my mother chanced upon an entire front section of the Herald from 15 April 1991. The lead item is 'Prices cut for firms to survive' ('Extreme gloom now prevails throughout the economy...'), written by the Herald's current chief political reporter, John Armstrong. Most of the local news concerns the early impact of the October 1990 general election, which had returned National to power. There are numerous references to the Employment Contracts Bill, which became law in May 1991. The legislation generated much protest at the time and was repealed in 2000 after Labour returned to power. There are also newspaper ads for now-departed concerns like the United Bank ('11.25% p.a., 3 month term, minimum deposit $5000').

At the back of the section the compact television listings sit next to a TV review by the now Herald editor-in-chief, Tim Murphy. There are just three free-to-air channels, plus brief listings for Sky News, Sky Sport and Sky Films. Here's a reminder of what New Zealand TV viewers had to entertain themselves in primetime, 1991. There's certainly not much local content in peak hours! Bring back any memories of the days when the schedule included a 'Closedown' at the end of the evening?

ONE

5.15 Me and My Girl - sappy ITV family comedy (1984-88, 52 episodes)
6.00 Network News
6.30 Holmes - personality-driven 'current affairs' (1989-2004)
7.00 Sale of the Century - with Steve Parr
7.30 'Allo 'Allo - BBC WW2 farce (1982-92, 85 episodes)
8.05 Fawlty Towers - BBC classic Cleese comedy (1975/1979, 12 episodes)
8.45 Beyond 2000 - Australian science show (1985-99, 475 episodes)
9.45 Haggard - ITV Georgian comedy (1990-92, 2 series)
10.15 Network News
10.45 Documentary: Nippon - The Shock Effect
12.00 In Sickness and In Health - BBC Warren Mitchell sitcom (1985-92, 47 episodes)
12.40 Closedown

TWO

5.00 The Bugs Bunny Show - with Hine Elder
5.30 Wheel of Fortune
6.00 Blind Date
6.30 M*A*S*H - Korean War comedy (1972-83, 256 episodes)
7.00 Neighbours - Australian soap (1985-onwards, 6740 episodes+)
7.30 The Flying Doctors - Australian drama (1986-93, 221 episodes)
8.30 L.A. Law - US legal drama (1986-94, 172 episodes)
9.30 Jake and the Fatman - US crime drama (1987-92, 106 episodes)
10.30 Aussie League - Winfield Cup, Manly v St George
12.45 Closedown

THREE

5.00 He-Man - figurine-selling animation
5.30 Home and Away - Australian soap (1987-onwards, 5840 episodes+)
6.00 National News
7.00 Hey Dad! - Australian family sitcom (1987-94, 291 episodes)
7.30 Candid Camera
8.00 Lenny - US sitcom (1990-91, 16 episodes)
8.30 Movie: Peter Gunn (1989 telemovie feat. Peter Strauss)
10.30 Nightline - with Joanna Paul & Belinda Todd
11.00 Hot Pursuit - short-lived US drama (1984, 1 series)
12.00 Closedown

See also:
TV: Jean-Philippe Toussaint on Television, 4 August 2012
TV: Movies on NZ free-to-air TV, 30 July 2012
TV: Public service broadcasting in NZ, 27 July 2009