Retrospective: October 1988

I have a small box of old papers that I've been sorting through. It's mostly report cards, drawings, and occasional projects from school. I'll post more about some of this later but, for now, I want to look on an interesting newspaper clipping I found stashed in amongst the teacher reviews and little league photos. The clipping is from the 10/12/1988 issue of USA Today and focuses on academic advice for students looking forward to college. It's interesting but nothing that I'm overly excited about right now. Really, I'm surprised that in the midst of mowing yards to earn money, running cross country, and just being awkward around girls, I had time to look forward to college back then (I would've been thirteen and in seventh grade at the time).

Anyway, I was about to toss out the article when I struck gold! On the back of the education article was printing the TV Ratings for the week of 10/3/1988 through 10/9/1988! I don't have the bottom section of the ratings but it's still a pretty sweet score.

So, let's look back at the top 10 shows for week:

1. The Cosby Show
2. A Different World
3. Golden Girls
4. Empty Nest
5. Dear John
6. Jesse
7. ALF
8. NFL Football/60 Minutes/Hogan Family/Tonight Show Anniversary (tie)
   

Now, the bottom 5:

1. The Cavanaughs/Bugs Bunny Special (tie)
   
2. Perfect Strangers/Wiseguy (tie)
3. Simon & Simon
4. Live! Dick Clark Presents
   

I'm shocked that Simon & Simon rated so poorly. Then again, they were on Saturday night, opposite that ratings juggernaut, Golden Girls with their Amen lead-in and Empty Nest trailer. Perfect Strangers rated surprisingly low, too. Poor Balki. I do like the fact the Perfect Strangers and Wiseguy tied. Not only did the have similar ratings but they'd make a terrific bit of crossover fan fiction.

It really is a time capsule in print. There's ALF. Mr. Belvedere. 227. Vice Presidential Debates. It's all there. But not a single reality show. And, apparently, the FOX network isn't even on the radar. How times have changed.