Sitcoms had become prevalent enough by the fall of 1954 that there were seven instances of sitcoms scheduled opposite each other. Three of those sitcom showdowns were repeats of the previous season, or in one case, of the previous two seasons.
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet vs. Mama on Friday at 8:00
These long-running family shows went head-to-head for the third time in a row. CBS’ Mama won the previous two battles.
This season marked the first time the aging Mama didn’t make Nielsen’s top 30 shows. Because ABC’s The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was also not among the higher-rated shows for the season, I don’t have data for where either show landed for the season. However, since each was renewed and would battle in the same timeslot for the fourth time the next season, I’m declaring the battle a tie.
Winner: Tie
The Life of Riley vs. Topper vs. The Ray Bolger Show on Friday at 8:30
NBC’s The Life of Riley easily won the battle with CBS’ Topper the previous season. I neglected to mention last week that The Life of Riley had a half-season head start on Topper, so it was a case of a returning show vs. a debuting series. ABC made it a three-way competition in 1954 by moving The Ray Bolger Show into the same Friday timeslot. Formerly named Where’s Raymond?, the new name and timeslot were in addition to cast and format shakeups.
The Life of Riley continued to win the timeslot with a 21st-place finish for the season, although Topper was on its heels in 24th place. One of the first fantasy sitcoms, Topper was ahead of its time as supernatural comedies would saturate television schedules in the 1960s. The changes to The Ray Bolger Show did little good as the sitcom faced tough competition from two hits. It was cancelled at season’s end. Surprisingly, so was Topper, which reportedly lost its sponsor. Because it had become a hit, it didn’t leave the primetime schedule entirely. ABC aired it in reruns the next season.
Winner: The Life of Riley
The Jack Benny Program/Private Secretary vs. Mister Peepers on Sunday at 7:30
After winning the slot the previous season, CBS continued to alternate The Jack Benny Program and Private Secretary on Sundays. This season, Benny would now air every other week, after showing only once every three weeks the previous year. Mr. Peepers returned to NBC in the fall of 1954, with Peepers now a married man.
The every-other-week format boosted Benny’s popularity, as his show finished 7th for the season. Private Secretary also saw slightly higher ratings, taking the 19th spot in the season’s rankings. Mr. Peepers ran out of gas against its popular competition and left the air when the season ended.
Winner: The Jack Benny Program/Private Secretary
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