TNBC

TNBC
Teen NBC

TNBC logo used from 2000–2002
Premiered	September 12, 1992
Closed	September 2, 2002 (replaced by Discovery Kids on NBC)
Channel	NBC (owned by NBC Universal)
Origin	United States
Format	Saturday morning block Live-action teen programming block

TNBC (or Teen NBC) was an American programming block that aired on NBC from September 12, 1992 to September 2, 2002.

The block, which featured live-action series geared toward teenagers and young adults, regularly aired on Saturday mornings, though certain programs within the lineup aired on Sundays, or were preempted outright early on, in some parts of the country due to carriage of local programming by certain stations affiliated with the network or scheduling issues with regional or network sports broadcasts.

History

The idea for TNBC sprang from the popularity of the teen sitcom Saved by the Bell, which debuted on the network in 1989 (though it originated as Good Morning, Miss Bliss on The Disney Channel in 1988).^[1] The success of the series ultimately persuaded NBC to cancel all of its animated programs in 1992 and replace them with live action teen-oriented shows on Saturday mornings, making NBC the first network to drop children's programming entirely. As a result of this change, California Dreams, originally a sitcom about a family was changed to a sitcom about a group of teenage friends, setting the template for future TNBC shows to follow this same format.

The sitcom USA High, produced by Peter Engel (who produced most of the scripted programs that aired as part of the block), was originally intended to air on the lineup. However, the series instead aired on USA Network (which would become a sister network to NBC, following Vivendi Universal's 2003 purchase of NBC), along with Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which aired concurrently on both networks. Another Engel-produced sitcom Malibu, CA only aired on syndication. That series was packaged with Saved by the Bell and California Dreams and aired on local television stations. USA High and Malibu, CA are the only Engel-produced series that did not air on TNBC, post-Saved by the Bell: The College Years.

During the lineup's history, only two reality-based series were produced: Brains & Brawn and Name Your Adventure. Another non-scripted NBC show, NBA Inside Stuff, aired directly after the programming block but was never actually part of TNBC.

In 2000, the Thomas W. Lynch-produced series Just Deal became the first TNBC scripted series not to be produced by Peter Engel since the short-lived 1993 series Running the Halls, and the first series to be shot in a single-camera format. The following year Sk8, also produced by Lynch, aired for one season before being canceled. Reruns continued to air until the lineup for the network until the launch of Discovery Kids on NBC in September 2002.

List of TNBC shows

• All About Us (2001)
• Brains & Brawn (1993–1994)
• California Dreams (1992–1997)
• City Guys (1997–2001)
• Hang Time (1995–2001)
• Just Deal (2000–2002)
• Name Your Adventure (1992–1995)
• NBA Inside Stuff (1990–2002)
• One World (1998–2001)
• Running the Halls (1993–1994)
• Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993–2000)
• Sk8 (2001–2002)

References