The year involved some significant events.
Below is a list of Television -related events in 1990 .
''For the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States Network Television Schedule .''
- January 2 - '' All My Children '' airs its 20th anniversary special. The characters Joe and Ruth Martin sit down with Erica Kane , her mother Mona, and Phoebe Wallingford as they go through scrapbook pictures which segue into memorable clips from the show's past twenty years.
- January 21 - '' MTV Unplugged '' premieres on Cable Television with musical guest, Squeeze .
- February 17 - Aerosmith appears in the '' Saturday Night Live '' sketch '' Wayne's World '', where they perform the ''Wayne's World'' theme song.
- March 25 - British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB) launches on cable in the UK , a rival to Sky Television (which launched in February 1989).
- March - On ''All My Children'', Actress Debbi Morgan , one-half of the first black Supercouple , leaves the role of Angie Baxter Hubbard.
- March 30 - Rush Limbaugh guest hosts '' The Pat Sajak Show '' and his controversial comments on Abortion and Affirmative Action create a stir that causes the audience to be removed from the studio.
- April 12 - All three major American networks (ABC, NBC and CBS) simulcast '' Cartoon All-Stars To The Rescue '', a TV special warning kids about the danger of drugs.
- April 29 - BSB launches on Satellite Television .
- April 30 - The long-lost pilot film to '' I Love Lucy '' airs on CBS as a special.
- May 11 - A trick backfires on J.R. when his enemy conspires to trap him inside an Insane Asylum on the season finale of '' Dallas ''.
- 7 June – 16 July - The '' Cruise Of Deception '' storyline airs on '' Days Of Our Lives ''.
- June 27 - Genie Francis , in an attempt to shed her image as Laura Spencer , starts playing her third soap role, as Irishwoman Ceara Connor on ''All My Children'' which she will remain for two years until 1992 .
- October 15 - Legislation is signed into United States law requiring Closed Captioning decoders in all large color TVs manufactured after July 1 , 1993 .
- November 2 - BSB merges with Sky Television, becoming British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB).
- CBS starts airing its daytime lineup in Stereo Sound , after competition from NBC and ABC necessitated the change in standard.
- Chris Farley , Tim Meadows , Chris Rock , Adam Sandler , Rob Schneider and Julia Sweeney join '' Saturday Night Live ''.
- '' Entertainment Tonight '' ( 1981 — )
- '' What Now '' (1982— )
- '' Timewatch '' (UK) (1982— )
- '' Cheers '' ( 1982 –1993)
- '' Late Night With David Letterman '' (1982–1993)
- '' The Journal '' (Canada) (1982– 1992 )
- '' Loving '' ( 1983 –1995)
- '' Jeopardy! '' (1964–1975, )
- '' Mother And Son '' (Australia) (1984–1994)
- '' Murder, She Wrote '' (1984– 1996 )
- '' Night Court '' (1984–1992)
- '' Santa Barbara '' (1984–1993)
- '' The Bill '' (UK) (1984— )
- '' The Cosby Show '' (1984–1992)
- '' Who's The Boss? '' (1984–1992)
- '' EastEnders '' (UK) ( 1985 — )
- '' Growing Pains '' (1985–1992)
- '' MacGyver '' (1985–1992)
- '' Neighbours '' (Australia) (1985— )
- '' Only Fools And Horses '' (UK) (1981–1983, , 1996– 1997 , 2001 –2003)
- '' Sally '' (1985– 2002 )
- '' T-Bag And The Pearls Of Wisdom And T-Bag's Christmas Ding Dong '' (There were various T-Bag series between 1985 and 1992)
- '' The Golden Girls '' (1985–1992)
- '' Amen '' ( 1986 –1991)
- '' Designing Women '' (1986–1993)
- '' Double Dare '' (1986–1993)
- '' Hey Dad...! '' (Australia) (1986–1994)
- '' L.A. Law '' (1986–1994)
- '' Matlock '' (1986–1995)
- '' Pee-wee's Playhouse '' (1986–1991)
- '' Perfect Strangers '' (1986–1993)
- '' The Oprah Winfrey Show '' (1986— )
- '' Comic Relief '' (UK) (1986— )
- '' Casualty '' (UK) (1986— )
- '' A Different World '' ( 1987 –1993)
- '' Beadle's About '' (UK) (1987–1996)
- '' ChuckleVision '' (UK) (1987— )
- '' Full House '' (1987–1995)
- '' Going Live! '' (UK) (1987–1993)
- '' Inspector Morse '' (1987– 2000 )
- '' Knightmare '' (UK) (1987–1994)
- '' Married... With Children '' (1987–1997)
- '''' (1987–1994)
- '' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles '' (1987–1996)
- '' The Bold And The Beautiful '' (1987— )
- '' Thirtysomething '' (1987–1991)
- '' America's Most Wanted '' (1988— )
- '' The American Experience '' (1988— )
- '' Fair City '' (1988— )
- '' Home And Away '' (1988— )
- '' This Morning '' (1988— )
- '' Red Dwarf '' ( UK ) (1988–1999)
- '' Children's Ward '' (UK) ( 1988 –2000)
- '' Empty Nest '' (1988–1995)
- '' Family Feud '' ( 1976 –1985, , 1999— )
- '' Garfield And Friends '' (1988–1995)
- '' Murphy Brown '' (1988–1998)
- '' Mystery Science Theater 3000 '' (1988–1999)
- '' Roseanne '' (1988–1997)
- '' The Wonder Years '' (1988–1993)
- '' 48 Hours '' (1988— )
- '' The Adventures Of Superboy '' (1988– 1992 )
- '' Electric Circus '' (1988–2003)
- '' Acropolis Now '' (Australia) ( 1989 –1992)
- '' Baywatch '' (1989–2001)
- '' Cops '' (1989— )
- '' Family Matters '' (1989–1998)
- '' Fast Forward '' (Australia) (1989–1992)
- '' Inside Edition '' (1989— )
- '' Life Goes On '' (1989–1993)
- '' Maid Marian And Her Merry Men '' (UK) (1989–1994)
- '' Press Gang '' (UK) (1989–1993)
- '' Seinfeld '' (1989–1998)
- '' Tales From The Crypt '' (1989–1996)
- '' The Arsenio Hall Show '' (1989–1994)
- '' About Face '' (1989–1991)
- '' The Big Gig '' (Australia) (1989–1992)
- '' The Simpsons '' (1989— )
- '' Match Game '' (1962–1969, 1973–1984, , 1998–1999)
- January 2 - Alan Hale, Jr. , actor (Skipper Jonas Grumby on '' Gilligan's Island '')
- January 9 - Northern Calloway , actor (David on ''Sesame Street'')
- January 18 - Rusty Hamer , former child actor ('' Make Room For Daddy ''), suicide
- February 15 - Jack Fletcher , character actor
- March 24 - Ray Goulding , comedian, half of the comedy team Bob and Ray
- May 10 - Susan Oliver , actress
- May 16 - Jim Henson , puppeteer
- May 21 - Franklyn Seales , actor (Dexter on '' Silver Spoons ''), AIDS
- May 25 - Vic Tayback , actor (Mel Sharples on '' Alice '')
- June 2 - Jack Gilford , actor
- July 7 - Bill Cullen , Game Show host
- July 8 - Howard Duff , actor
- October 26 - William S. Paley , founder and longtime head of CBS
- November 3 - Mary Martin , actress/singer
- November 27 - David White , actor (Larry Tate on '' Bewitched '')
- December 2 - Bob Cummings , actor
- December 28 - Kiel Martin , actor (Officer J.D. LaRue on '' Hill Street Blues '')
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