7 Things You Didn’t Know About Nick at Nite

I LOVE LUCY: A COLORIZED CELEBRATION, Lucille Ball, (episode 'Lucy Does a TV Commercial', Season 1, aired May 5, 1952), 2019. — © Fathom Events/CBS / courtesy Everett

If you’re of a certain age (aren’t we all!), the mere mention of Nick at Nite likely sparks a wave of warm, fuzzy nostalgia. The channel which first hit the air on July 1st, 1985, may remind you of cozy late-night reruns playing softly in the background while you finished homework or drifted off to sleep. Maybe you remember the quirky bumpers, jazzy background music, or that iconic voice announcing the evening lineup like it was the television equivalent of comfort food.

Whatever your memory, Nick at Nite holds a special place in the hearts of night owls and retro TV lovers alike… but do you know all there is to know about how it got started? Gather round, true believers – here are seven little-known facts about Nick at Nite!

1It was originally created to replace A&E

The original Nickelodeon channel ended its broadcast day at 8pm, presumably so its young viewers could go get ready for bed. This left many hours of dead air until they resumed their daily schedule the following morning. For a time, Nickelodeon partnered with an upstart channel you may have heard of called A&E (Arts and Entertainment). However, the new content proved to be so popular that A&E broke off to launch their own 24-7 network, leaving Nickelodeon searching for a new way to fill that airtime. The original idea for Nick at Nite was born out of their need to occupy those evening hours.

2It was oldies radio for television

The concept of Nick at Nite was based on the popularity of oldies radio — radio stations that exclusively played music from the ’50s and ’60s. Recognizing that the same listeners who yearned for nostalgia from those decades would likely also love to revisit their favorite old TV shows, a brand-new TV format (and a very different one from Nickelodeon’s usual kid-friendly programming) was born.

3It used to broadcast actual classic commercials

In its early years, Nick at Nite aired vintage commercials from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s to match its nostalgic TV theme. Never a super-popular part of its offerings, they eventually canned the old ads and replaced them with modern-day fare.

4They reran their reruns

In the early days, Nick at Nite’s content was so lean that they they had a 8pm to 1am slate of programming, which then ran again from 1 to 6am, when Nickelodeon’s kiddie shows would take over each morning. Didn’t catch the end of that 10pm episode of The Donna Reed Show? No problem – it’ll be on again at 3am! Convenient!

5They liked to “Monkee” around

Remember the late-80’s resurgence of The Monkees? The TV cast-turned-actual band famously enjoyed a new wave of popularity after MTV began airing their old TV show… but guess who did it first? In fact, it was a surprisingly successful stint on Nick at Nite that started the renewed buzz for Davey, Peter, Mickey and Mike. Before long, MTV came a’knockin’, and the rest was history.

6It didn’t just show sitcoms

Sure, classics like Dennis the Menace and The Patty Duke Show put Nick at Nite on the map, but they wer never afraid to experiment with different types of TV.

Though primarily live-action, they occasionally aired animated classics like The Jetsons and Rocky and Bullwinkle. For awhile, they also incorporated classic films like A Star is Born into their schedule. For something completely different, they even dabbled in vintage nighttime soaps like Dallas and Dynasty.

7They paved the way for plenty of other TV nostalgia channels

Even when it was only a part-time tenant in Nickelodeon’s off hours, Nick at Nite’s success proved that similar channels could succeed. In fact, their popularity eventually led to a wave of 24-7 nostalgia networks like TV Land, MeTV, and Antenna TV.