Editing 1990 in American television

{{Short description|none}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2017}}
<!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->

{{USTV year|1990}}<!--no space 1990-->
In [[American television]] in 1990, notable events included television show debuts, finales, and cancellations; channel launches, closures, and re-brandings; stations changing or adding their network affiliations; information on controversies, business transactions, and [[carriage disputes]]; and deaths of those who made various contributions to the medium.

==Notable events==
{| class="wikitable"
! Date || Event
|-
!January 2
|''[[All My Children]]'' broadcasts its 20th anniversary special on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. 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 series's past twenty years.
|-
!January 8
|[[Deborah Norville]] makes her debut as co-anchor on [[NBC]]'s ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]'' (succeeding [[Jane Pauley]]) alongside [[Bryant Gumbel]].
|-
!January 10
|[[WarnerMedia|Time Warner]] is formed.
|-
!rowspan="2" |January 13
|''[[Married... with Children]]'' star [[Ed O'Neill]] [[Saturday Night Live (season 15)|guest–hosts]] ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', becoming the first star of a [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] television program to host the [[NBC]] sketch comedy series.
|-
|An [[Degrassi High#Episodes|episode]] of the [[CBC Television|Canadian]] teen drama series ''[[Degrassi High]]'' entitled "[[A New Start (Degrassi High)|A New Start]]" is first broadcast on American television via [[PBS]]. The episode is notable as it was the first in the [[Degrassi|''Degrassi'' franchise]] to depict [[abortion]]. In the PBS broadcast, the final scene, in which [[List of Degrassi characters (1987–1992)|Erica and Heather]] are accosted by anti-abortion picketers as they make their way up to the clinic, is removed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pai |first=Tanya |date=January 25, 2016 |title=Degrassi, the Canadian teen soap that gave us Drake, explained |url=https://www.vox.com/2016/1/25/10826146/degrassi-netflix-explained |access-date=2021-04-05 |website=Vox |language=en |archive-date=April 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416065310/https://www.vox.com/2016/1/25/10826146/degrassi-netflix-explained |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=November 4, 1989 |title=Degrassi High edited by PBS |pages=37 |work=The Ottawa Citizen |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78784384/the-ottawa-citizen/ |access-date=2021-06-02 |archive-date=June 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603114432/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78784384/the-ottawa-citizen/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The episode instead, ends on a shot of the twins looking on before they do so. 
|-
!January 14
|The first regular episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' premieres on Fox, "[[Bart the Genius]]".
|-
!January 20
|[[List of Miami Vice episodes#Season 5 (1988–90)|"Too Much, Too Late"]], the fourth and final [[Lost television broadcast#United States|"lost episode"]] of ''[[Miami Vice]]'' to air after its [[series finale]], "Freefall", is first broadcast on the [[USA Network]]. It was not aired on [[NBC]] due to its strong subject matter pertaining to [[child molestation]].
|-
!January 21
|[[NHL on NBC|NBC]] broadcasts the [[41st National Hockey League All-Star Game|National Hockey League All-Star Game]] from [[Civic Arena (Pittsburgh)|Pittsburgh]]. This was the first [[National Hockey League|NHL]] game of any kind to be televised on American network television since Game 6 of the [[1980 Stanley Cup Finals]] on [[NHL on CBS|CBS]].
|-
! rowspan="2" |February 6
|[[NBC Sports|NBC]] and the [[University of Notre Dame]] announce a deal that would call for the [[Notre Dame Football on NBC|network]] to have exclusive rights to the [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Fighting Irish football team]]'s home games, beginning in [[1991 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|1991]].
|-
|[[WZTV]] became a [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], replacing [[WUXP-TV|WXMT]], which became an independent station. This was partly due to the fact that Michael Thompson had bought out the station from [[TVX Broadcast Group|TVX]], which resulted in the loss of the Fox affiliation and the move to a higher-rated station.
|-
!February 9
|''[[The Bradys]]'', a [[sequel]] and continuation of the original 1969–1974 [[sitcom]] ''[[The Brady Bunch]]'' premieres on [[CBS]]. ''The Bradys'' involved more dramatic storytelling than that which viewers had seen in the previous ''Brady'' series such as the previous ''Brady Bunch'' sequel series, 1981's ''[[The Brady Bunch#The Brady Girls Get Married .2F The Brady Brides|The Brady Brides]]''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&q=the+bradys%3A+1990&pg=PA177|author1=Terrace, Vincent|author2=Marsh, Earle F.|title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present|date=24 June 2009|publisher=Random House Publishing |isbn=9780307483201}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Maçek III, J.C.|title=What Happens When Happy Shows Turn All X-Files on You?|date=12 January 2017|work=[[PopMatters]]|url=http://www.popmatters.com/column/what-happens-when-happy-shows-turn-all-x-files-on-you/}}</ref> Airing on Friday nights, ''The Bradys'' would ultimately fail in the [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]] against ''[[Full House]]'' and ''[[Family Matters]]'' as part of the [[TGIF (TV programming block)|TGIF lineup on ABC]] and is canceled after one month; the last of the six episodes produced would air on March 9, 1990.
|-
!February 17
|On [[NBC]], [[Aerosmith]] appear in ''[[Wayne's World]]'', a recurring sketch on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', where they perform the ''Wayne's World'' theme song.
|-
!February 24
|The [[List of Mama's Family episodes#Season 6 (1989–90)|series finale]] of ''[[Mama's Family]]'' is broadcast in [[Broadcast syndication|first-run syndication]]. In it, Naomi gives birth to a baby girl, who is named Tiffany Thelma.
|-
!February 25
|''[[Challenger (1990 film)|Challenger]]'', a [[Television film|made-for-television]] [[docudrama]] about the tragic events of the [[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster]] on January 28, 1986 is broadcast on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. Its production is somewhat controversial<ref>{{cite news |last=Dawson|first=Greg|date=February 25, 1990|title='CHALLENGER': PAINFUL BUT MOSTLY WELL-DONE|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1990-02-25-9002232935-story,amp.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602212321/https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:f5TGVimr2P0J:https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1990-02-25-9002232935-story,amp.html+&cd=26&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 2, 2021|work=Orlando Sentinel|location= |access-date=}}</ref> as the families<ref>{{cite news |last=Dawson|first=Greg|date=February 24, 1990|title=NETWORK, FAMILIES AT ODDS|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1990-02-24-9002242959-story.html|work=Orlando Sentinel}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schlangenstein|first=Mary|date=February 23, 1990|title=Wives angered by Challenger movie|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/02/23/Wives-angered-by-Challenger-movie/3320635749200/|work=UPI}}</ref> of the astronauts generally objected to it.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://saleintothe90s.tumblr.com/post/190209112024/403-challenger-made-for-tv-movie-february-25|title=403. "Challenger" made for TV movie (February 25, 1990)|website=Sale into the 90s|date=January 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=February 25, 1990|title=McAuliffe Family Criticizes Movie on Challenger Disaster With AM-Space Shuttle|url=https://apnews.com/ddac43a8902b7a6694ae3f172376ce35|work=AP News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=O'Connor|first=John J.|date=February 25, 1990|title=TO VIEW; ARROGANCE IN THE NAME OF LIFTOFF?|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/25/arts/to-view-arrogance-in-the-name-of-liftoff.html|work=The New York Times|location= |access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=February 25, 1990|title='CHALLENGER' MOVIE RATES THUMBS UP|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1990-02-25-9001260323-story.html|work=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|location= |access-date=}}</ref>
|-
!March 4
|On ''[[SportsCenter]]'', [[ESPN]] broadcasts the graphic footage of [[Loyola Marymount Lions men's basketball|Loyola Marymount University]] basketball player [[Hank Gathers]]' collapse and subsequent death from a heart condition<ref>{{cite news| last=Stewart| first=Larry| date=March 6, 1990| title=This Was a Story That Was Tough to Watch, and Difficult to Cover| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-06-sp-1874-story.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106133158/http://articles.latimes.com/1990-03-06/sports/sp-1874_1_hank-gathers| archive-date=November 6, 2013| url-status=live}}</ref> during a [[West Coast Conference men's basketball tournament|West Coast Conference (WCC) Tournament]] game. The [[ESPN College Basketball|network]] was at the game recording advance footage for the championship game it was scheduled to televise the next night. The tournament final was ultimately canceled in wake of Gathers' death and [[1989–90 Loyola Marymount Lions men's basketball team|LMU]] was given the league's automatic bid to that year's [[1990 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA tournament]] by virtue of its regular-season league championship.
|-
!March 12
|CBS affiliate in [[Boston]], WNEV-TV changes its name to [[WHDH (TV)|WHDH-TV]].
|-
!March 13
|''[[All My Children]]'' actress [[Debbi Morgan]] quits the role of [[Angie Baxter Hubbard]].
|-
!March 24
|The season-ending cliffhanger of ''[[ALF (TV series)|ALF]]'', "[[ALF (season 4)#ep102|Consider Me Gone]]", becomes an unintentional series finale when [[NBC]] gives Alien Productions a verbal commitment for a fifth season, but ultimately withdraws its support.<ref name="hollywood">{{cite news|last=Zakarin|first=Jordan|title=Greetings From Melmac: ALF Creator Paul Fusco on His Star Alien and Potential Comeback|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/alf-creator-paul-fusco-movie-melmac-327330|access-date=August 9, 2012|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 22, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Consider ALF Gone . . . Unless He Phones Home |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 23, 1990|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-23-ca-965-story.html|access-date=August 26, 2010 | first=David | last=Zurawik}}</ref> [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] resolved the cliffhanger on February 17, 1996, with the [[Television film|TV movie]] ''[[Project ALF|Project: ALF]]''.
|-
!March 30
|Radio host [[Rush Limbaugh]] makes headlines when he guest hosts ''[[The Pat Sajak Show]]'' on [[CBS]], and, in a departure from its regular format, enters the audience to get a response about the veto of a bill in [[Idaho]] that would have restricted [[abortion]]. Directly after announcing that the bill was vetoed, Limbaugh went to the first woman who stood up and was cheering the loudest. The woman denounced Limbaugh's anti-abortion statements earlier in the show. After a verbal confrontation with the angry woman in the audience, followed by an angry man shouting, Limbaugh addresses the camera and stated that he went into the audience in an attempt to show the viewing public that there was an underlying prejudice against him. Due to this, Limbaugh decides to conduct his interview with [[Sydney Biddle Barrows]] in another studio. After a commercial break, Limbaugh attempts to address the topic of [[affirmative action]], but was backed out again by several male audience members wearing [[ACT UP]] T-shirts. After another break, Limbaugh returned and conducted the final segment after the audience had been cleared.
|-
!rowspan="2"|April 1
|[[CBS Sports|CBS]] dismisses prominent sportscaster [[Brent Musburger]] one day before his final assignment for the network, the [[1990 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA Men's Basketball Championship]]. Later that year, Musburger signs with [[ESPN on ABC|ABC Sports]].
|-
|In what is dubbed "The Ultimate Challenge", [[The Ultimate Warrior]] defeats [[Hulk Hogan]] for the [[WWE Championship|WWF World Heavyweight Championship]] at [[WrestleMania VI]] from [[Toronto]]'s [[Rogers Centre|SkyDome]]. The [[pay-per-view]] event marks the first time that [[WrestleMania]] was held outside of the United States.
|-
!April 8
|The [[Pilot (Twin Peaks)|pilot episode]] for ''[[Twin Peaks]]'' airs on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. The two-hour pilot is the highest-rated movie for the [[1989–90 United States network television schedule|1989–1990 season]] with a 21.7 rating and is viewed by 34.6 million people. In [[Los Angeles]], ''[[Twin Peaks]]'' becomes the seventh most-watched show of the week earning 29% of viewers, the most-watched show being ''[[Married... with Children]]'' which gathers 34% of viewers.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60033146.html?dids=60033146:60033146&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+10%2C+1990&author=RICK+DU+BROW&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=%60Twin+Peaks%27+Bow+Garners+Lofty+Ratings&pqatl=google |title=''Twin Peaks'' Bow Garners Lofty Ratings |first=Rick|last=DuBrow|date=April 10, 1990 |access-date=October 19, 2009 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
|-
!April 14
|[[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]] officially assumes the role as [[Major League Baseball]]'s network broadcast partner (succeeding both [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]] and [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]] under a four-year deal through the end of the [[1993 Major League Baseball season|1993 season]]) with coverage of the [[1990 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]] at [[1990 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Buck Swings For The Fences|author=Eric Mink|newspaper=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|page=1C|date=April 29, 1990}}</ref> and [[1990 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles]] at [[1990 Houston Astros season|Houston]].<ref>{{cite news|title=ESPN Baseball More And Better|author=Jeff Brusnak|newspaper=[[Sun-Sentinel|Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel]]|date=April 13, 1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sports on Weekend TV|author=Steven Herbert|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|page=12|date=April 14, 1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=One From Heart, 6-1, for Dodgers|author=Bill Plachke|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|page=1|date=April 14, 1990}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|April 15
|''[[Sunday Night Baseball]]'' debuts on [[ESPN]] with [[ESPN Major League Baseball|coverage]] of the [[1990 New York Mets season|New York Mets]] against the [[1990 Montreal Expos season|Montreal Expos]].
|-
|''[[The Living Daylights]]'' makes its network broadcast television premiere on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. This would be the final time that a [[James Bond (film series)|James Bond film]] would make its American television debut on ABC. The next Bond film, ''[[Licence to Kill]]'' would premiere on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] in 1993. ABC wouldn't broadcast the Bond series again until 2002 under the title ''The Bond Picture Show''.
|-
!April 21
|''[[Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue]]'', a special program warning children about the inconvenience of drugs and featuring characters from several Saturday morning children's shows, is simultaneously simulcast by [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[BET]], [[CBS]], [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], [[NBC]], [[USA Network]], and [[Nickelodeon]].
|-
!April 22
|''[[The Earth Day Special]]'', a two-hour commercial-free special event, premieres on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. 
|-
!April 27
|[[Barbara Bel Geddes]] makes her [[Dallas (1978 TV series, season 13)#Episodes|final appearance]] on ''[[Dallas (TV series)|Dallas]]'' as [[Miss Ellie Ewing]].
|-
!April 30
|The long-lost pilot show for ''[[I Love Lucy]]'' is broadcast by [[CBS]] as a special.
|-
!May 4
|[[Muppets]] creator [[Jim Henson]] makes what turns out to be his final public appearance when he appears as a guest on ''[[The Arsenio Hall Show]]''. Henson would die less than two weeks later.
|-
!May 7
|[[Stepfanie Kramer]] makes her [[List of Hunter episodes#Season 6 (1989–90)|final appearance]] as Sgt. Dee Dee McCall on ''[[Hunter (1984 American TV series)|Hunter]]''.
|-
!May 12
|Comedian [[Andrew Dice Clay]] [[List of Saturday Night Live guests|guest-hosts]] ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. Cast member [[Nora Dunn]] immediately announces to the press that she was boycotting the show in protest. She stated the protest was in view of Clay's perceivably misogynistic act, and did so without informing executive producer [[Lorne Michaels]], the cast, or most of the crew about her intent. [[Sinéad O'Connor]] was scheduled to be the musical guest for the [[Saturday Night Live (season 15)|episode]], but she also boycotted the show because of Clay's involvement, forcing the producers to find two musical replacements, with one performance by [[Julee Cruise]] and a second by Spanic Boys.<ref>{{cite book
|last=Vesey
|first=Alexandra
|year=2013
|chapter=''Live'' Music: Mediating Musical Performance and Discord on ''Saturday Night Live''
|editor1-last=Marx
|editor1-first=Nick
|editor2-last=Sienkiewicz
|editor2-first=Matt
|editor3-last=Becker
|editor3-first=Ron
|title=Saturday Night Live and American TV
|location=Bloomington, Indiana
|publisher=Indiana University Press
|isbn=978-0-253-01090-2
|jstor=j.ctt16gznsz
|page=119}}</ref><ref name=NYTClay>{{cite news|last1=James|first1=Caryn|title=Review/Television; 'Saturday Night Live,' With Andrew Dice Clay|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/14/arts/review-television-saturday-night-live-with-andrew-dice-clay.html|access-date=June 19, 2015|work=The New York Times|date=May 14, 1990}}</ref> [[NBC]] censors insisted that the episode be aired with a delay to compensate for anything Clay might say on air. During the live show, some audience members were pissed off at Clay but were immediately removed by the increased [[security detail]]. 
|-
!May 18
|The [[Television film|made–for–TV film]] ''[[Green Acres#Reunion film|Return to Green Acres]]'', which reunited [[Eddie Albert]], [[Eva Gabor]], and the rest of the surviving cast of the 1965–1971 sitcom ''[[Green Acres]]'', is broadcast on [[CBS]].
|-
!May 21
|[[CBS]] broadcasts the [[List of Newhart episodes#Season 8 (1989–1990)|series finale]] of ''[[Newhart]]'', in which it is revealed that the entire series was really just a dream of [[Bob Newhart]]'s character, Dr. Bob Hartley from ''[[The Bob Newhart Show]]''.
|-
!rowspan="2"|May 25
|[[CBS]] begins broadcasting its daytime lineup in [[stereo sound]], becoming the last of the three major networks to do so.
|-
|The [[List of You Can't Do That on Television episodes#Season 10 (1990)|series finale]] of ''[[You Can't Do That on Television]]'' is broadcast on [[Nickelodeon]]. For its tenth and final season, only five episodes are produced (tying 1990 with 1987 as the shortest season of the series), with production ending in February. This is also one of the rare times in television where a show's cast and producer's knew they would not be coming back, allowing them to make several in-jokes and references to this being the final show of the series, despite it not being a proper [[Series finale|"finale"]]. Though [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]] decline, Nickelodeon continues to air [[rerun]]s until January 1994, at which point it is only aired on weekends.
|-
!June 1
|[[Mariah Carey]] delivers her first [[List of Mariah Carey live performances|live television performance]] (singing "[[Vision of Love]]") on ''[[The Arsenio Hall Show]]''.
|-
!June 6
|The character [[Taylor Hayes (The Bold and the Beautiful)|Taylor Hayes]] makes her first appearance on the [[CBS]] soap opera ''[[The Bold and the Beautiful]]''.
|-
!rowspan="2"|June 7
|The start of the ''[[Cruise of Deception]]'' storyline is broadcast on the [[NBC]] soap opera ''[[Days of Our Lives]]'', lasting through July 16, 1990. The story includes several of the show's most popular characters attending a masked ball on a cruise ship, which is taken over by a vengeful Ernesto Toscano, played by [[Charles Cioffi]]. The miniseries acts as the climax of several stories that had been developing previously to it, and the launching pad of several more, some of which would play out through most of the 1990s. NBC promotes the story heavily to lure kids home from school to watch the show during their summer vacation. 
|-
|[[Nickelodeon Studios]] officially opens in [[Orlando, Florida]].
|-
!June 14
|[[NBA on CBS|CBS]] concludes their 17-year run with the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]], as the league was moving to [[NBA on NBC|NBC]] after the [[1990 NBA Finals]]. In their goodbye montage, CBS used [[Marvin Gaye]]'s rendition of "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" from the [[1983 NBA All-Star Game]].
|-
!rowspan="2" |June 27
|[[Genie Francis]], in an attempt to shed her image as [[Laura Spencer (General Hospital)|Laura Spencer]] on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s soap opera ''[[General Hospital]]'', starts playing Irishwoman Ceara Connor on ''[[All My Children]]'' (which also airs on ABC).
|-
|[[WUTV]] officially became a [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate in [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]] again after [[Act III Broadcasting]] took control of the station, and acquired stronger programming and the Fox affiliation rights from [[WNYO-TV|WNYB-TV]], which was then sold to the [[Tri-State Christian Television]].
|-
!June 29
|''[[Pinwheel (TV series)|Pinwheel]]'', the very first show to air on [[Nickelodeon]] as well as its [[Nick Jr. (TV programming block)|Nick Jr.]] block, is broadcast on the network for the final time.
|-
!July 1
|[[WATN-TV|WPTY-TV]] became a [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] affiliate in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], replacing [[WLMT]]. This was due to the station's higher ratings, and WLMT lost the Fox affiliation because there is a clause that Michael Thompson bought out the station from TVX in 1989, which resulted in the loss of its affiliation.
|-
!July 5
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] airs the National Academy of Dance's first annual Gypsy Awards from the [[San Diego Convention Center]]. Taped on January 19, ''America's Dance Honors'' is notable for marking [[Sammy Davis Jr.]]'s final public appearance prior to his death on May 16. [[Liza Minnelli]] taped a special introduction to the show in light Davis' death. Later that December, Davis gave his final acting performance in the made-for-TV film ''The Kid Who Loved Christmas''.
|-
!July 10
|[[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]] broadcasts the first of four consecutive [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game]]s. Unfortunately, the 1990 edition from [[Chicago]]'s [[Wrigley Field]], is interrupted by a rain delay in the top of the seventh inning. During the delay, CBS airs ''[[Rescue 911]]''.
|-
!rowspan="2"|July 16
|Radio DJ personality [[Rick Dees]] debuts an [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] late-night talk show, ''Into the Night, Starring Rick Dees''.
|-
|[[Johnny Depp]] makes his final [[List of 21 Jump Street episodes#Season 4 (1989–90)|appearance]] as Officer Tom Hanson on ''[[21 Jump Street]]''. This is also the final episode to be broadcast on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] as for its fifth and ultimately final season, ''21 Jump Street'' would air in [[Broadcast syndication|first–run syndication]].
|-
!July 30
|MovieTime, which initially launched on July 31, 1987 as a national [[Barker channel|barker service]] to air movie trailers, entertainment news, event and awards coverage, and interviews is rebranded as [[E!]]. This name change is made to emphasize its widening coverage of the [[celebrity–industrial complex]], contemporary film, television and music, daily Hollywood gossip, and fashion.
|-
!July 31
|''[[Memories of Murder (1990 film)|Memories of Murder]]'', the first ever film to be produced for the [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime Television Network]] is broadcast.
|-
!August 10
|The [[American Wrestling Association]] holds its final television taping.
|-
!August 17
|[[CBS]] airs an unsold half-hour [[Television pilot|pilot]] that's based on the film ''[[Steel Magnolias]]''. The cast includes [[Cindy Williams]] as M'Lynn, [[Sally Kirkland]] as Truvy, [[Elaine Stritch]] as Ouiser, [[Polly Bergen]] as Clairee, and [[Sheila McCarthy]] as Annelle.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.southernliving.com/culture/steel-magnolias-movie-facts| title = Things Even Die-Hard Steel Magnolias Fans Probably Don't Know About the Classic {{!}} Southern Living}}</ref> 
|-
!August 23
|The [[Ferris Bueller (TV series)#Season 1 (1990–91)|pilot episode]] for ''[[Ferris Bueller (TV series)|Ferris Bueller]]'', an adaptation of the 1986 film ''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off]]'', is broadcast on [[NBC]]. In said pilot, Ferris ([[Charlie Schlatter]]) refers to the film and expresses his displeasure at [[Matthew Broderick]] portraying him, even going as far as destroying a life-size cardboard cutout of Broderick with a chainsaw.<ref name="lame">{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WP&p_theme=wpost&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=allfields(Ferris%20Bueller%27s%20Off%20Day)%20AND%20date(01/01/1990%20to%2012/31/1990)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=01/01/1990%20to%2012/31/1990)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(%22Ferris%20Bueller%27s%20Off%20Day%22)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no|last=Shales|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Shales|title='Ferris Bueller's' Off Day; On NBC, a Lame Take on a Movie|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=1990-08-23|access-date=2008-12-01|archive-date=2013-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520103040/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WP&p_theme=wpost&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=allfields%28Ferris%20Bueller%27s%20Off%20Day%29%20AND%20date%2801%2F01%2F1990%20to%2012%2F31%2F1990%29&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date%3AB%2CE&p_text_date-0=01%2F01%2F1990%20to%2012%2F31%2F1990%29&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=%28%22Ferris%20Bueller%27s%20Off%20Day%22%29&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date%3AD&xcal_useweights=no|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="philly">{{cite news|last=Storm |first=Jonathan |title=High School Comedy Strictly Sophomoric In The NBC Version, 'Ferris Bueller' Has An Off Day|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1990-08-23}}</ref> The show would ultimately be cancelled after its first season and only 13 episodes due to its poor reception.  It would also suffer from comparisons to another series, [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]'s ''[[Parker Lewis Can't Lose]]'', which proves to be more successful when it comes to ratings, lasting for three seasons.
|-
!September 8
|[[Fox Kids]], a children's programming block, debuts on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]].
|-
!rowspan="2"|September 9
|[[NFL on CBS|CBS]] debuts a brand new look for ''[[The NFL Today]]'', front-lined by [[Greg Gumbel]] and [[Terry Bradshaw]]. Gumbel and Bradshaw replaced [[Brent Musburger]] and [[Irv Cross]] respectively. The two would remain on ''The NFL Today'' until CBS lost their NFL rights to [[Fox NFL|Fox]] at the end of the [[1993 NFL season|1993 season]].
|-
|[[NFL on TNT|TNT]] broadcasts their first [[TNT Sunday Night Football results (1990–1997)|Sunday night NFL game]] with the [[1990 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]] visiting the [[1990 New York Giants season|New York Giants]].
|-
!September 10
|[[The Disney Afternoon]] debuts as a [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] children's block.
|-
!September 12–14
|''[[Wheel of Fortune (American game show)|Wheel of Fortune]]'' contestant Mindy Mitola won a total of $146,014 cash & prizes accumulated for her 3-day stint in the show, setting an all-time winnings record for the program, surpassing Diane Landry's $129,370 held last year. This record would last for almost five years until Peter Argyropolous and Deborah Cohen surpassed her record on February 8–9, 1996 with $146,529. At the time, she also became the biggest winner (for any individual contestant) in the program until more than 18 years later on October 14, 2008, where Michelle Lowenstein surpassed her total with $1,026,080.
|-
!rowspan="2"|September 15
|The [[History of Freeform#The Family Channel|CBN Family Channel]] renames itself [[Freeform (TV channel)|The Family Channel]]. By this point, the network had grown too profitable to remain under the [[Christian Broadcasting Network]] umbrella without endangering the ministry's [[non-profit]] status.
|-
|''[[Captain Planet and the Planeteers]]'', an [[Animated television series|animated]] environmental [[edutainment]] series that was created by created by [[Barbara Pyle]] and [[Ted Turner]] [[List of Captain Planet episodes#Season 1 (1990–91)|premieres]] on Turner's [[Cable television in the United States|cable channel]] [[TBS (American TV channel)|TBS]].
|-
!September 16
|[[WSYM-TV|WSYM]] in [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]] officially became a [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] television station.
|-
!September 23–27
|The [[Ken Burns]] directed miniseries ''[[The Civil War (miniseries)|The Civil War]]'' is broadcast on [[PBS]]. More than 39 million viewers would tune in to at least one episode, and viewership averaged more than 14 million viewers each evening, making it the most-watched program ever to air on PBS. 
|-
!September 26
|''[[Cop Rock]]'', a [[police procedural]] series that mixes music and choreography throughout storylines debuts on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. The show is a critical and commercial failure and is canceled by ABC after 11 episodes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE7DA1E3BF930A25752C1A966958260|title=ABC Cancels 'Cop Rock' |date=November 13, 1990|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=August 28, 2008}}</ref> The combination of a fusion of musical performances with serious police drama and dark humor with its high-powered production talent, make it infamous as one of the biggest television failures of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE3D61338F935A35752C1A967958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all|title=A Series Makes the Starting Gate|last=Weinraub|first=Bernard|date=November 11, 1991|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 28, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2004/06/04/flops-101-lessons-biz/|title=Flops 101: Lessons From The Biz|last=Tucker|first=Ken|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=June 4, 2004|access-date=August 28, 2008}}</ref> ''[[TV Guide Magazine]]'' would rank it #8 on its List of the 50 Worst TV Shows of All Time list in 2002<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cosgrove-Mather|first1=Bootie|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-worst-tv-shows-ever/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402002745/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-worst-tv-shows-ever/|title=The Worst TV Shows Ever|date=July 12, 2002|work=[[CBS News]]|access-date=August 28, 2008|archive-date=April 2, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and dubs it "the single most bizarre TV musical of all time".<ref>{{cite web|title=TV Musicals: The Highs and Lows|url=http://www.tvguide.com/galleries/favorite-tv-musicals-1060019/photo/ed3ebea8-f8b7-4281-ad91-49e4d34b1cbf/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120043101/https://www.tvguide.com/galleries/favorite-tv-musicals-1060019/5/|work=[[TV Guide]]|access-date=April 13, 2013|archive-date=January 20, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
!October 1
|The very first edition of ''[[UWF Fury Hour]]'' airs from [[Reseda Country Club]] in [[Reseda, California]] on [[SportsChannel America]].
|-
!October 6
|''[[All My Children]]'' star [[Susan Lucci]] [[List of Saturday Night Live guests|guest–hosts]] an [[Saturday Night Live (season 16)|episode]] of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', becoming the first daytime [[soap opera]] [[List of longest-serving soap opera actors#United States|performer]] to do so.
|-
!October 13
|[[WLAJ]] in [[Jackson, Michigan]] signs-on the air, giving the [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]] market its first full-time [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate.
|-
!October 20–26
|[[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]] airs the [[1990 World Series|first]] of four consecutive [[World Series]]. The [[1990 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]] sweep the heavily favored and defending world champions, the [[1990 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] in four games to win their first world title since [[1976 World Series|1976]].
|-
!November 3
|The ''[[NBA on NBC]]'' debuts on [[NBC Sports|NBC]], with its first game being the [[1990–91 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] visiting the [[1990–91 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]].
|-
!rowspan="2"|November 10
|[[Chris Farley]], [[Tim Meadows]], [[Chris Rock]], [[Adam Sandler]], [[Rob Schneider]], [[David Spade]] and [[Julia Sweeney]] join the cast of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''.
|-
|The [[List of Charles in Charge episodes#Season 5 (1989–90)|series finale]] of ''[[Charles in Charge]]'' airs in [[Broadcast syndication|first-run syndication]]. In the finale, Sarah puts on a show to raise money, and Charles directs while preparing for an interview to get into [[Princeton University|Princeton]]. 
|-
!rowspan="2"|November 17
|[[ESPN College Football|ESPN]] broadcasts the [[1990 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame Fighting Irish]]'s [[1990 NCAA Division I-A football season|college football]] game against the [[1990 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|1990 Penn State Nittany Lions]]. This is to date, the final time that a television network other than NBC, would broadcast Notre Dame's home games. On September 7, 1991, [[Notre Dame Football on NBC|NBC]] would start televising Notre Dame's home <!--football-->games;<ref name="1991 NBC Deal">{{cite news|first=Richard|last=Sandomir|title= COLLEGE FOOTBALL; Notre Dame Scored a $38 Million Touchdown on Its TV Deal|work=The New York Times|publisher=nyyimes.com|date=1991-08-25|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE0D91038F936A1575BC0A967958260 |access-date=2008-04-06}}</ref> it&nbsp;would become the first [[NCAA Division I|Division I-A]] football program to have all of its home games televised exclusively by one television network.
|-
|The [[List of Pee-wee's Playhouse episodes#Season 5 (1990)|last original episode]] of ''[[Pee-wee's Playhouse]]'' airs on [[CBS]]. In July 1991, series star [[Paul Reubens]] is arrested for exposing himself in a [[Sarasota, Florida]], adult movie theater,<ref name="creator speaks">{{cite news |first= Stone|last=Phillips |work= [[NBC News]]|title= Pee-wee Herman creator speaks out|date= April 5, 2004|access-date=October 10, 2008|url= https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4653913}}</ref> prompting CBS to immediately stop airing its ''Playhouse'' re-runs, which are originally intended to air until late 1991.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pee-wee back with bizarre appeal intact|first=Jill |last=Vejnoska|newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=July 10, 2006|page=1D}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.rugratonline.com/1991tv.htm |title=What was on TV when Rugrats started |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041213192022/http://www.rugratonline.com/1991tv.htm |archive-date=December 13, 2004}}(Citation incorrectly states that this took place at a local Sarasota, FL bookstore; other points in citation are accurate, though.)</ref><ref name="Atlantic">{{cite news |last1=Sinker |first1=Dan |title=The Magic of Pee-wee Herman in a Dark Year |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/remembering-paul-reubens-pee-wees-playhouse-was-the-best-kids-show |access-date=4 August 2023 |work=[[The Atlantic]] |date=2021-12-18}}</ref> The show is replaced by reruns of ''[[The Adventures of Raggedy Ann and Andy]]''.
|-
!November 18–20 
|The [[It (miniseries)|two-episode television miniseries adaptation]] of [[Stephen King]]'s 1986 epic supernatural horror novel ''[[It (novel)|It]]'' premiered on the [[American Broadcasting Company]].
|-
!November 22
|[[The Undertaker]] makes his [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]] debut at the [[Survivor Series (1990)|fourth annual]] [[Survivor Series]] [[pay-per-view]] [[List of WWE pay-per-view events|event]]. 
|-
!December 3
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] attracts a great deal of controversy when it airs [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'s infamous [[music video]] for her single "[[Justify My Love]]" on its late-night [[ABC News (United States)|news]] program ''[[Nightline]]'', as part of an interview with the singer on the video's explicit sexual content. The broadcast follows across-the-board bans of the video by [[MTV]] and other networks around the world.<ref name=rebel>{{cite news |url=https://ew.com/article/1998/11/20/justify-my-love-was-too-raunchy-1990/|title=Madonna Banned|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=March 27, 2017|last=Rich|first=Joshua|date=November 20, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode|title=Madonna speaks on Nightline|episode-link=Nightline (US news program)|series=Nightline|credits=Interviewer: [[Forrest Sawyer]]|network=[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]|airdate=December 3, 1990}}</ref>
|-
!December 10
|Following his broadcast of a [[1990 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]]–[[1990 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] [[National Football League|NFL]] game, [[NFL on CBS|CBS]] announcer [[Pat Summerall]] is hospitalized with a [[bleeding ulcer]] after vomiting on a plane during a flight. Summerall would be out for a considerable amount of time. While [[Verne Lundquist]] replaced Summerall on games with [[John Madden]], [[Jack Buck]] (who was at [[CBS Sports|CBS]] during the time as the network's lead [[Major League Baseball on CBS#1990–1993 version|Major League Baseball]] announcer) was added as a regular NFL broadcaster to fill-in.
|}

==Programs==

===Debuts===
The following is a list of shows that premiered in 1990.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Date
! Show
! Channel
|-
!rowspan="2"|January 1
| ''[[The Baby-Sitters Club (TV series)|The Baby-Sitters Club]]''
|[[HBO]]
|-
| ''[[Maya the Honey Bee|Maya the Bee]]''
|[[Nickelodeon]]
|-
! January 5
| ''[[Max Monroe: Loose Cannon]]''
|[[CBS]]
|- 
! January 6
| ''[[Zorro (1990 TV series)|Zorro]]''
|[[Freeform (TV channel)|CBN Family Channel]]
|-
! January 24
| ''[[Peter Jennings Reporting]]''
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
! January 26
| ''[[Pirate TV (TV series)|Pirate TV]]''
|[[MTV]]
|-
! January 28
| ''[[Grand Slam (TV series)|Grand Slam]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[CBS]]
|-
! January 29
| ''[[City (1990)|City]]''
|-
! February 6
| ''[[Rodeo Drive (game show)|Rodeo Drive]]''
|[[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]]
|-
! February 9
| ''[[The Bradys]]'' 
|[[CBS]]
|-
! February 19
| ''[[Nasty Boys (TV series)|Nasty Boys]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[NBC]]
|-
! February 25
| ''[[A Family for Joe]]'' 
|-
!March 3
| ''[[H.E.L.P.]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!March 5
| ''[[His & Hers (TV series)|His & Hers]]''
|rowspan="3"|[[CBS]]
|-
!rowspan="2"|March 21
| ''[[Normal Life (TV series)|Normal Life]]''
|-
| ''[[Sydney (TV series)|Sydney]]''
|-
!March 25
| ''[[The Outsiders (American TV series)|The Outsiders]]''
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
!March 27
| ''[[Equal Justice (TV series)|Equal Justice]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!rowspan="2"|March 30
| ''[[Bagdad Cafe (TV series)|Bagdad Café]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[CBS]]
|-
| ''[[Sugar and Spice (American TV series)|Sugar and Spice]]''
|-
! March 31
| ''[[Carol & Company]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
!April 1
| ''On the Television''
|[[Nick at Nite]]
|-
!April 4
| ''The Marshall Chronicles''
|rowspan="3"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!April 8
| ''[[Twin Peaks]]'' 
|-
!April 9
| ''[[Capital News]]''
|-
!April 12
| ''[[Down Home (TV series)|Down Home]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
!|April 14
| ''[[Major League Baseball on CBS]]''
|[[CBS]]
|-
!rowspan="2"|April 15
| ''[[In Living Color]]'' 
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
| ''[[Sunday Night Baseball]]''
|[[ESPN]]
|-
!April 16
| ''[[Working Girl (TV series)|Working Girl]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
!April 19
| ''[[Wings (NBC TV series)|Wings]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
! April 21
| ''[[Sunset Beat]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!rowspan="2"| May 1
| ''[[Brewster Place]]''
|-
| ''[[Clash!]]''
|[[Ha! (TV channel)|Ha!]]
|-
! May 5
|
|-
!May 13
| ''[[America's Funniest People]]''  
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
! June 1
| ''Great Getaway Game''
|[[Travel Channel|The Travel Channel]]
|-
! June 16
| ''[[Monopoly (game show)|Monopoly]]'' 
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!rowspan="2"| July 4
| ''[[SK8-TV]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[Nickelodeon]]
|-
| ''[[Wild & Crazy Kids]]''
|-
!July 5
| ''[[Blossom (American TV series)|Blossom]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
!July 8
| ''[[Dream On (TV series)|Dream On]]''
|[[HBO]]
|-
!July 12
| ''[[Northern Exposure]]'' 
|[[CBS]]
|-
!July 14
| ''[[The Howard Stern Show (1990 TV program)]]''
| [[WWOR-TV]]
|-
! July 16
| ''[[Rick Dees|Into the Night starring Rick Dees]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!July 17
| ''[[Real Life with Jane Pauley]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
! July 27
| ''[[Swamp Thing (1990 TV series)|Swamp Thing]]''
|[[USA Network]]
|-
! July 29
| ''[[Tim Conway's Funny America]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
! August 8
| ''[[New Attitude (TV series)|New Attitude]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!August 13
| ''[[Outta Here!]]''
|[[Nickelodeon]]
|-
!August 20
| ''[[Parenthood (1990 TV series)|Parenthood]]'' 
|rowspan="3"|[[NBC]]
|-
!August 22
| ''[[Working It Out]]'' 
|-
! August 23
| ''[[Ferris Bueller (TV series)|Ferris Bueller]]''
|-
! August 25
| ''[[Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories]]''
|[[The Disney Channel]]
|-
!August 27
| ''[[Guys Next Door]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
!rowspan="2"| September 1
| ''[[Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone]]''
|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
| ''[[Haywire (TV series)|Haywire]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
!rowspan="3"| September 2
| ''[[Parker Lewis Can't Lose]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Big Brother Jake]]''
|[[Freeform (TV channel)|CBN Family Channel]]
|-
| ''[[Bob Vila|Bob Vila's Home Again]]''
|rowspan="4"|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
!rowspan="3"| September 3
| ''[[The Challengers (game show)|The Challengers]]'' 
|-
| ''Instant Recall''
|-
| ''Personalities''
|-
! September 4
| ''[[Barnyard Commandos]]''
|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
!rowspan="3"|September 7
| ''[[DEA (1990 TV series)|D.E.A.]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
| ''[[American Chronicles]]''
|-
|''[[TaleSpin]]''
|[[The Disney Channel]], [[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
!rowspan="13"| September 8
|-
| ''[[Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (TV series)|Attack of the Killer Tomatoes]]'' 
|rowspan="4"|[[Fox Kids]] 
|-
| ''[[Bobby's World]]''
|-
| ''[[Peter Pan and the Pirates]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Zazoo U]]'' 
|-
| ''[[New Kids on the Block (TV series)|New Kids on the Block]]''
|rowspan="3"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| ''[[Little Rosey]]''
|-
| ''[[The Wizard of Oz (TV series)|The Wizard of Oz]]'' 
|-
| ''[[The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' 
|rowspan="6"|[[NBC]]
|-
| ''[[The Fanelli Boys]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Tom & Jerry Kids]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Gravedale High]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Kid 'n Play (TV series)|Kid 'n Play]]'' 
|-
!rowspan="6"| September 10
| ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'' 
|-
| ''[[The New Adventures of He-Man]]''
|[[USA Network]]
|- 
| ''[[Quiz Kids Challenge]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
| ''[[Trump Card (game show)|Trump Card]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Lenny (TV series)|Lenny]]'' 
|rowspan="3"|[[CBS]]
|-
| ''[[Uncle Buck (1990 TV series)|Uncle Buck]]'' 
|-
!September 11
| ''[[The Family Man (American TV series)|The Family Man]]'' 
|-
!rowspan="2"| September 13
| ''[[Law & Order]]'' 
|[[NBC]]
|-
| ''[[Babes (TV Series)|Babes]]'' 
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
! September 14
| ''[[Tiny Toon Adventures]]'' 
|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
!rowspan="4"| September 15
| ''[[The Adventures of the Black Stallion]]''
|[[Freeform (TV channel)|The Family Channel]]
|-
| ''[[Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990 TV series)|Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures]]'' 
|[[CBS]]
|-
| ''[[Captain Planet and the Planeteers]]'' 
|[[TBS (American TV channel)|TBS]]
|-
| ''[[Piggsburg Pigs!]]'' 
|[[Fox Kids]]
|-
!rowspan="2"| September 16
| ''[[The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda]]'' 
|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
| ''[[E.A.R.T.H. Force]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[CBS]]
|-
!rowspan="3"| September 17
| ''[[The Trials of Rosie O'Neill]]'' 
|-
| ''Preview: The Best of the New''
|rowspan="2"|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
| ''[[Wake, Rattle & Roll]]''
|-
! September 18
| ''[[Married People]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!rowspan="3"| September 20
| ''[[American Dreamer (TV series)|American Dreamer]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
| ''[[The Flash (1990 TV series)|The Flash]]''
|rowspan="3"|[[CBS]]
|-
| ''[[Top Cops]]'' 
|-
!rowspan="2"| September 21
| ''[[Evening Shade]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Going Places (American TV series)|Going Places]]'' 
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!rowspan="2"| September 23
| ''[[Against the Law (TV series)|Against the Law]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
| ''[[Get a Life (American TV series)|Get a Life]]''
|-
!rowspan="2"| September 24
| ''[[Adam-12 (1990 TV series)|Adam-12]]''
|rowspan="2"| [[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
| ''[[My Talk Show]]''
|-
! September 26
| ''[[Cop Rock]]'' 
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
!rowspan="2"| September 29
| ''[[Dracula: The Series]]''
|rowspan="3"|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
| ''[[Widget the World Watcher]]'' 
|-
!rowspan="2"| September 30
| ''[[Jesse Jackson|The Jesse Jackson Show]]''
|-
| ''[[Good Grief (TV series)|Good Grief]]''
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
!rowspan="3"| October 1
| ''[[America Tonight]]''
|[[CBS]]
|-
| ''[[UWF Fury Hour]]''
|[[SportsChannel America]]
|-
| ''[[Video Power]]''
|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
! October 4
| ''[[Beverly Hills, 90210]]'' 
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
! October 15
| ''[[Screen Scene]]''
|[[BET]]
|-
! October 24
| ''[[WIOU (TV series)|WIOU]]'' 
|[[CBS]]
|-
! October 27
| ''[[NBA Inside Stuff]]'' 
|[[NBC]]
|-
! November 2
| ''[[Over My Dead Body (TV series)|Over My Dead Body]]'' 
|[[CBS]]
|-
! November 3
| ''[[NBA on NBC]]'' 
|[[NBC]]
|}

===Entering syndication this year===
A list of programs (current or canceled) that have accumulated enough episodes (between 65 and 100) or seasons (3 or more) to be eligible for off-network syndication and/or basic cable runs.
{|class="wikitable"
|- "
! Show || Seasons 
|-
|''[[The Golden Girls]]''||5
|-
|''[[Perfect Strangers (TV series)|Perfect Strangers]]'' ||5
|-
|''[[227 (TV series)|227]]''||5
|}

===Changes of network affiliation===
The following shows aired new episodes on a different network than previous first-run episodes:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- "
! Show || Moved from || Moved to
|-
|''[[Night Flight (TV series)|Night Flight]]''
|[[USA Network]]
|rowspan="4"|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
|''[[TaleSpin]]''
|The Disney Channel
|-
|''[[21 Jump Street]]''
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
|''[[Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
|''[[Supermarket Sweep]]''
|[[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]]
|-
|''[[The Hogan Family]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[NBC]]
|rowspan="3"|[[CBS]]
|-
|''The [[Major League Baseball Game of the Week]]''
|-
|''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]''
|rowspan="4"|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
|''[[Let's Make a Deal]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[NBC]]
|-
|''[[To Tell the Truth]]''
|-
|''[[Match Game]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
|''[[Father Dowling Mysteries]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
|''[[Fun House (American game show)|Fun House]]''
|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|}

===Returning this year===
{| class="wikitable"
|- "
! Show || Last aired || Previous network || New network || Returning
|-
|''[[Supermarket Sweep]]''
|1967
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|[[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]]
|February 5
|-
|''[[Match Game]]''
|1982
|rowspan="5"|[[Syndication (television)|Syndication]]
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|rowspan="2"|July 16
|-
|''[[Let's Make a Deal]]''
|1986
|rowspan="2"|[[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]]
|-
|''[[To Tell The Truth]]''
|1981
|September 3
|-
|''[[The Joker's Wild]]''
|rowspan="2"|1986
|rowspan="2"|Same
|rowspan="2"|September 10
|-
|''[[Tic-Tac-Dough]]''
|}

===Ending this year===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date 
! Show 
! Debut
|-
!January 14
|''[[Free Spirit (TV series)|Free Spirit]]''
|1989
|-
!January 21
|''[[Fantastic Max]]''
|1988
|-
!January 25
|''[[Miami Vice]]''
|1984
|-
!February 24
|''[[Mission: Impossible (1988 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]''
|1988
|-
!March 5
|''[[Eyes on the Prize]]''
|1987
|-
!March 9
|''[[The Bradys]]''
|1990
|-
!rowspan="2"|March 12
|''[[Mama's Family]]''
|1983
|-
|''[[Freddy's Nightmares]]'' 
|1988
|-
!March 15
|''[[Island Son]]''
|1989
|-
!March 23
|''[[Scrabble (game show)|Scrabble]]'' (returned in 1993)
|1984
|-
!March 24
|''[[ALF (TV series)|ALF]]''
|1986
|-
!March 26
|''[[The Baby-Sitters Club (TV series)|The Baby-Sitters Club]]''
|1990
|-
!March 30
|''[[Think Fast (1989 game show)|Think Fast]]''
|rowspan="3"|1989
|-
!April 6
|''[[Baywatch]]'' (returned in 1991)
|-
!April 13
|''[[The Pat Sajak Show]]''
|-
!April 14
|''[[H.E.L.P.]]''
|1990
|-
!April 24
|''[[Mancuso, F.B.I.]]''
|1989
|-
!April 28
|''[[Tour of Duty (TV series)|Tour of Duty]]''
|rowspan="2"|1987
|-
!April 30
|''[[My Two Dads]]''
|-
!May 4
|''[[Just the Ten of Us]]''
|1988
|-
!rowspan="2"|May 6
|''[[227 (sitcom)|227]]''
|1985
|-
|''[[Booker (TV series)|Booker]]''
|rowspan="3"|1989
|-
!May 7
|''[[Alien Nation (1989 TV series)|Alien Nation]]''
|-
!May 12
|''[[The Famous Teddy Z]]''
|-
!May 14
|''[[War of the Worlds (1988 TV series)|War of the Worlds]]''
|1988
|-
!May 17
|''[[Falcon Crest]]''
|1981
|-
!May 21
|''[[Newhart]]''
|1982
|-
!May 25
|''[[You Can't Do That on Television]]''
|1981
|-
!rowspan="2"|May 26
|''[[Friday the 13th: The Series]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|1987
|-
|''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''
|-
!June 14
|''[[NBA on CBS]]''
|1973
|-
!June 28
|''[[Wolf (American TV series)|Wolf]]''
|rowspan="3"|1989
|-
!June 29
|''[[Hardball (1989 TV series)|Hardball]]''
|-
!rowspan="2"|July 6
|''[[Snoops (1989 TV series)|Snoops]]''
|-
|''[[Pinwheel (TV series)|Pinwheel]]''
|1977
|-
!July 8
|''[[Mr. Belvedere]]''
|1985
|-
!July 21
|''[[Open House (1989 TV series)|Open House]]''
|rowspan="2"|1989
|-
!July 30
|''[[Sister Kate (TV series)|Sister Kate]]''
|-
!August 4
|''[[Beauty and the Beast (1987 TV series)|Beauty and the Beast]]''
|1987
|-
!August 19
|''[[Ann Jillian (TV series)|Ann Jillian]]''
|1989
|-
!August 31
|''[[Rodeo Drive (game show)|Rodeo Drive]]''
|rowspan="3"|1990
|-
!September 1
|''[[Monopoly (game show)|Monopoly]]''
|-
!September 2
|''[[Tim Conway's Funny America]]'' 
|-
!September 14
|''[[Make the Grade]]''
|1989
|-
!rowspan="2"|September 29
|''[[E.A.R.T.H. Force]]''
|rowspan="2"|1990
|-
|''[[SK8-TV]]''
|-
!November 10
|''[[Charles in Charge]]''
|1984
|-
!November 17
|''[[Pee-wee's Playhouse]]''
|1986
|-
!November 19
|''[[Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (TV series)|Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers]]''
|1989
|-
!November 28
|''[[DuckTales (1987 TV series)|DuckTales]]'' (original series) (returned in 2017)
|1987
|-
!rowspan="3"|December 1
|''[[Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983 TV series)|Alvin and the Chipmunks]]''
|1983
|-
|''[[The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]''
|rowspan="2"|1990
|-
|''[[Gravedale High]]''
|-
!December 7
|''[[Tic-Tac-Dough]]''
|1956
|-
!December 8
|''[[Wiseguy (TV series)|Wiseguy]]''
|1987
|-
!December 12
|''[[Working It Out]]''
|1990
|-
!December 13
|''[[Remote Control (game show)|Remote Control]]''
|1987
|-
!December 26
|''[[Cop Rock]]''
|rowspan="4"|1990
|-
!rowspan=2|December 28
|''[[Quiz Kids Challenge]]'' 
|-
|''[[The Wizard of Oz (TV series)|The Wizard of Oz]]''
|-
!December 30
|''[[Hull High]]''
|}

===Made-for-TV movies===
{|class="wikitable"
! Title
! Network
! Date of airing
|-
|''[[Murder in Mississippi (film)|Murder in Mississippi]]''
|rowspan="2"|NBC
|February 5
|-
|''[[The Death of the Incredible Hulk]]''
|February 18
|-
|''[[Challenger (1990 film)|Challenger]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|February 25
|-
|''[[The Incident (1990 film)|The Incident]]''
|rowspan="2"|CBS 
|March 4
|-
|''[[A Killing in a Small Town]]''
|May 22
|-
|''[[Psycho IV: The Beginning]]''
|NBC
|November 10
|-
| ''[[The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story]]''
|NBC
|December 10
|-
|}

==Networks and services==
===Launches===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Network
! Type 
! Launch date
! Notes 
! Source 
|-
| [[AZN Television|International Channel]]
| Cable television
| Unknown
|
|
|-
| [[SportsChannel Philadelphia]]
| Cable television
| January 1
|
|
|-
| [[WWOR EMI Service]]
| Cable and satellite 
| January 1
|
|
|-
| [[Ha! (TV channel)|HA! TV Comedy Network]]
| Cable television
| April 1
| 
|
|-
| [[Star Television Network]]
| Broadcast television
| September 29
| 
|
|-
| Hollywood Premiere Network
| Syndicated programming block
| October 9
|
|
|}

===Conversions and rebrandings===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Old network name
! New network name
! Type
! Conversion Date
! Notes
! Source
|-
| [[YTA TV|The Nostalgia Channel]]
| Nostalgia Television
| Cable television
| Unknown
|
|
|-
|MovieTime
|[[E!]]
|Cable television
|July 30
|
|
|-
|CBN Family Channel
|[[Freeform (TV channel)|The Family Channel]]
|Cable television
|September 15
|
|
|-
|}

===Closures===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Network
! Type 
! Closure date
! Notes 
! Source 
|-
| [[Sports News Network]]
| Cable and satellite
| December 17
|
|
|-
|}

==Television stations==
===Station launches===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date
! [[City of License]]/[[Designated market area|Market]]
! [[Television station|Station]]
! Channel 
! Affiliation
! Notes/Ref.
|- 
| January 21
| [[Anchorage, Alaska]] 
| [[KAUU|KYES-TV]]
| 5
| [[Independent station (North America)|Independent]] 
|
|- 
| February 4 
| [[Brownsville, Texas]] 
| [[KNWS-LD|K64FM]] 
| 64 
| [[America's Store]]
| 
|- 
| March 9
| [[Richmond, Virginia]] 
| [[WUPV|WZXK]]
| 65
| [[Independent station (North America)|Independent]] 
| 
|- 
| March 15
| [[Springfield, Missouri]]
| [[KSPR-LD|K15CZ]] 
| 15
| Independent
|
|-
| March 29
| [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]]
| [[WHUA-LP|W39AW]]
| 39
| Independent
|
|- 
| April 2 
| [[Brunswick, Georgia]] <br> {{Small|([[Jacksonville, Florida]])}} 
| [[WPXC-TV|WBSG-TV]]
| 21
| Independent
|
|- 
| April 23
| [[Cedar City, Utah|Cedar City]]/[[St. George, Utah]]
| [[KCSG|KCCZ]]
| 8
| Independent
|
|- 
| May 1
| [[Atlanta, Georgia]]
| [[WYGA-CD|W07CP]]
| 7
| 
| 
|-
| May 5
| [[Fort Pierce, Florida]]
| [[WTCE-TV]]
| 21 
| '''[[Trinity Broadcasting Network|TBN]]'''
|
|- 
| July 1 
| [[Denver, Colorado]]
| [[KETD|KWHD]]
| 53
| [[LeSEA]]
| 
|- 
| August 15
| [[Knoxville, Tennessee]] 
| [[WKOP-TV]]
| 15
| [[PBS]]
| Satellite of [[WETP|WSJK-TV]]/[[Sneedville, Tennessee|Sneedville]] 
|- 
| August 27
| [[Sacramento, California]]
| [[KSPX-TV|KCMY]]
| 29
| Independent
|
|- 
| September 18
| [[Toledo, Ohio]] 
| W05BZ
| 5
| [[The Box (American TV channel)|The Box]] 
| 
|- 
| September 27
| [[Eugene, Oregon]] 
| [[KEPB-TV]]
| 28
| [[PBS]]
| Part of the [[Oregon Public Broadcasting|Oregon Educational and Public Broadcasting Service (OEPBS)]]
|- 
| September 30
| [[Richmond, Virginia]]
| W14BN
| 14
| Independent 
|
|- 
| October 1
| [[Ventura, California]] ([[Los Angeles]]) 
| [[KJLA|KSTV-TV]]
| 57
| [[Galavision]]
| 
|-
|October 13
|[[Lansing, Michigan]]
|[[WLAJ]]
|53
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|
|- 
| October 18
| [[Boulder, Colorado]]
| [[KCEC (TV)|KSHP]]
| 50
| Independent
| 
|- 
| October 22
| [[Naples, Florida|Naples]]/[[Fort Myers, Florida]] 
| [[WXCW|WNPT-TV]]
| 46
| Independent
| Not to be confused with today's [[WNPT (TV)|WNPT]] of [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]]
|- 
| [[Halloween|October 31]] 
| [[Evansville, Indiana]] 
| W38BK
| 38
| [[Trinity Broadcasting Network|TBN]]
| 
|- 
| November 
| [[Macon, Georgia]] 
| [[WGNM]]
| 45
| Independent
| 
|- 
| November 14
| [[Chico, California|Chico]]/[[Redding, California]] 
| [[KCVU|KBCP]]
| 20
| Independent
| 
|- 
| December 5
| [[Toledo, Ohio]]
| W38DH
| 38
| [[The Box (American TV channel)|The Box]] 
|
|- 
| December 27
| [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania]]
| [[WBPH-TV]]
| 60 
| Religious independent
| 
|- 
| rowspan=11| Unknown date
| [[Atlanta, Georgia]]
| [[WKTB-CD|W67CI]]
| 67
| [[Telemundo]]
|
|- 
| [[Bismarck, North Dakota]] 
| [[K46DY]]
| 46
| [[Trinity Broadcasting Network|TBN]]
|
|- 
| [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]
| [[WDMC-LD|W26AZ]]
| 26
| [[Daystar (TV network)|Daystar]] 
|
|- 
| [[Columbia, Missouri]] 
| [[K02NQ]]
| 2 
| unknown
|
|- 
| [[Columbia, South Carolina]]
| [[WKDC-LD|W51BR]]
| 51
| 
| 
|- 
| [[Dothan, Alabama]]
| [[WRGX-LD|W29BB]]
| 29
| [[Trinity Broadcasting Network|TBN]]
|
|- 
| [[Fort Bragg, California]] 
| [[KQSL|KFWU]]
| 8
| ABC 
| Satellite of [[KRCR-TV]]
|- 
| [[Gulfport, Mississippi|Gulfport]]/[[Biloxi, Mississippi]]
| [[WTBL-LD|W46AV]]
| 46
| TBN
| 
|- 
| [[Indianapolis, Indiana]] 
| [[WBXI-CD|W47AZ]]
| 47
| [[The Box (American TV channel)|The Box]] 
| 
|- 
| [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]] 
| K13UT
| 13
| The Box 
|
|- 
| [[Monterey, California]]
| K53DT
| 53 
| TBN
| 
|- 
| [[Tyler, Texas]] 
| [[KTPN-LD|K48DP]]
| 48
| Independent
|
|- 
|}

===Network affiliation changes===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date
! [[City of License]]/[[Designated market area|Market]]
! [[Television station|Station]]
! Channel 
! Old affiliation
! New affiliation
! Notes/Ref.
|-
| rowspan="2" |February 6
| rowspan="2" |[[Nashville, Tennessee]]
|[[WZTV]]
|17
|[[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
| rowspan="2" |<ref>{{Cite news|last=Schweid|first=Richard|date=1990-02-06|title=Ch. 17 owner begins chunk of Ch. 30|work=[[The Tennessean]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[WUXP-TV|WXMT]]
|30
|Fox
|Independent
|-
| rowspan="2" |June 27
| rowspan="2" |[[Buffalo, New York]]
|[[WUTV]]
|29
|Independent
|Fox
| rowspan="2" |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pergament|first=Alan|title=SHUFFLING OF CHANNELS 29, 49 TO RESULT IN SHIFT OF PROGRAMS|url=https://buffalonews.com/news/shuffling-of-channels-29-49-to-result-in-shift-of-programs/article_aef8375f-f2d1-5cff-aa7a-7e5d4547409f.html|access-date=2021-12-12|website=The Buffalo News|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|[[WNYO-TV|WNYB]]
|49
|Fox
|[[Tri-State Christian Television|TCT]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |July 1
| rowspan="2" |[[Memphis, Tennessee]]
|[[WATN-TV|WPTY]]
|24
|Independent
|Fox
| rowspan="2" |<ref>{{Cite news|last=Walter|first=Tom|date=1990-05-30|title=Fox to flip channel to WPTY-TV's 24|work=[[The Commercial Appeal]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[WLMT]]
|30
|Fox
|Independent
|- 
| rowspan=2| September 8
| rowspan=2| [[Louisville, Kentucky]] 
| [[WHAS-TV]]
| 11
| [[CBS]] 
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|
|-  
| [[WLKY-TV]]
| 32
| ABC
| CBS
| 
|-
|September 16
|[[Lansing, Michigan]]
|[[WSYM-TV|WSYM]]
|47
|Independent
|Fox
|<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hughes|first=Mike|date=1990-08-21|title=Channel 47 catches Fox, 'Simpsons'|work=[[Lansing State Journal]]}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2| Unknown date
| [[Davenport, Iowa]] 
| [[KLJB|KLJB-TV]]
| 18
| [[Independent station (North America)|Independent]] 
| [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] 
| Previously with Fox 1987-1988
|- 
| [[Saipan]], [[Northern Mariana Islands]]
| [[WSZE-TV]]
| 10 
| NBC (primary) <br> CBS/ABC/Fox (secondary)
| NBC (primary) <br> CBS/ABC (secondary) 
| Satellite of [[KUAM-TV]]/Hagtna, Guam
|-
|}

===Station closures===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date
! City of license/Market
! Station
! Channel 
! Affiliation
! Sign-on date
! Notes
|- 
| May 23 
| [[New Orleans, Louisiana]] 
| [[WPXL-TV|WCCL]]
| 49 
| Independent (primary) <br> CBS (secondary) 
| March 19, 1989
| 
|- 
| rowspan=2| Unknown date
| [[Key West, Florida]] 
| [[WETV (Florida)|WETV]]
| 13
| Educational independent
| rowspan=2| 1989
|
|- 
| [[Owensboro, Kentucky]] 
| WROZ-TV 
| 61 
| Independent 
| 
|- 
|}

==Births==
{| class="wikitable"
|- "
! Date || Name || Notability
|-
!rowspan="2"|January 4
|Michelle Mylett
|Canadian actress
|-
|Spencer Rothbell
|Voice actor (''[[Clarence (American TV series)|Clarence]]'')
|-
!January 6
|[[Natalie Palamides]]
|Actress (''[[The Powerpuff Girls (2016 TV series)|The Powerpuff Girls]]'', ''[[Star vs. the Forces of Evil]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|January 7
|[[Liam Aiken]]
|Actor
|-
|[[Camryn Grimes]]
|Actress (''[[The Young and the Restless]]'')
|-
!January 10
|[[Trevante Rhodes]]
|American television actor
|-
!January 12
|[[Jana Wissmann]]
|American television personality
|-
!January 13
|[[Liam Hemsworth]]
|Australian actor (''[[Neighbours]]'', ''[[The Elephant Princess]]'', ''[[The Hunger Games (film series)|The Hunger Games]]'')
|-
!January 14
|[[Grant Gustin]]
|Actor (''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'', ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]'')
|-
!January 15
|[[Chris Warren (actor)|Chris Warren]]
|Actor (''[[High School Musical (franchise)|High School Musical]]'')
|-
!January 18
|[[Zeeko Zaki]]
|Actor
|-
!January 26
|[[Christopher Massey]]
|Actor (''[[Zoey 101]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|January 29
|[[MacKenzie Porter]]
|Canadian actress (''[[Dinosapien]]'', ''[[Hell on Wheels (TV series)|Hell on Wheels]]'', ''[[Travelers (TV series)|Travelers]]'')
|-
|Jessica D. Stone
|Voice actress (''[[Stanley (2001 TV series)|Stanley]]'')
|-
!January 30 
|[[Jake Thomas]]
|Actor (''[[Lizzie McGuire]]'', ''[[The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy]]'', ''[[Cory in the House]]'')
|-
!February 1
|[[Davi Santos]]
|Actor
|-
!February 6
|[[Dominic Sherwood]]
|English actor (''[[Shadowhunters]]'')
|-
!February 8
|[[Christian Madsen]]
|Actor
|-
!February 9
|[[Camille Winbush]]
|Actress (''[[The Bernie Mac Show]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|February 14
|[[Jake Weary]]
|Actor (''[[As the World Turns]]'', ''[[Fred (TV series)|Fred: The Show]]'', ''[[Animal Kingdom (TV series)|Animal Kingdom]]'')
|-
|[[Brett Dier]]
|Canadian actor (''[[Ravenswood (TV series)|Ravenswood]]'', ''[[Jane the Virgin]]'')
|-
!February 16
|[[The Weeknd]]
|Singer
|-
!February 23
|[[Anjli Mohindra]]
|Actress
|-
!February 27
|[[Lindsey Morgan]]
|Actress (''[[General Hospital]]'', ''[[The 100 (TV series)|The 100]]'')
|-
!February 28
|[[Georgina Leonidas]]
|English actress (''[[Harry Potter (film series)|Harry Potter]]'')
|-
!March 4
|[[Andrea Bowen]]
|Actress (''[[Desperate Housewives]]'')
|-
!March 5
|[[Matt Rogers (comedian)|Matt Rogers]]
|Actor
|-
!March 7
|[[Daniel Samonas]]
|Actor (''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'', ''[[Wizards of Waverly Place]]'')
|-
!rowspan="3"|March 13
|[[Alec Medlock]]
|Actor (''[[Drake & Josh]]'')
|-
|[[Emory Cohen]]
|Actor (''[[Smash (TV series)|Smash]]'')
|-
|Sebastian Jude
|Actor (''[[Lizzie McGuire]]'')
|-
!March 18 
|[[Luke Tarsitano]]
|Actor (''[[Fudge (TV series)|Fudge]]'')
|-
!March 24
|[[Keisha Castle-Hughes]]
|Australian actress (''[[Game of Thrones]]'')
|-
!March 25
|[[Kiowa Gordon]]
|Actor
|-
!March 26
|[[Carly Chaikin]]
|Actress (''[[Suburgatory]]'', ''[[Mr. Robot]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|March 30
|[[Cassie Scerbo]]
|Actress (''[[Dance Revolution]]'', ''[[Make It or Break It]]'', ''[[Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja]]'')
|-
|[[Allie Gonino]]
|Actress (''[[The Lying Game (TV series)|The Lying Game]]'')
|-
!April 2
|[[Sawyer Fulton]]
|Professional wrestler
|-
!April 3
|[[Natasha Negovanlis]]
|Canadian actress (''[[Carmilla (web series)|Carmilla]]'') and singer
|-
!April 6
|[[Charlie McDermott]]
|Actor (''[[The Middle (TV series)|The Middle]]'')
|-
!April 9
|[[Kristen Stewart]]
|Actress (''[[The Twilight Saga (film series)|The Twilight Saga]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|April 10
|[[Alex Pettyfer]]
|English actor
|-
|[[Maren Morris]]
|Singer-songwriter
|-
!April 12
|[[Hannah Dunne]]
|Actress (''[[Mozart in the Jungle]]'')
|-
!April 14
|[[Christian Alexander]]
|Actor (''[[General Hospital]]'', ''[[The Lying Game (TV series)|The Lying Game]]'')
|-
!April 15
|[[Emma Watson]]
|Actress
|-
!April 18
|[[Britt Robertson]]
|Actress (''[[Swingtown]]'', ''[[Life UneXpected (TV series)|Life UneXpected]]'', ''[[The Secret Circle (TV series)|The Secret Circle]]'', ''[[Under the Dome (TV series)|Under the Dome]]'')
|-
!April 19
|Teo Olivares
|Actor (''[[Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide]]'', ''[[Hannah Montana]]'')
|-
!April 21
|[[Bree Essrig]]
|[[YouTube]] personality and actress
|-
!April 22
|[[Machine Gun Kelly (musician)|Machine Gun Kelly]]
|Musician
|-
!rowspan="2"|April 23 
|Matthew Underwood
|Actor (''[[Zoey 101]]'')
|-
|[[Dev Patel]]
|Actor
|-
!May 1 
|[[Caitlin Stasey]]
|Actress (''[[Neighbours]]'')
|-
!May 2
|[[Kay Panabaker]]
|Actress (''[[Summerland (TV series)|Summerland]]'', ''[[Phil of the Future]]'', ''[[American Dragon: Jake Long]]'', ''[[No Ordinary Family]]'')
|-
!May 10
|[[Lauren Potter]]
|Actress (''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'')
|-
!May 14
|[[Sasha Spielberg]]
|Actress 
|-
!rowspan="2"|May 16
|[[Marc John Jefferies]]
|Voice actor (''[[Fatherhood (TV series)|Fatherwood]]'')
|-
|[[Thomas Brodie-Sangster]]
|English actor (''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'', ''[[Game of Thrones]]'')
|-
!rowspan="3"|May 17
|[[Ross Butler (actor)|Ross Butler]]
|Actor (''[[K.C. Undercover]]'') 
|-
|[[Kree Harrison]]
|Singer (''[[American Idol (season 12)|American Idol]]'')<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kree Harrison |url=https://www.iheart.com/artist/kree-harrison-887836/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=iHeart |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|[[Leven Rambin]]
|Actress (''[[All My Children]]'', ''[[Scoundrels (TV series)|Scoundrels]]'')
|-
!May 18
|[[Luke Kleintank]]
|Actor (''[[Gossip Girl]]'', ''[[The Young and the Restless]]'', ''[[Bones (TV series)|Bones]]'', ''[[Pretty Little Liars]]'', ''[[The Man in the High Castle (TV series)|The Man in the High Castle]]'')
|-
!May 19
|Crawford Wilson
|Voice actor (''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'')
|-
!May 21
|[[Scotty Leavenworth]]
|Actor
|-
!May 25
|[[Ebonée Noel]]
|Actress
|-
!May 26
|[[Madeleine Mantock]]
|Actress
|-
!May 27 
|[[Chris Colfer]]
|Actor (''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'')
|-
!May 30
|[[Dean Collins (actor)|Dean Collins]]
|Actor (''[[Jack & Bobby]]'', ''[[The War at Home (TV series)|The War at Home]]'')
|-
!June 2
|[[Brittany Curran]]
|American actress
|-
!June 9
|[[Lauren Socha]]
|English actress
|-
!June 10
|[[Tristin Mays]]
|Actress (''[[Gullah Gullah Island]]'', ''[[Private (web series)|Private]]'')
|-
!June 13
|[[Aaron Taylor-Johnson]]
|English actor
|-
!June 15
|[[Denzel Whitaker]]
|Actor (''[[All That]]'', ''[[Hannah Montana]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|June 19
|[[Ashly Burch]]
|Voice actress (''[[Adventure Time]]'', ''[[OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes]]'')
|-
|[[Chuku Modu]]
|Actor
|-
!June 20
|[[Jacob Wysocki]]
|Actor
|-
!rowspan="2"|June 28
|[[Jasmine Richards]]
|Canadian actress (''[[Naturally, Sadie]]'')
|-
|Nick Purcell
|Actor (''[[The Troop]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|July 2
|[[Margot Robbie]]
|Australian actress (''[[Pan Am (TV series)|Pan Am]]'')
|-
|[[Kayla Harrison]]
|American professional mixed martial artist 
|-
!July 6
|[[Jeremy Suarez]]
|Actor (''[[The Bernie Mac Show]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|July 11
|[[Connor Paolo]]
|Actor (''[[Gossip Girl]]'', ''[[Revenge (TV series)|Revenge]]'')
|-
|[[Kelsey Sanders]]
|Actress (''[[Private (web series)|Private]]'') and singer
|-
!July 12
|[[Rachel Brosnahan]]
|Actress (''[[House of Cards (American TV series)|House of Cards]]'', ''[[Manhattan (TV series)|Manhattan]]'')
|-
!July 16
|[[James Maslow]]
|Actor (''[[Big Time Rush]]'') and singer
|-
!July 19
|[[Steven Anthony Lawrence]]
|Actor (''[[The Amanda Show]]'', ''[[Even Stevens]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|July 24
|[[Daveigh Chase]]
|Actress (''[[Oliver Beene]]'', ''[[Lilo & Stitch: The Series]]'', ''[[Big Love]]'')
|-
|[[Jay McGuiness]]
|British singer (''[[The Wanted]]'')
|-
!July 26
|[[Bianca Santos]]
|Actress (''[[The Fosters (2013 TV series)|The Fosters]]'')
|-
!July 27
|[[Indiana Evans]]
|Australian actress and singer (''[[Snobs]]'', ''[[Home and Away]]'', ''[[H2O: Just Add Water|H<sub>2</sub>O: Just Add Water]]'', ''[[Crownies]]'', ''[[Secrets and Lies (American TV series)|Secrets and Lies]]'')
|-
!July 28
|[[Soulja Boy]]
|Rapper
|-
!rowspan="2"|July 29
|[[Matt Prokop]]
|Actor
|-
|[[Munro Chambers]]
|Canadian actor (''[[The Latest Buzz]]'')
|-
!July 30
|[[Eliot Sumner]]
|Actor
|-
!August 1
|[[Jack O'Connell (actor)|Jack O'Connell]]
|British actor (''[[Skins (UK TV series)|Skins]]'')
|-
!August 4
|[[Chet Hanks]]
|Actor
|-
!rowspan="2"|August 9
|[[Adelaide Kane]]
|Australian actress (''[[Neighbours]]'', ''[[Power Rangers RPM]]'', ''[[Teen Wolf (2011 TV series)|Teen Wolf]]'', ''[[Reign (TV series)|Reign]]'')
|-
|[[Bill Skarsgård]]
|Swedish actor (''[[Hemlock Grove (TV series)|Hemlock Grove]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|August 10
|[[Lucas Till]]
|Actor
|-
|[[Sydney Lemmon]]
|Actress
|-
!August 14
|[[Miranda Rae Mayo]]
|Actress
|-
!August 15
|[[Jennifer Lawrence]]
|Actress (''[[The Bill Engvall Show]]'', ''[[The Hunger Games (film series)|The Hunger Games]]'')
|-
!August 17
|[[Rachel Hurd-Wood]]
|British actress (''[[Home Fires (British TV series)|Home Fires]]'')
|-
!August 25
|[[Kristos Andrews]]
|Actor
|-
!August 28
|[[Katie Findlay]]
|Canadian actress (''[[The Killing (American TV series)|The Killing]]'', ''[[The Carrie Diaries]]'', ''[[How to Get Away with Murder]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|August 29
|[[Laura Ashley Samuels]]
|Actress
|-
|[[Nicole Gale Anderson]]
|Actress (''[[Jonas (TV series)|Jonas]]'', ''[[Beauty & the Beast (2012 TV series)|Beauty & the Beast]]'', ''[[Ravenswood (TV series)|Ravenswood]]'')
|-
!September 2
|[[Merritt Patterson]]
|Canadian actress (''[[Ravenswood (TV series)|Ravenswood]]'', ''[[The Royals (TV series)|The Royals]]'')
|-
!September 8
|[[Ella Rae Peck]]
|Actress (''[[Gossip Girl]]'', ''[[Welcome to the Family (2013 TV series)|Welcome to the Family]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|September 9
|[[Haley Reinhart]]
|Musician (''[[American Idol]]'')
|-
|[[Sarah Baker (actress)|Sarah Baker]]
|Actress
|-
!rowspan="2"|September 10
|[[Eddy Martin]]
|Actor (''[[Just Jordan]]'')
|-
|[[Chandler Massey]]
|Actor (''[[Days of Our Lives]]'')
|-
!September 12
|Wayne Dalglish
|Actor (''[[The O.C.]]'', ''[[Kickin' It]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|September 14
|[[Lolly Adefope]]
|Actress
|-
|[[Harry McEntire]]
|English actor
|-
!September 15
|[[Matt Shively]]
|Actor (''[[True Jackson, VP]]'', ''[[The Troop]]'')
|-
!September 20
|[[Phillip Phillips]]
|Singer (''[[American Idol (season 11)|American Idol]]'')<ref>{{Cite web |title=Phillip Phillips – The Vogue |url=https://thevogue.com/artists/phillip-phillips/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|September 21
|[[Allison Scagliotti]]
|Actress (''[[Drake & Josh]]'', ''[[Warehouse 13]]'', ''[[Stitchers]]'')
|-
|[[Christian Serratos]]
|Actress (''[[Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide]]'', ''[[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]]'')
|-
!September 25
|[[Hannah Gross]]
|American actress
|-
!September 27
|[[Lola Kirke]]
|English-American actress (''[[Mozart in the Jungle]]'')
|-
!September 28
|[[Kirsten Zien]]
|Canadian actress (''[[Kyle XY]]'', ''[[The Lying Game (TV series)|The Lying Game]]'')
|-
!September 29
|[[Doug Brochu]]
|Actor (''[[Sonny with a Chance]]'', ''[[So Random!]]'')
|-
!September 30
|[[Swerve Strickland]]
|Pro wrestler<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-26 |title=AEW Profile - Swerve Strickland |url=https://www.espn.com/aew/story/_/id/39389648/aew-profile-page-swerve-strickland |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
!October 5
|Myles Jeffrey
|Actor (''[[Beverly Hills, 90210]]'', ''[[Early Edition]]'', ''[[Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|October 6
|[[Scarlett Byrne]]
|Actress (''[[Harry Potter (film series)|Harry Potter]]'', ''[[Falling Skies]]'', ''[[The Vampire Diaries]]'')
|-
|[[Noah Robbins]]
|Actor
|-
!October 7
|[[Ayla Kell]]
|Actress (''[[Make It or Break It]]'')
|-
!October 8
|[[Trent Harmon]]
|Singer (''[[American Idol (season 15)|American Idol]]'')<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ginsberg |first=Gabriella |date=2016-03-11 |title=Trent Harmon |url=https://hollywoodlife.com/celeb/trent-harmon/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Hollywood Life |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
!October 13
|[[Bailey Noble]]
|Actress (''First Day'', ''[[True Blood]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|October 18
|[[Jordan Calloway]]
|Actress (''[[Unfabulous]]'')
|-
|[[Carly Schroeder]]
|Actress (''[[Port Charles]]'', ''[[General Hospital]]'', ''[[Lizzie McGuire]]'')
|-
!October 19
|[[Ciara Renée]]
|Actress (''[[Legends of Tomorrow]]'')
|-
!October 20
|[[Galadriel Stineman]]
|Actress (''[[The Middle (TV series)|The Middle]]'')
|-
!October 22 
|[[Jonathan Lipnicki]]
|Actor (''[[The Jeff Foxworthy Show]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|October 24
|[[Kirby Bliss Blanton]]
|Actress
|-
|[[LaMarcus Tinker]]
|Actor (''[[Cougar Town]]'')
|-
!October 28
|Kianna Underwood
|Actress (''[[Little Bill]]'', ''[[All That]]'')
|-
!October 29
|[[Carlson Young]]
|Actress (''[[As the Bell Rings (American TV series)|As the Bell Rings]]'', ''[[Scream (TV series)|Scream]]'')
|-
!October 31
|[[Lil' JJ]]
|Actor (''[[All That]]'', ''[[Just Jordan]]'')
|-
!November 2 
|[[Kendall Schmidt]]
|Actor (''[[Big Time Rush]]'') and singer
|-
!November 4
|[[Jean-Luc Bilodeau]]
|Actor
|-
!November 6
|[[Bowen Yang]]
|Actor
|-
!November 13
|[[Kathleen Herles]]
|Voice actress (Dora on ''[[Dora the Explorer (TV series)|Dora the Explorer]]'' (2000–07))
|-
!November 17
|[[Shanica Knowles]]
|Actress (''[[Hannah Montana]]'')
|-
!November 24 
|[[Sarah Hyland]]
|Actress (''[[Modern Family]]'')
|-
!November 26
|[[Rita Ora]]
|Singer
|-
!November 29
|[[Diego Boneta]]
|Mexican actor (''[[Underemployed (TV series)|Underemployed]]'', ''[[Scream Queens (2015 TV series)|Scream Queens]]'') and singer
|-
!December 13
|Emily Peachey
|Actress
|-
!December 20
|[[JoJo (singer)|JoJo]]
|American singer
|-
!December 21
|[[Mandeep Dhillon]]
|Actress
|-
!December 23
|[[Anna Maria Perez de Tagle]]
|Actress (''[[Hannah Montana]]'', ''[[Cake (2006 TV series)|Cake]]'')
|-
!December 28
|[[David Archuleta]]
|Singer (''[[American Idol]]'') and actor
|}

==Deaths==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Date !! Name !! Age !!class="unsortable" |Notability 
|-
!January 2 
|[[Alan Hale (actor, born 1921)|Alan Hale]]
|align="center"|68
|Actor (Skipper Jonas Grumby on ''[[Gilligan's Island]]'')
|-
!January 9 
|[[Northern Calloway]]
|align="center"|41
|Actor (David on ''[[Sesame Street]]'')
|-
!January 18 
|[[Rusty Hamer]]
|align="center"|42
|Former child actor (''[[Make Room For Daddy]]'')
|-
!January 20
|[[Barbara Stanwyck]]
|align="center"|82
|Actress (''[[The Barbara Stanwyck Show]]'', ''[[The Big Valley]]'')
|-
!March 24 
|[[Ray Goulding]]
|align="center"|68
|Comedian, half of the comedy team [[Bob and Ray]]
|-
!May 9
|[[Pauline Frederick (journalist)|Pauline Frederick]]
|align="center"|82
|Journalist ([[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]], [[NBC News]])
|-
!May 10 
|[[Susan Oliver]]
|align="center"|58
|Actress (''[[Peyton Place (TV series)|Peyton Place]]'')
|-
!May 14
|[[Franklyn Seales]]
|align="center"|37
|Actor (Dexter on ''[[Silver Spoons]]'')
|-
!rowspan="2"|May 16 
|[[Jim Henson]]
|align="center"|53
|Puppeteer ([[The Muppets]] creator)
|-
|[[Sammy Davis Jr.]]
|align="center"|64
|Actor and singer
|-
!May 25 
|[[Vic Tayback]]
|align="center"|60
|Actor (Mel Sharples on ''[[Alice (American TV series)|Alice]]'')
|-
!June 4
|[[Jack Gilford]]
|align="center"|82
|Actor ([[Cracker Jack]] commercials)
|-
!July 7 
|[[Bill Cullen]]
|align="center"|70
|[[Game show]] host (original host of ''[[The Price Is Right (American game show)|The Price Is Right]]'')
|-
!July 8 
|[[Howard Duff]]
|align="center"|76
|Actor (''[[Felony Squad]]'')
|-
!July 30
|[[Karl Weber (actor)|Karl Weber]]
| align="center"|74 
| Actor (Arthur Tate in ''[[Search for Tomorrow]]'')<ref name="lat">{{cite news|title=Karl Weber; Longtime Radio Actor|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-06-mn-154-story.html|access-date=11 September 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 6, 1990}}</ref>
|-
!August 15
|[[Viktor Tsoi]]
| align="center"|28
|Soviet singer ([[Kino (band)|Kino]])
|-
!October 26 
|[[William S. Paley]]
|align="center"|89
|Founder and longtime head of [[CBS]]
|-
!November 3 
|[[Mary Martin]]
|align="center"|76
|Actress & singer (''[[Peter Pan (1954 musical)|Peter Pan]]'')
|-
!November 12 
|[[Eve Arden]]
|align="center"|82
|Actress (''[[Our Miss Brooks]]'')
|-
!November 27 
|[[David White (actor)|David White]]
|align="center"|74
|Actor (Larry Tate on ''[[Bewitched]]'')
|-
!December 2 
|[[Bob Cummings]]
|align="center"|80
|Actor (''[[The Bob Cummings Show]]'')
|-
!December 28 
|[[Kiel Martin]]
|align="center"|46
|Actor (Officer J.D. LaRue on ''[[Hill Street Blues]]'')
|}

==See also==
* [[1990 in the United States]]
* [[List of American films of 1990]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=tv_series&release_date=1990-01-01,1990-12-31&countries=us&adult=include&sort=num_votes,desc List of 1990 American television series] at [[IMDb]]

{{Years in TV by country|1990}}
{{Years in television}}

[[Category:1990 in American television| ]]
[[Category:1990s in American television]]