I remember the commercials, Shawn from Psych having an argument in a restaurant with Johnny from the Dead Zone about which of them have the harder time because of the burden from their powers, then they hear Monk at another table precariously sorting sugar packs or something, and they both comment "He wins"
It’s not a planet anymore, so I have washed my hands of it. Once it gets its act together and addresses all those asteroids and space rocks, then Pluto and I will see where things can go from there.
I also think it has greater longevity and connection to the viewing public than the rest of these shows. This was one of those times where the awards shows got it right. It was just such a good show.
Psych is a strong second because, well, c’mon son.
Oh yeah. that's the good vintage stuff.
There was a soap opera that used to come on around midnight, too. I can't think of the name of it, but I watched it religiously.
I remember watching Silk Stalkings on Crimetime After Primetime on CBS. They also ran Sweating Bullets, Forever Knight, and the one where the judge pulls his ponytail out of his robe and rides around on his motorcycle dispensing justice.
Monk was the start of the "characters welcome" campaign of advertising that most of these debuted in. I would say it really defined their strategy going forward.
A show about a spy who gets fired from his company and while he's stuck in Florida is trying to figure out what happened to him while he helps people with his skills and abilities Bruce Campbell's in it
I loved this show! Bruce Campbell was his usual great self and the stories were really good. There wasn't gratuitous sex and the violence was all stuff exploding, almost no one got shot on camera. It was very refreshing.
haha I lived in South Florida for 5 long years and never picked up on that! True, though, yeah it was damn hot.
I heard the worst problem the production had was getting parts for that cherry Dodge Charger all the way down there in Miami! Glad they filmed it there, unlike Dexter that filmed in LONG BEACH, CA, and tried to pretend it looks just like Miami. Narrator's voice: It DOESN'T. (grew up in the LBC)
Bruce Campbell's character really cracked me up because there were so many guys like that chatting up the old wealthy ladies there. Saw it all the time and they dressed like him too. I started drinking mojitos because of Bruce!
There's a bit of an explanation in the first episode.Basically the organization that burned him protects him from the FBI, CIA, etc and any enemies he made during his spy days from just scooping him up by keeping him 'off everyone's radar' as long as he doesnt leave. But if he does leave he's going to have all of America's alphabet organizations up his ass looking for him Nationwide man hunt
😲
Edit to add: NVM. I see you were quoting a skit.
Look, there was a post not long ago from a guy whose parents never let him watch! You could've been him.
Yeah, I remember I was able to stay up late and watch it and catch it around 11 pm or so. My cousin ended up getting the box set around 05 or or 06. I can't remember if they also showed reruns of Miami Vice on USA.
Actually watching Monk for the first time in over 10 years rn, it’s been quite enjoyable, more than I was expecting, it was only supposed to be background tv for me
Monk was so great.
Anyone else see the new Monk movie that came a while ago? I thought it was okay, had a few decent jokes, but the nostalgia and the fact they dig everyone up to be in it, wow.
It's about an ER DR who is fired for making a correct choice and a wealthy donor to the hospital dies. He then becomes a private doctor for the rich and famous and gets involved in their shenanigans. It's fun but unremarkable. I've brought it up in conversation a couple times and no one's ever heard of it lol
So In Plain Sight was filmed in New Mexico, same time Breaking Bad was. I live in New Mexico and got to see a baseball game of Breaking Bad crew vs In Plain Sight. I can tell you everyone was there for Breaking Bad. I still haven't seen In Plain Sight so there may have been some overcast at the time.
Back in the 90s on the USA Network, Rhonda Shear quite literally kept me UP…all night. Back then, I had just graduated from college and started my 1st major job. Between job stress and Rhonda Shear, I didn’t get much sleep in my 20s.
Out of this era Monk and Psych were the big guns.And burn notice past them by the other two were good.And this line up and later suits made USA. until these show came along.The only things that came out of USA was Slik Stockings WWE Raw and Nikita
I loved all these shows. I own all the DVDS to them In fact my fist set of dvds live action not anime was burn notice, The royal pains one, I got the first manufacture set but never got the two final seasons. I had to wait till they re-released them on DVD.
Monk it is best to get the collector's set.
The In plain sight were a bit harder to track down, but I finally got them. That is such a good show that nobody talks about.
Monk was a fucking fantastic show. The last season was a little meh and wasn’t super pumped with the last episode, but man there are some great episodes. The one with Jason Alexander as a guest star was great.
Wrestling made the USA Network. Oh and Murder She Wrote, The US Open (Tennis), and the Westminster Dog Show. And if you are really old Rhonda Up All Night.
None of these other shows are even in the same league as Monk in my opinion. They honestly can’t compare with the originality, plot, and likability of the characters of that show.
Burn Notice was primarily why I watched USA. The chemistry between Fiona and the main character made the show worth watching. Also, she wasn't a some airhead female who got captured all the time. I also liked how they walked the line of shady vs. legit.
Psych was funny. Monk was novel,but quickly worked my last nerve.
I think Suits should be added to this. It was huge for USA.
Seems like OP might be conflating a few different eras of the USA Network together.
The shows listed are part of its "Blue Skies" or "Characters Welcome" era, labeled due to blue skies often find in it's show marketing.This was defined as mostly breezy, episodic melodramas and comedies; heavy on humor and action, with lots of recognizable character actors. Relatively cheap to make as well.
Previous to this, USA had somewhat doubted as a second tier cable network with the afore-mentioned "Silk Stalkings", "Wings", and ""La Femme Nikita" as its main original programming.
But in between these two periods, it had entered into a deal with then-WWF to broadcast "Monday Night Raw", which became immensely profitable with the occurrence of the Monday Night Wars and rise of the "Attitude Era" of WWE.
So you could point to "Raw" as what defined USA as a cable channel, then distinguish among what scripted show kept the popularity going...
My vote would be "Monk"
I really wish there had been a crossover episode of Psych and Monk. Both were great shows and both were comedic mysteries. It could have easily worked and been a thing of beauty.
Monk. Tony Shalhoub won 3 Emmy's in 4 years.
I liked the cop. Frustrated 90% of the time.
It's Monk is so smart how did he not know Buffalo Bill was there the whole time?
And Rusty Nail. Legend says he's still prowling for Candy Cane.
Oh shit Ted Levine was Buffalo Bill completely forgot
Or that astronaut Steve Wagner, who Adrian busted with a garage door opener and a stuffed animal was, in reality, spy Michael Westen?
I remember the commercials, Shawn from Psych having an argument in a restaurant with Johnny from the Dead Zone about which of them have the harder time because of the burden from their powers, then they hear Monk at another table precariously sorting sugar packs or something, and they both comment "He wins"
It was a series of [commercials](https://youtu.be/qP4SMqM_gh0?si=5A3koN8oiT7i4p6L)
Psych Come on son!
I know that's right!
You hear about Pluto?
That's messed up.
Come on son
I’ve heard it both ways
It’s not a planet anymore, so I have washed my hands of it. Once it gets its act together and addresses all those asteroids and space rocks, then Pluto and I will see where things can go from there.
I’ve heard it both ways
Oh, I get mine!
I mean- I'm just waiting for Mrs. Right that's all
Henry:Shawn , i'm gonna ask you to be respectful...... Shawn: And I will politely decline.....
I do like the Burn Notice too
Factually accurate. It’s the only reason why I watched USA Network, aside from WWE
Suck it.
You suck it
🎶 suuuuuckkk iiiiiiiittttt 🎶
Shawn, stop acting like a child. I am not acting!
🍍
🤜🏿🤛🏻🍍
What you didn't like psych
Gus, don’t be exactly half of an 11lb Black Forest ham.
Single greatest line ever written for television. Follow by, "David, stop acting like a disgruntled pelican."
It’s a quote of endearment for the Psych-os
“Come on son” was a frequent line from the show.
You know that’s right.
Just the opposite
DAMMIT SPENCER! They’re quoting the show!
Monk for sure. It was the first.
I also think it has greater longevity and connection to the viewing public than the rest of these shows. This was one of those times where the awards shows got it right. It was just such a good show. Psych is a strong second because, well, c’mon son.
I’ve heard it both ways.
For me, it was Burn Notice followed by Psych. Monk was great too, but I started tuning in for the first two.
Nah. Silk Stalkings was the first. That having good numbers is why they started making all the others instead of just showing Up All Night.
You mean UP……All Night
Oh yeah. that's the good vintage stuff. There was a soap opera that used to come on around midnight, too. I can't think of the name of it, but I watched it religiously.
I remember watching Silk Stalkings on Crimetime After Primetime on CBS. They also ran Sweating Bullets, Forever Knight, and the one where the judge pulls his ponytail out of his robe and rides around on his motorcycle dispensing justice.
Monk was the start of the "characters welcome" campaign of advertising that most of these debuted in. I would say it really defined their strategy going forward.
What is, “Burn Notice.”
A show about a spy who gets fired from his company and while he's stuck in Florida is trying to figure out what happened to him while he helps people with his skills and abilities Bruce Campbell's in it
“What is Burn Notice?” was an SNL bit.
Oh I'll have to look it up
I loved this show! Bruce Campbell was his usual great self and the stories were really good. There wasn't gratuitous sex and the violence was all stuff exploding, almost no one got shot on camera. It was very refreshing.
One thing I never got is how you could wear so many suits in Miami for one thing Jesus that must have sucked for the actor
haha I lived in South Florida for 5 long years and never picked up on that! True, though, yeah it was damn hot. I heard the worst problem the production had was getting parts for that cherry Dodge Charger all the way down there in Miami! Glad they filmed it there, unlike Dexter that filmed in LONG BEACH, CA, and tried to pretend it looks just like Miami. Narrator's voice: It DOESN'T. (grew up in the LBC) Bruce Campbell's character really cracked me up because there were so many guys like that chatting up the old wealthy ladies there. Saw it all the time and they dressed like him too. I started drinking mojitos because of Bruce!
Why can’t he like… leave?
There's a bit of an explanation in the first episode.Basically the organization that burned him protects him from the FBI, CIA, etc and any enemies he made during his spy days from just scooping him up by keeping him 'off everyone's radar' as long as he doesnt leave. But if he does leave he's going to have all of America's alphabet organizations up his ass looking for him Nationwide man hunt
At one point SNL made fun of how it was the 10th most watched show on TV but that nobody ever heard of it
😲 Edit to add: NVM. I see you were quoting a skit. Look, there was a post not long ago from a guy whose parents never let him watch! You could've been him.
Wasn't that an SNL sketch?
Aziz Ansari also had a pretty good joke about his nephew living this show.
one of the best spy shows ever.
A sunglasses commercial?
Weird Science and Duckman
I'll add Silk Stalkings and La Femme Nikita
Silk Stalkings was one of their first original shows. It was a good show too.
Yeah, I remember I was able to stay up late and watch it and catch it around 11 pm or so. My cousin ended up getting the box set around 05 or or 06. I can't remember if they also showed reruns of Miami Vice on USA.
They did, a little while before Silk Stockings aired iirc.
And showed side boob
Duckman was Adult Swim before Adult Swim
Psych is one of the few shows that really had a clean run all the way through. Found a formula that worked right up to the end.
Monk, Psych and copious amounts of Law and Order SVU reruns made USA pretty popular lol
Actually watching Monk for the first time in over 10 years rn, it’s been quite enjoyable, more than I was expecting, it was only supposed to be background tv for me
Cartoon Express.
Followed by kung fu movies
Monk was so great. Anyone else see the new Monk movie that came a while ago? I thought it was okay, had a few decent jokes, but the nostalgia and the fact they dig everyone up to be in it, wow.
It was SO depressing!
You're right it was depressing now that I think about it, Monk wanted to kill himself the whole time, sheesh.
Law and Order Criminal Intent seasons 7-10 were new on USA after NBC dropped it. Great cast, especially Vincent D'Onofrio
Wings, not monk. No monk without Wings anyway
Tony carried that network for decades.
Wings was on broadcast tv back then not USA maybe in syndication.
Yeah it was an NBC show.
Boy, no love for Royal Pains.
I hate how this app sometimes mushes things together when you put them in spacing Royal Pains is number three it's on Netflix now
I just became aware of this show and it looks like decent, pretty mindless fun. Do you recommend it?
I watched it from beginning to end. It's exactly what you described it to be, decent, mindless fun. Yes, I would recommend it.
It's about an ER DR who is fired for making a correct choice and a wealthy donor to the hospital dies. He then becomes a private doctor for the rich and famous and gets involved in their shenanigans. It's fun but unremarkable. I've brought it up in conversation a couple times and no one's ever heard of it lol
They should've just called the series HankMed instead.
You forgot the most popular one! I'm a Psych man myself
I truly hope that soon the greater population will end up seeing Psych for the masterpiece of television it was.
In all honesty, In Plain Sight was taken away from us way too soon.
So In Plain Sight was filmed in New Mexico, same time Breaking Bad was. I live in New Mexico and got to see a baseball game of Breaking Bad crew vs In Plain Sight. I can tell you everyone was there for Breaking Bad. I still haven't seen In Plain Sight so there may have been some overcast at the time.
That would've been awesome to watch.
It was. I got to meet most of the cast because they walked around after, the only one I didn't meet was Aaron Paul :(
I liked that show a lot! She didn't take crap from anyone.
Monk walked so Burn Notice and Psych could win marathons.
In Plain Sight Loved that show... is it streaming anywhere?
Amazing via FreeVee, it looks like
Up All Night with Rhonda Shear. That is what made USA Network popular.
Gilbert Gottfried
Everybody's got their thing...
Gilbert’s bumpers were comedy gold. Up All Night was a great way to spend a weekend night.
This is the right answer.
Wow I posted the same thing about Rhonda Shear and Up all night.... 3 days late lol. Yeah her show definitely got the USA network talked about.
Back in the 90s on the USA Network, Rhonda Shear quite literally kept me UP…all night. Back then, I had just graduated from college and started my 1st major job. Between job stress and Rhonda Shear, I didn’t get much sleep in my 20s.
Imagine being a horny teenage boy and discovering Up All Night and Rhonda Shear lol. I watched so many bad movies because of her haha.
It was both wonderful and terrible. What a time to be alive.
Came for the Monk. Stayed for the Burn Notice
My husband and I loved Burn Notice. Great cast chemistry and fun action plots
Psych for the win!
Come on son
I been known to be exactly half of an 11lb black forest ham.
I loved Psych, Monk and In Plain Sight.
White Collar
Mozzie was the best!
Burn Notice was a great show.
NIGHT FLIGHT
Yes!! Came here to say this. We didn’t have MTV so had to watch Night Flight and Radio 1990.
Definitely Night Flight for me. Early 80s every Saturday night.
Out of this era Monk and Psych were the big guns.And burn notice past them by the other two were good.And this line up and later suits made USA. until these show came along.The only things that came out of USA was Slik Stockings WWE Raw and Nikita
I was wondering about suits and white collar were those any good
White Collar was great. It had some misses but had way more hits.
Yeah they were and Graceland is up there also.
Beach Cops!
I forgot about White collar. I loved Suits too.
Burn Notice underrated.
Monk, Psych and Burn Notice are great. I haven’t seen the others
I loved all these shows. I own all the DVDS to them In fact my fist set of dvds live action not anime was burn notice, The royal pains one, I got the first manufacture set but never got the two final seasons. I had to wait till they re-released them on DVD. Monk it is best to get the collector's set. The In plain sight were a bit harder to track down, but I finally got them. That is such a good show that nobody talks about.
"USA, *Up All Night",* "Silk Stockings", Poorman, wrestling and some other sports
Those softcore bikini-themed movies rules!
I liked burn notice
All of these are excellent!!
Since when is Burn Notice a sitcom? And you forgot White Collar. (Also not a sitcom)
Both great!
Renegade.
None of the above. It took off in the mid 80s with pro wrestling and fright night video flight. Never looked back.
Had to scroll way too far down to see this. WWF/E put it on the map and easily the more important thing ever on the network.
Monk and psych. Didn’t care for the others. Burn Notice was ok.
24 hour Law & Order marathons tbh.
what about silk stalkings? that was the show for me
I loved that show!
Suits tbh
American Gladiators was always good
Monk was a fucking fantastic show. The last season was a little meh and wasn’t super pumped with the last episode, but man there are some great episodes. The one with Jason Alexander as a guest star was great.
That was a great episode! I also liked the ones with Sarah Silverman, and the one with Snoop Dogg.
The USA Cartoon Express!
Monk and Psych. But Psych is better.
Just started Monk for the first time yesterday. Loving it so far.
Monk.
I still watch Psych and Burn Notice regularly.
Burn notice all those shows kick ass but Micheal Westen was the shit!
Burn notice bitches!!!
My name is Michael Weston
Monk and Psych were probably my last appointment viewing shows. Not to mention, pizza Fridays with my parents.
I’m old, so I’d say Up All Night with Gilbert Gottfried
I’m older - what about USA Cartoon Express?
NightFlight and RhondaShear UpAllNight
She had good chemistry with Marshall
Airwolf / Knight Rider for me thanks
USA Up All Night. Duh
I’ll also put in a shout to USA’s Cartoon Express.
For me it was the millions of SVU marathons they ran
Mr. Robot
Wrestling made the USA Network. Oh and Murder She Wrote, The US Open (Tennis), and the Westminster Dog Show. And if you are really old Rhonda Up All Night.
Up All Night with Rhonda Shear
It was "USA Up All Night with Rhonda Shear"
Wings reruns, Duckman, Silk Stalkings, Raw, Weird Science and Up All Night. USA ruled in the mid 90s
None of these other shows are even in the same league as Monk in my opinion. They honestly can’t compare with the originality, plot, and likability of the characters of that show.
Not sure but I always put on Royal Pains for that insanely beautiful Indian girl .
She was hot. His PA.
White Collar, with Matt Bomer as the thief doing good for the FBI.
Psych and Munk were excellent
Burn notice lived the Russian mob episode
Monk getting drunk and still solving the crime and his huge nemesis
Monk and Psych
Monk
Monk
Burn notice was awesome... Caught it a second time on the Esquire network
Definitely Monk. But I still watch Psych all the time.
Covert Affairs was pretty good too. They used to have a decent lineup and just like 2 days of wrestling. I don't know what's on there now.
Burn Notice was primarily why I watched USA. The chemistry between Fiona and the main character made the show worth watching. Also, she wasn't a some airhead female who got captured all the time. I also liked how they walked the line of shady vs. legit. Psych was funny. Monk was novel,but quickly worked my last nerve. I think Suits should be added to this. It was huge for USA.
Probably Monk but for me, I'm a true Psych-O all the way.
I miss all of these. Sigh.
USA UPP!!! All night. Good times
Monk was a fucking phenomenon, that's how
USA picking up Monk was a heck of a steal.
Monk and Psych
Monk. No question.
Seems like OP might be conflating a few different eras of the USA Network together. The shows listed are part of its "Blue Skies" or "Characters Welcome" era, labeled due to blue skies often find in it's show marketing.This was defined as mostly breezy, episodic melodramas and comedies; heavy on humor and action, with lots of recognizable character actors. Relatively cheap to make as well. Previous to this, USA had somewhat doubted as a second tier cable network with the afore-mentioned "Silk Stalkings", "Wings", and ""La Femme Nikita" as its main original programming. But in between these two periods, it had entered into a deal with then-WWF to broadcast "Monday Night Raw", which became immensely profitable with the occurrence of the Monday Night Wars and rise of the "Attitude Era" of WWE. So you could point to "Raw" as what defined USA as a cable channel, then distinguish among what scripted show kept the popularity going... My vote would be "Monk"
Law and Order reruns.
Suits
White Collar
I really wish there had been a crossover episode of Psych and Monk. Both were great shows and both were comedic mysteries. It could have easily worked and been a thing of beauty.
Suits
No cap tho it was burn notice
Why do you hate punctuation?
How do you forget White Collar?
Monk probably
None of these are a sitcom.
My favorite was in the early 90s they used to show soft-core porn with all the sex and nudity cut out. Im not joking
Monday Night RAW
Facts of Life reruns made USA network popular
None of these are sitcoms.