1994 in television

See also: 1993 in television, other events of 1994, 1995 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

For the American network television schedule, please see 1994–95 American network television schedule.

Events

• February 4 – The Days of Our Lives nighttime special Winter Heat airs on NBC.
• March 31 – Madonna appears on The Late Show with David Letterman and makes headlines for her foul-mouthed, profanity-laced interview. Robin Williams later describes the segment as a "battle of wits with an unarmed woman."
• June 17 – NFL star OJ Simpson and his friend Al Cowlings flee from police in his white Ford Bronco. The low-speed chase, which unfolds live on US television, ends up at Simpson's mansion in Brentwood, California, where he then surrenders to police.
• August 12 – The soap opera All My Children airs a memorial episode for original cast member Frances Heflin, who died in June. The memorial is in the form of a funeral service for Heflin's character, Mona Kane Tyler.
• October 19 – The Goodnight Kiwi airs in New Zealand for the last time as TV2 moves to 24-hour television 7 days a week.
• DirecTV launches the first satellite system. The first high powered DBS-service in the world.

Debuts

• September 19 – ER premieres (1994-present).
• September 21 – Touched by an Angel premieres (1994-2003).
• Friends premieres on NBC (1994-2004).

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).
• Guiding Light (1952-present).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present).
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
• As the World Turns (1956-present).
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present).
• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• General Hospital (1963-present).
• Another World (1964-1999).
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present).
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
• Play School (1966-present).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
• 60 Minutes (1968-present).
• One Life to Live (1968-present).
• Sesame Street (1969-present).
• All My Children (1970-present).
• Monday Night Football (1970-present).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present).
• Soul Train (1971-present).
• Emmerdale (UK) (1972-present).
• Newsround (UK) (1972-present).
• The Price Is Right (1972-present).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
• Derrick (1974-1998).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
• Good Morning America (1975-present).
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present).
• 20/20 (1978-present).
• Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present).
• Entertainment Tonight (1981-present).
• Loving (1983-1995).
• Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984-present).
• Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996).
• The Bill (UK) (1984-present).
• EastEnders (UK) (1985-present).
• Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present).
• Sally (1985-2002).
• Matlock (1986-1995).
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present).
• Full House (1987-1995).
• Inspector Morse (1987-2000).
• Married... with Children (1987-1997).
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987–1996).
• The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present).
• Children's Ward (UK) (1988-2000).
• Empty Nest (1988–1995).
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988–1995, 1999-present).
• Garfield and Friends (1988–1995).
• Murphy Brown (1988–1998).
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988–1999).
• Roseanne (1988–1997).
• Baywatch (1989-2001).
• Cops (1989-present).
• Family Matters (1989–1998).
• Seinfeld (1989–1998).
• Tales from the Crypt (1989–1996).
• The Simpsons (1989-present).
• Law & Order (1990-present).
• America's Funniest Home Videos (1990-present).
• One Foot in the Grave (UK) (1990–2000).
• Road to Avonlea (Canada) (1990–1996).
• Doug (1991-1994, 1996–1999).
• Home Improvement (1991–1999).
• Rugrats (1991–2004).
• Sisters (1991–1996).
• The Jerry Springer Show (1991-present).
• The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991–1996).
• Absolutely Fabulous (UK) (1992-1996, 2001–2003).
• Barney & Friends (1992–2002).
• Dateline NBC (1992-present).
• Mad About You (1992–1999).
• Prime Time News (Canada) (1992–1995).
• The Larry Sanders Show (1992–1998).
• The Real World (1992-present).
• Beavis and Butt-head (1993-1997).
• Frasier (1993–2004).
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-present).
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993–1996).
• NYPD Blue (1993-present).
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999).
• The Late Show with David Letterman (1993-present).
• The Nanny (1993–1999).
• The X-Files (1993–2002).
• WWF Monday Night RAW (1993-present).

Ending this year

• February 16 – Maid Marian and her Merry Men (UK) (1989–1994).
• June – Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975–1994).
• July 21 – Mother and Son (Australia) (1984–1994).
• November 11 – Knightmare (UK) (1987–1994).
• Hey Dad...! (Australia) (1986–1994).
• L.A. Law (1986–1994).
• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994).
• The Arsenio Hall Show (1989–1994).
• In Living Color (1990–1994).
• The House of Eliott (UK) (1991–1994).

Deaths

• March 4 – John Candy, comedian and actor.
• June 1 – Frances Heflin, soap opera actress.
• June 7 – Dennis Potter, playwright.
• June 8 – Rudolph Cartier, director.