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Forty Years Later: Remembering the Strange Case of Manimal

11 May

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Summary

Manimal aired in 1983 as a counterprogram to Dallas.
The show starred Simon MacCorkindale as a crime-fighting shapeshifter.
NBC acknowledged placing Manimal against Dallas was a mistake.

Forty Years Later: Remembering the Strange Case of Manimal

In the fall of 1983, NBC strategically countered CBS's popular drama "Dallas" with a unique science-fiction series titled "Manimal." This show featured Simon MacCorkindale as Jonathan Chase, a crime fighter with the extraordinary ability to transform into various animals. Chase partnered with Detective Brooke Mckenzie and Tyrone "Ty" C. Earl to combat criminals.

Despite a compelling concept and lead performance, "Manimal" faced significant challenges. Star Simon MacCorkindale reflected that NBC's decision to air the show opposite "Dallas" on a Friday night proved to be a critical misstep. He believed "Manimal" was more suited for a younger demographic and that the Friday 9 p.m. slot was essentially a "suicide" position against such a strong competitor. Even NBC's then-President of Entertainment, Brandon Tartikoff, humorously acknowledged the show's ratings struggles on "Saturday Night Live."

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