TGIF Didn’t Mean What You Think—And Wait Until You Hear About Its Animated Mice!

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The structure of television programming blocks, particularly on network television, has changed significantly, except for NBC’s “One Chicago Wednesday” and CBS’s “FBI” dramas. However, ABC’s TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Funny) run was influential enough to determine the fate of sitcoms like “Family Matters”. This was during a time when TV ratings were generally low. Even after the programming block ceased to exist, its creative leader has shared some insights with devoted fans, including the meaning behind the well-known acronym TGIF.

The Story Behind TGIF’s Name

Jim Janicek, a former creative member at ABC, recently reunited with some key figures from the TGIF era for the podcast “Pod Meets World“. This reunion was hosted by Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, and Rider Strong, who he worked alongside in his early twenties during the mid-1980s at the network. This was a few years prior to when sitcom history would be set. When new executives joined the team in 1987, efforts were made to highlight up-and-coming sitcoms such as “Full House“, “Perfect Strangers“, “Just the 10 of Us” and more.

1. “- Top 10 Funniest TV Shows on TGIF, Listed and Rated”

2. “- The Surprising Reason Why Judy Winslow Left the TGIF Series ‘Family Matters'”

3. “- Behind the Scenes: The True Story of Cory’s Sister Morgan in ‘Boy Meets World'”

During that period, Janicek brainstormed an innovative approach – using the showrunners and stars of various shows for promotional content to air during breaks between episodes. His vision was that after each sitcom concluded, its characters would seemingly join the audience at home by watching their network peers on the couch as well. Later, when discussing ways to amplify Friday night’s programming, Janicek shared that he experimented with several other concepts before hitting upon a successful one. He highlighted this idea as his breakthrough, emphasizing:

We discussed various topics, including something called the “Friday Fun Club.” Although I might be able to find a comprehensive list if I look hard enough, I recall it distinctly. Essentially, it was about “It’s Friday Night,” filled with brief, catchy phrases.

Funny thing, I bumped into Bob Iger and Stu Brower, future Disney honchos, who casually floated the concept of TGIF as a catchy title for ABC’s comedy lineup before weekends. However, they weren’t keen on the traditional “Thank Goodness It’s Friday,” as it didn’t quite fit with our TV style. As Janicek explained:

The executives at ABC, Stu Brower and Bob Iger, announced that they had chosen the title for the show – TGIF. They explained that it was because of this catchy acronym that we now know the name, and from there, they started animating the letters. In a hurry to implement the idea, as time was running out, the team was ready in a post-production house to make it happen. The name TGIF was actually Bob’s idea, who came up with “Thank Goodness It’s Funny” to prevent any potential confusion with a restaurant.

It seems there might be some confusion about the name TGIF. Let me clarify, the restaurants you’re thinking of are likely not Chili’s or Outback Steakhouse, but rather Ruby Tuesday. [Pause for a chuckle and approval.]

In the past, there was a belief among some people (including myself) that “TGIF” meant “Thank Goodness It’s Funny,” instead of the more common meaning seen on mugs and t-shirts. However, I had completely forgotten about the animated intros that were associated with it during its early days. This leads us to…

TGIF’s Animated Mice Opening

Before the concept of TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Fun) became well-known and developed, Jim Janicek and others first created brief interstitial animations, which were shown between live-action commercial promos. Reflecting on this now, it might not be so surprising given that the animated mice tended to appeal more to younger viewers, which was not quite in line with ABC’s aim of attracting a broader audience of all ages.

However, the objective remained to make something appealing, so the team enlisted the aid of a renowned animation firm specializing in advertising to assist them. To quote Janicek, “The goal was still to develop something attractive.

In our initial venture, we created an animation featuring a small mouse named Friday the Mouse, which had a somewhat playful and youthful appeal. We collaborated on this project with Bob Kurtz, a man who heads a company. Although I’m unsure if he is still active, his company, Kurtz and Friends Animation, was responsible for creating the original commercials for Shell and Sinclair.

It’s quite surprising to me, given the popularity and profitability of nostalgic items nowadays, that there aren’t more types of Funko Pop figurines for Friday the Mouse. I find it hard to believe he doesn’t have a rap album, a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, or a ride at Disneyland dedicated to him.

2025 TV schedules on Fridays predominantly feature CBS dramas, with shows such as the now-canceled “Blue Bloods”, “S.W.A.T.”, “Fire Country”, and “NCIS: Sydney” being regular fixtures. However, it’s possible that one day ABC sitcoms could band together for a series of Friday night comedic escapades.

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2025-02-19 19:40