Looks like shlocky Orange County TV station KDOC-TV (Channel 56) has cleaned up its act somewhat, focusing its schedule on cheap, classic TV shows under the tagline "Endless Classics" (an obvious play on "Endless Summer," even aping the visuals of that classic surf movie).
As we wrote back in April, the owners of KDOC -- including Pat Boone -- recently sold the station for $150 million to Atlanta-based Ellis Communications.
KDOC was known best through the years as the home for "Hot Seat with Wally George" and eccentric televangelist Dr. Gene Scott. We wondered at the time whether Ellis planned to alter the station's schedule, which included three hours of "Saved by the Bell."
Sad to say, Screech fans, that those "Bell" reruns are gone. As are the repeats of Gene Scott, who passed away earlier this year. And rather than show informericals for most of the day, the new KDOC is actually airing programming. Here's a glimpse of the station's primetime lineup:
An interesting history of KDOC's bizarre broadcast past is on the station's revamped website here. The roundup lists some of KDOC's notorious programs through the years, including this one from KROQ alum Jim "Poorman" Trenton:
Perhaps the most controversial of all KDOC program hosts was Jim “Poorman” Trenton, who hosted “Request Video” and the short-lived “Adventures With The Poorman.” He’ll be most remembered for his 1994 live call in show, “The LoveChannel,” where viewers called in to receive advice about their love problems. On what became his last night, Poorman decided to tape “his” show in the nude. KDOC management reminded Poorman that although it might be his show it was their air and that was the last airdate for “The Love Channel."
As cool as it is to see a TV station in this day and age air "Alfred Hitchock" into "The Twilight Zone" into "Night Gallery," I'd love to see KDOC go back to dabbling a little bit more in low-budget, crazy local programming. Of course, I guess that's what public access TV is for.
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