Magazine

ABC Restores TGIF, Betting That Nostalgia Will Woo Families Back to Fridays

One of the most successful programming brands returns, but will it still resonate?

tgif-abc-CONTENT-2018 — ABC shot promos with current TGIF stars (like Fresh Off the Boat’s Randall Park and Constance Wu, left) and classic ones (like Family Matters’ Reginald VelJohnson, far right).ABC

October 1, 2018

TV’s nostalgia craze is now extending beyond reboots and revivals like Magnum P.I. and Will & Grace. This Friday, one of television’s most famous programming blocks returns: ABC’s TGIF, which initially stood for Thank Goodness It’s Funny. From 1989-2000, the ABC brand entertained kids and their families on Friday nights with hit sitcoms like Full House, Family Matters and Perfect Strangers.