TCM premiered in 1994 and honed very quickly into an aesthetic formula that worked like a charm and remained unchanged for over two decades. Commercial free, between programs they'd run in-channel bumpers that gave the station a casual jazz club-meets-sophisticated evening block party atmosphere. With the warm, friendly, and knowledgable Robert Osborne at the helm, you felt you were in good hands as a viewer, in the presence of a mentor or neighbor who delighted in sharing his love of film. Interesting guest hosts would join Osborne to talk about the movies that meant so much to them, as a film lover or participant. There was a monthly magazine and eventually a wine club, and for several years, the TCM cruise was a big draw that held the promise of meeting Old Hollywood stars as you sailed to glamorous locales. The TCM Film Festival was another major event that attracted stars and viewers alike. There was no need to stray from this formula.
Of course, the very nature of TCM, what made it such a refuge for lovers of classic film, meant it wasn't going to last forever. Robert Osborne, and many of the guests who contributed to Hollywood's Golden Age, have died. The few major players still left standing are 80+, and less likely to make public appearances in a post-Covid world.
Ben Mankiewicz, whose ancestral lineage provided a direct link to film's early years, lent an air of legitimacy to his role as Osborne's successor, though he lacks his mentor's charm. Contrasting Robert Osborne as the sole captain of the ship, TCM now has a regular roster of younger hosts who introduce the films. In addition to Ben Mankiewicz, there's Australian Alicia Malone (sweet but bland), resident homosexual Dave Karger, and my personal favorite, Jacqueline Stewart, Director and President of the newly opened Academy Museum in Los Angeles.
Not wanting to become a relic of the past, these last few years have seen TCM slowly revamp their image, little-by-little replacing the classic logo and bumpers with slick, modernized versions that seem aimed at an audience that isn't there. This new imagery has a midcentury feel, but the music borders on discordant and bares no relation to the established brand or the subject at hand. One positive change, TCM has made a concerted effort to be more inclusive, spotlighting films and filmmakers from marginalized communities, redefining what it means to be a "classic."
So what's next for TCM, as the last stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood continue to fade away into the ether? What will become of the Film Festival and the Classic Cruise, when there's no longer anyone around who can say "I was there"?
I for one hope they tap into their own nostalgia, and instead of pandering to the audience they hope to have, value those of us who are already tuning in and will never go away. The original brand was about honoring the past and we can still do that, and reframe it, while looking to the future. A brand doesn't have to be on the cutting edge to be popular. In this case, the more time that goes by, the more potent the nostalgic pull will become. To say nothing of the films themselves, which are timeless.
I leave you with a montage of some bumpers and promos of TCM past. Hard to believe 2009 feels so long ago. Watching these promos I feel a sense of comfort and a pang of sadness, and I'm reminded of how much I love the movies.