— Chances are, millions have already watched some, or all, of yesterday’s Congressional impeachment hearings, and may plan to watch them again tomorrow.
Some have already begun to compare the current hearings to previous impeachment hearings in 1974 and 1998. The Watergate hearings occurred before the widespread use of cable TV and therefore commanded a much larger audience on the three major broadcast networks. The Clinton impeachment seemed to be a logical extension of the explosive growth of daytime cable news and court coverage in the 1990s, as well as the arrival of highly partisan news networks.
While comparisons to those hearings are appropriate and obvious, this week’s impeachment hearings also strongly echo the Army-McCarthy Hearings of 1954.
Like the current president, Sen. Joseph McCarthy was a master of using media to intimidate political opponents, silence possible rivals and exhaustively dominate the national conversation. Like the current president, McCarthy struck the most fear in members of his own party, who were fearful of challenging his passionate base of support. Over the course of the Army-McCarthy hearings, McCarthy’s veneer of invincibility was shattered, and he was eventually censured by a Senate controlled by his own party.
Curiously, Roy Cohn, McCarthy’s legal counsel, was at the center of his troubles. Two decades later, that same Roy Cohn would go on to mentor the man who became the 45th president. And curiouser still, the president’s current lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has become the nexus of his current legal woes, partially in an attempt to become his "new Roy Cohn."
In his excellent book "The Fifties," historian David Halberstam made the case that the McCarthy hearings (and the Kefauver hearings about the mafia that preceded them) were the reason that many consumers decided to buy their first television sets. "I Love Lucy" was funny, but watching these hearings seemed "essential," Halberstam argued. And television began to supplant radio and newspapers as a source of news.
In many ways, television came in with those 1954 hearings. Will it "go out" after these current hearings or the departure of a TV-obsessed president? Who knows?
History may not repeat itself, but it does have a way of creating fascinating bookends.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— The board considers Meredith’s fate on "Grey’s Anatomy" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
— Regional rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns meet in NFL football action (8 p.m., Fox, NFL).
— Gary takes stock on "A Million Little Things" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
— Efforts to demonize the victim backfire as "The Preppy Murder: Death in Central Park" (9 p.m., AMC, Sundance, TV-14) continues.
— Bakers compete on "Thanksgiving Pie Fight" (9 p.m., Food, TV-G).
— A ritual sparks an unexpected confession on "Evil" (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— A predator drugs and assaults tourists on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Money motivates on "How to Get Away With Murder" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
— Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson animate the 2013 cartoon turkey comedy "Free Birds" (9 p.m., Nickelodeon, TV-G).
SERIES NOTES
Sheldon starts a trend on "Young Sheldon" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … Mateo holds a toy drive on "Superstore" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14) … A cosmic case on "Supernatural" (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) … Wade gets serious on "The Unicorn" (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … Arthur offers advice on "Perfect Harmony" (8:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
Double-dating on "Mom" (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … Mankind’s fate awaits judgment on "The Good Place" (9 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) … A monster in a maze on "Legacies" (9 p.m., CW, TV-PG) … Stress management on "Carol’s Second Act" (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … Expecting quarrels on "Will & Grace" (9:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
LATE NIGHT
Steve Ballmer and Jeff Garlin are booked on "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" (11 p.m., Comedy Central) … Zach Woods is booked on "Conan" (11 p.m., TBS, TV-14) … Jeff Ross, Brad Williams and Annie Lederman appear on "Lights Out With David Spade" (11:30 p.m., Comedy Central).
Mark Ruffalo and Andy Cohen are booked on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Alex Rodriguez, Lili Reinhart and Ian Lara on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Jeff Goldblum, Camila Morrone and Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra featuring Sharon van Etten appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (11:35 p.m., ABC).
Sean Hayes, Jean Smart and Chris Johnson visit "Late Night With Seth Meyers" (12:35 a.m., NBC) … Sen. Kamala Harris, Don Johnson and Sleater-Kinney appear on "The Late Late Show With James Corden" (12:35 a.m., CBS).
