Topic: The Day After

[Ken (OP)]

When ‘The Day After’ Terrorized 100 Million Viewers With a Vision of Nuclear War

Before Nicholas Meyer's made-for-television film The Day After had its official airing on November 20, 1983, then-President Ronald Reagan and his Joint Chiefs of Staff were given screening copies. In his diary, Reagan recorded his reaction to seeing Meyer's graphic depiction of a nuclear holocaust that devastates a small Kansas town, writing:

    "It's very effective and left me greatly depressed. So far they [ABC] haven't sold any of the 25 spot ads scheduled and I can see why. Whether it will be of help to the 'anti-nukes' or not, I can't say. My own reaction was one of our having to do all we can to have a deterrent and to see there is never a nuclear war."

Just a few days later, the rest of America would see what had shaken their president. Preempting Hardcastle and McCormick on ABC, the 8 p.m. telefilm drew a staggering 100 million viewers, an audience that at the time was second only in non-sports programming to the series finale of M*A*S*H. According to Nielsen, 62 percent of all televisions in use that night were tuned in.

... with Russia's Putin making threats of using nukes in Ukraine maybe now would be a good time for this PSA to air again!
The Day After (Attack Segment)

[Skhilled]

Yeah, I remember seeing this...

[Scrubmeister]

Yes, I remember this as well.

Every passing year we seem closer to that scenario. Why? People seem to have short memories or never saw that.

[Skhilled]

Or just don't care...