Firing Line
The Problem of the Illegals
TV Flash files “The Problem of the Illegals” as hour 173 of 326 in the TV Flash guide — Firing Line (1966–1999) on Syndicated/PBS, season 12, episode 32, aired 1977-09-14, 120 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S12E32: listed hour 173 of 326 in the Firing Line guide, hour 9 of 11 in season 12. It aired 1977-09-14 (120 min). The listed hour before it is “What Have We Learned from the Failure of British Socialism?” (S12E27). Next is “Is There a Case for Private Property?” (S12E39).
Viewer FAQ
Where does The Problem of the Illegals sit in the Firing Line guide?
S12E32 is listed hour 173 of 326 — hour 9 of 11 in season 12, season 12 episode 32.
When did Firing Line S12E32 air?
The Problem of the Illegals aired 1977-09-14 and is listed at 120 minutes.
Where should I start?
A Buckley hour with a guest from across the aisle and room for full sentences is the contract. Clipboard, drawl, no countdown clock. Sample debates, not a serialized doctrine.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Firing Line is William F. Buckley Jr. turning argument into spectator sport: clipboard, drawl, and guests from across the aisle in conversations that refused the sound bite. Syndicated, then PBS, it ran for decades on polysyllables. Political talk before the countdown clock — intellectual blood sport with manners, and sentences allowed to finish on national television.
Clipboard, drawl, and a guest from across the aisle — argument as spectator sport before the countdown clock. Firing Line is William F. Buckley Jr. turning political talk into ballet and blood sport at once. Premiered 1966, then ran through syndication and PBS into 1999. Sesquipedalian flair, pointed civility, ideas as combat. Public-affairs TV with a maestro's ego. Sentences allowed to finish on national television. **It set a gold standard for intellectual TV debate across ideological lines.**
Filed against
- William F. Buckley Jr. as Host
William F. Buckley Jr. hosted Firing Line as argument-as-spectator-sport — clipboard, drawl, guests from across the aisle in conversations that refused the sound bite. Syndicated, then PBS, decades on polysyllables. TV Flash files him as…