Firing Line
Human Rights, Foreign Policy, and Ronald Reagan
TV Flash files “Human Rights, Foreign Policy, and Ronald Reagan” as the last listed hour of season 21 — Firing Line (1966–1999) on Syndicated/PBS, season 21, episode 40, aired 1986-10-16, 120 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S21E40: listed hour 268 of 326 in the Firing Line guide, last listed hour of season 21. It aired 1986-10-16 (120 min). The listed hour before it is “The Textbook Controversy in Tennessee” (S21E35). Next is “Pull Out of NATO?” (S22E05).
Viewer FAQ
Where does Human Rights, Foreign Policy, and Ronald Reagan sit in the Firing Line guide?
S21E40 is listed hour 268 of 326 — last listed hour of season 21, season 21 episode 40.
When did Firing Line S21E40 air?
Human Rights, Foreign Policy, and Ronald Reagan aired 1986-10-16 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…
Also in season 21
- S21E02 1966-1986: World Leaders
- S21E04 1966-1986: A Potpourri of Persuaders
- S21E05 Bill Buckley and Firing Line Get Roasted
- S21E14 Debate: Resolved That We Should Move towards Privatization, Including the Schools, Part I
- S21E15 Debate: Resolved That We Should Move towards Privatization, Including the Schools, Part II
- S21E20 Terrorism Viewed from Abroad