Firing Line
An Approach to Illegitimacy
TV Flash files “An Approach to Illegitimacy” as hour 299 of 326 in the TV Flash guide — Firing Line (1966–1999) on Syndicated/PBS, season 28, episode 14, aired 1993-05-23, 120 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S28E14: listed hour 299 of 326 in the Firing Line guide, hour 2 of 5 in season 28. It aired 1993-05-23 (120 min). The listed hour before it is “Do We Need a Federal Community Property Act?” (S28E04). Next is “The Threat of Nuclear Destruction in the New World Order: New Voices, Part I” (S28E35).
Viewer FAQ
Where does An Approach to Illegitimacy sit in the Firing Line guide?
S28E14 is listed hour 299 of 326 — hour 2 of 5 in season 28, season 28 episode 14.
When did Firing Line S28E14 air?
An Approach to Illegitimacy aired 1993-05-23 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 28
- S28E04 Do We Need a Federal Community Property Act?
- S28E35 The Threat of Nuclear Destruction in the New World Order: New Voices, Part I
- S28E36 The Threat of Nuclear Destruction in the New World Order: New Voices, Part II
- S28E37 The Threat of Nuclear Destruction in the New World Order: New Voices, Part III