On this day September 21 1989, Top of the Hill premiered on CBS. The drama starred William Katt as Thomas Bell Jr., the son of a longtime congressman who reluctantly takes over his father’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after his retirement.
The series explored the challenges of a young politician navigating Washington, D.C., while balancing personal ideals against political pressures. With themes of integrity, ambition, and generational change, the show attempted to blend political drama with human stories.
Despite its timely premise, Top of the Hill had a short run and struggled to find a consistent audience. It remains a lesser known series from the late 80s, notable for its attempt to bring political drama to network television.
80s insight: Top of the Hill reflected the decade’s willingness to explore fresh concepts in drama, experimenting with stories set against political backdrops even if they didn’t always achieve long term success.
The series explored the challenges of a young politician navigating Washington, D.C., while balancing personal ideals against political pressures. With themes of integrity, ambition, and generational change, the show attempted to blend political drama with human stories.
Despite its timely premise, Top of the Hill had a short run and struggled to find a consistent audience. It remains a lesser known series from the late 80s, notable for its attempt to bring political drama to network television.
80s insight: Top of the Hill reflected the decade’s willingness to explore fresh concepts in drama, experimenting with stories set against political backdrops even if they didn’t always achieve long term success.
