Not Necessarily the News(1983)

Not Necessarily the News is a satirical sketch comedy series that debuted on HBO in 1982 before running as a full series from 1983 to 1990. The show blended parody news segments, fake commercials, and comedic reworkings of actual news footage into a sharp, irreverent format. Inspired by the British series Not the Nine O'Clock News, it became known for its inventive approach to topical humor and served as the launching pad for Rich Hall's sniglets—humorous made-up words that became a cultural phenomenon. The series captured the absurdity of 1980s media and politics through sketch-based comedy that felt both timely and timeless.