Saturday's the Place!

Saturday's the Place! is a 1984 CBS Saturday Morning preview special that strings together sketches, clips, short interviews and promotional segments to spotlight the network's weekend offerings. Joyce DeWitt serves as the main hostess, guiding viewers through a mix of comedy bits, animated excerpts and brief behind-the-scenes peeks. Ted Knight appears as a host in several segments, and a handful of well known voice actors make cameo appearances, often uncredited. The pacing stays brisk, so it reads like a sampler rather than an extended variety show, aiming to entertain children and parents while advertising the upcoming Saturday morning lineup.

Directed by Bob Bowker and created by Mark Evanier, Saturday's the Place! aired in 1984 on CBS Saturday Morning, featuring Joyce DeWitt as hostess, Ted Knight as host, and several uncredited appearances by Mel Blanc, Frank Welker and Howie Mandel.

As a network preview special it wasn't released theatrically, so there are no box office figures. It functioned purely as a television promotion, airing nationally on CBS to publicize that season's Saturday morning schedule to viewers, local affiliates and advertisers.

Today the special is mostly a curiosity for fans of 1980s television and animation, notable for brief appearances by voice artists such as Mel Blanc and Frank Welker, and for showcasing the promotional style networks used to sell children's programming. It occasionally turns up in archival clips and collector circles.

The special has a scarce critical record and few audience ratings, making it obscure today. Critics and viewers who recall it describe a light promotional variety that favors upbeat hosting, gag-driven comedy, quick previews, and an overall salesmanship aimed at children and families. Sometimes remembered as a modest period piece, it functions more as a time capsule than a mainstream entertainment landmark.