TV Land first aired on April 29, 1996 as a spin off of Nick at Nite, a Viacom/MTV Network channel. Their original schedule was filled with only classic TV series from the 1950-70's and aired the shows without a commercial break. they later began airing old commercials to fit in with the series being broadcast. These where known as Retro-mercials. Years later, TV Land began to air regular commercials as any other network, therefore eliminating the unique concept of TV with no interruptions. It was not too much later when they would also start airing series from the 1980s and then the 1990s, once again eliminating the uniqueness of the channel and their Classic TV moniker. They have also delved into creating original programs such as I Pity The Fool, Sit Down Comedy, TV Land Confidential and Back to the Grind. They have also celebrated the history of both TV and award shows by creating the TV Land Awards.