As we all know, often with TV shows it�s not IF they jump the shark, but
WHEN. Even the best shows, if they are on the air long enough, eventually
grow a little tired near the end as jokes become repetitive and characters
become stagnant. Thankfully, most shows end themselves before a total �off
the rails� moment happens. Some shows though don�t know when to quit and go
on just that one season too long, often without key actors and with contrived
developments that turn off viewers and leave a bad taste in the mouths of
even their most devoted fans.

Here�s my list of a few shows that really should have quit while they were
(mostly) ahead:

WELCOME BACK, KOTTER:
When it debuted in 1975, �Kotter� was a hit and was the launching pad for
John Travolta�s film superstardom. Not surprisingly, after Travolta hit big
in �Saturday Night Fever,� he decided to curtail his work on the small
screen. He made only a few appearances in �Kotter�s� fourth and final season
and was billed as a �guest star.� Handsome actor Stephen Shortridge was
brought in as a Southern-born Sweathog to round out the ensemble. But, as if
that wasn�t enough, series star Gabe Kaplan also truncated his appearances on
the show�s final season due to disagreements with the show�s producers. To
fill that void, Kotter�s on-air wife, Julie (played by Marcia Strassman), who
had previously only been seen in the show�s opening and closing minutes and
never really interacted with the Sweathogs, got bumped up in her screen time
by becoming the school�s secretary, effectively taking the place of her TV
husband on the show. �Kotter� largely without Kotter got cancelled shortly
thereafter in its 1978-1979 season.

LAVERNE & SHIRLEY:
Here�s an odd one. Remember �Laverne & Shirley� without Shirley? Well, it
happened. After being a monster ABC hit and even surviving a rather far-
fetched development which saw most of the original cast pick up and move from
Milwaukee to Hollywood, �L&S� reached a major stumbling block in its final
season when series co-star Cindy Williams left the series after two episodes
due to a conflict with the show�s producers. So, hence, Laverne (Penny
Marshall) had to go it alone. Though the program was still called �Laverne &
Shirley,� Williams was removed from the opening credits in both name and
image. And though such talented actresses as Carrie Fisher and Laraine
Newman were brought in for a few episodes to give Marshall a comic partner,
the show wasn�t the same without Shirl. It ended shortly thereafter.

CHARLIE�S ANGELS:
Sometimes it�s not just actors leaving a series that can foretell doom,
sometimes it�s when they are added. (I mean we all remember Cousin Oliver,
right?) �Charlie�s Angels� was such a phenom when it began that it survived
the departure of Farrah Fawcett. But when the next Angel, Kate Jackson, flew
away, it was pretty much game over. First, classy Shelley Hack came in but
though beautiful, she was rather bland. Hack though did, at least, fit in
and interact with the other two Angels still on the series (Jaclyn Smith and
Cheryl Ladd) and was depicted as a trained, former police woman. But after
Hack was let go, the show�s producers recruited the late Tanya Roberts as the
show�s final Angel. Though also gorgeous, Roberts� addition didn�t seemed
that thought out. First, she was not a trained police officer but was
introduced as a grad of a �top modeling school.� Huh? Additionally, because
both Smith and Ladd wanted to lessen their work hours, Roberts wasn�t given
much time interacting with the other Angels and the teamwork aspect of the
show that made it work before completely disappeared. Further still,
Roberts� character�Julie Rogers�was shown as capable a detective as both her
co-workers. She could even be a little bossy. But shouldn�t the former
model had deferred some to the original Angels? It all seemed weird. The
Roberts season would be �Charlie�s� final season. The fault does not lie
with Roberts, or with Hack, though. I maintain that by the time Kate Jackson
departed the series, the bloom was decidedly off the �Angels�� rose by then;
they could have hired Meryl Streep for the series and it wouldn�t have made a
difference.

THE MAN FROM UNCLE:
�UNCLE� began in 1964 as a sophisticated TV espionage series staring, as
debonair agents, Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. Its combination of great
spy stories, great gadgets and wonderful guest stars made it a hit. The
series even won a Golden Globe in 1966 in the category of Best TV Show. But
then the camp aesthetic came to TV (best embodied by the 1966 �Batman� TV
series) and, for some reason, �UNCLE� producers decided that the show needed
more humor and over-the-top elements. Suddenly, circa the 1966 season, the
show�s characters�Solo and Kuryakin�began facing cartoonish villains and even
more ridiculous situations. A case in point: one episode of the series in
the �66 season revolved around a giant �stink bomb� about to be dropped on
Las Vegas. The camp approach (which also crippled the show�s spinoff �The
Girl from UNCLE,� which also launched in 1966) was despised by the show�s
original fans and ratings nosedived. Though the show came back for a season
after the show�s comedy pivot, the series was axed halfway through 1968.

ROSEANNE:
The final season of the original �Roseanne� (ending in 1997) seems like a
textbook example of �One Season Too Many.� Star Roseanne Barr (or Arnold or
whatever) had long fought with her TV bosses but, together, they managed to
make a very effective sitcom for many seasons. But then Roseanne really
exercised her power and in the show�s concluding season decided that her TV
family, the Connors, should win the lottery. Suddenly, the relatable tale of
a low-income family using humor to survive and strive got upended and all of
the show�s situations became far-fetched and farcical. (If the family really
were millionaires, would they still live in that same cramped, dingy home?)
Also not helping was the fact that actor John Goodman, who played Roseanne�s
steadfast husband, Dan, decided to limit his appearances. The show�s
equilibrium was off. Then, to make it all the more ridiculous, in the show�s
final episode, it was revealed that �Roseanne�s� final season had all been
pretend, a story dreamed up by Roseanne. Hmmm. No wonder, then, that when
the show was revived in 2018 (first as �Roseanne� and then as �The Connors�)
almost all these latter-day story elements were jettisoned. Yeah, I�d like
to forget that final season too.

MOONLIGHTING:
No real cast shake-ups here but certainly a sad last season�or two.
�Moonlighting� was simply great when it began in 1985. It was a witty,
fast-paced detective show completely reminiscent of such classic film fare as
�My Girl Friday� and �The Thin Man.� Cybill Shepherd showed a previously
unknown flair for comedy and newcomer Bruce Willis was the debut of a major
new talent. Despite productions delays and rumors of behind-the-scenes
conflicts, this story about this unlikely detective duo was effervescent fun.
But then, its two lead characters, after long toying with romantic tension,
decided to sleep together and faster than you can say �Sam and Diane,�
�Moonlighting� morphed into soap opera. Gone were the quirky mysteries and
rapid-fire repartee. Instead we got an unfortunate Mark Harmon as Shepherd�s
new love interest and more introspective navel gazing than a season of �The
Bachelor.� �Moonlighting,� after its amazing debut and start, limped along,
on fumes, until it was finally put out of its misery in 1989.

Some other shows that went on a tad too long:

THAT 70s SHOW: Again, by the final season, most of the original cast had
left, leaving only a few newbies and the show�s parents to carry on to a
forgettable end.

BABYLON 5: At the end of its fourth season, the show�s star Claudia
Christian left �Babylon� and everyone expected the show to be cancelled. But
it wasn�t. Instead it came back for one more year with Tracy Scoggins having
to bat clean-up.

NORTHERN EXPOSURE: In its final season, series star Rob Morrow departed and
John Corbett got elevated to lead, a promotion even the actor didn�t want at
the time.

GRACE UNDER FIRE: In �Grace�s� last season, the erratic, off-screen and on-
set behavior of series star Brett Butler drove off many of her show�s
original co-stars. Even one of the actors playing one of her on-screen kids
chose to bow out. The exodus required a variety of new characters to be
hastily added to the series, including, briefly, actress Julia Duffy. It
proved too much for views and Butler proved too much for the network. The
show got axed halfway through its fifth season.

DYNASTY: To save costs in the primetime soap�s final year, Joan Collins was
reduced to only a handful of appearances. The same with series co-star Linda
Evans. The wonderful Stephanie Beacham from �The Colbys� came in take up the
slack but even she couldn�t do much. And �Dynasty� without Alexis and
Krystal? Why bother?

How did this dude miss "Scrubs"?!

I actually didn't hate the final season (which was virtually a
"spinoff"), but lots of "Scrubs" fans hate it with a passion!

On 2023-03-29 20:27:40 +0000, Ubiquitous said:

> As we all know, often with TV shows it’s not IF they jump the shark, but
> WHEN. Even the best shows, if they are on the air long enough, eventually
> grow a little tired near the end as jokes become repetitive and characters
> become stagnant. Thankfully, most shows end themselves before a total “off
> the rails” moment happens. Some shows though don’t know when to quit and go
> on just that one season too long, often without key actors and with contrived
> developments that turn off viewers and leave a bad taste in the mouths of
> even their most devoted fans.
>
> Here’s my list of a few shows that really should have quit while they were
> (mostly) ahead:
>
> WELCOME BACK, KOTTER:
> When it debuted in 1975, “Kotter” was a hit and was the launching pad for
> John Travolta’s film superstardom. Not surprisingly, after Travolta hit big
> in “Saturday Night Fever,” he decided to curtail his work on the small
> screen. He made only a few appearances in “Kotter’s” fourth and final season
> and was billed as a “guest star.” Handsome actor Stephen Shortridge was
> brought in as a Southern-born Sweathog to round out the ensemble. But, as if
> that wasn’t enough, series star Gabe Kaplan also truncated his appearances on
> the show’s final season due to disagreements with the show’s producers. To
> fill that void, Kotter’s on-air wife, Julie (played by Marcia Strassman), who
> had previously only been seen in the show’s opening and closing minutes and
> never really interacted with the Sweathogs, got bumped up in her screen time
> by becoming the school’s secretary, effectively taking the place of her TV
> husband on the show. “Kotter” largely without Kotter got cancelled shortly
> thereafter in its 1978-1979 season.
>
> LAVERNE & SHIRLEY:
> Here’s an odd one. Remember “Laverne & Shirley” without Shirley? Well, it
> happened. After being a monster ABC hit and even surviving a rather far-
> fetched development which saw most of the original cast pick up and move from
> Milwaukee to Hollywood, “L&S” reached a major stumbling block in its final
> season when series co-star Cindy Williams left the series after two episodes
> due to a conflict with the show’s producers. So, hence, Laverne (Penny
> Marshall) had to go it alone. Though the program was still called “Laverne &
> Shirley,” Williams was removed from the opening credits in both name and
> image. And though such talented actresses as Carrie Fisher and Laraine
> Newman were brought in for a few episodes to give Marshall a comic partner,
> the show wasn’t the same without Shirl. It ended shortly thereafter.
>
> CHARLIE’S ANGELS:
> Sometimes it’s not just actors leaving a series that can foretell doom,
> sometimes it’s when they are added. (I mean we all remember Cousin Oliver,
> right?) “Charlie’s Angels” was such a phenom when it began that it survived
> the departure of Farrah Fawcett. But when the next Angel, Kate Jackson, flew
> away, it was pretty much game over. First, classy Shelley Hack came in but
> though beautiful, she was rather bland. Hack though did, at least, fit in
> and interact with the other two Angels still on the series (Jaclyn Smith and
> Cheryl Ladd) and was depicted as a trained, former police woman. But after
> Hack was let go, the show’s producers recruited the late Tanya Roberts as the
> show’s final Angel. Though also gorgeous, Roberts’ addition didn’t seemed
> that thought out. First, she was not a trained police officer but was
> introduced as a grad of a “top modeling school.” Huh? Additionally, because
> both Smith and Ladd wanted to lessen their work hours, Roberts wasn’t given
> much time interacting with the other Angels and the teamwork aspect of the
> show that made it work before completely disappeared. Further still,
> Roberts’ character—Julie Rogers—was shown as capable a detective as both her
> co-workers. She could even be a little bossy. But shouldn’t the former
> model had deferred some to the original Angels? It all seemed weird. The
> Roberts season would be “Charlie’s” final season. The fault does not lie
> with Roberts, or with Hack, though. I maintain that by the time Kate Jackson
> departed the series, the bloom was decidedly off the “Angels’” rose by then;
> they could have hired Meryl Streep for the series and it wouldn’t have made a
> difference.
>
> THE MAN FROM UNCLE:
> “UNCLE” began in 1964 as a sophisticated TV espionage series staring, as
> debonair agents, Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. Its combination of great
> spy stories, great gadgets and wonderful guest stars made it a hit. The
> series even won a Golden Globe in 1966 in the category of Best TV Show. But
> then the camp aesthetic came to TV (best embodied by the 1966 “Batman” TV
> series) and, for some reason, “UNCLE” producers decided that the show needed
> more humor and over-the-top elements. Suddenly, circa the 1966 season, the
> show’s characters—Solo and Kuryakin—began facing cartoonish villains and even
> more ridiculous situations. A case in point: one episode of the series in
> the ’66 season revolved around a giant “stink bomb” about to be dropped on
> Las Vegas. The camp approach (which also crippled the show’s spinoff “The
> Girl from UNCLE,” which also launched in 1966) was despised by the show’s
> original fans and ratings nosedived. Though the show came back for a season
> after the show’s comedy pivot, the series was axed halfway through 1968.
>
> ROSEANNE:
> The final season of the original “Roseanne” (ending in 1997) seems like a
> textbook example of “One Season Too Many.” Star Roseanne Barr (or Arnold or
> whatever) had long fought with her TV bosses but, together, they managed to
> make a very effective sitcom for many seasons. But then Roseanne really
> exercised her power and in the show’s concluding season decided that her TV
> family, the Connors, should win the lottery. Suddenly, the relatable tale of
> a low-income family using humor to survive and strive got upended and all of
> the show’s situations became far-fetched and farcical. (If the family really
> were millionaires, would they still live in that same cramped, dingy home?)
> Also not helping was the fact that actor John Goodman, who played Roseanne’s
> steadfast husband, Dan, decided to limit his appearances. The show’s
> equilibrium was off. Then, to make it all the more ridiculous, in the show’s
> final episode, it was revealed that “Roseanne’s” final season had all been
> pretend, a story dreamed up by Roseanne. Hmmm. No wonder, then, that when
> the show was revived in 2018 (first as “Roseanne” and then as “The Connors”)
> almost all these latter-day story elements were jettisoned. Yeah, I’d like
> to forget that final season too.
>
> MOONLIGHTING:
> No real cast shake-ups here but certainly a sad last season
> or two.
> “Moonlighting” was simply great when it began in 1985. It was a witty,
> fast-paced detective show completely reminiscent of such classic film fare as
> “My Girl Friday” and “The Thin Man.” Cybill Shepherd showed a previously
> unknown flair for comedy and newcomer Bruce Willis was the debut of a major
> new talent. Despite productions delays and rumors of behind-the-scenes
> conflicts, this story about this unlikely detective duo was effervescent fun.
> But then, its two lead characters, after long toying with romantic tension,
> decided to sleep together and faster than you can say “Sam and Diane,”
> “Moonlighting” morphed into soap opera. Gone were the quirky mysteries and
> rapid-fire repartee. Instead we got an unfortunate Mark Harmon as Shepherd’s
> new love interest and more introspective navel gazing than a season of “The
> Bachelor.” “Moonlighting,” after its amazing debut and start, limped along,
> on fumes, until it was finally put out of its misery in 1989.
>
> Some other shows that went on a tad too long:
>
> THAT 70s SHOW: Again, by the final season, most of the original cast had
> left, leaving only a few newbies and the show’s parents to carry on to a
> forgettable end.
>
> BABYLON 5: At the end of its fourth season, the show’s star Claudia
> Christian left “Babylon” and everyone expected the show to be cancelled. But
> it wasn’t. Instead it came back for one more year with Tracy Scoggins having
> to bat clean-up.
>
> NORTHERN EXPOSURE: In its final season, series star Rob Morrow departed and
> John Corbett got elevated to lead, a promotion even the actor didn’t want at
> the time.
>
> GRACE UNDER FIRE: In “Grace’s” last season, the erratic, off-screen and on-
> set behavior of series star Brett Butler drove off many of her show’s
> original co-stars. Even one of the actors playing one of her on-screen kids
> chose to bow out. The exodus required a variety of new characters to be
> hastily added to the series, including, briefly, actress Julia Duffy. It
> proved too much for views and Butler proved too much for the network. The
> show got axed halfway through its fifth season.
>
> DYNASTY: To save costs in the primetime soap’s final year, Joan Collins was
> reduced to only a handful of appearances. The same with series co-star Linda
> Evans. The wonderful Stephanie Beacham from “The Colbys” came in take up the
> slack but even she couldn’t do much. And “Dynasty” without Alexis and
> Krystal? Why bother?

Ian J. Ball <IJBall@mac.invalid> wrote:
> How did this dude miss "Scrubs"?!
>
> I actually didn't hate the final season (which was virtually a
> "spinoff"), but lots of "Scrubs" fans hate it with a passion!
>

How did he miss STAR TREK? (probably every version)?

He’s wrong about UNCLE.

How did he miss Batman 1966?

>
> On 2023-03-29 20:27:40 +0000, Ubiquitous said:
>
>> As we all know, often with TV shows it’s not IF they jump the shark, but
>> WHEN. Even the best shows, if they are on the air long enough, eventually
>> grow a little tired near the end as jokes become repetitive and characters
>> become stagnant. Thankfully, most shows end themselves before a total “off
>> the rails” moment happens. Some shows though don’t know when to quit and go
>> on just that one season too long, often without key actors and with contrived
>> developments that turn off viewers and leave a bad taste in the mouths of
>> even their most devoted fans.
>>
>> Here’s my list of a few shows that really should have quit while they were
>> (mostly) ahead:
>>
>> WELCOME BACK, KOTTER:
>> When it debuted in 1975, “Kotter” was a hit and was the launching pad for
>> John Travolta’s film superstardom. Not surprisingly, after Travolta hit big
>> in “Saturday Night Fever,” he decided to curtail his work on the small
>> screen. He made only a few appearances in “Kotter’s” fourth and final season
>> and was billed as a “guest star.” Handsome actor Stephen Shortridge was
>> brought in as a Southern-born Sweathog to round out the ensemble. But, as if
>> that wasn’t enough, series star Gabe Kaplan also truncated his appearances on
>> the show’s final season due to disagreements with the show’s producers. To
>> fill that void, Kotter’s on-air wife, Julie (played by Marcia Strassman), who
>> had previously only been seen in the show’s opening and closing minutes and
>> never really interacted with the Sweathogs, got bumped up in her screen time
>> by becoming the school’s secretary, effectively taking the place of her TV
>> husband on the show. “Kotter” largely without Kotter got cancelled shortly
>> thereafter in its 1978-1979 season.
>>
>> LAVERNE & SHIRLEY:
>> Here’s an odd one. Remember “Laverne & Shirley” without Shirley? Well, it
>> happened. After being a monster ABC hit and even surviving a rather far-
>> fetched development which saw most of the original cast pick up and move from
>> Milwaukee to Hollywood, “L&S” reached a major stumbling block in its final
>> season when series co-star Cindy Williams left the series after two episodes
>> due to a conflict with the show’s producers. So, hence, Laverne (Penny
>> Marshall) had to go it alone. Though the program was still called “Laverne &
>> Shirley,” Williams was removed from the opening credits in both name and
>> image. And though such talented actresses as Carrie Fisher and Laraine
>> Newman were brought in for a few episodes to give Marshall a comic partner,
>> the show wasn’t the same without Shirl. It ended shortly thereafter.
>>
>> CHARLIE’S ANGELS:
>> Sometimes it’s not just actors leaving a series that can foretell doom,
>> sometimes it’s when they are added. (I mean we all remember Cousin Oliver,
>> right?) “Charlie’s Angels” was such a phenom when it began that it survived
>> the departure of Farrah Fawcett. But when the next Angel, Kate Jackson, flew
>> away, it was pretty much game over. First, classy Shelley Hack came in but
>> though beautiful, she was rather bland. Hack though did, at least, fit in
>> and interact with the other two Angels still on the series (Jaclyn Smith and
>> Cheryl Ladd) and was depicted as a trained, former police woman. But after
>> Hack was let go, the show’s producers recruited the late Tanya Roberts as the
>> show’s final Angel. Though also gorgeous, Roberts’ addition didn’t seemed
>> that thought out. First, she was not a trained police officer but was
>> introduced as a grad of a “top modeling school.” Huh? Additionally, because
>> both Smith and Ladd wanted to lessen their work hours, Roberts wasn’t given
>> much time interacting with the other Angels and the teamwork aspect of the
>> show that made it work before completely disappeared. Further still,
>> Roberts’ character—Julie Rogers—was shown as capable a detective as both her
>> co-workers. She could even be a little bossy. But shouldn’t the former
>> model had deferred some to the original Angels? It all seemed weird. The
>> Roberts season would be “Charlie’s” final season. The fault does not lie
>> with Roberts, or with Hack, though. I maintain that by the time Kate Jackson
>> departed the series, the bloom was decidedly off the “Angels’” rose by then;
>> they could have hired Meryl Streep for the series and it wouldn’t have made a
>> difference.
>>
>> THE MAN FROM UNCLE:
>> “UNCLE” began in 1964 as a sophisticated TV espionage series staring, as
>> debonair agents, Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. Its combination of great
>> spy stories, great gadgets and wonderful guest stars made it a hit. The
>> series even won a Golden Globe in 1966 in the category of Best TV Show. But
>> then the camp aesthetic came to TV (best embodied by the 1966 “Batman” TV
>> series) and, for some reason, “UNCLE” producers decided that the show needed
>> more humor and over-the-top elements. Suddenly, circa the 1966 season, the
>> show’s characters—Solo and Kuryakin—began facing cartoonish villains and even
>> more ridiculous situations. A case in point: one episode of the series in
>> the ’66 season revolved around a giant “stink bomb” about to be dropped on
>> Las Vegas. The camp approach (which also crippled the show’s spinoff “The
>> Girl from UNCLE,” which also launched in 1966) was despised by the show’s
>> original fans and ratings nosedived. Though the show came back for a season
>> after the show’s comedy pivot, the series was axed halfway through 1968.
>>
>> ROSEANNE:
>> The final season of the original “Roseanne” (ending in 1997) seems like a
>> textbook example of “One Season Too Many.” Star Roseanne Barr (or Arnold or
>> whatever) had long fought with her TV bosses but, together, they managed to
>> make a very effective sitcom for many seasons. But then Roseanne really
>> exercised her power and in the show’s concluding season decided that her TV
>> family, the Connors, should win the lottery. Suddenly, the relatable tale of
>> a low-income family using humor to survive and strive got upended and all of
>> the show’s situations became far-fetched and farcical. (If the family really
>> were millionaires, would they still live in that same cramped, dingy home?)
>> Also not helping was the fact that actor John Goodman, who played Roseanne’s
>> steadfast husband, Dan, decided to limit his appearances. The show’s
>> equilibrium was off. Then, to make it all the more ridiculous, in the show’s
>> final episode, it was revealed that “Roseanne’s” final season had all been
>> pretend, a story dreamed up by Roseanne. Hmmm. No wonder, then, that when
>> the show was revived in 2018 (first as “Roseanne” and then as “The Connors”)
>> almost all these latter-day story elements were jettisoned. Yeah, I’d like
>> to forget that final season too.
>>
>> MOONLIGHTING:
>> No real cast shake-ups here but certainly a sad last season
>> or two.
>> “Moonlighting” was simply great when it began in 1985. It was a witty,
>> fast-paced detective show completely reminiscent of such classic film fare as
>> “My Girl Friday” and “The Thin Man.” Cybill Shepherd showed a previously
>> unknown flair for comedy and newcomer Bruce Willis was the debut of a major
>> new talent. Despite productions delays and rumors of behind-the-scenes
>> conflicts, this story about this unlikely detective duo was effervescent fun.
>> But then, its two lead characters, after long toying with romantic tension,
>> decided to sleep together and faster than you can say “Sam and Diane,”
>> “Moonlighting” morphed into soap opera. Gone were the quirky mysteries and
>> rapid-fire repartee. Instead we got an unfortunate Mark Harmon as Shepherd’s
>> new love interest and more introspective navel gazing than a season of “The
>> Bachelor.” “Moonlighting,” after its amazing debut and start, limped along,
>> on fumes, until it was finally put out of its misery in 1989.
>>
>> Some other shows that went on a tad too long:
>>
>> THAT 70s SHOW: Again, by the final season, most of the original cast had
>> left, leaving only a few newbies and the show’s parents to carry on to a
>> forgettable end.
>>
>> BABYLON 5: At the end of its fourth season, the show’s star Claudia
>> Christian left “Babylon” and everyone expected the show to be cancelled. But
>> it wasn’t. Instead it came back for one more year with Tracy Scoggins having
>> to bat clean-up.
>>
>> NORTHERN EXPOSURE: In its final season, series star Rob Morrow departed and
>> John Corbett got elevated to lead, a promotion even the actor didn’t want at
>> the time.
>>
>> GRACE UNDER FIRE: In “Grace’s” last season, the erratic, off-screen and on-
>> set behavior of series star Brett Butler drove off many of her show’s
>> original co-stars. Even one of the actors playing one of her on-screen kids
>> chose to bow out. The exodus required a variety of new characters to be
>> hastily added to the series, including, briefly, actress Julia Duffy. It
>> proved too much for views and Butler proved too much for the network. The
>> show got axed halfway through its fifth season.
>>
>> DYNASTY: To save costs in the primetime soap’s final year, Joan Collins was
>> reduced to only a handful of appearances. The same with series co-star Linda
>> Evans. The wonderful Stephanie Beacham from “The Colbys” came in take up the
>> slack but even she couldn’t do much. And “Dynasty” without Alexis and
>> Krystal? Why bother?
>
>

> LAVERNE & SHIRLEY:
> Here's an odd one. Remember "Laverne & Shirley" without Shirley? Well, it
> happened. After being a monster ABC hit and even surviving a rather far-
> fetched development which saw most of the original cast pick up and move from
> Milwaukee to Hollywood, "L&S" reached a major stumbling block in its final
> season when series co-star Cindy Williams left the series after two episodes
> due to a conflict with the show's producers. So, hence, Laverne (Penny
> Marshall) had to go it alone. Though the program was still called "Laverne &
> Shirley," Williams was removed from the opening credits in both name and
> image. And though such talented actresses as Carrie Fisher and Laraine
> Newman were brought in for a few episodes to give Marshall a comic partner,
> the show wasn't the same without Shirl. It ended shortly thereafter.

I noticed Williams was in this oddball low budget '80s comedy I recently
saw on Showtime called "The First Nudie Musical." Hard to believe she
was in a movie that featured all kinds of nudity including full frontal
(although she never appeared nude herself) but I guess she wanted to
change her wholesome image.

> Some other shows that went on a tad too long:

I'd throw "M*A*S*H" in that category too. And "All In the Family."

super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> wrote:

>>LAVERNE & SHIRLEY:
>>Here's an odd one. Remember "Laverne & Shirley" without Shirley? Well, it
>>happened. After being a monster ABC hit and even surviving a rather far-
>>fetched development which saw most of the original cast pick up and move from
>>Milwaukee to Hollywood, "L&S" reached a major stumbling block in its final
>>season when series co-star Cindy Williams left the series after two episodes
>>due to a conflict with the show's producers. So, hence, Laverne (Penny
>>Marshall) had to go it alone. Though the program was still called "Laverne &
>>Shirley," Williams was removed from the opening credits in both name and
>>image. And though such talented actresses as Carrie Fisher and Laraine
>>Newman were brought in for a few episodes to give Marshall a comic partner,
>>the show wasn't the same without Shirl. It ended shortly thereafter.

>I noticed Williams was in this oddball low budget '80s comedy I recently
>saw on Showtime called "The First Nudie Musical." Hard to believe she
>was in a movie that featured all kinds of nudity including full frontal
>(although she never appeared nude herself) but I guess she wanted to
>change her wholesome image.

Wholesome image? She was the object of sexual desire in American Grafitti.

>>Some other shows that went on a tad too long:

>I'd throw "M*A*S*H" in that category too. And "All In the Family."

MASH was an entirely different show after Larry Gelbart left, but they
made an enormous change that was not in the best interest of story
telling by making Hawkeye unmarried and the only doctor and nurse not
cheating in marriage. This is how the sitcom was created, ignoring
source material.

The movie wasn't anti-war but, damn, there was blood everywhere in those
hospital scenes. They refused to do that in the tv series. On tv, war
was nice and neat.

Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
> super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> wrote:
>
>>> LAVERNE & SHIRLEY:
>>> Here's an odd one. Remember "Laverne & Shirley" without Shirley? Well, it
>>> happened. After being a monster ABC hit and even surviving a rather far-
>>> fetched development which saw most of the original cast pick up and move from
>>> Milwaukee to Hollywood, "L&S" reached a major stumbling block in its final
>>> season when series co-star Cindy Williams left the series after two episodes
>>> due to a conflict with the show's producers. So, hence, Laverne (Penny
>>> Marshall) had to go it alone. Though the program was still called "Laverne &
>>> Shirley," Williams was removed from the opening credits in both name and
>>> image. And though such talented actresses as Carrie Fisher and Laraine
>>> Newman were brought in for a few episodes to give Marshall a comic partner,
>>> the show wasn't the same without Shirl. It ended shortly thereafter.
>
>> I noticed Williams was in this oddball low budget '80s comedy I recently
>> saw on Showtime called "The First Nudie Musical." Hard to believe she
>> was in a movie that featured all kinds of nudity including full frontal
>> (although she never appeared nude herself) but I guess she wanted to
>> change her wholesome image.
>
> Wholesome image? She was the object of sexual desire in American Grafitti.
>
>>> Some other shows that went on a tad too long:
>
>> I'd throw "M*A*S*H" in that category too. And "All In the Family."
>
> MASH was an entirely different show after Larry Gelbart left, but they
> made an enormous change that was not in the best interest of story
> telling by making Hawkeye unmarried and the only doctor and nurse not
> cheating in marriage. This is how the sitcom was created, ignoring
> source material.
>
> The movie wasn't anti-war but, damn, there was blood everywhere in those
> hospital scenes. They refused to do that in the tv series. On tv, war
> was nice and neat.
>

Here’s a 50 year old memory I’d forgotten about completely. People at the
time claimed that the arterial spray in the movie was real because the
makeup guys couldn’t fake that so they paid somebody to let them cut him on
camera and had a doctor standing by to stitch him back up again.

--
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.

In article
<1722748055.701887176.532851.anim8rfsk-cox.net@news.easynews.com>,
anim8rfsk <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:

> Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
> > super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> wrote:

> >> I'd throw "M*A*S*H" in that category too. And "All In the Family."
> >
> > MASH was an entirely different show after Larry Gelbart left, but they
> > made an enormous change that was not in the best interest of story
> > telling by making Hawkeye unmarried and the only doctor and nurse not
> > cheating in marriage. This is how the sitcom was created, ignoring
> > source material.
> >
> > The movie wasn't anti-war but, damn, there was blood everywhere in those
> > hospital scenes. They refused to do that in the tv series. On tv, war
> > was nice and neat.
> >
> Here's a 50 year old memory 'd forgotten about completely. People at the
> time claimed that the arterial spray in the movie was real because the
> makeup guys couldn't fake that so they paid somebody to let them cut him on
> camera and had a doctor standing by to stitch him back up again.

How hard would that be to fake? A plastic tube with some red-dyed corn
syrup pumped through it.

anim8rfsk <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:
>Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

>>. . .

>>The movie [MASH 1970] wasn't anti-war but, damn, there was blood
>>everywhere in those hospital scenes. They refused to do that in the tv
>>series. On tv, war was nice and neat.

>Here's a 50 year old memory I'd forgotten about completely. People at the
>time claimed that the arterial spray in the movie was real because the
>makeup guys couldn't fake that so they paid somebody to let them cut him on
>camera and had a doctor standing by to stitch him back up again.

Where do you find these people? Magicians, props people for stage plays,
would have figured out how to rig something like that centuries back.
The idea that an extra could be paid for such a reckless and
life-threatening stunt is seriously delusional.

BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
> In article
> <1722748055.701887176.532851.anim8rfsk-cox.net@news.easynews.com>,
> anim8rfsk <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:
>
>> Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
>>> super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> wrote:
>
>>>> I'd throw "M*A*S*H" in that category too. And "All In the Family."
>>>
>>> MASH was an entirely different show after Larry Gelbart left, but they
>>> made an enormous change that was not in the best interest of story
>>> telling by making Hawkeye unmarried and the only doctor and nurse not
>>> cheating in marriage. This is how the sitcom was created, ignoring
>>> source material.
>>>
>>> The movie wasn't anti-war but, damn, there was blood everywhere in those
>>> hospital scenes. They refused to do that in the tv series. On tv, war
>>> was nice and neat.
>>>
>> Here's a 50 year old memory 'd forgotten about completely. People at the
>> time claimed that the arterial spray in the movie was real because the
>> makeup guys couldn't fake that so they paid somebody to let them cut him on
>> camera and had a doctor standing by to stitch him back up again.
>
> How hard would that be to fake? A plastic tube with some red-dyed corn
> syrup pumped through it.
>

Especially considering IIRC the doctor actor has his hand over it anyway.

--
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.

Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
> anim8rfsk <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:
>> Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
>
>>> . . .
>
>>> The movie [MASH 1970] wasn't anti-war but, damn, there was blood
>>> everywhere in those hospital scenes. They refused to do that in the tv
>>> series. On tv, war was nice and neat.
>
>> Here's a 50 year old memory I'd forgotten about completely. People at the
>> time claimed that the arterial spray in the movie was real because the
>> makeup guys couldn't fake that so they paid somebody to let them cut him on
>> camera and had a doctor standing by to stitch him back up again.
>
> Where do you find these people? Magicians, props people for stage plays,
> would have figured out how to rig something like that centuries back.
> The idea that an extra could be paid for such a reckless and
> life-threatening stunt is seriously delusional.
>

Hey, Jake, it was high school town.

--
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.

In article <u046j0$taqo$2@dont-email.me>,
"Adam H. Kerman" <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

> super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> wrote:
>
> >>LAVERNE & SHIRLEY:
> >>Here's an odd one. Remember "Laverne & Shirley" without Shirley? Well, it
> >>happened. After being a monster ABC hit and even surviving a rather far-
> >>fetched development which saw most of the original cast pick up and move
> >>from Milwaukee to Hollywood, "L&S" reached a major stumbling block in its final
> >>season when series co-star Cindy Williams left the series after two
> >>episodes due to a conflict with the show's producers. So, hence, Laverne (Penny
> >>Marshall) had to go it alone. Though the program was still called "Laverne
> >>& Shirley," Williams was removed from the opening credits in both name and
> >>image. And though such talented actresses as Carrie Fisher and Laraine
> >>Newman were brought in for a few episodes to give Marshall a comic partner,
> >>the show wasn't the same without Shirl. It ended shortly thereafter.
>
> >I noticed Williams was in this oddball low budget '80s comedy I recently
> >saw on Showtime called "The First Nudie Musical." Hard to believe she
> >was in a movie that featured all kinds of nudity including full frontal
> >(although she never appeared nude herself) but I guess she wanted to
> >change her wholesome image.
>
> Wholesome image? She was the object of sexual desire in American Grafitti.

She didn't flaunt her sexuality in American Graffiti, in fact she
rejected Steve's advances.

I think you're stretching it and most would agree she had a wholesome
image.

super70s@super70s.invalid wrote:
> "Adam H. Kerman" <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
>> super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> wrote:

>>>>LAVERNE & SHIRLEY:
>>>>Here's an odd one. Remember "Laverne & Shirley" without Shirley? Well,
>>>>it happened. After being a monster ABC hit and even surviving a rather
>>>>far-fetched development which saw most of the original cast pick up and
>>>>move from Milwaukee to Hollywood, "L&S" reached a major stumbling block
>>>>in its final season when series co-star Cindy Williams left the series
>>>>after two episodes due to a conflict with the show's producers. So,
>>>>hence, Laverne (Penny Marshall) had to go it alone. Though the program
>>>>was still called "Laverne & Shirley," Williams was removed from the
>>>>opening credits in both name and image. And though such talented
>>>>actresses as Carrie Fisher and Laraine Newman were brought in for a few
>>>>episodes to give Marshall a comic partner, the show wasn't the same
>>>>without Shirl. It ended shortly thereafter.
>>>
>>>I noticed Williams was in this oddball low budget '80s comedy I recently
>>>saw on Showtime called "The First Nudie Musical." Hard to believe she
>>>was in a movie that featured all kinds of nudity including full frontal
>>>(although she never appeared nude herself) but I guess she wanted to
>>>change her wholesome image.
>>
>> Wholesome image? She was the object of sexual desire in American Grafitti.
>
>She didn't flaunt her sexuality in American Graffiti, in fact she
>rejected Steve's advances.
>
>I think you're stretching it and most would agree she had a wholesome
>image.

You do know that Kerman is a troll, right?

[Kerman's incorrect formatting fixed.]

--
Let's go Brandon!

In article
<super70s-27A346.19314930032023@reader01.eternal-september.org>,
super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> wrote:

> In article <u046j0$taqo$2@dont-email.me>,
> "Adam H. Kerman" <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
>
> > super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> wrote:
> >
> > >>LAVERNE & SHIRLEY:
> > >>Here's an odd one. Remember "Laverne & Shirley" without Shirley? Well,
> > >>it
> > >>happened. After being a monster ABC hit and even surviving a rather far-
> > >>fetched development which saw most of the original cast pick up and move
> > >>from Milwaukee to Hollywood, "L&S" reached a major stumbling block in its
> > >>final
> > >>season when series co-star Cindy Williams left the series after two
> > >>episodes due to a conflict with the show's producers. So, hence, Laverne
> > >>(Penny
> > >>Marshall) had to go it alone. Though the program was still called
> > >>"Laverne
> > >>& Shirley," Williams was removed from the opening credits in both name and
> > >>image. And though such talented actresses as Carrie Fisher and Laraine
> > >>Newman were brought in for a few episodes to give Marshall a comic
> > >>partner,
> > >>the show wasn't the same without Shirl. It ended shortly thereafter.
> >
> > >I noticed Williams was in this oddball low budget '80s comedy I recently
> > >saw on Showtime called "The First Nudie Musical." Hard to believe she
> > >was in a movie that featured all kinds of nudity including full frontal
> > >(although she never appeared nude herself) but I guess she wanted to
> > >change her wholesome image.
> >
> > Wholesome image? She was the object of sexual desire in American Grafitti.
>
> She didn't flaunt her sexuality in American Graffiti, in fact she
> rejected Steve's advances.
>
> I think you're stretching it and most would agree she had a wholesome
> image.

I'm dredging this up from way, way long ago, but when this Nudie
Musical film made it to Cinemax, it was pointed out that a bunch of
scenes had been added in order to spice things up, since the movie was
terrible.