Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think Mama's Family still gets a bum rap. I know it's not Masterpiece Theater...it's a sitcom, for cryin' out loud. The show is consistently funny, and I especially love how they don't try to get bogged down with "social commentary" and "very special episodes". It got great ratings during its run in syndication, but I guess it not being on a network made a lot of people treat it like some wicked stepchild. MF is just silly fun, and I grew to love all the characters. I think there is a contingent of people who reflexively look down on anything with a Southern accent, and MF's lack of "edge" (that is, endless sex jokes) turns off others.
I was kind of shocked when I heard this show was "hated." I haven't seen it since it first ran but I remember enjoying it a lot when I was younger. But yeah, it's one of those shows I've begun hearing a lot of grumbling about recently.
Because people mentioned Leave if to Beaver, I was just reminded of another show that I think gets a bum rap.
Small Wonder. This was never anything more than a cute and harmless kid's show, and it was a deliberate throwback to the more innocent shows of the 1950s. But now it's considered one of the worst shows ever made, and I don't get it.
Stanley (Norman Fell) and Helen (Audra Lindley) Roper were the original landlords in Three's Company. After a couple of seasons, the producers wanted Fell and Lindley to star in their own spin-off. Fell didnt want to do it but the producers contractually promised him that they would give the new series a year to prove itself. If the show were to be canceled prior to that time, then he and Lindley would return to Three's Company. Fell reluctantly agreed to their terms.
The Ropers was canceled ONE MONTH after the one-year contractual deadline had passed. Fell always said the producers had planned to cancel The Ropers halfway through the first season but waited until the contractual deadline had passed so they wouldnt have to bring Lindley and him back to Three's Company (since Don Knotts had been hired to replace them). From what I've read, I agree -- and I've always thought that was a very underhanded way to treat them.
I've been watching reruns a lot on Decades and it bums me out that it was canceled. It was becoming so good towards the end, especially with Helen's sister. And you could start to see Helen and Stanley becoming close as a couple. I actually liked them better when they weren't fighting and stuck up for each other.
The funniest line on that show is when Stanley thinks he's dying. He says something like, "Helen, there are some things I never had a chance to tell you but should have. You're a wonderful wife and you're the most beautiful woman in the world. Even if that isn't true, I should've told you." Gets me every time.
BTW, I'm convinced the creators of Married with Children based Al and Peg on the Ropers. Like Stanley, Al was sexually bored with his wife. Like Helen, Peg was sexually frustrated and would make cruel jokes about his lack of sexual prowess.
Because people mentioned Leave if to Beaver, I was just reminded of another show that I think gets a bum rap.
Small Wonder. This was never anything more than a cute and harmless kid's show, and it was a deliberate throwback to the more innocent shows of the 1950s. But now it's considered one of the worst shows ever made, and I don't get it.
In MY opinion you're confusing 2 things. It was a cute harmless show but the acting was horrible and some of the shows were painful to get through. So, yeah the idea was fantastic. The execution was horrible.
I've been watching reruns a lot on Decades and it bums me out that it was canceled. It was becoming so good towards the end, especially with Helen's sister. And you could start to see Helen and Stanley becoming close as a couple. I actually liked them better when they weren't fighting and stuck up for each other.
The funniest line on that show is when Stanley thinks he's dying. He says something like, "Helen, there are some things I never had a chance to tell you but should have. You're a wonderful wife and you're the most beautiful woman in the world. Even if that isn't true, I should've told you." Gets me every time.
BTW, I'm convinced the creators of Married with Children based Al and Peg on the Ropers. Like Stanley, Al was sexually bored with his wife. Like Helen, Peg was sexually frustrated and would make cruel jokes about his lack of sexual prowess.
LOL I like debating with you.
If you watch the first season of "MWC" Al actually likes his wife and wants sex with her regularly. It wasnt until season 2 or 3 that that repulsion started. Even then you'd see glimpses of season 1 throughout the series. Now maybe Al and Peg are the Ropers if we'd gotten to see more of the Ropers but I see "The Ropers" more as 50's bred/old school Stanley taking Helen for granted and "keeping a woman in her place" whereas Al and Peg were the result of 15-25years of marriage and the old "hum drum life"
The Ropers was canceled ONE MONTH after the one-year contractual deadline had passed. Fell always said the producers had planned to cancel The Ropers halfway through the first season but waited until the contractual deadline had passed so they wouldnt have to bring Lindley and him back to Three's Company (since Don Knotts had been hired to replace them). From what I've read, I agree -- and I've always thought that was a very underhanded way to treat them.
I think it had more to do with the uncertainty of Suzanne Somers. If they knew in advance that they'd be letting her go then there wouldnt have been the budget issues of rehiring 2 people to replace 1 that had already replaced 2 to cut costs.
WKRP is an interesting one. It was one of those rare shows that the network "gave a chance to find its footing". It was pretty low rated in the beginning and almost canceled less than halfway through the first season (it was pulled from the schedule). It got a rare second chance and took off.
Then after season 2 CBS and Hugh Wilson (creator) got into a pissing contest over the show's direction. Interestingly that was when CBS started moving it all over the schedule which usually kills a show.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
