Shows that ran too long

[JohnMcMillin]

there've been many threads about sitcoms that were cancelled before given the chance to shine, ok. So what about the shows (mainly sitcoms) that ran past their expiration date?

[JohnMcMillin]

Married With Children (by about 4 seasons)

Murphy Brown (was the hippest show during the Bush Sr. administration, but the show dropped big-time around 93-94, and never recovered, yet ran until 1998)

Roseanne (last 2 seasons hurt the shows image immensely)

Third Rock From The Sun (is going off in May, should've gone off 3 years ago)

Happy Days (was a great show, should've "spun off" to another show ala All In The Family/Archie Bunkers Place when Richie and Ralph left in 1980 instead of retaining the Happy Days moniker)

Cosby Show (this show either went off too soon or went off too late depending on the person. The show should've gone out in style before they added Cousin Pam. Nobody liked her, and she killed the ratings and everything)

Beverly Hills 90210 (you knew the show was on a little too long when the main characters were old enough to have kids who could've played high school students like they were at first)

Dallas and Knots Landing.... both shows dropped off the radar around 85-86, Dallas ran until 91, and Knots Landing didn't go off until 93.

Family Matters (Urkel was in his 20's when the show went off, 'nuff said)

there are exceptions. Cheers, Golden Girls, Mash, Facts Of Life (sorry, Beverly Ann's episodes were so underrated) and Seinfeld among others went off at the right time as opposed to either cutting off at it's peak or going off after the show had become a shadow of it's former self.

[TJ]

All in the Family should have definitely ended and not gone on to Archie Bunker's Place - I almost feels it tarnishes AITF's image a bit.

Alice probably went on a few extra seasons that it should have.

The Facts of Life probably should have ended with a true finale at the end of season 8. I liked Beverly Ann but they should have brought her in earlier if they thought Charlotte Rae was ready to leave.

although not a sitcom, Little House on the Prairie went on a season or two long..

Laverne & Shirley probably didn't need that last Shirley-less season.

I'd give up the last season of Diff'rent Strokes if they were given a good 2 part series finale on NBC..

[factsoflife]

i think that fraser has been on a bit to long..

full house was on about five years to long.. i think this show should have ended before the olsen twins went through puberty.

fresh prince of bel air was on way too long.

moesha.. she should've went away in about 1997.

the simpsons.. should have been cancled years ago.

[JohnMcMillin]

TJ, I agree about both Facts and Diff'rent Strokes.

I liked the last season, but the final episode of season eight had a much better "final episode" feel than the final episode we got.

With Diff'rent Strokes, I don't remember the final season much, but I do feel like they should've let it go out with a bang instead of giving ABC the rights and treating the show like crap and killing it.

[Cokies]

I agree with TJ and John about the final episode of season eight of the 'facts' would of been just fine as a series finale.
And Seinfeld ended right where it should have.

------------------
"It was just like Saturday Night Fever, only it was a Friday."

[Brett Ferino]

Night Court was on too long. I think probobly the show should have been cancelled in 1989 when Rhinehold Weege left the show. Because a show should be cancelled if a producer leaves...

[cp]

Archie Bunkers Place should never of been cancelled. It could of ran throughout the 80s into the 90s. They could of gotten back to more All in the Family type episodes maybe even get Gloria back to do some episodes. Perhaps Archie could of remarried again.

[cp]

Thw Waltons seris was over when John Walton left the seris in the last season. Just didnt seem the same anymore.

The Married with Children spinoff "Top of the Heap" should of ended after the first episode.
MWC should of ended in the 4th season.

[This message has been edited by cp (edited 02-27-2001).]

[Landofrapeandhoney]

Family Matters - Since when does a normal, run of the mill family sitcom turn into a show about a nerd who invents crazy things? They might as well have just cancelled Family Matters after about two seasons, and given Urkel his own Saturday Morning cartoon where he could clone himself, alter his personality at will, and travel through time.

Full House - The episode where Stephanie drove a car into the kitchen may have been the low point in tv sitcom history. I actually considered selling my tv after seeing that garbage. Needless to say, this show should have never gone into produciton.

Baywatch - It's not a sitcom, well some people probably watch it to laugh at it, but it needs to end. You know a show is utter crap when the most creative thing the writers have done in the past 10 years is move the cast to Hawaii and give them yellow swimsuits instead of red swimsuits. Are they just hanging around to do another "special" episode about midgets? Just tape an episode from a Pamela Anderson season, and you've seen all you really need see from this show.

Night Court - The last season was hideous. Dan going soft and guest appearances by Gilbert Goddfried left a really bad taste in my mouth.

Gimme a Break - The New York episodes were boring, and really not needed. Once Dolph died, they probably should have just ended it.

Designing Women - It was a good show at first, but once Delta left, the show was just became unwatchable, even before all the other cast changes.

Roseanne - This show definitely lasted a couple of years too long.

Home Improvement - Never liked this show, and never found it funny.

[JohnMcMillin]

I totally agree about Family Matters, I enjoyed the first season best, in which Urkel wasn't even in 75% of the episodes. How many times did they have "Stefan Urquelle" come out? the first time it was funny, but when 90% of the episodes had that junk...

[factsoflife]

another show that lasted way to long.. Melrose place. The first season was crap.. but the last season was even worse.

[Chocoholic]

Wings should have ended after Joe and Helen's wedding. I still love it though.

[factsoflife]

Even one season of suddenly suasan was too long... Party of five should have been canned in like season three or four, not seven. I thin Seventh heaven has been on WAY to long. and to this day it still urkes me that chicago hope lasted as long as it did.

[factsoflife]

I think it is time for Oprah to retire, her show is so boring and reduntant now, as well as Jerry springer and jenny jones and ricki lake.

[Devastation26]

Originally posted by factsoflife:
I think it is time for Oprah to retire, her show is so boring and reduntant now, as well as Jerry springer and jenny jones and ricki lake.

Those aren't sitcome but you do have a point

[Robyn]

Family Matters was great, now leave it alone. I think it had some of the greatest character development in television history, even if nobody agrees with me. So perhaps it did go on a bit too long for most, but it really did need that final season to mature a little bit and tie up loose ends (e.g. Steve and Laura getting engaged).

[TV Guy]

I think the last season or two of "Cheers" showed how tired the show was getting. Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe revitalized the show, but it was a mistake to turn her into such a ditz. It was much better was she was a tough-on-the-outside businesswoman who was Sam's boss.

I agree with the posting about "Dallas" running out of gas during 85-86 (the infamous dream season when Bobby was dead). Recovered somewhat when Bobby returned for 86-87, then died when Pam blew up in 1987. But I think the spinoff, "Knots Landing", was pretty decent up until '91, when many of the writers left to do "Homefront". The last two seasons were weaker, but not nearly as much as the final years of "Dallas".

"The Waltons" weakened during its sixth year, with John-Boy gone and Grandma absent due to illness. It really got bad a year later, with Grandpa gone, and the writers focusing on more controversial issues, like drug addiction (Mary-Ellen), and alcoholism (Cora Beth). It didn't help that Michael Learned was always coming and going during those last few seasons (Mama's in a sanitorium with TB. No, now she's working for the Red Cross in D.C. No, now she's in Arizona with TB again.). The first five seasons with the original cast are classics, though.

[factsoflife]

Sorry for the double post.

[This message has been edited by factsoflife (edited 06-18-2001).]

[factsoflife]

The Power Rangers ( i know it's not a sitcom)..... but after it went from Mighty Morphin to In Space, it was enough.

[This message has been edited by factsoflife (edited 06-18-2001).]

[MARFAR104]

I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH TV GUY ABOUT THE WALTON'S! I LOVED THAT SHOW BUT THE STORY LINES GOT A LITTLE HARD TO SWALLOW! IT WAS TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER FOR OLIVIA TO UP AND LEAVE HER BELOVED FAMILY TO RUN OFF TO WORK FOR THE RED CROSS! THE OLIVIA WE LEARNED TO LOVE JUST WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT!ANYWAY, THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT!
I ALSO THINK THAT HAPPY DAYS WENT WAY OVER! SO DUMB AND BORING IN THOSE LATTER EPISODES!

[James]

Originally posted by MARFAR104:
I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH TV GUY ABOUT THE WALTON'S! I LOVED THAT SHOW BUT THE STORY LINES GOT A LITTLE HARD TO SWALLOW! IT WAS TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER FOR OLIVIA TO UP AND LEAVE HER BELOVED FAMILY TO RUN OFF TO WORK FOR THE RED CROSS! THE OLIVIA WE LEARNED TO LOVE JUST WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT!ANYWAY, THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT!
I ALSO THINK THAT HAPPY DAYS WENT WAY OVER! SO DUMB AND BORING IN THOSE LATTER EPISODES!

I agree about "The Waltons" after Olivia (Michael Learned) left. Now I can understand why so many people disliked the episodes of "Laverne & Shirley" after Shirley (Cindy Williams) left.

As far as the Burtons (Olivia's cousin Rose (played by Peggy Rea) and her grandchildren Serena and Jeffrey) who entered the show during the second-to-last season, they should have been in only a handful of episodes instead of made regulars during those seasons (I mean, Peggy Rea's name appears during the opening credits). With that in mind I perfectly understand why many fans of "The Brady Bunch" hated the episodes with Cousin Oliver!

[James]

Originally posted by JohnMcMillin:
there've been many threads about sitcoms that were cancelled before given the chance to shine, ok. So what about the shows (mainly sitcoms) that ran past their expiration date?

Here are a few that went (and are some are STILL going) too long:

Cheers
Three's Company
All in the Family
The Simpsons
Married ... with Children
Night Court
The Facts of Life
Friends
Frasier
Beverly Hills, 90210

[Rob]

Family matters, without a doubt! Also, I think Saturday Night Live has been on for way too long, and its time cancel it.

[RainMan]

SHUDDERS.......

Friends Definitely........ENOUGH WE DON"T FREAKIN CARE WHO HAS SEX WITH WHO....Note that's like the only thing they talk about on that show.

SHUDDERS.......

Charmed........ALL IT IS IS ABOUT KILLING THE VILLIANS...NOT ANY FUN IF YOU ASK ME.

SHUDDERS.......

Baby Bob.......WORST CBS SHOW I CAN THINK OF....PAYNE WAS BETTER THAN THAT.

SHUDDERS.......

AND THE WORST SHOW OF ALL TIME THAT RAN TOO LONG IS...................................

RUGRATS - RUGRATS - RUGRATS - YES WE KNOW THEY ARE POOPY WE DON'T NEED TO KNOW ANY MORE.........GET THE HELL OFF TV RUGRATS.

11 SEASONS IS LONG ENOUGH SO GO AWAY!

Cordially,
Nathan Bush
"The Rain Man"

________________________________________________________________

HEY ARNOLD! NEW EPISODE TODAY AT 4:30PM CST! BE SURE TO SEE THE MOVIE TRAILER AT Http://www.heyarnold.com! IT IS RATED PG THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!

[seanhayesfan]

I think Roseanne went to long by one season. The 9th and last season just wasn't as funny as all 8 seasons before it.

Bewitched Should have ended when the first Darrin had to leave.

Full House should have ended when the cuteness of the olsen Twins ended.

[DJM77]

M*A*S*H*
Lasted: 11 seasons
Should have only lasted: 6 seasons

Murphy Brown
Lasted: 10 seasons
Should have only lasted: 7 seasons

Alice
Lasted: 9 seasons
Should have only lasted: 6 seasons

Coach
Lasted: 9 seasons
Should have only lasted: 4 seasons

One Day At A Time
Lasted: 9 seasons
Should have only lasted: 7 seasons

Barney Miller
Lasted: 8 seasons
Should have only lasted: 6 seasons

Laverne & Shirley
Lasted: 8 seasons
Should have only lasted: 7 seasons

Facts Of Life
Lasted: 9 seasons
Should have only lasted: 6 seasons

Family Matters
Lasted: 9 seasons
Should have only lasted: 7 seasons

Boy Meets World
Lasted: 7 seasons
Should have only lasted: 3 seasons

[°Bubbly Blonde°]

The Facts of Life went a few years too long IMO even tho I love the show

Three's Company should have ended 2 seasons earlier

All in the Family should have ended when Mike and Gloria moved away.

I can't think anymore right now...

[Sean Snow]

Hmm here is my list:

"The Andy Griffith Show"- I don't really watch this show a lot (It isn't one of my favorites, far from them too), but I think it should've ended in 1965 with the departure of Don Knotts. It just wasn't as funny as it was with him.

"Roseanne"- I never really liked this show to begin with, but the final few seasons were terrible imo.

"Chico & the Man"- They should've ended it after the 1977 season. It wasn't the same w/o Freddie Prinze.

"The Brady Bunch"-Oliver. 'nuff said.

[Notorious]

Murphy Brown & Roseanne (what was up with that last season? terrible!)

[mstewart]

Here are the shows I thought went on way too long and when they should have ended:
All of Norman Lear's shows overstay their welcome:
All in the Family should have ended when Mike and Gloria moved away.
The Jeffersons went way too long and it turned into a very lame sitcom in the last three seasons.
Maude got old fast and should ended after five seasons.
One Day At a Time should have ended when Ann married Sam Royer. The final season episodes are too painful to watch because it was not the same show anymore and it looked tired and the actors were ready to move on. It showed in their performances
Sanford and Son definitely lost its edge after Redd Foxx returned from his contract dispute. He seemed to lose interest in the show and it showed in his performance.
Good Times should have ended when Esther Rolle left the show but frankly the plug should have been pulled with all the drama that went on behind the scenes.

Cheers should had pulled the plug after Shelley Long left. The show became one sex joke after another. No one person could had slept around the way Sam Malone did and not catch some kind of sexual disease from it. His sleeping around was a bit too obnoxious after Shelley Long left.

Family Ties should have ended after five seasons. So should have Growing Pains and the Cosby Show. Any family series with kids in it should end their run after five seasons. Just take a look at Cosby, Growing Pains and Family Ties beyond season five. The edge left and the freshness was no longer there.

Coach became unfunny when they moved to Florida. That right there should have been the series finale. The only redeeming thing about the final season of the show was how much sexier Shelley Fabares got when she straighten her hair. I thought for a minute it was different actress.

Three's Company should have ended after six seasons. The last two seasons of the show especially the final season were lame and recyled plots. The only redeeming quality of those last two seasons were the increased sexiness of Joyce DeWitt with longer hair.

The Bob Newhart Show should have ended after five seasons. The sixth and final season were bad shows and to boot Newhart were not in many of them. The supporting cast was lost without Newhart.

Alice should have ended their run after seven seasons. Too many cast changes with the waitresses. Unfortunately Linda Lavin had a difficult time with Polly Holliday as well as Diane Ladd. Those characters sassiness brought a lot of energy into the show and moved it in a way that it never did with the actress who played Jolene. Season eight and nine were very painful to watch. The energy of the show left

Petticoat Junction should have ended when Bea Benedaret passed away. The energy was not the same after Bea died and June Lockhart was the not the one.

Gimme a Break should had left the air after Dolph Sweet died. The conflicts between the chief and Nell what made the show moved and her being in charge with a parentless household was a bit too far fetched. Even when Dolph Sweet came back when he was dying you can tell that he was very ill and the energy of the series was not there.

Facts of Life should have ended when Mrs. G got married. Bringing in Beverly Ann was a mistake for the show and it was never the same again.

Differn't Strokes should had the plug pulled when Mr. D and Maggie got married. That would have been a great series finale.

The producers of sitcoms need to take lessons from Carl Reiner and Dick Van Dyke. The Dick Van Dyke Show left the air after five years. It left us all wanting more but the show was still good when it ended. Carl Reiner stated in an interview that he and Van Dyke did not want to do the show no more than five years.

[mstewart]

Two more shows should have ended their run sooner than it did:
Bewitched definitely. The eighth and final season was horrible and Elizabeth Montgomery looked as though she did not want to be there. The only redeeming quality of the last season was how sexy and a hottie that Elizabeth Montgomery got in that season. She had that modern gal look. Long hair, mini skirts and chockers.

My Three Sons should had stopped long time ago and ended the series with Steve and Barbara getting married. Their life as husband and wife on the show was quite uninteresting.

[SoFl123]

I think most shows that are successful wait to get cancelled by the network and the shows dont die winners.
Personally Being a huge fan of Married with Children thought the last season or 2 were getting kind of, not so funny as the 90-95 seasons. I remember one of Marcys cousin staying and i though that one was kind of lame, the humor in it, not the same as before. and how much longer can the kids still live at home with their parents?i think they deserved a final episode though.
I think south park is ready to go. how many more times can Who killled Kenny Be funny?
Diffrent strokes kind of lost its touch with me when Mr. Drummond got married. I liked Arnold being the little kid and little brother and i wasnt much of a sam fan.
Simpsons have gone on long enough and i hear they arent making anymore episodes for next season.
I think that after 8 years atleast, a show should pull its plug.