The De-Evolution of Certain Sitcom Characters

[Adamantium]

What are some characters that never really evolved as the show went on, or seemed to just get worse. I'll start off with a few.

(1). Al Bundy - He loved Peggy in the beginning, but by the end of the run, couldn't stand her. Also his love towards his kids changed as well. If you go from the last episode to the first, like I did, then you can definately tell the difference.

(2). Steve Urkel - He was 21 years old and his voice hadn't changed yet!

(3). Matthew Brock - He started "NewsRadio" as just a sensetive nerd. But by the end of the show, they made him a dumb freak.

(4). Eric Matthews - He started as Cory's cool older brother, but was turned to ultra dumb as the show went on.

Any others?

[Sitcomwriter]

Joey Tribianni-He started as a "Cool, Italian Ladies' man".Now he's the token dumb Italian guy.He was never stupid in the beginning, He was a leather jacket wearing cool guy.

[Penny Lane]

Mark on Roseanne turned from a cool bad boy into a real idiot!I hated what they did to his character!:angryfire :wallbang

[Impressions]

Chrissy Snow - During the first three seasons she was sophisticated and attractive but then her image changed and she was a scatter brain.

Jo Polniaczek - She started as a streetwise tomboy from the Bronx but during the last few seasons she had lost her image and she was kinder to Blair.

[benjamoon]

Potsie Webber: Dorky, but funny friend of Richie Cunningham to pointless character who sang boring songs

[donald snl]

fonzie in the first season mabye even season2 he was brodding at times he was even almost unlikable but after that espally after riche left he woulint hurt a fly e he

[JT]

Mel Sharples, "Alice" - In the beginning he was a tough but lovable cheapskate. Then they kinda made him lose the tough part. He became more of a softie. As a matter of fact, it was joked about in one episode...

Alice: So what will it be, Henry?
Henry: How about some coffee and a cream puff.
Alice: You know we don't have cream puffs here!
Henry: Then what is that standing behind the counter? *points at Mel*

[Penny Lane]

Originally posted by benjamoon
Potsie Webber: Dorky, but funny friend of Richie Cunningham to pointless character who sang boring songs


Right! SHUT UP Potsie! :rolleyes:

[Czas na Zywiec]

I think the biggest example is Homer Simpson. At the begining of the series, he was just the loveable dad who had a dumb thought every once in a while. He actually cared about his wife and kids, and his job. Now, he's dumber than an old, discarded pizza box, he could care less about the kids as well as his wife (To give up a nice, big house with a wife and three kids to move into a condo with two strange men...?!? What was that?) and his job. Come to think of it, Burns isn't the old, cruel man he used to be. Maybe just the whole town of Springfield was hit with those flying 'brains' from Futurama. [You had to see 'The Day The Earth Stood Stupid' to know what I mean. :p]

[C Doody]

Chachi On Happy Days started out as kind of a Smart Allicky kid that always got in trouble and tried to scam people. Than around the Middle of the 7th season he toned down alot, Became nicer and More Mature.

[*PinkLady*]

Originally posted by TVAdam
(4). Eric Matthews - He started as Cory's cool older brother, but was turned to ultra dumb as the show went on.

A lot of people on Boy Meets World were dumbed down at some point, especially Cory and Topanga.

[hawaii five-o]

Jackie on "Roseanne" started out as probably the best character on the show. She had a hard shell, but was vulnerable. By the last season, she acted like she had brain damage. During the episode where they won the lottery, she was asked what she was going to buy with her share of the winnings, and she said, "Shiny red convertable" and made a "Vroom, Vroom" noise. A sad ending to a once great character.

[Penny Lane]

Originally posted by hawaii five-o
Jackie on "Roseanne" started out as probably the best character on the show. She had a hard shell, but was vulnerable. By the last season, she acted like she had brain damage. During the episode where they won the lottery, she was asked what she was going to buy with her share of the winnings, and she said, "Shiny red convertable" and made a "Vroom, Vroom" noise. A sad ending to a once great character.

I agree so much with you! Jackie is one of my all time favorite sitcom characters and she along with the males of the cast were reduced to morons!:rolleyes:

[Kitt]

Harris on Barney Miller. He went from a cliche jive-talking black guy to smart and witty, with none of that overdone "black-guy" accent.

Wojo on Barney Miller. He went from a gum chewing, dumb talking Jock/Polack or something, to a sensitive, lost the gum, clear-eyed guy with impressive good sense.

[Nanny Fine]

Rachel Green on "FRIENDS".

She started out a spoiled rich little daddy's girl until she went out on her own (and found her magic beans! :) ).

She went from working as a (terrible) waitress at the coffee house to the designing exec she now is. Self sufficient, a mom, etc.

She's a great example, I think, of a GOOD character evolution.

On the same show I think they've made Monica so incredibly neurotic it's not even funny. I still love the show, love Monica, but her cleanliness obsession has gotten worse over the years.

[Chocoholic]

I agree about Matthew from NewsRadio. I went from liking him to being repulsed by him. Homer Simpson has also changed too.

Another character who "jumped the shark" is Antonio from Wings. He went from being a nice, sensitive, well-adjusted guy to being a whiny, bitter, pathetic loser.

[Penny Lane]

Originally posted by Chad Doody
Chachi On Happy Days started out as kind of a Smart Allicky kid that always got in trouble and tried to scam people. Than around the Middle of the 7th season he toned down alot, Became nicer and More Mature.

Most people do!:p

[Kitt]

Originally posted by Penny Lane
Most people do!:p :lol:

[barwars]

lol

definately Homer Simpson.

[James]

How about Winnie Cooper from The Wonder Years? She went from a sweet little girl to a very wishy-washy woman. That is one reason I hated the last two seasons of the show. :angryfire

Had the show gone on just one more season I think she would have come back around to being the lovable character we all grew up with and caused us to forget what would have been the previous two disastrous years of the show.