Should there have been a series finale, in which Uncle Martin finally repaired his
spaceship and was able to return to his home planet?

They did do one, sort of if you count the movie remake at the very end.:lol:

I was rather disappointed with the movie version, starring Christopher Lloyd. I
didn't care for the living space suit idea. The only high spot (for me) was Ray
Walston's brief cameo appearance. I have seen Lloyd in a lot of movies, and he
is a good comedic actor. But I just don't care for remakes of classic TV shows,
in general. They either try too hard to copy the original (which can't be done)
or make too many changes (which, unfortunately, can and often is done).

...there HAD been plans for a fourth season, when Jack Chertok produced the final episode of season three (shown in February 1966), where Uncle Martin's nephew Andy was introduced. But CBS was unimpressed, and cancelled the series. This is why a "farewell episode" wasn't filmed. If Chertok felt the series had run its course, I'm sure he would have produced a "final" episode where Uncle Martin DOES manage to pilot his spaceship back to Mars....or DOES he?

;)

Yes way back in early 1990, it almost happened "the Martian's Return" was somewhat started by myself and Bill Bixby.
I spoke with our original story editor Sherwood Shwartz and he agreed to help out and Mr Chertok gave us a green light to go forward.
The last part was Ray who when he found out Bill wanted to do it and direct it, well it was a big yes.
The basic story was Martin had made his way back to Mars when Andy's parents and his brother had come to find their son.
But Martin had become more human than Martian, so he skipped from his position at the Earth museum and headed back to his old pal Tim.
He meets Tims goofy son the cub reporter and we are back on the adventure again with Tim finally understanding his son and claiming back his own goofy nature.
Of course their is more too it than that but it was just starting when Bill became ill and without him nobody wanted to go forward, he was just that beloved and needed to made it work.

that's a shame; it sounds like it would have been good.

...there HAD been plans for a fourth season, when Jack Chertok produced the final episode of season three (shown in February 1966), where Uncle Martin's nephew Andy was introduced. But CBS was unimpressed, and cancelled the series. This is why a "farewell episode" wasn't filmed. If Chertok felt the series had run its course, I'm sure he would have produced a "final" episode where Uncle Martin DOES manage to pilot his spaceship back to Mars....or DOES he?

;)
they probably would have; but I doubt it. As I'm sure you know TV KNOWLEDGE FAN; in the 60s and most of the 70s shows rarely, if ever, had a final episode. THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW & THE FUGITIVE had them, but they were rare exeptions. And I DREAM OF JEANNIE was going to, but it's a long story as to what happened there.
They only started making finales in the late 70s, but not for every show.

they probably would have; but I doubt it. As I'm sure you know TV KNOWLEDGE FAN; in the 60s and most of the 70s shows rarely, if ever, had a final episode. THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW & THE FUGITIVE had them, but they were rare exeptions. And I DREAM OF JEANNIE was going to, but it's a long story as to what happened there.
They only started making finales in the late 70s, but not for every show.
Martian being cancelled was a major shock to all involved, In a recent conversation with Wayne Stam he recalled being told it was cancelled by a producer (Harry Poppe) only to be called back later that week and told to stay on hold again.
Yes CBS pulled the plug, mainly because Ray Walston wanted either out or ten segments per season.
CBS said no way with just Andromeda and Uncle martin once in a while, the show was then taken to ABC they thought about it for a week or two then passed.
As a sort of no prize they ran a Chertok pilot called "Man In The Square Suit"
to see if they wanted that, and if it gained a positive reaction.
Again this CBS hand me down was passed on, Mind you by todays standards its a wonderful pilot..oh well.

..."The Martian's Return" would have been a hell of a finish for the entire series. Too bad things happened the way they did....:(

As for "THE MAN IN THE SQUARE SUIT"....who knows how successful that might have been IF ABC had picked it up for the fall?

:tv:

Well now, having just found and read the script....it may have worked well..lets face it Paul Dooley is a brilliant comedy actor..so maybe the shortcomings found in the second half of the script would have been overcome in time.
I will post a review in the next week or so as we have found the film and will be running it the second week of Jan 2007.
We will be screening it with Paul Dooley himself and our films editor...it will be interesting to see their reactions.
Jan Shutan who played his wife in the pilot may also be there.
The music was by George Greeley, the plot thickens mmmm.