Guys,

I always thought this was a cool show. The chemistry between the cast and characters works well. In fact, this was one of my favorite 80's sitcoms, along with The Cosby Show and The Hogan Family.

Why are the ratings so low? I'm surprised that people aren't so interested in this show, which had some good moral messages and generally was well-acted. (Although I do think Joanna Kerns overacted at times.) Yet Ion is temporarily dropping it, and reports are that its not doing well for Nick at Nite. Any ideas as to why?

Jack

Let's be real. Most shows that start in the early time slot on NAN get bumped. Family Ties, A Different World, etc. I am not even shocked anymore.

Let's be real. Most shows that start in the early time slot on NAN get bumped. Family Ties, A Different World, etc. I am not even shocked anymore.


That's exactly it too!! Because i feel bad that i've not been able to catch growing pains EVERY day... and i planned to watch it everyday and even tape it, but since i'm at college, i've always got club meetings or homework or something going on keeping me from the ONLY thing i would actually watch on tv... so, i'm sorry fans that i have let you down, but it will be ok, SOME network has to give it a chance!!!!

i tape it all the time on dvr last ones are on ion right now if u want watch them they pretty good not sure why it dont do good in ratigns

ion must be a not so common channel or something becuase i dont get it... :(

I feel like Nick at Nite barely gave it a chance. :(

it's too bad cuz it is a great show.

Ion seems to be rotating a lot of their shows (except Mama's Family and Diagnosis Murder.) At least they gave GP more of a chance, N@N on the other hand, can't really make the same case.

Ion seems to be rotating a lot of their shows (except Mama's Family and Diagnosis Murder.) At least they gave GP more of a chance, N@N on the other hand, can't really make the same case.

Ion sucks,and they brainless over there. they take off shows a show like Growing Pains. Maybe instead of dumping shows to make room other stuff why don't they just cut back on the # of episodes of each- we don'tneed full hour of Green acres or Mama's family(do we need them at all??, honestly)i would settle for a half an hour of growing pains rather then none. N@N could cut cut back on those Full House episodes- that thing runs constantly all day and all night- way to much- and what kid is sitting up that late at night to watch it anyway. leave room for other things.

ION needs to get rid of all those infomercials!

Some shows just don't age well. The biggest test is a marthon where people can come in and out and go "Hmm, good show" or "Bleh". Apparently most N@N viewers said bleh. Wings, Family Ties, Night Court, Growing Pains, Hogan Family (on ABC Family), all died a quick death in their recent syndie runs. Night Court actually hung in for a year, but is gone now.

Something about the more sugary family shows make them last in reruns. Cosby, Full House, and Fresh Prince never strayed from being kid-friendly. And yes...what the friggin' hell is with Mama's Family??? TBS runs the hell out of it and ION as well. Must be a cheap per-air charge, cuz nobody talks at its board. Has like a whopping 7 posts all month.

All I can say is I'll keep wishing the BEST for Growing Pains!!

btw guys, I've updated my site a bit. Check it out by clicking the link in my signature (and if you can, sign the tagboard :) )

This just isn't a show that can be played over 4 times a day like Full House or Fresh Prince, they are probably more successful now than during their original runs, more GP would be on more if Kirk Cameron hadn't found religion and was a mainstream star like Will Smith

I think part of the problem is that none of the actors moved on to other important roles in future shows or became movie stars, so most people forget over time that this show existed and have no interest in watching it again. Leo became famous but he was just a "Cousin Oliver' type character who didn't really add anything to the show and just became a trivia question.

what does Kirk Cameron becoming a Christian have to do with the syndication reruns ratings? Nick@Nite gave us hope that the show was coming, then moves it to MIDNIGHT on purpose so it'd get poor ratings. They don't want to remove their precious Roseanne or Fresh Prince, both which are aired a LOT more.

Growing Pains is a show that dealt with a lot of serious issues sandwiched between a lot of humorous episodes. I think they should consider moving it to Roseanne's time slot and kicking Roseanne off for good.

I'm with you there. That's like saying that (if FH's ratings suddenly slipped) it's because his sister Candace is a Christian now.

BTW, lucky you. It's 1 a.m. on my time zone.

Wish I taped some of the episodes when it was on Ion.

I wish I had NAN at all. I have skyangel, which is a dish network. I get Ion - poor me.

I haven't seen "Growing Pains" when it was on Nick at Nite, but I remember when it was on the Disney Channel and on WPIX-TV. I'll have to check it out.

Growing Pains rocks! It should be on every channel!

Growing Pains rocks! It should be on every channel!
I WATCH G.P EVERYNITE ON NICK AT NITE LATINAMERICA AND THE RATING IS VERY WELL,PEOPLE ARE IN LOVE WITH THIS SHOW HERE!!!!!!!! KISSES NOELIA (IM IN LOVE WITH MIKE!!!!!!)

what does Kirk Cameron becoming a Christian have to do with the syndication reruns ratings? Nick@Nite gave us hope that the show was coming, then moves it to MIDNIGHT on purpose so it'd get poor ratings. They don't want to remove their precious Roseanne or Fresh Prince, both which are aired a LOT more.

Growing Pains is a show that dealt with a lot of serious issues sandwiched between a lot of humorous episodes. I think they should consider moving it to Roseanne's time slot and kicking Roseanne off for good.

I think with Kirk Cameron, there's simply a huge dissension towards and about him when trying to revisit Growing Pains (https://web.archive.org/web/20140402220152/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/2851490-growing-pains/?view=getnewpost). It has more to do w/ the way that to be quite frank, he allowed his ego and personal convictions (Kirk just had this "I'm better than you!" or "I'm going to tell you how to live" mentality) seriously interfere with the quality and production of the show. The whole time that you look at Kirk Cameron now, you just have an urge to punch him in the face (especially over the rather disgraceful way that he treated Julie McCullough).

I think with Kirk Cameron, there's simply a huge dissension towards and about him when trying to revisit Growing Pains. It has more to do w/ the way that to be quite frank, allowed his ego and personal convictions (Kirk just had this "I'm better than you!" or "I'm going to tell you how to live" mentality) seriously interfere with the quality and production of the show. The whole time that you look at Kirk Cameron now, you just have an urge to punch him in the face (especially over the rather disgraceful way that he treated Julie McCullough).
What a jerk he became!

Some shows just don't age well. The biggest test is a marthon where people can come in and out and go "Hmm, good show" or "Bleh". Apparently most N@N viewers said bleh. Wings, Family Ties, Night Court, Growing Pains, Hogan Family (on ABC Family), all died a quick death in their recent syndie runs. Night Court actually hung in for a year, but is gone now.

Something about the more sugary family shows make them last in reruns. Cosby, Full House, and Fresh Prince never strayed from being kid-friendly. And yes...what the friggin' hell is with Mama's Family??? TBS runs the hell out of it and ION as well. Must be a cheap per-air charge, cuz nobody talks at its board. Has like a whopping 7 posts all month.

I was thinking the same way. Even if you discount trying to reconcile Kirk Cameron's polarizing real-life image today, Growing Pains was one of those shows that simply put, hasn't aged very well.

Growing Pains came out during an era in the '80s in which the most popular sitcoms of the day (like The Cosby Show and Family Ties) were fairly wholesome and about perfect families. And naturally, both parents were successful professionals. By the time that shows like Married...with Children, Roseanne, and The Simpsons came on the air (family shows that were more cynical, ironic, blue collar, and/or reflected harsher realities) a decidedly more earnest show like Growing Pains started to become passe.

Also, is it really that big of a deal now for the mom to work while the dad stays at home like when Growing Pains started back in 1985?

I think part of the problem is that none of the actors moved on to other important roles in future shows or became movie stars, so most people forget over time that this show existed and have no interest in watching it again. Leo became famous but he was just a "Cousin Oliver' type character who didn't really add anything to the show and just became a trivia question.


You can thank Kirk Cameron for that. He screwed up everyone's career on the show except for Alan Thicke who was already set before Growing Pains

You can thank Kirk Cameron for that. He screwed up everyone's career on the show except for Alan Thicke who was already set before Growing Pains

I wouldn't necessarily say that Kirk Cameron "screwed up" everyone's careers (with the exception of Julie McCullough). I know that Joanna Kerns became a very successful television director (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanna_Kerns#After_Growing_Pains_roles_and_directing_career). She also after Growing Pains, played Katherine Heigl's mom in the movie Knocked Up.

Tracey Gold as many people know, had a lot of personal demons from her much publicized bout with anorexia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracey_Gold#Battle_with_anorexia) (thanks in no small part to all of the petty "fat" jokes in the scripts directed at Carol), and her 2004 drunk driving arrest.

I don't think that Jeremy Miller was going to have a predominate career post-Growing Pains anyway. He started on the show as this cute little kid, who grew up into an dorky, awkward teenager. He wasn't exactly a charismatic, teen heartthrob like Kirk Cameron during the show's prime.

The show has not aged well imo. A lot of the plots and jokes fall flat, and are very corny. Family Ties, and The Cosby Show have aged better. Hogan Family has also aged better, though for whatever reason, it usually gets dropped when on in reruns too!

The show has not aged well imo. A lot of the plots and jokes fall flat, and are very corny. Family Ties, and The Cosby Show have aged better. Hogan Family has also aged better, though for whatever reason, it usually gets dropped when on in reruns too!

The Hogan Family is a bit more complicated. I think that the messy production history (it started off as a vehicle for Valerie Harper before her ugly departure after the second season and then turned into a quasi vehicle for a young, upstart Jason Bateman and Harper's replacement Sandy Duncan) seriously hurt its value. There's rumors that Miller-Boyett Productions have withheld The Hogan Family from distribution just to spite Valerie Harper (who I think is still owed royalties from the show).

The Hogan Family is a bit more complicated. I think that the messy production history (it started off as a vehicle for Valerie Harper before her ugly departure after the second season and then turned into a quasi vehicle for a young, upstart Jason Bateman and Harper's replacement Sandy Duncan) seriously hurt its value. There's rumors that Miller-Boyett Productions have withheld The Hogan Family from distribution just to spite Valerie Harper (who I think is still owned royalties from the show).

If that's true then damn Miller-Boyett. Hogan Family especially when it was 'Valarie' is the best show they ever had a long with Family Matters. I remember when the show was shown in syndication during 1991-1995 channel 20 Detroit in Detroit with the Cosby Show and A Diff'rent World at 5:00 everyday. Since it was taken off it's been shown off and on', but gets taken off. Hopefully it stays on Antennia TV anothet year at least!