Was it CBS? The Writers? The Cast??? It was obvious that the show was on its last legs for a while. So why didn't anybody properly prepare for its ending?

Generally speaking, when they beginning subbing a new actor for a character that usually begins the downhill trend for me. 99% of the time it takes away from the continuity.

Also, it is always better for a show to go out in a blaze of glory rater than dropping to demise from feebleness. The Mary Tyler Moore Show is a good example-the show ended on a high note. Also, when shows go out on a high note they tend to be more affectionately regarding down the road. (again my opinion)

A shame for "The Jeffersons" though, cause, at its best it was a wonderfully entertaining show.

Was it CBS? The Writers? The Cast??? It was obvious that the show was on its last legs for a while. So why didn't anybody properly prepare for its ending?


The Writers for not leading certain characters to NEW SITUATIONS that would have put the network in a situation to do a finale.


None of the characters by season 11 had no new angle

Florence-still a live in maid without a man

George-still living in a highrise after 10 years instead of moving to a House

Willises-Still living in a high rise no house

Mr. Bentley-still living next door without a steady woman



So it was no point by that time in the series to continue on because everything was the same as in was in season 1

As soon as the show got moved opposite the A-Team, the writing was on the wall. The Producers should have been planning for a finale. I remember reading an article in USA Today at the time about how they hoped ratings would improve when Mike Evans and Berlinda Tolbert did their two part episode. It was obvious that they were desperate. Alice got moved at the same time as the Jeffersons and they were able to have a propper ending. Maybe CBS should have told them definately that they were canceled but anybody with a brain knew the show was over.

Sadly, "The Jeffersons" was never treated that well by CBS, from start to finish. I am even surprised they allowed it to run 11 years!

Sadly, "The Jeffersons" was never treated that well by CBS, from start to finish. I am even surprised they allowed it to run 11 years!


I don't understand what you mean by not treated well. CBS found a timeslot for the show that allowed it to last for 10 years. It was CBS who tried to find the right slot in the late 70's when the show was on the verge of cancellation. After seeing that Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday Nights were not working, CBS moved it to sundays where it stayed for 6 years

I don't understand what you mean by not treated well. CBS found a timeslot for the show that allowed it to last for 10 years. It was CBS who tried to find the right slot in the late 70's when the show was on the verge of cancellation. After seeing that Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday Nights were not working, CBS moved it to sundays where it stayed for 6 years
Yea I agree. Ratings were so bad in the late 70's that CBS could have easily canceled the show. The Jeffersons were lucky that they found a slot that put them in the middle of one of CBS' best sitcom lineups. That final year, ratings had already started to fall some and that's why CBS moved it in the first place. I think the Producers figured that they escaped cancellation once that they could do it again.

Yea I agree. Ratings were so bad in the late 70's that CBS could have easily canceled the show. The Jeffersons were lucky that they found a slot that put them in the middle of one of CBS' best sitcom lineups. That final year, ratings had already started to fall some and that's why CBS moved it in the first place. I think the Producers figured that they escaped cancellation once that they could do it again.


Yup, the 79-80 season is when the Sunday Night Time slot started along with the return of Mike Evans

The Writers for not leading certain characters to NEW SITUATIONS that would have put the network in a situation to do a finale.


None of the characters by season 11 had no new angle

Florence-still a live in maid without a man

George-still living in a highrise after 10 years instead of moving to a House

Willises-Still living in a high rise no house

Mr. Bentley-still living next door without a steady woman



So it was no point by that time in the series to continue on because everything was the same as in was in season 1



Also Mr. Bentley was still borrowing things from the Jeffersons

Both sides are to blame, IMO. CBS should have told them "look, the show is going down, write a respectable ending." The producers should have smelled the coffee and said "look, we are prolly not going to get renewed, so let's go out with a bang, with some great situations for the gang to conclude on".

No one seemed to have learned the lesson from "Good Times". When they saw the show was pulled from the lineup in Dec '78, they wisely said "let's wrap this baby up and finally let the Evans family get out of the ghetto".

CBS - they yanked the plug in the middle of hiatus. They never gave the show a chance to properly wrap things up.

that made me mad to every classic tv show deserves a classic send off wonder how they would of send it off schould been classic remebel any ideas