http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hr4gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xmkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2602,1574395&dq=gabe+kaplan&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FE4aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nCkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6811,7037207&dq=gabe+kaplan&hl=en

I thought John Travolta leaving hurt the show more than anything, it probably did in its own way, but the reality according to the above articles tells a different story. Legandary director & producer James Komack was the real reason behing "WBK" demise. He envisioned a slapstick comedy, while Gabe Kaplan (Co Creator) by the way, envisioned a dramedy. Komack went as far as firing an entire writing staff that sided with Kaplan to get the show he wanted. If that wasn't wrong enough, Komack also kept Kaplan (THE TITLE CHARACTER) from appearing on his own show.

That's why we got that final awful season. According to Kaplan and Strassman, he was the reason that their relationship was strained.

The good thing is - Gabe and Marcia have since patched things up. They were even photographed together at some event recently:

I think Travolta's absence (and Kaplan's) from the final season hurt the show in a very big way. And the fact that a group of new writers who had no clue what made the show tick didn't help either.

It was just a recipe for disaster and the show went out with a whimper, not a bang. Too bad.

Gabe Kaplan created the characters in the show for his stand up comedy act. So if any really knew these characters and how their stories should be told it's Gabe Kaplan. James Komack totally destroyed this show by trying to forcefully transform it into something it wasn't. Replacing the entire writing staff, freezing out Kaplan, and introducing new characters like Beau and Carvelli were all contributing factors in the demise of this show. And all were instigated by Komack.