I just want to say, I liked the Schneider character played by Pat Harrington Jr., but it gets me thinking, was his character really necessary? Would he have been missed as badly if say, Ann, Barbara or Julie left?

http://sharetv.org/images/one_day_at_a_time/cast/large/dwayne_f_schneider.jpg

Of the 'Man' Cast?! Schneider easily outshined all other males on the cast! Who else had any staying power ? David, Ed, Alec, Julie and Barbara's vanilla mates and Sam Royer were all either completely tame or just one-dimensional foils. Though, I've sometimes wondered how better the show would have been if Howard Hesseman had been able to go 'Dr. Johnny Fever' on Schneider.
Yeah, I know you meant to say 'main'. LOL
Actually, Schneider was very important IMO in that his antics and one-liners kept the show from getting too overwhelming with all the angst and drama!

I guess Schneider did provide some comic relief, but if he was so vital to the show, why did his backdoor pilot fail?

I guess Schneider did provide some comic relief, but if he was so vital to the show, why did his backdoor pilot fail?
I think the show was dead by that time. I know ODAA had moved to Mondays in May 1984 after a short stint on Wednesdays. I had even stopped watching the show after it moved off Sundays earlier in the air. I had no VCR then. I made it a point to watch the final show though. ( well the one that Ann left in lol) I think people just lost track of it.

I think the show was dead by that time. I know ODAA had moved to Mondays in May 1984 after a short stint on Wednesdays. I had even stopped watching the show after it moved off Sundays earlier in the air. I had no VCR then. I made it a point to watch the final show though. ( well the one that Ann left in lol) I think people just lost track of it.


Sonny, in your own opinion, who was more vital to the series? Mackenzie Phillips or Pat Harrington Jr.?

Sonny, in your own opinion, who was more vital to the series? Mackenzie Phillips or Pat Harrington Jr.?
That is a tough one because I was a big fan of Schneider's. I'd probably go with Mac though. The show lost something when she left. I think if ODAAT really wanted to spin Schneider off, they should have done it earlier when the show was still popular. I just think people lost interest in the show by the time it left the air. The episode when Ann left was only a half-hour episode. You had to wait a whole week to see the Schneider pilot. I think by the time it aired CBS had already made up their minds they were going to pass on it.

That is a tough one because I was a big fan of Schneider's. I'd probably go with Mac though. The show lost something when she left. I think if ODAAT really wanted to spin Schneider off, they should have done it earlier when the show was still popular. I just think people lost interest in the show by the time it left the air. The episode when Ann left was only a half-hour episode. You had to wait a whole week to see the Schneider pilot. I think by the time it aired CBS had already made up their minds they were going to pass on it.


Interesting, thanks for the response. I learn something new everyday! lol

The show wouldn't have worked as well without Schneider.

It would have just been too female centric with hormonal teenage girls and an overly dramatic mother always trying to find her way after her divorce.

Schneider was a surrogate father who provided most of the laughs. I am not saying he wasn't annoying, he was. He just barged in whenever he felt like and didn't have boundaries. In real life most people wouldn't be able to put up with his constant and random intrusions. However he always had a good heart and good intentions and came in handy whenever there was a crisis.

Also he was a handsome platonic male sounding board and protector for Ann and her girls.

Bonnie F. and Pat Harrington Jr. had excellent comic chemistry. Ann and Dwayne always looked out for each other.

I didn't love the last episode, it was was too rushed and forced. But the tribute Ann paid her friend Dwayne when her husband Sam was once again dismissing him was heartfelt and touching. Schneider's tear filled exit and the way he referred to her as "Annie" not Ms. Romano was also nice touch. :)

Oddly enough, by the bitter end it had become Ann. Look at season 9, where the "good" episodes focused on the house, while the "bad" ones were in 402.

Oddly enough, by the bitter end it had become Ann. Look at season 9, where the "good" episodes focused on the house, while the "bad" ones were in 402.

Yes, that is an excellent point, opus. Her episodes with Sam in season 9 in 402 were mostly filler. The best one of that lot would be the one where she found out that Sam kept his own apartment and she ended up being cool with him needing his own space.

Everybody needs their own corner of an alcove. ;)

Yes, that is an excellent point, opus. Her episodes with Sam in season 9 in 402 were mostly filler. The best one of that lot would be the one where she found out that Sam kept his own apartment and she ended up being cool with him needing his own space.

Everybody needs their own corner of an alcove. ;)
And Max was so cute in that ep. Breaking into Sam's apartment!:)

And Max was so cute in that ep. Breaking into Sam's apartment!:)

Hey Lady Kool...:wave:

I have a "breaking and entering" joke about SwarthyLoinedMax running around in my head right now...:crazy: :lol: :crazy:

;) :happyface

They should have dumped that B Cooper girl. Totally irrelevant...

But for real, getting back to Ann, by season 9 it had become a show about a married woman with 2 grown married daughters. Completely opposite the original concept.

Bonnie Franklin on "Truth Behind the Sitcoms" said the show had become "stale" and that is why she decided to end it when it was still doing fairly well.

Pat Harrington Jr's take on it was that she wanted out because her character was no longer "the solution or the focus".

He had finally gotten his much sought after raise and said he had "such plans for that money" for season 9 with no mention of his failed backdoor pilot.

Talk about straying from the original concept, that pilot was like some hallucination that Dwayne had in his boiler room after coming across Jeannie's left over pot. I can't believe that they thought that thing would work.

The only good thing that came out of it was Barbara getting her commission check for arranging Schneider's travel schedule. :) She got screwed with the Christmas cruise episode with Max reaping all the profits...