New Harriet Winslow debuted along with some other subtle changes. Did you like the move to extend Family Matters life or should it have ended on ABC?

It should have ended on ABC. The show was finished by this time. I think I only saw about 7 or 8 episodes that season. The one that I do remember was the Christmas episode where they had most of the cast on including Rachel. I think this was Jo Marie Payton's final show too. I don't think I watched another episode until the summer when I knew the show was ending.

Yeah, I agree. I think Jo Marie Payton left the show because she saw the writing on the wall too. LOL

Yeah, I agree. I think Jo Marie Payton left the show because she saw the writing on the wall too. LOL
I know when I watched it again, I thought I was watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I had no idea that Harriet had been replaced. That's how much press Family Matters got by then. :lol:

I know when I watched it again, I thought I was watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I had no idea that Harriet had been replaced. That's how much press Family Matters got by then. :lol:


LOL

Pretty sad that a spin-off character would be replaced on the spin-off. LOL

LOL

Pretty sad that a spin-off character would be replaced on the spin-off. LOL
:rotflmao:

By the 8th season on ABC, Family Matters was a caricature of itself. The show would have went out fine then, ONLY if ABC informed them that this was it. The show had run it's course, but deserved a few episodes to bid farewell. I was happy when CBS picked Family Matters (and Step By Step) up the next season, because ABC didn't give them a proper finale. But then CBS did the same thing the following year...

So, from a fan's point of view, the move to CBS was good. From a business point of view, it probably wasn't the best move.

It had no business moving to CBS. The show was dead by then. Then, they brought in that new harriet. I don't know why producers likes to play with viewers intelligence. That new Harriette had no physical features to like like Jo Marie. I could see if she somewhat resembled the original. They could have written Jo Marie off by saying she went to visit a sick relative. That way Judy Ann Elder(the new Harriette) could have been intoduced as an aunt sitting in for Harriette. The show proabably would have went out more gracefully than it did.

Family MAtters moved to CBS???


holy crap i thought this show was off the air years ago!!

Are you kidding? This horse was history WAY before CBS made the decision to beat it all over again.

Family MAtters moved to CBS???


holy crap i thought this show was off the air years ago!!


LOL

It is over blackout, it moved to CBS and then ended back in 1997-1998.

Bad Move because the show was already a confirmed success, which was 1989-1997

Wasn't no point in moving the show

Bad Move because the show was already a confirmed success, which was 1989-1997

Wasn't no point in moving the show


I agree, I mean once CBS had to replace the spin-off character, I think the time was right to end the show.

I will check my collection tomorrow to see if I have any CBS eps from 1997 so I can see how different the show was at that point

I will check my collection tomorrow to see if I have any CBS eps from 1997 so I can see how different the show was at that point
Laura looked her best that season. Eddie joins the Police Academy. I liked that story for him though. It brought him and Carl full-circle. The 3J story was thrown in for obvious reasons, but wasn't as bad in syndication viewings. The season-long arc of Laura finally falling for Steve was great. I remember the tone (and maybe even the lighting) of the show changed a little. It did feel more mature, or, at least based in reality than the previous few years.

If the complete series of Family Matters makes it to DVD, that's one show I'd like to watch from start to finish, and see what my thoughts are all these years later.

Laura looked her best that season. Eddie joins the Police Academy. I liked that story for him though. It brought him and Carl full-circle. The 3J story was thrown in for obvious reasons, but wasn't as bad in syndication viewings. The season-long arc of Laura finally falling for Steve was great. I remember the tone (and maybe even the lighting) of the show changed a little. It did feel more mature, or, at least based in reality than the previous few years.

If the complete series of Family Matters makes it to DVD, that's one show I'd like to watch from start to finish, and see what my thoughts are all these years later.


When Family matters is complete on DVD I will probably be too OLD and BLIND to care:lol:

When Family matters is complete on DVD I will probably be too OLD and BLIND to care:lol:
I hope you're wrong, lol.

Family Matters and Step By Step were produced by Miller Boyett Productions. When the Disney purchase of ABC was finalized, MB was afraid that they weren't going to be major players at the network anymore. ABC initially wanted to give both shows a two season renewal in Spring 1997 thus ending both shows in 1999. For some reason, producers weren't happy with the deal (most likely it probably was money since the shows were on for so long). CBS decided to create the Friday Night Block Party since they had the two most popular Friday night shows on their network.

A big problem I remember was marketing. CBS skewed older and they ran tons of in-house ads but the audiences of the shows didn't see them. It wasn't like ABC was going to promote the move. After this project failed, the Friday Night Block Part was scrapped and never re-attempted. I actually enjoyed Gregory Hines Show.

I am glad that the show continued because I love it so much, but there are some things that I wish had been different. I wish that Jo Marie had stuck around and I wish that Waldo had been written back into the show.

God bless you always!!! :) :) :)

Holly

P.S. I remember Eddie finally getting his own place during the final season, but what I don't remember is if him and Greta were still together when the show ended.

In all honesty, the show is only fun to watching during

seasons 3 to 7

Family Matters and Step By Step were produced by Miller Boyett Productions. When the Disney purchase of ABC was finalized, MB was afraid that they weren't going to be major players at the network anymore. ABC initially wanted to give both shows a two season renewal in Spring 1997 thus ending both shows in 1999. For some reason, producers weren't happy with the deal (most likely it probably was money since the shows were on for so long). CBS decided to create the Friday Night Block Party since they had the two most popular Friday night shows on their network.

A big problem I remember was marketing. CBS skewed older and they ran tons of in-house ads but the audiences of the shows didn't see them. It wasn't like ABC was going to promote the move. After this project failed, the Friday Night Block Part was scrapped and never re-attempted. I actually enjoyed Gregory Hines Show.

I wanted to comment on the two parts of your post I bolded:

HOLY CRAP!!! :eek: So they WERE considering a good sized renewal for both shows eh!? At the time, I had read and heard they definitely wanted to renew both, but couldn't decide if it was going to be a 1 or 2 year renewal, then they couldn't decide if they wanted the shows anymore at all, and it went back and forth for a while. So, now we know they wanted a 2 year renewal. That renewal, and ending their runs on ABC would have been the BEST thing for both shows I think. For two reasons..One ABC would have given them both proper actual Series Finales. Two, ABC could have kept TGIF popular for just a bit longer than they were able to in the end. Family Matters, Step By Step and Boy Meets World would have all had their Series Finales within a year of each other. Again, it woulda been better for the shows and the network that way.

Then came the move to CBS. Strategically, and creatively, any of the other networks would have killed to have gotten both shows and have their own TGIF type block. Seriously, a lot of broadcast and cable networks were beside themselves trying to put together a Friday Night Block that could compete and do as well as ABC did with the concept but never succeeded. CBS had an incredible chance. Conceptually, the Friday Night Block Party was dead on the exact right idea. The shows they got to anchor it..again bulls eye. CBS's problem then was the much much older audience who would not dare be caught watching TV on Friday night in Prime Time let alone two sitcoms like Family Matters and Step By Step. The shows went to the wrong network demographic wise. There was no way the concept would work on CBS with their huge older audience. I applaud Les Moonves for taking the shot and risk, I truly do. He was truly excited about it at the time, and had fully planned to give both shows at least 2 more seasons on CBS. He wanted to give those shows a great home and of that I have no doubt. But again demographics. I think CBS's worst mistake though was just suddenly cancelling both shows and not giving either show time to put together proper Series Finales. Neither show deserved no series finale :( The final problem CBS had with the Block Party was Meego, the show with Bronson Pinchot. On paper that should have been a third bulls eye..but after being so used to seeing him as Balki for so many years, I think people were wanting and expecting to see Balki again, not some brand new alien character. The Gregory Hines Show was good clean fun from what I did see of it and I thank Gregory for giving time to do that project. If Family Matters and Step By Step HAD to go to another network, NBC would have been a far better choice and I've wondered for years if they were offered the shows and what their reaction may have been.

I do remember CBS getting into the Friday night TGIF type of block when they got Family Matters and Step by Step. I think both shows were gone anyway. If both shows were a year old and then went to CBS, it would have been a hell of a deal for CBS. By the time they got to CBS, the shows were pretty much over.

Btw, how did Laura wind up falling for Steve? I dont even remember that.

^^^ Steve started wearing a belt instead of his suspenders in the final season and I guess that is how it all started for Laura. :) :) :)

God bless you always!!! :) :) :)

Holly

^^^ Steve started wearing a belt instead of his suspenders in the final season and I guess that is how it all started for Laura. :) :) :)

God bless you always!!! :) :) :)

Holly


Yeah he got older and started to change and she saw him in a different light

I really didn't like the last season, especially for missing most of the cast. Once Waldo was gone, so was my attention.

I really didn't like the last season, especially for missing most of the cast. Once Waldo was gone, so was my attention.



Waldo was always gone lol

Yeah, but it was really noticeable when he left the show.

^^^ I agree. Was it ever said why he was written out?

God bless you and Shawn Harrison always!!! :) :) :)

Holly

It had no business moving to CBS. The show was dead by then. Then, they brought in that new harriet. I don't know why producers likes to play with viewers intelligence. That new Harriette had no physical features to like like Jo Marie. I could see if she somewhat resembled the original. They could have written Jo Marie off by saying she went to visit a sick relative. That way Judy Ann Elder(the new Harriette) could have been intoduced as an aunt sitting in for Harriette. The show proabably would have went out more gracefully than it did.

I don't think Miller-Boyett ever had any respect for viewers intelligence by sending siblings to the black hole when they're not needed. The producers actually thought another network would pick them up even after CBS cancelled them after very low ratings. It had more viewers in syndication at that point

After watching season 8 I see that the show was really awful then. That whole season sucked, every episode was either unrealistic with Urkel's inventions or about one of Jaleel's characters. Season nine was better to me, it had more realistic storylines. Sure it had unrealistic episodes but it was no worse than season six was on realism.

The move was Bad!

^^^ Steve started wearing a belt instead of his suspenders in the final season and I guess that is how it all started for Laura. :) :) :)
Yeah, that was the right girl for him. :rolleyes:

^^^ I agree. Was it ever said why he was written out?
I believe Waldo went to school in another city.

Not only that but laura felt bad for steve that not a single woman in the building out of hundreads did not want to kiss him she even dropped the price to 5 bucks for somebody to kiss him, i guess she felt that a simple kiss could boost his confidence after being humiliated, i guess it did cause they got married a few months later.

I wanted to comment on the two parts of your post I bolded:

HOLY CRAP!!! :eek: So they WERE considering a good sized renewal for both shows eh!? At the time, I had read and heard they definitely wanted to renew both, but couldn't decide if it was going to be a 1 or 2 year renewal, then they couldn't decide if they wanted the shows anymore at all, and it went back and forth for a while. So, now we know they wanted a 2 year renewal. That renewal, and ending their runs on ABC would have been the BEST thing for both shows I think. For two reasons..One ABC would have given them both proper actual Series Finales. Two, ABC could have kept TGIF popular for just a bit longer than they were able to in the end. Family Matters, Step By Step and Boy Meets World would have all had their Series Finales within a year of each other. Again, it woulda been better for the shows and the network that way.

Then came the move to CBS. Strategically, and creatively, any of the other networks would have killed to have gotten both shows and have their own TGIF type block. Seriously, a lot of broadcast and cable networks were beside themselves trying to put together a Friday Night Block that could compete and do as well as ABC did with the concept but never succeeded. CBS had an incredible chance. Conceptually, the Friday Night Block Party was dead on the exact right idea. The shows they got to anchor it..again bulls eye. CBS's problem then was the much much older audience who would not dare be caught watching TV on Friday night in Prime Time let alone two sitcoms like Family Matters and Step By Step. The shows went to the wrong network demographic wise. There was no way the concept would work on CBS with their huge older audience. I applaud Les Moonves for taking the shot and risk, I truly do. He was truly excited about it at the time, and had fully planned to give both shows at least 2 more seasons on CBS. He wanted to give those shows a great home and of that I have no doubt. But again demographics. I think CBS's worst mistake though was just suddenly cancelling both shows and not giving either show time to put together proper Series Finales. Neither show deserved no series finale :( The final problem CBS had with the Block Party was Meego, the show with Bronson Pinchot. On paper that should have been a third bulls eye..but after being so used to seeing him as Balki for so many years, I think people were wanting and expecting to see Balki again, not some brand new alien character. The Gregory Hines Show was good clean fun from what I did see of it and I thank Gregory for giving time to do that project. If Family Matters and Step By Step HAD to go to another network, NBC would have been a far better choice and I've wondered for years if they were offered the shows and what their reaction may have been.

Les Moonves before he came to CBS, was the head (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Moonves#Lorimar_Television_and_Warner_Bros._Television_(1985%E2%80%931995)) of Lorimar and later Warner Bros. Television (https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1997-07-18-9707170555-story.html), who produced (http://www.teevee.org/1997/05/eye-on-bronson.html) Family Matters (https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/09/07/friday-cbs-finds-the-fountain-of-youth/) and Step by Step (https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/step-by-step-last-episode-20397/). So it isn't that surprising that those shows (https://www.deseret.com/1997/7/18/19324508/cbs-is-thrilled-to-have-brought-family-matters-over-from-abc) would inevitably find a way (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-03-ca-24939-story.html) to CBS (https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/upfront-2-programming-report-cbs-keeps-its-eye-prize-demo-24792/).

The main reason I think Family Matters moved to CBS along with Step By Step was because CBS was trying to copy ABC's TGIF lineup with a lineup of sitcoms of their very own called The CBS Block Party in the 90's but for some reason when it came to CBS and sitcoms in the 90's CBS was always the strongest link for sitcoms but some didn't work out well. I think the problem with Family Matters was ABC was trying to save Family Matters from ending since JoMarie Payton was gone and replaced by Judyann Elder but when that happened CBS got their hands on the show because THEY thought ABC was gonna end Family Matters but they managed to save it for at least one more season. I think out of all the sitcoms the Miller/Boyett produced sitcoms always seemed to last a long time. Look at The Hogan Family and Full House and Perfect Strangers and they lasted a long time. Step By Step began in 1991 and when it was moved from ABC to CBS they thought the same thing for Step By Step and it worked. But it mainly was because I think CBS wanted to get all the 90's Miller/Boyett sitcoms from ABC and signed a secret deal to do it
Bestie

I do remember CBS getting into the Friday night TGIF type of block when they got Family Matters and Step by Step. I think both shows were gone anyway. If both shows were a year old and then went to CBS, it would have been a hell of a deal for CBS. By the time they got to CBS, the shows were pretty much over.

Btw, how did Laura wind up falling for Steve? I dont even remember that.

I think that the CBS Block Party flopped because Family Matters and Step by Step were already on their last legs by the time that they moved over from ABC. And Family Matters in itself, had already became damaged goods do to all of the increasingly stupid and insane plots that they were pulling out relating to Steve Urkel's inventions.

Audiences you could argue (and this is according to Dark Side of Comedy), by that point, were gravitating to sitcoms like Friends or Frasier over at NBC. Miller-Boyett's brand of sitcoms was losing its relevancy come 1998-99.

Also, if you put on similar shows for the same target audience on the same night, then you're naturally bound to split the audience. Plus, I don't know how much of a good fit those shows were on CBS because as others have pointed out, CBS at the time, typically skewed towards older viewers instead of kids and teenagers.

I wanted to comment on the two parts of your post I bolded:

HOLY CRAP!!! :eek: So they WERE considering a good sized renewal for both shows eh!? At the time, I had read and heard they definitely wanted to renew both, but couldn't decide if it was going to be a 1 or 2 year renewal, then they couldn't decide if they wanted the shows anymore at all, and it went back and forth for a while. So, now we know they wanted a 2 year renewal. That renewal, and ending their runs on ABC would have been the BEST thing for both shows I think. For two reasons..One ABC would have given them both proper actual Series Finales. Two, ABC could have kept TGIF popular for just a bit longer than they were able to in the end. Family Matters, Step By Step and Boy Meets World would have all had their Series Finales within a year of each other. Again, it woulda been better for the shows and the network that way.

Then came the move to CBS. Strategically, and creatively, any of the other networks would have killed to have gotten both shows and have their own TGIF type block. Seriously, a lot of broadcast and cable networks were beside themselves trying to put together a Friday Night Block that could compete and do as well as ABC did with the concept but never succeeded. CBS had an incredible chance. Conceptually, the Friday Night Block Party was dead on the exact right idea. The shows they got to anchor it..again bulls eye. CBS's problem then was the much much older audience who would not dare be caught watching TV on Friday night in Prime Time let alone two sitcoms like Family Matters and Step By Step. The shows went to the wrong network demographic wise. There was no way the concept would work on CBS with their huge older audience. I applaud Les Moonves for taking the shot and risk, I truly do. He was truly excited about it at the time, and had fully planned to give both shows at least 2 more seasons on CBS. He wanted to give those shows a great home and of that I have no doubt. But again demographics. I think CBS's worst mistake though was just suddenly cancelling both shows and not giving either show time to put together proper Series Finales. Neither show deserved no series finale :( The final problem CBS had with the Block Party was Meego, the show with Bronson Pinchot. On paper that should have been a third bulls eye..but after being so used to seeing him as Balki for so many years, I think people were wanting and expecting to see Balki again, not some brand new alien character. The Gregory Hines Show was good clean fun from what I did see of it and I thank Gregory for giving time to do that project. If Family Matters and Step By Step HAD to go to another network, NBC would have been a far better choice and I've wondered for years if they were offered the shows and what their reaction may have been.

"13 Week Theater" did a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssKuMdFArtI) on the failure of Meego. It argues that Meego failed in part because it was produced on video tape instead film. This not only made Meego look very low budget by 1998 network prime time standards (especially for a special effects heavy show), but also felt very off-brand with the three other sitcoms (Family Matters, Step by Step, and The Gregory Hines Show) on the CBS Block Party line-up, which were all produced on film. As a result, Meego really stood out for all of the wrong reasons.

Secondarily, the scripts were very juvenile, even by Miller-Boyett standards. They relied on cheap jokes and seemed to be aimed strictly at young kids instead of the entire family like with TGIF on ABC or what CBS presumably intended to do with the Block Party. All in all, Meego felt like one of those first-run syndicated sitcoms that ran in the afternoons or weekends from back in the day like Small Wonder than in prime time on a major network like CBS. Variety argued that Meego felt like a Saturday morning show that just so happened to be in a Friday night timeslot.

Growing up I watched this all the time, but when I started high school I rarely watched it anymore once 1996 came about. However, I can't recall the character of Myra. And she was on there before 1996, I believe! I don't even remember Maxine much. I just remember Laura, Eddie, Steve, Richie and Waldo. I don't even recall Eddie's friends, et. I just recall stuff from the main cast. I can't even recall Rachel leaving or Estelle getting less and less episodes and time on the show.

The show was always on earliest, if I can recall, so I'd watch it first before all the others on TGIF. I was 7 when it came out in 1989. Up until I was 13 I clearly recall watching TGIF, maybe even 14 up until 1997. But then I started working when I was a sophomore in early 1998 and by that time I had stopped watching it completely as i felt it ended in spring of 1997.


But I do in fact remember in spring of 1997 watching TGIF and the season finale of season 8. They promoted it as the "final fling" or something. At that time I didn't have internet until the year later in February of 1998, so I couldn't research on that. I asked my classmate if the show was ending and they were clueless (he was the caucasian Steve Urkle, too!) and he had no clue as he wasn't into the show as much as I was.

So watcing "A Pirate's Life" or whatever that last one was, I felt it was the end and I stopped watching. I felt it was the series finale and I never tuned into TGIF again. Even if I had, that and Step By Step were moving to CBS, and maybe I might have mis-heard that finale promo as being the last episode and just interpreted it as that. I just couldn't understand them ending it with a dumb episode like that and didn't think that was smart to close the show up on.

Then I checked the episode guide when I got the internet more than a year later in fall of 1998 or around that time and realized the show came back and was on CBS and was cancelled with no season 10....

I didn't even know or recall Laura ended up with Steve towards the end. I watched the show but I was more a watcher in the earlier seasons and I just blanked out Myra and whoever else wasn't on the cast or who was less on the show than the main cast.

When I watched the show's season 9 episodes later I didn't care for the last season. I even didn't care for season 8 or 7 or when Laura got older.

I feel the show should have started to wrap up around the time Eddie, Steve and Waldo got that apartment together. I remember watching that one I believe in first run. Not sure if they stayed at it or left shortly after, et. but that' around the time it should have ended. It did go on too long, BUT it was the best show on TGIF and it should have gotten that 10th season to close it up. They should have done it right in season 9 and not sent Steve into Space.

The Christmas episode of season 9, that's the end of the end. It shouldn't have gone on longer, or if it had, the 1998 episodes should have only been a few so Jo Marie could have agreed to do them as they would have been the last 3/4.


They should have ended the show with a several part storyline in January of 1998 and married off Steve and Laura, Eddie and Greta and Waldo and Maxine. Also, Rachel should have returned home for good that Christmas of 1997 and been part of those last episodes.

Growing up I watched this all the time, but when I started high school I rarely watched it anymore once 1996 came about. However, I can't recall the character of Myra. And she was on there before 1996, I believe! I don't even remember Maxine much. I just remember Laura, Eddie, Steve, Richie and Waldo. I don't even recall Eddie's friends, et. I just recall stuff from the main cast. I can't even recall Rachel leaving or Estelle getting less and less episodes and time on the show.

The show was always on earliest, if I can recall, so I'd watch it first before all the others on TGIF. I was 7 when it came out in 1989. Up until I was 13 I clearly recall watching TGIF, maybe even 14 up until 1997. But then I started working when I was a sophomore in early 1998 and by that time I had stopped watching it completely as i felt it ended in spring of 1997.


But I do in fact remember in spring of 1997 watching TGIF and the season finale of season 8. They promoted it as the "final fling" or something. At that time I didn't have internet until the year later in February of 1998, so I couldn't research on that. I asked my classmate if the show was ending and they were clueless (he was the caucasian Steve Urkle, too!) and he had no clue as he wasn't into the show as much as I was.

So watcing "A Pirate's Life" or whatever that last one was, I felt it was the end and I stopped watching. I felt it was the series finale and I never tuned into TGIF again. Even if I had, that and Step By Step were moving to CBS, and maybe I might have mis-heard that finale promo as being the last episode and just interpreted it as that. I just couldn't understand them ending it with a dumb episode like that and didn't think that was smart to close the show up on.

Then I checked the episode guide when I got the internet more than a year later in fall of 1998 or around that time and realized the show came back and was on CBS and was cancelled with no season 10....

I didn't even know or recall Laura ended up with Steve towards the end. I watched the show but I was more a watcher in the earlier seasons and I just blanked out Myra and whoever else wasn't on the cast or who was less on the show than the main cast.

When I watched the show's season 9 episodes later I didn't care for the last season. I even didn't care for season 8 or 7 or when Laura got older.

I feel the show should have started to wrap up around the time Eddie, Steve and Waldo got that apartment together. I remember watching that one I believe in first run. Not sure if they stayed at it or left shortly after, et. but that' around the time it should have ended. It did go on too long, BUT it was the best show on TGIF and it should have gotten that 10th season to close it up. They should have done it right in season 9 and not sent Steve into Space.

The Christmas episode of season 9, that's the end of the end. It shouldn't have gone on longer, or if it had, the 1998 episodes should have only been a few so Jo Marie could have agreed to do them as they would have been the last 3/4.


They should have ended the show with a several part storyline in January of 1998 and married off Steve and Laura, Eddie and Greta and Waldo and Maxine. Also, Rachel should have returned home for good that Christmas of 1997 and been part of those last episodes.
Myra was a part of the main cast from the 6th season onwords.
Besides, Steve and Laura are the worst sitcom couple ever and should never have gotten married.

And lastly, I believe that that pirate episode was in the middle of the season and wasn't meant to the last episode at all.

Myra was a part of the main cast from the 6th season onwords.
Besides, Steve and Laura are the worst sitcom couple ever and should never have gotten married.

And lastly, I believe that that pirate episode was in the middle of the season and wasn't meant to the last episode at all.

Yeah that ep was terrible