http://www.bonethefish.com/viewtopics.php?1785

Hazel is a Screen Gems television series about a fictional live-in maid named Hazel Burke (Shirley Booth) and her employers, the Baxters. The five-season, 154-episode series first aired September 1961-April 1966. The first four seasons aired on NBC, and the final season on CBS. The show was based on a popular single panel comic strip by cartoonist Ted Key that appeared in the Saturday Evening Post.

Never. :p

Watching the fifth season of "Hazel" was like watching "Hazel" in a parallel universe, and I don't know if there's any single factor that you can blame or credit.

Much has been made about Shirley Booth buying controlling interest in the show. Having that kind of control, I understand why Don DeFore and Whitney Blake were let go...after four seasons, even they were making fairly good money (maybe too much?).

The one thing I fail to understand is why some of the other Baxter characters (Aunt Dierdre, for one) weren't continued. But POOF! Steve and Barbara Baxter come literally from out of nowhere, with no reference to their existence in the earlier years, plus Susan Benjamin as their daughter. I always wondered why she always looked so angry in the S5 shows. She was upstaged by Harold much as Missy was upstaged by Hazel.

I'd compare the upheaval in S5 to that when Dick Sargent replaced Dick York on "Bewitched," but at least the York/Sargent changeover was handled a little more smoothly. Maybe worse: New network, new sponsors, new setting, new surrounding characters...with little if any link to anything in the first four years (and phone calls don't always cut it). Sorry, her maid pal Rosie appeared in a few episodes in S5!

The irony of it all was that "Hazel" did surprisingly well, but Shirley Booth's own poor health was what led her to end the series in 1966.

Watching the fifth season of "Hazel" was like watching "Hazel" in a parallel universe, and I don't know if there's any single factor that you can blame or credit.

Much has been made about Shirley Booth buying controlling interest in the show. Having that kind of control, I understand why Don DeFore and Whitney Blake were let go...after four seasons, even they were making fairly good money (maybe too much?).

The one thing I fail to understand is why some of the other Baxter characters (Aunt Dierdre, for one) weren't continued. But POOF! Steve and Barbara Baxter come literally from out of nowhere, with no reference to their existence in the earlier years, plus Susan Benjamin as their daughter. I always wondered why she always looked so angry in the S5 shows. She was upstaged by Harold much as Missy was upstaged by Hazel.

I'd compare the upheaval in S5 to that when Dick Sargent replaced Dick York on "Bewitched," but at least the York/Sargent changeover was handled a little more smoothly. Maybe worse: New network, new sponsors, new setting, new surrounding characters...with little if any link to anything in the first four years (and phone calls don't always cut it). Sorry, her maid pal Rosie appeared in a few episodes in S5!

The irony of it all was that "Hazel" did surprisingly well, but Shirley Booth's own poor health was what led her to end the series in 1966.

Catching a couple of these later episodes on Antenna TV, and it is a jarring experience... the shows are still high quality, but the experience of tuning in mid-episode is, again, a shock.

Definitely has the effect of "Dick York" Bewitched, or color Andy Griffith episodes, the show could have continued to thrive but almost as another version of the Hazel mythos, as different as the television version was from the comic strip in the first place.

This is my initial thought on Season 5, but I;m sure I'll be thinking aboiut it for a while...

I didn't realize the show didn't go beyond season 5 was due to Shirley not feeling too well. I just thought the ratings weren't the best. My only complaint was Ann Jillian character. I don't think Ann was much more than 15 and I would thought an slightly older girl would be helping Steve in the office. Shouldn't Millie, her character be in school. Or was it just a weekend job. I also felt Bobby/Harold grew with his acting. It was nice he has Susie to pal around with.

Contrary to an earlier post in this thread (#3), Aunt Deirdre Thompson, played by Cathy Lewis, did continue in Season 5. In fact she was an important character in the episode just mentioned by Alan Brady's Hair.

Sadly, Ms. Lewis later died at an early age (still in her early 50s).

Never. :p

I would have preferred they'd kept the Dorothy & George characters, but it's no deal breaker. Because, our Haazzeel was still there; and she is the heart of the show. So...no boning for me either!

Uh, I'm not familiar with the term "Bone the Fish", is that another way of saying it "Jumped the Shark"?

Uh, I'm not familiar with the term "Bone the Fish", is that another way of saying it "Jumped the Shark"?
It's supposed to be. Between the two, I prefer jump the shark, though I really don't care for either term.

Season 5.

The show wasn't about Hazel. It was about Hazel and the Baxters. The replacement Baxters didn't fill their shoes properly.

I would say then it "Jumped the Shark/Boned the Fish" when George and Dorothy Baxter left, and Steve and Barbara came in. It was never quite the same.

I voted never! ;) I love this show! I like it better with the original Baxters , but still love the show anyway ! :) Hazel/ Shirley Booth made the show for me, she was great! A very funny talented woman ! :D So as long as she was there I am OK with the series changes!:)

Righteeoh, as Felix The Cat would say, Bonniegoil. Hazel never boned or jumped either the fishy or the sharky. It was better with George & Dorothy BUT it was still good with Steve & Baba. The more I have seen the Steve shows the more I like them, Baba was pretty hot and Susie was cute, Hazel was still badly in need of firing, but ignoring that, the series was still as good as ever.

Season 5 was fine--there were a few clunker episodes, just as there were in the other seasons.

As another posted noted, Cathy Lewis was in season 5--another episode was Deirdre trying to dictate where Susie was to go to school, and Barbara being afraid to stand up to her. Finally, Barbara found the ability to set her straight.

I also think Steve generally had more success putting Hazel in her place, than George did.

Also, "jump the shark" has a distinct origin--a "Happy Days" episode where Fonzie actually did that. "Bone the fish" probably doesn't, unless someone can explain it. That reference was posted on every sitcom back in 2013.

When Dorothy & George in Arabia at the beginning of Season 5

I didn't realize the show didn't go beyond season 5 was due to Shirley not feeling too well. I just thought the ratings weren't the best. My only complaint was Ann Jillian character. I don't think Ann was much more than 15 and I would thought an slightly older girl would be helping Steve in the office. Shouldn't Millie, her character be in school. Or was it just a weekend job. I also felt Bobby/Harold grew with his acting. It was nice he has Susie to pal around with.

CBS actually tried to renew it another year but Shirley declined due to health problems. In the last year she had a private nurse on the set with her.

I would have preferred they'd kept the Dorothy & George characters, but it's no deal breaker. Because, our Haazzeel was still there; and she is the heart of the show. So...no boning for me either!

Actually I feel differently now. The show did bone in S5. Dorothy & Mr. B were live wires while Steve & Barbara are much duller in comparison. There’s also an ep early on, where I don’t like the way Hazel’s portrayed - I’ll make a thread on it.

Hazel should have done what Mary Tyler Moore did = go out on a high note.