Because it's not a family or work place comedy, it's a show centered around kids in school which probably could only work when it was on network TV.

How long could someone watch this show if it was always in a school setting? I don't think they ever showed the home life of any cast members from what I remember but I could be wrong

They actually went to Russia in the third season, but like you most of my memories are of the class being in the classroom or hallway. I haven't seen this show in ages, but I suspect it's terribly dated because I remember a lot of the episodes revolving around whatever issues were circling at the time.

On a personal note, when I was a kid I read in "Black Hair" Magazine that Kimberly Russell (Sarah) used toothpaste and baking soda on her face as a beauty treatment. I tried it and I got the worst zits of my life. I thought I was going to have to go through life with a bag on my head. So, if you're out there Kimberly - whatever. :lol:

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/02/arts/review-television-head-of-the-class-goes-to-moscow.html

They actually went to Russia in the third season, but like you most of my memories are of the class being in the classroom or hallway. I haven't seen this show in ages, but I suspect it's terribly dated because I remember a lot of the episodes revolving around whatever issues were circling at the time.

On a personal note, when I was a kid I read in "Black Hair" Magazine that Kimberly Russell (Sarah) used toothpaste and baking soda on her face as a beauty treatment. I tried it and I got the worst zits of my life. I thought I was going to have to go through life with a bag on my head. So, if you're out there Kimberly - whatever. :lol:

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/02/arts/review-television-head-of-the-class-goes-to-moscow.html


yeah I think a show that is only in a school setting would get old quick on cable

Saved by the Bell thrived in syndication.

but, didn't most of the action take place outside of a classroom on that show? With Head of the Class, which I did watch, most of it seemed to happen inside the classroom.

It probably didn't help that Head of the Class was a more highbrow/intelligent show.

Nowadays, we end up with pseudo-intelligent shows like The Big Bang Theory.

Saved by the Bell thrived in syndication.


Saved by the bell didn't air at 4am in the morning

but, didn't most of the action take place outside of a classroom on that show? With Head of the Class, which I did watch, most of it seemed to happen inside the classroom.


Yes Head of the class took place inside the school

The Facts of Life was also set in a school, and, like Saved By the Bell, also thrived in syndication for many years. No, shows set in schools can thrive in syndication.

The Facts of Life was also set in a school, and, like Saved By the Bell, also thrived in syndication for many years. No, shows set in schools can thrive in syndication.


Facts of Life was not in a real school setting

Facts of Life was not in a real school setting
Well, I disagree. The first 83 episodes (and the last two) were set at Eastland Academy, either in the dorm rooms, the classrooms, the cafeteria, or the student lounge.

Some other shows set in schools: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Degrassi (Junior) High, Glee, and lots of others (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_series_about_school). No, a TV show can be set in a school and still be popular in syndication.

Well, I disagree. The first 83 episodes

We don't talk about the first season. It. Never. Happened. :nonono:

I've always bee curious about this show. Maybe WB will eventually release it via their archive program.

It's not like this show was only one or two seasons, it was 5 seasons with 114 episodes. You'd think it would get picked up in syndication at least once every 10 years or so.

What about Welcome Back Kotter? that was a decent hit, but I guess once John Travolta left the show went down real fast.

Saved by the Bell thrived in syndication.

I think Saved by the Bell thrived unlike Head of the Class because it was always about the kids first and foremost (thus, it was easier to figure out its target demographic) and not the adults like Mr. Belding. I'm guessing that's in part why Good Morning, Miss Bliss didn't "work". There wasn't enough that could appeal to kids but it wasn't exactly "adult enough" (if that makes sense).

What about Welcome Back Kotter? that was a decent hit, but I guess once John Travolta left the show went down real fast.

I think that another thing about Head of the Class is that unlike with Welcome Back Kotter, which it has often been compared to, Head of the Class never really had a true "breakout star" (somebody that the audience could latch on to).

It probably didn't help that Head of the Class was a more highbrow/intelligent show.

Nowadays, we end up with pseudo-intelligent shows like The Big Bang Theory.

Head of the Class when compared to other shows of its era, was also arguably too dated. In effect, it was a show that was "relentlessly '80s" with Howard Hesseman's "wise, old hippie" doing a lot of '60s preaching. Plus, there was the forced 'banter' between Mr. Moore and Alan, the 'young Republican preppie'. It was essentially, a ripoff (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=74393) of Alex and Steven Keaton on Family Ties.

Maybe if Head of the class came on at night I can the **** instead of just weekends

Head of the Class when compared to other shows of its era, was also arguably too dated. In effect, it was a show that was "relentlessly '80s" with Howard Hesseman's "wise, old hippie" doing a lot of '60s preaching. Plus, there was the forced 'banter' between Mr. Moore and Alan, the 'young Republican preppie'. It was was essentially a ripoff (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=74393) of Alex and Steven Keaton on Family Ties.

I don't think the show was more dated or politically charged than, say, All in the Family or M*A*S*H, both of which continue to do well in syndication. And I wouldn't say having two characters with opposing political viewpoints makes the latter a ripoff. If anything, they both were influenced by the sitcoms of the '70s, although they were both gentler than the ones that came before them. (The above is, of course, just my opinion.) :)

The show is a favorite of mine, so it's been a huge shame to me that it hasn't stayed ongoing on the reruns like many other shows. My best theory is that Saved by the Bell and Welcome Back, Kotter came across more for the general everyday folks who went to high school, and there are a lot of people who never took a chance on a show about geniuses. Ironically, if they had tried it, they would see that there were very relatable characters like Eric and Dennis (in fact, the whole classroom was a good mix of different personality types), and that one of the themes of the show was that geeks and cool kids were just human like everyone else.

But anyway, that's just a theory, FWIW!

10 Hit '80s Sitcoms Nobody Talks About Anymore (https://www.looper.com/2088151/hit-80s-sitcoms-nobody-talks-about-anymore/)

Shows set in high schools aren't guaranteed to become hits, but when they do take off, they're often unstoppable. An '80s example of this trend was "Head of the Class," which follows history teacher Charlie Moore (Howard Hesseman) teaching exceptionally talented students at a Manhattan high school. His pupils all come from different backgrounds, which allowed "Head of the Class" (https://web.archive.org/web/20140406113111/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/2154217-head-of-the-class/?view=getnewpost) to cover a lot of hot-button issues during its run. This includes a famous episode where the characters traveled to Moscow to pit themselves against some Russian students, a story that was shot on location rather than on a soundstage in front of a live studio audience.

During its run, and especially in its earliest seasons, "Head of the Class" (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/HeadOfTheClass) was always getting recognized for its strong viewership. By the beginning of October 1987, it was a top 10 show in the Nielsen ratings. Today, though, you'd be hard-pressed to find online quizzes determining which of Moore's pupils you're most like. One problem the show faced in syndication was that its main cast began changing, seemingly to account for actors aging out of looking like teenagers. Charlie Moore even left (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2305761425/posts/10157451941851426/) after Season 4 (https://comicsworthreading.com/2022/03/12/head-of-the-class-the-complete-fourth-season/), with Billy Connolly (https://moviechat.org/tt0090444/Head-of-the-Class/58c745db6b51e905f6714819/Billy-Connolly-killed-this-showliterally) taking over as the teacher. All these changes made it tough to jump into the show (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125301/http://www.jumptheshark.com/h/headoftheclass.htm) during random reruns. And, while the fact that the show covered then-current events was great at the time, it also dates it to the time period, making it rather inaccessible today.

[QUOTE=TMC;6454221]10 Hit '80s Sitcoms Nobody Talks About Anymore (https://www.looper.com/2088151/hit-80s-sitcoms-nobody-talks-about-anymore/)[/QUOTE

I quit watching Head Of The Class after Billy Connolly was added to the cast. I can't stand him and I don't think he's funny at all.

Ed.

It feels like it’s been on Antenna or Rewind a lot the last couple of years.