There has been criticism about L&S's move to California in 1980-1981 season. I have to say that it was actually a smart move because if you look at the time of L&S when they moved to California it was 1964-1965. California was one of the happening place in the mid-1960s. There was not much happening in Milwaukee in fact it was probably in decline by this time. This is not to say California seasons were the best because the Milwaukee era still dominates.
You have got figure in the fact that by 1980-1981 L&S was starting to show it's age and ideas were hard to come up. The show really should have ended in 1982 with Shirley getting married to that Soldier Meany. The last season was a plain insult to the show.

The show really should have ended in 1982 with Shirley getting married to that Soldier Meany. The last season was a plain insult to the show.


Agreed. They should have wrapped it up in S7 and given the fans some closure. They had originally planned to end the show at S7 (contracts were up) but Cindy Williams changed her mind and wanted to do a S8. Unfortunately, both Betty Garrett and Michael McKean were contractually obligated to other projects at that time which is why Edna "left" Frank for a jockey :rolleyes: and you only saw Lenny in a few episodes in S8.

Of course, Cindy Williams walked off the show two episodes into S8 due to issues regarding special treatment during her pregnancy and left Penny Marshall and the four remaining regulars, David L. Lander, Phil Foster, Eddie Mekka, and Leslie Easterbrook, to finish up.

Didn't Cindy Williams leave because she was pregnant?

Didn't Cindy Williams leave because she was pregnant?

It was a big brouhaha at the time. She was pregnant, which is why the writers had Shirley quickly (and horribly) marry Walter Meaney and get knocked up. Shirley's pregnancy was announced on the last episode of L&S that Cindy Williams was on. Shirley was then written out of the show because Cindy and TPTB couldn't agree on what was a reasonable shooting schedule and compensation for her. Cindy left the show in a huff and sued ABC, Paramount, and Garry Marshall. There was some sort of a settlement years later.

This. I used to actually look forward to the CA episodes in syndication, before I found that it was Internet-cool to hate on them.

Now, by the end of Shirley's run, it was getting very silly. And of course the "Laverne, Where's Shirley?" season was the point of no return.

This. I used to actually look forward to the CA episodes in syndication, before I found that it was Internet-cool to hate on them.

Now, by the end of Shirley's run, it was getting very silly. And of course the "Laverne, Where's Shirley?" season was the point of no return.



yeah the 1st season in California was not bad at all and I actually liked it better than the ones in Milwaukee

I have to agree with the previous poster.

The 1st California season wasn't bad, but then they added RHONNN-DA!!!

Still, none of the California seasons compare to the Milwaukee seasons. The heart and soul of the series was gone.

The final season sucked. Laverne without Shirley was like peanut butter without chocolate.

All the other seasons were fine, although Milwaukee was the best setting.

For me, the California episodes are a different show. Still enjoyable to some degree, but nothing like the earlier seasons, which had a way better look and feel. They left their hearts in Milwaukee. The eighth season is flat out unwatchable. Bums me right out just to see the opening. They never should have continued without Shirley.

From Laverne & Shirley Move In:

Lenny: Bye, Shirl.
Shirley: Bye, boys.
Squiggy: Bye, Laverne.
Laverne: I ain't goin' nowheres.
Squiggy: Yeah I know, but without her, what good are you?

Harsh in the episode, true re: the show. :( And FTR, despite being a ShirleyFF, I'd feel the same if it was Shirley without Laverne.

The show shoulda ended with a double wedding: Shirley and Carmine, and Laverne and Lenny.

Even so, knowing all about what happened with the storylines and so forth, I still want to see Season 8 on DVD to complete this series. I LOVE "Laverne & Shirley" and I enjoy it all the way through. The move to California was different but it last three seasons and did well. I think it works fine whether in Milwaukee or California- I like all of the seasons. Considering the show started as a spinoff, perhaps that spoke to how much it had taken off as its own thing. Sure, there were a couple of crossovers with "Happy Days" earlier on, but I don't see Fonzie flying out to California to visit at this point.
I'm just glad the show's finally gotten up to Season 7 out on DVD and I hope Season 8 will soon follow as I want to watch the whole series. (Since I didn't really grow up watching it and only have since gotten into watching it as the DVDs have been released.):) :cool:

Were California episodes considered bad because they dumped everything they had already established? Laverne talked a lot about her Italian relatives in New York City, and there were even two early episodes where she goes to visit them. In California, no there was now no mention of her Italian relatives in NYC. Also, instead of being the blue collar working girls that they were in Milwaukee, they tried to make Laverne and Shirley out to be Gidget-like Californians, which may have not worked.

I actually loved the scenery of the California episodes.

I think the first half of the first season in CA was ok. But then it just got so dumb. Gone were the lower class working girls struggling to get by in a basement apartment. They were now high fashion CA girls with a swanky apartment.
Some of the worst TV ever was on these seasons. The episode where Lenny and Squiggy fall into a tar pit and when a ghost haunts the apartment. Just plain dumb and an insult to the show.

And how was two poor girls able to move and start a life across country anyway?

And how was two poor girls able to move and start a life across country anyway?

And why did all their friends decide to move with them?

And why did all their friends decide to move with them?

Exactly, the desperation for new storylines showed after 78-79 season

They were looking for more story lines no doubt, but I don’t think moving with friends is that uncommon. 3 of my friends and I moved together to a different state and my wife and 4 friends moved from Illinois to Arizona together.

I loved the California Seasons. They are my favorites.

I'd have to say that dropping the supporting cast members would not have been an option, at all -- so just from a practical real-life standpoint, McKean & Lander and Mekka etc. all needed to have their characters moved out to CA.

Maybe ABC learned a lesson when there was a junking of the entire supporting cast of 77 Sunset Strip in the mid- '60s -- the once-highly-popular series tanked immediately and was canned.

I didn’t realize the ratings dropped so sharply during the last “Milwaukee” year.