And please don't say that it's because Demond Wilson (Lamont) didn't participate because that's way too obvious or easy of an argument.

Here's some insight that I could immediately find off of the TV Party website:
http://www.tvparty.com/mysfoxx2.html

Redd's next series, 'Sanford', was an attempt by NBC to revive the Fred Sanford character in January, 1980, with new producers and none of the old series regulars except Rollo (Nathaniel Taylor).

Fred was still in the junkyard, but now saddled with an obese, live-in good-ol-boy named Cal who has invested in the "junk business".

Fred was also now dating a wealthy, Beverly Hills socialite with a stereotypically stuffy family. When initial ratings proved light, LaWanda Page was brought back as Aunt Ester, but without strong scripts this lackadaisical misadventure only lasted only a few months.

http://www.tvparty.com/70-sanford-arms.html

NBC and Redd Foxx kissed and made up and attempted to resurrect Sanford & Son (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080269/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) in March of 1980 - both parties were desperate for the kind of massive success they had together just a few years earlier; NBC's ratings were in the same toilet as Redd's career.

Demond Wilson wouldn't play ball so the network, in their infinite wisdom, teamed Fred with a white redneck instead. Inexplicably, Fred Sanford also acquired a rich girlfriend. Other than Rollo and officers Smitty and Hoppy, the supporting cast from the original series - including Aunt Ester - were nowhere to be seen.

The first episode of Sanford did attract the big numbers the network was hoping for but the revised format and unfunny jokes were a big turn off. NBC yanked the show in the fall but wasn't ready to give up - after all, the initial ratings proved the public still wanted to like the show.

The peacock network switched things up when the show returned as a mid-season replacement in 1981. For one thing Sanford was moved to Friday nights where Sanford & Son dominated the ratings just five years earlier. Aunt Ester, Grady, and Hoppy & Smitty all made guest appearances. The scripts were overall funnier but the show was dropped after just four outings, returning in the summer of 1981 to burn off episodes already shot.

ZExyQSAZ0E4

j6BDzbF7rEw

not sure ido know I really liked this show toward 2nd season should lasted like few more years least to get the others noticed and all

Since I didn't exactly get the answer that I wanted (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068128/board/thread/241157895?d=241327661#241327661)..:rolleyes::
I don't think Sanford could have been anywhere near the hit Sanford and Son was in its prime. Even if Lamont were there and the show came back as Sanford and Son, I still don't think it would have done as well. S&S was a very "70's show." We're now in the more sophisticated and more slickly produced 80s television climate where the bell bottoms, afros and wah-wah guitars of 1975 have lost their value.

That being said, I think Sanford could've done better than it did if certain things had been different. I don't anyone was feeling Cal as a replacement for Lamont. Maybe he could have worked as like a neighbor who Fred butted heads with, ala Julio...but not as a stand-in for Lamont. Then things were further compounded by Fred's boring new girlfriend with no explanation for what had happened with Donna.

I think what they should have done was put Grady in Lamont's place and turn the show into a buddy comedy with he and Fred getting into hijinx. Viewers probably would have better accepted that, since they already knew Grady.

Sanford (as it was) was just too awkward to accept. They didn't change what needed to be changed, but altered what should have been left alone.

I was thinking that a show like Sanford & Son would have a fairly hard time having to adjust to the more "touchy-feeling" formula (S&S wasn't exactly the most politically correct show in hindsight) of '80s shows. I remember watching episodes of Sanford on BET back in the mid-'90s (and for a spell in 2008) and there was an episode in which Fred lectures Cal's prejudice mother about tolerance. The whole thing seemed kind of disingenuous and hypocritical because Fred Sanford was pretty bigoted himself on Sanford & Son.

and aunt esther was barley,on there that was missed,bubba was not seen either the house looked lot cleaner n painted to other then that good show.i think rollo should of stayed on there give ol feeling of the old show

I think S&S was a great show. With the exception of a few weak episodes in later seasons, the show could do no wrong. It had a certain "personality" and there was no way to recreate the same dynamics again. The schtick, the characters, the concept, all melded together creating a show we are all still watching, enjoying and talking about 40 years later. Often spin-offs are unsuccessful, I think in part, because viewers are expecting a continuation of the original show, and it is never the same.

I didn't like Sanford at all. It tried to be a continuation of S&S, but it lacked everything that made S&S great, like chemistry between likable characters and a conceivable concept. Fred and Lamont's relationship transcended beyond the story line of a particular episode. Esther, Bubba, Grady, all a perfect concoction of characters that played well off each other.

Probably a better idea would have been to let S&S rest in peace and recreate a completely different show for Redd. Like "The Bob Newhard Show" vs. "Newhart". Of course, this is all hindsight, but in my opinion, S&S couldn't be matched no matter what they did.

What's Happening! is another black-lead sitcom from the '70s that you can argue didn't exactly translate well in the '80s:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=271687

You can also argue that shows like Diff'rent Strokes and The Jeffersons "lost their edge" or whitewashed their black characters/turned them into caricatures once the '80s set in:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=327885

https://web.archive.org/web/20061214120046/http://www.jumptheshark.com/j/jeffersons.htm

I thought that The Jeffersons was the best spinoff ever produced by Norman Lear. But it has jumped quite a few sharks. #1-WHITEWASHING: When the show started in 1975, it was very much like ALL IN THE FAMILY with its raw edgineess and sharp humor. George and Louise may have moved on up out of the ghetto, but their heads did not. The show was very keen on its' racial identity early on. But by the time the 1981-82 season ended, THE JEFFERSONS had become completely whitewashed, even though it was the third highest rated show on TV that season (behind DALLAS and 60 MINUTES.) George had become friends with Tom and Bentley and stopped making jokes like "Pin The Tail on the Honky" and "Zebra". And Louise, the sensible, level-headed one, became even more snobbier than George, trying to impress the upper crust NY socialites. #2-THE 2 LIONELS: Why exactly did Mike Evans leave the show? I could somewhat tolerate Damon Evans, but for me-and a lot of others-Mike Evans is the TRUE Lionel Jefferson. #3-MOTHER JEFFERSON'S DEATH: I think the person who said that Zara Cully's death was the best thing that ever happened to the show is cruel. Mother Jefferson provided the show with some of the best one-liners ever used. Not to mention that she was the one thing who could irritate Louise more that George's snobbishness. But deep down, Mama loved and respected Louise. #4-CHECKING IN: Checking In was the ill-fated spinoff in where Florence was managing a hotel with Larry Linville (a.k.a. Frank Burns from M*A*S*H). Giving Florence her own show was a dumb idea. Though I loved the interplay between Linville and Marla Gibbs, she was sorely needed back on THE JEFFERSONS. Who else was going to help Louise keep George in check? #5-NO CLOSING EPISODE: How in the hell did this show not have a closing episode? If MASH, COSBY, and countless others have a closing show, why can't this one have it? It was just as important of a show

The Jeffersons is my all time favorite sitcom made in the US. When it debuted it had sharp and edgy humor but by the 1980s when Embassy Productions took over for Norman Lear (http://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/959-how-one-performance-changes-everything-in-48-hrs/#comment-1911549034), it had turned into another one of the crappy "comedies" that came from that decade. Louise had become an idiotic and foolish woman and George became friends with Tom and started looking out for Florence. Mother Jefferson was the best. Even at the age of 86, she delivered some of the most hilarious performances ever witnessed on TV. Even though the quality had been diminished, it deserved a final episode.

I think you completely undersell Demond Wilson as the straight man in this series. The father/son dynamic gave the show it's charm and set the tone for the struggles they had trying to pay the bills and make it. Losing Lamont placed the crux of the dilemma on Fred every time and diluted the family quality that gave the show it's endearing charm. That was easily demonstrated when they tried to replace Lamont with characters that were one dimensional and even more stereotyped than what audiences could swallow. It betrayed the tone of the original series and audiences quickly saw that. The original show ended only because there was too much tension between the actors and the producers. It didn't help that Foxx and Wilson each had a major coke problem that likely played a big role in that process.

I think you completely undersell Demond Wilson as the straight man in this series. The father/son dynamic gave the show it's charm and set the tone for the struggles they had trying to pay the bills and make it. Losing Lamont placed the crux of the dilemma on Fred every time and diluted the family quality that gave the show it's endearing charm. That was easily demonstrated when they tried to replace Lamont with characters that were one dimensional and even more stereotyped than what audiences could swallow. It betrayed the tone of the original series and audiences quickly saw that. The original show ended only because there was too much tension between the actors and the producers. It didn't help that Foxx and Wilson each had a major coke problem that likely played a big role in that process.


Lamont was a nerdy boring whiner who was not as fun to watch as Cal

The audience moved on and the jokes were no longer hip with the time.

Also, the actors had nothing to play. The writing was much poorer than when the series first aired. It was played out and started out as worn out as when it had ended around the time of that stupid Hawaii show.

It wasn't that Cal wasn't Lamont. It's that the guy was a horrible actor and physically was not funny. He shouldn't have been as overbearing in size, as Redd Foxx was the star of the show, not him. This was a subtle but main difference.

Also, having Rollo on the show didn't make any sense without Lamont. It told the audience that they were begging for ratings and that does little to instill confidence in the audience.

At this time, NBC was grasping for straws and Freddy Silverman tried to pull this together, but it wasn't right for the audience. He wanted Redd Foxx in a 1 hour dramadie about a math teacher who moonlights as a comedian. Never got off the ground, so he went back to Sanford.

The audience moved on and the jokes were no longer hip with the time.

Also, the actors had nothing to play. The writing was much poorer than when the series first aired. It was played out and started out as worn out as when it had ended around the time of that stupid Hawaii show.

It wasn't that Cal wasn't Lamont. It's that the guy was a horrible actor and physically was not funny. He shouldn't have been as overbearing in size, as Redd Foxx was the star of the show, not him. This was a subtle but main difference.

Also, having Rollo on the show didn't make any sense without Lamont. It told the audience that they were begging for ratings and that does little to instill confidence in the audience.

At this time, NBC was grasping for straws and Freddy Silverman tried to pull this together, but it wasn't right for the audience. He wanted Redd Foxx in a 1 hour dramadie about a math teacher who moonlights as a comedian. Never got off the ground, so he went back to Sanford.

It was that and other things. Like you first mentioned, the audience moved on. In 1980-81, what was the #1 shows on TV? Dallas, Dukes of hazzard, Three's Company, just to name a few. Sanford and Son had been off of TV for 3 years and you the people had different new shows to watch. It was a new era. The 70s shows were being pushed out for the 80s shows. Sanford wasn't Sanford and Son, plain and simple. I see they brought in Lawanda Page in the second season, to me that looked like they were trying to raise the ratings with that. But it was too late, a new era began

Sanford is much better than the last season of Sanford and son

Sanford is much better than the last season of Sanford and son
Agreed!

Agreed!

I would say season 1 too. Remember in season 1 all we saw was Lamont and Fred no other characters

I would say season 1 too. Remember in season 1 all we saw was Lamont and Fred no other characters

Season 1 was decent IMO. You have to realize that season 1 was a tryout and everything wasn't developed and didn't come together yet. But it was ok. Just remember, season 1 was living up to it's title.

Season 1 was decent IMO. You have to realize that season 1 was a tryout and everything wasn't developed and didn't come together yet. But it was ok. Just remember, season 1 was living up to it's title.


I would take Cal over Lamont any day of the week

It was that and other things. Like you first mentioned, the audience moved on. In 1980-81, what was the #1 shows on TV? Dallas, Dukes of hazzard, Three's Company, just to name a few. Sanford and Son had been off of TV for 3 years and you the people had different new shows to watch. It was a new era. The 70s shows were being pushed out for the 80s shows. Sanford wasn't Sanford and Son, plain and simple. I see they brought in Lawanda Page in the second season, to me that looked like they were trying to raise the ratings with that. But it was too late, a new era began

This point is so valid that I agree with you. When Sanford debuted in 1980, it had only been three years since Sanford and Son was canceled. But by the time Sanford premiered, it was already too late. What happened with S&S happens with every show: It gets canceled and the viewers are unhappy about it, but they eventually come to terms with it and move on. And that's exactly what many S&S viewers did.

There is another reason why I believe Sanford failed: When Sanford aired, it was obviously hard for a lot of people to watch it without thinking, "been there done that." The way I see it, the Fred Sanford saga had already been done, and that people questioned how it could continue when it had already been basically played out on S&S. So I think the consensus was that, by the time S&S was canceled in 1977 after six years and 135 episodes, the saga had simply run its course.

I think S&S was a great show. With the exception of a few weak episodes in later seasons, the show could do no wrong. It had a certain "personality" and there was no way to recreate the same dynamics again. The shtick, the characters, the concept, all melded together creating a show we are all still watching, enjoying and talking about 40 years later. Often spin-offs are unsuccessful, I think in part, because viewers are expecting a continuation of the original show, and it is never the same.

I didn't like Sanford at all. It tried to be a continuation of S&S, but it lacked everything that made S&S great, like chemistry between likable characters and a conceivable concept. Fred and Lamont's relationship transcended beyond the story line of a particular episode. Esther, Bubba, Grady, all a perfect concoction of characters that played well off each other.

Probably a better idea would have been to let S&S rest in peace and recreate a completely different show for Redd. Like "The Bob Newhard Show" vs. "Newhart". Of course, this is all hindsight, but in my opinion, S&S couldn't be matched no matter what they did.

In a nutshell, Fred on the latter series really didn't have any real antagonists left. And it was those conflicts helped make the original series funny. Redd Foxx could only do so much with mostly mediocre material. I'm guessing this is in part why his subsequent '80s sitcom for ABC, The Redd Foxx Show didn't work.

What's Happening! is another black-lead sitcom from the '70s that you can argue didn't exactly translate well in the '80s:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=271687

You can also argue that shows like Diff'rent Strokes and The Jeffersons "lost their edge" or whitewashed their black characters/turned them into caricatures once the '80s set in:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=327885

Sanford & Son on its own probably wouldn't have fit into the '80s anyway in the age of more "positive" black shows like The Cosby Show. I mean, why would anybody want to still tune into see a cranky, bigoted, old black man in the junkyard when we could instead "enjoy" an affluent, functional family like the Huxtables?

Sanford was better than season 1 and 6 of Sanford and son

Sanford was better than season 1 and 6 of Sanford and son


In my opinion, season 6 was better than season 5. Season 6 to me was a recovery from a very bad season 5. Not saying season 6 was great, but had more watchable episodes than 5.

Sanford was good in it's own right. But it was made a few years too late.

im glad I got both seasons of Sanford very good show love it

This point is so valid that I agree with you. When Sanford debuted in 1980, it had only been three years since Sanford and Son was canceled. But by the time Sanford premiered, it was already too late. What happened with S&S happens with every show: It gets canceled and the viewers are unhappy about it, but they eventually come to terms with it and move on. And that's exactly what many S&S viewers did.

There is another reason why I believe Sanford failed: When Sanford aired, it was obviously hard for a lot of people to watch it without thinking, "been there done that." The way I see it, the Fred Sanford saga had already been done, and that people questioned how it could continue when it had already been basically played out on S&S. So I think the consensus was that, by the time S&S was canceled in 1977 after six years and 135 episodes, the saga had simply run its course.

Yeah, if you're going to bring back the Fred Sanford character, then put him in an entirely different scenario (a la Frasier, which transplanted Frasier Crane from Boston to Seattle). Sanford just came off as Sanford & Son minus Demond Wilson and strong scripts.

And now that I think about it some more, I don't think Sanford was made for the "right" reasons. It came about during a time in which NBC was struggling and desperate for hits. And it also came during a time in which Redd Foxx had just come off his failed variety show for ABC. My point, is that the whole thing felt like a quick money grab instead of something that they truly believed in.

Yeah, if you're going to bring back the Fred Sanford character, then put him in an entirely different scenario (a la Frasier, which transplanted Frasier Crane from Boston to Seattle). Sanford just came off as Sanford & Son minus Demond Wilson and strong scripts.

And now that I think about it some more, I don't think Sanford was made for the "right" reasons. It came about during a time in which NBC was struggling and desperate for hits. And it also came during a time in which Redd Foxx had just come off his failed variety show for ABC. My point, is that the whole thing felt like a quick money grab instead of something that they truly believed in.


The failed Variety was in 1977, Sanford was in 1980

The failed Variety was in 1977, Sanford was in 1980

What I meant is that Redd Foxx looked like he had a bunch of egg on his face after his variety show failed (which he did immediately following the end of S&S). So he must of figured that going back to the Fred Sanford role (albeit w/ his tail tucked behind his legs) would've been a "can't miss".

Sanford & Son on its own probably wouldn't have fit into the '80s anyway in the age of more "positive" black shows like The Cosby Show. I mean, why would anybody want to still tune into see a cranky, bigoted, old black man in the junkyard when we could instead "enjoy" an affluent, functional family like the Huxtables?

Well, I never understood the appeal of The Cosby Show (and I was a fan of Cosby's standup comedy.)
I haven't seen Sanford since it originally aired, but I don't remember enjoying it, try as I might. I would be interested in seeing it again, though.
Sanford and Son is probably in my top ten shows of all time, and I think Lamont played a big part in the success of that show.

Well, I never understood the appeal of The Cosby Show (and I was a fan of Cosby's standup comedy.)
I haven't seen Sanford since it originally aired, but I don't remember enjoying it, try as I might. I would be interested in seeing it again, though.
Sanford and Son is probably in my top ten shows of all time, and I think Lamont played a big part in the success of that show.


I will cherish my collection of Sanford until the DVD comes out.

Love that show

Well, I never understood the appeal of The Cosby Show (and I was a fan of Cosby's standup comedy.)
I haven't seen Sanford since it originally aired, but I don't remember enjoying it, try as I might. I would be interested in seeing it again, though.
Sanford and Son is probably in my top ten shows of all time, and I think Lamont played a big part in the success of that show.

In hindsight, I don't understand what was so special about The Cosby Show either (and no, this has nothing to do with Bill Cosby's personal issues as of late). To me, it wasn't any more different that any other domestic sitcoms of that era starring a comedian like say Home Improvement or Rosanne.

I understand that The Cosby Show essentially revived/"saved" the sitcom format, which was in dire straits during the early '80s. But none the less once you look past the idea of seeing a well to do (without any stereotypes or other foolishness) black family on '80s TV. But it wasn't exactly a cutting edge show once you get over Cosby's shtick.

well Sanford kind of is on dvd if u like bet bootleg but better then nothing

http://www.ioffer.com/i/sanford-1980-tv-series-complete-dvd-set-plus-bonus-arms-563101689

well Sanford kind of is on dvd if u like bet bootleg but better then nothing

http://www.ioffer.com/i/sanford-1980-tv-series-complete-dvd-set-plus-bonus-arms-563101689
I've been seriously thinking about buying this set.

I barely remember watching "Sanford" when it reran years ago (I don't remember the channel) and I'd like to have it in my collection. It wasn't a great sitcom bit it did have its moments.

I own this and royal family with Sanford set u get Sanford arms as well good deal good to get it while price is good

I barely remember watching "Sanford" when it reran years ago (I don't remember the channel).

It was BET.

Just watched the two part Sanford episode with Aunt Esther. It seemed odd, as Esther looked quite different and LaWanda seemed to be not totally in character (maybe that is to be expected, having not played her for a few years). In any event, it was good to see her on the show.

Just watched the two part Sanford episode with Aunt Esther. It seemed odd, as Esther looked quite different and LaWanda seemed to be not totally in character (maybe that is to be expected, having not played her for a few years). In any event, it was good to see her on the show.


what do you mean she was out of character?

I have never seen this show but I would buy it if it were released. I've heard good things about it

I have never seen this show but I would like to have it in my DVD collection.

We know

Oops. Didn't realize that!

I want to get this one too and some homemade sets are on ioffer. I might get it there.

We know

Stop trying to harass me. Leave me alone

what do you mean she was out of character?

Exactly what he said

Sanford definitely had potential but several bad decisions sealed the fate of it.

-Clara was a great antagonist for Fred, it's only so much you can do with her being a maid. She could have been upgraded to a new neighbor who had a hair salon next to the junk yard which could have made for some great storylines.

-We didn't need a retrospective episode in the first season of this new series. It looked totally out of place to have Fred and Cad go down memory lane.

-The Fred and Evelyn storyline could have developed over time.

-Cissy and Cliff would have made an excellent couple. Suzanne Stone could have been a recurring character and have the two of them meet at Cliff's school. More storylines could have involved Cliff. One could have been a two parter with him being left in charge while Fred was on vacation.

-Cal definitely was a great fit for the show and the second season, he found his way which showed the strength in the character.

-Grady should have been a series regular for the show given his great performance on the second season episode 'Freeway'.

I enjoyed Sanford and always yearned for more of it but those are just some of my ideas of why it failed and how it could have been better.

I didn't like Cliff, kind of corny

The role could have been recast to have someone who is a funny shooter. Ted Lange would have been ideal but he was on Love Boat at the time and Ray Vitte died I think when this show was being produced.

The role could have been recast to have someone who is a funny shooter. Ted Lange would have been ideal but he was on Love Boat at the time and Ray Vitte died I think when this show was being produced.

I just googled him and he died in 1983 which was a few years after Sanford was cancelled.

I just googled him and he died in 1983 which was a few years after Sanford was cancelled.

I stand corrected so he could have been cast for the role of Cliff up until his death. If Sanford with him would have lasted, either the role would have to be written out or recast. Ray was a good actor who had a career ahead of him.

Lamont was a nerdy boring whiner who was not as fun to watch as Cal


I liked Lamont a lot. He was better than Fred in my opinion

I liked Lamont a lot. He was better than Fred in my opinion


For you to post something this crazy you must be Demond wilson:lol:

For you to post something this crazy you must be Demond wilson:lol:

Reported thank you

Reported thank you


Did you really report the post? Come on! Is it just to hard to believe I like Lamont better than Fred?

Did you really report the post? Come on! Is it just to hard to believe I like Lamont better than Fred?

I reported TVStupidFan not you

Did you really report the post? Come on! Is it just to hard to believe I like Lamont better than Fred?


He reported mine saying that you were Demond Wilson:lol: :lol:

Getting back to the original question. I ready that Sanford was cancelled due to Redd Foxx showing up late for rehearsal and that the ratings had dropped.

Getting back to the original question. I ready that Sanford was cancelled due to Redd Foxx showing up late for rehearsal and that the ratings had dropped.



The show was never a hit so not sure how the ratings could drop

What's Happening! is another black-lead sitcom from the '70s that you can argue didn't exactly translate well in the '80s:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=271687

You can also argue that shows like Diff'rent Strokes and The Jeffersons "lost their edge" or whitewashed their black characters/turned them into caricatures once the '80s set in:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=327885

I disagree with this. The 80s had great sitcoms. And I loved the Jeffersons in the later years. The show still had edge and was not whitewashed. I think that's pretty racist to say. It was still a black show with black actors. Black people do not have to be just one way. Just because they were no longer obsessed about race does not mean it was "whitewashed."

I disagree with this. The 80s had great sitcoms. And I loved the Jeffersons in the later years. The show still had edge and was not whitewashed. I think that's pretty racist to say. It was still a black show with black actors. Black people do not have to be just one way. Just because they were no longer obsessed about race does not mean it was "whitewashed."

The George character was toned down, that was the big difference

"Why exactly did "Sanford" (1980-81) fail"

The answer to the question is a question, why was the show rebooted in the first place? We know the answer it's in the very first post of this thread, a desperate network and a desperate star, but what it lacked was a new creative vision. By the time Sanford and Son left the air the series was clearly trending downward, from a peak of 20 million households in season 4 to 14 million in season 6, dropping from number 2 in the ratings to 27. Sanford and Son went off after the 76-77 TV season, the reboot attempt takes place less that three years later (79-80 TV season), which begs the question did the audience want more of a series they were losing interest in? Fred in that junkyard was a nonstarter, a fresh look at the character was necessary for the series to have had a chance for survival.

The series got off OK, I think the post that started the thread gives the impression the show was a hit at the beginning, that's not true. The first three episodes held their own in the rating and then things start going the other way, by the time the season ended the show was one of the lowest rated series on TV. It was retooled a bit and returned to the air in January of 81 hitting rock bottom right off the bat. The series was pulled at the end of the month with the rest of the episodes burned off after the close of the 80-81 season.

The audience moved on and the jokes were no longer hip with the time.

Also, the actors had nothing to play. The writing was much poorer than when the series first aired. It was played out and started out as worn out as when it had ended around the time of that stupid Hawaii show.

It wasn't that Cal wasn't Lamont. It's that the guy was a horrible actor and physically was not funny. He shouldn't have been as overbearing in size, as Redd Foxx was the star of the show, not him. This was a subtle but main difference.

Also, having Rollo on the show didn't make any sense without Lamont. It told the audience that they were begging for ratings and that does little to instill confidence in the audience.

At this time, NBC was grasping for straws and Freddy Silverman tried to pull this together, but it wasn't right for the audience. He wanted Redd Foxx in a 1 hour dramadie about a math teacher who moonlights as a comedian. Never got off the ground, so he went back to Sanford.

Short-Lived Sitcom Potpourri (IX) (https://jacksonupperco.com/2021/11/10/short-lived-sitcom-potpourri-ix/)

For starters, it was part (http://boomerbust-scooter63.blogspot.com/2013/08/seventies-sitcoms-1979-1980-tree-grows.html) of Fred Silverman (https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/07/27/the-peacock-and-the-showman/8480bf01-b84d-427b-8cc7-9c836393b4df/)’s effort to raise NBC’s Nielsens (https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/400935688/) by doing what he had done for CBS and ABC — building out its sitcom roster, in part by resurrecting the Peacock Network (http://www.tvparty.com/80nbc2.html)’s biggest hit of the ‘70s: Sanford And Son. And unlike the misbegotten (http://www.tvparty.com/80nbc1.html) Sanford Arms, the seminal ingredient was back in play (https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/143514737/): Redd Foxx (https://books.google.com/books?id=a7vcX2uNPK4C&pg=PA230&lpg=PA230&dq=Fred+Silverman+Redd+Foxx+%22Sanford%22+NBC+1980&source=bl&ots=SIAjb8wUmv&sig=ACfU3U3CFcqfXC78s0fvwrdnuMYkg3WsbA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj289vzpNqFAxXcRDABHWzOBPs4FBDoAXoECAIQAw#v=onepage&q=Fred%20Silverman%20Redd%20Foxx%20%22Sanford%22%20NBC%201980&f=false).

The George character was toned down, that was the big difference

Somebody on YouTube remarked (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMi1SdhUTyQ&lc=Ugxosutw7RbKdTTrHrR4AaABAg) that Sanford (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/Sanford) was to Sanford & Son what Archie Bunker's Place (https://jacksonupperco.com/tag/archie-bunkers-place/page/2/) was to All in the Family.

Sanford definitely had potential but several bad decisions sealed the fate of it.

-Clara was a great antagonist for Fred, it's only so much you can do with her being a maid. She could have been upgraded to a new neighbor who had a hair salon next to the junk yard which could have made for some great storylines.

-We didn't need a retrospective episode in the first season of this new series. It looked totally out of place to have Fred and Cad go down memory lane.

-The Fred and Evelyn storyline could have developed over time.

-Cissy and Cliff would have made an excellent couple. Suzanne Stone could have been a recurring character and have the two of them meet at Cliff's school. More storylines could have involved Cliff. One could have been a two parter with him being left in charge while Fred was on vacation.

-Cal definitely was a great fit for the show and the second season, he found his way which showed the strength in the character.

-Grady should have been a series regular for the show given his great performance on the second season episode 'Freeway'.

I enjoyed Sanford and always yearned for more of it but those are just some of my ideas of why it failed and how it could have been better.

According to TV Tropes (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/Sanford), the biggest mistake that Sanford made was the decision to give us a nicer, mellower Fred Sanford (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/SanfordAndSon):
But the show's new approach (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LighterAndSofter) to the Fred Sanford character proved unwise. Not only was Fred no longer the lovable curmudgeon the audience had come to know and love (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist), but he also underwent a significant transformation regarding his previous bigoted views (presumably due to his friendship with Cal (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThePowerOfFriendship), but it's implied that the change took place before the start of the new series). He even gives a somewhat Anvilicious (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Anvilicious) lecture to Cal's mother when she objects to her son's friendship with a black man in one of the later episodes! Perhaps this was necessary Character Development (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CharacterDevelopment) to get past the changing times and the network censors, but low ratings proved that sometimes change isn't a good thing (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WeWantOurJerkBack).

JXZGGRghOSw

Did you know their was a Sanford show without Lamont…well if ya didn’t come watch and learn all about it! And if ya did, come watch and relive some history and great moments!

The audience moved on and the jokes were no longer hip with the time.

Also, the actors had nothing to play. The writing was much poorer than when the series first aired. It was played out and started out as worn out as when it had ended around the time of that stupid Hawaii show.

It wasn't that Cal wasn't Lamont. It's that the guy was a horrible actor and physically was not funny. He shouldn't have been as overbearing in size, as Redd Foxx was the star of the show, not him. This was a subtle but main difference.

Also, having Rollo on the show didn't make any sense without Lamont. It told the audience that they were begging for ratings and that does little to instill confidence in the audience.

At this time, NBC was grasping for straws and Freddy Silverman tried to pull this together, but it wasn't right for the audience. He wanted Redd Foxx in a 1 hour dramadie about a math teacher who moonlights as a comedian. Never got off the ground, so he went back to Sanford.

I was reading this comment on the defunct website The Dissolve about the 1982 film 48 Hrs. (moviechat.org/tt0083511/48-Hrs/58c73d406b51e905f66c61a3/Last-of-the-Tough-Guy-movie-cops?page=2) with Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy:
48 HOURS was actually at the END of a cultural arc, with it's in-your-face but comic take on race relations; the 1970s were FULL of that stuff, with everything from Norman Lear sitcoms to "Blaxploitation" films. It had begun to run out of steam- and seem less culturally relevant- but the social and political conservatism of the 1980s really tamped down that fire.

Basically, it would've likely been much harder to do a show like Sanford and Son during the more conservative Ronald Reagan (https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-lists/president-tv-series-defined-era-994869/) era (https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=4b5136b57cdd18c469a0cb5b77dc29903cddc8e1), which was just about to begin (https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv111jhr5) when the latter Sanford series was being produced. Especially since sitcoms in the '80s (https://www.iconradio.com/10076/the-evolution-of-tv-sitcoms-in-the-1980s-a-decade-of-change-and-laughter/) were decidedly more saccharine (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/lb9u9k/what_caused_the_difference_between_70s_sitcoms/) than the ones from the decade prior.

It didn't help that in the latter half seasons of the original Sanford and Son (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031130231/http://www.jumptheshark.com/s/sanfordandson.htm) series (in particular, when Saul Turteltaub and Bernie Orenstein (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=343962) replaced Aaron Reuben as the showrunners), the show all but abandoned its authentic social commentary about urban life and went for the goofy laughs.

Sanford was better than season 1 and season 5 of sanford and son

Sanford was better than season 1 and season 5 of sanford and son

Sanford was an OK show, but the absence of Lamont probably hurt it... Fred without Lamont is just mediocre IMO

Sanford was an OK show, but the absence of Lamont probably hurt it... Fred without Lamont is just mediocre IMO

Cal generated more laughs than Lamont because of his size

Since I didn't exactly get the answer that I wanted (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068128/board/thread/241157895?d=241327661#241327661)..:rolleyes::


I was thinking that a show like Sanford & Son would have a fairly hard time having to adjust to the more "touchy-feeling" formula (S&S wasn't exactly the most politically correct show in hindsight) of '80s shows. I remember watching episodes of Sanford on BET back in the mid-'90s (and for a spell in 2008) and there was an episode in which Fred lectures Cal's prejudice mother about tolerance. The whole thing seemed kind of disingenuous and hypocritical because Fred Sanford was pretty bigoted himself on Sanford & Son.

To add on this, the era that the original Sanford and Son (https://www.reddit.com/r/sitcoms/comments/1er5488/what_are_your_thoughts_on_sanford_and_son/) came out of made it seem like the 1970s in America was really bleak and physically depressing. It wasn't just Sanford and Son, but other sitcoms of that specific time period like Barney Miller (https://www.avclub.com/the-last-barney-miller-also-ended-an-era-1798276904), All in the Family, Good Times (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/archive/index.php/t-350574.html), Welcome Back Kotter, and Chico and the Man. If you look at all of the shows that I just mentioned, the the interiors were always so drab and worn down looking. But the eighties (at least up until the time that Roseanne debuted in the fall of 1988), we decided everyone on sitcoms should be middle or upper class and beautiful.

I watched this entire series back in January-February 2020. I really enjoyed it. Fred Sanford was still just as funny as always and I enjoyed Cal too. It’s a shame it didn’t last longer. Since it didn’t have a lot of episodes, I wish they would just add it to the Sanford and Son syndication package and treat it like it was Seasons 7 & 8 of Sanford and Son.

I watched this entire series back in January-February 2020. I really enjoyed it. Fred Sanford was still just as funny as always and I enjoyed Cal too. It’s a shame it didn’t last longer. Since it didn’t have a lot of episodes, I wish they would just add it to the Sanford and Son syndication package and treat it like it was Seasons 7 & 8 of Sanford and Son.

Every episode was funny