I've seen a couple of posts (in comments on other shows), where the poster prefers Joseph Kearns' Mr. Wilson.

I argue that Gale Gordon's is better:

1. Gale Gordon actually resembles the comic strip Mr. Wilson.

2. I'm not sure what the reason is, but John Wilson is much lower key with Dennis than George is. He actually seems to like the kid, whereas George only seems to like him only for varying nefarious reasons.

It would be interesting to know how Jay North feels about his real life interactions with both actors. I get the feeling Kearns was a real life curmudgeon; Gordon, not so much.

I've seen a couple of posts (in comments on other shows), where the poster prefers Joseph Kearns' Mr. Wilson.

I argue that Gale Gordon's is better:

1. Gale Gordon actually resembles the comic strip Mr. Wilson.

2. I'm not sure what the reason is, but John Wilson is much lower key with Dennis than George is. He actually seems to like the kid, whereas George only seems to like him only for varying nefarious reasons.

It would be interesting to know how Jay North feels about his real life interactions with both actors. I get the feeling Kearns was a real life curmudgeon; Gordon, not so much.

I like Joseph Kearns myself. Maybe it's more because I first saw him in the role, I don't know. But also, I just can't stop seeing Mr. Whipple in Gale Gordon.:lol:

I saw an interview with Jay North, and he talks about how kind Kearns actually was. https://youtu.be/sD2P8RCgK8g Forward to about 1:49 to hear him talk about it.

Oh without a dought, hands down, George Wilson, Joe Kearns!! ;) He is my favorite character in the show! :) Without him, DTM wasn't nearly as funny. Still a good show, I like John Wilson OK, ,and I like Gale Gordon. I prefer him as Mr. Mooney and Harry Carter from Lucy better! ;)

So totally the original Mr.Wilson much better! ;)

As usual, the original is always better.

Gale Gordon

I agree with stevea. Joseph Kearns' portrayal for whatever reason seemed perpetually grouchy. Though he did care for Dennis, as seen on several occasions, he just didn't come across as likeable.

Gale Gordon's portrayal was a much more interesting character. I think it was easier to empathize with this Mr. Wilson. I also liked his rivalry with Mrs. Elkins.

This question and the other typical question, who's the better Dick? Sergeant or York when it comes to Darrin on Bewitched and now with Dennis it's always who's the better Mr. Wilson.

Well, it seems obvious the answer to both, obviously it's York and it's Joseph Kearns. The replacements were adequate, but didn't hold a candle to the qualities of the originals. I really don't even like Dick #2 on Bewitched, he's a drag on the series when he takes the role over. BUT, I do like Gale Gordon on Dennis, he's just not nearly as good as Kearns. But it's because he played Mr. Wilson different. Both Dick York & Joe Kearns played their roles to the hilt, they played them with all out funny characteristics and character flaws, as a grouchy and funny CHARACTERS. They weren't the normal straight role you might see a non-regular character in a program would be, Kearns and York were real eccentric, if you will, characters. They played these roles with gusto and a lot of energy. Something lacking in the way both Sergeant and Gordon played their roles, much more laid back and straight. They were played a bit more seriously.

However I do really like Gale Gordon in his role on radio's Great Gildersleeve when he played rich neighbor Rumson Bullard and he was superb as Mr. Mooney up against the annoying Lucy. Gale Gordon was a great actor in his many supporting roles, but only as Mr. Wilson does he come in second.

This question and the other typical question, who's the better Dick? Sergeant or York when it comes to Darrin on Bewitched and now with Dennis it's always who's the better Mr. Wilson.

Well, it seems obvious the answer to both, obviously it's York and it's Joseph Kearns. The replacements were adequate, but didn't hold a candle to the qualities of the originals. I really don't even like Dick #2 on Bewitched, he's a drag on the series when he takes the role over. BUT, I do like Gale Gordon on Dennis, he's just not nearly as good as Kearns. But it's because he played Mr. Wilson different. Both Dick York & Joe Kearns played their roles to the hilt, they played them with all out funny characteristics and character flaws, as a grouchy and funny CHARACTERS. They weren't the normal straight role you might see a non-regular character in a program would be, Kearns and York were real eccentric, if you will, characters. They played these roles with gusto and a lot of energy. Something lacking in the way both Sergeant and Gordon played their roles, much more laid back and straight. They were played a bit more seriously.

However I do really like Gale Gordon in his role on radio's Great Gildersleeve when he played rich neighbor Rumson Bullard and he was superb as Mr. Mooney up against the annoying Lucy. Gale Gordon was a great actor in his many supporting roles, but only as Mr. Wilson does he come in second.



I totally agree! Excellent post!! ;) :wave:

Gale Gordon actually resembles the comic strip Mr. Wilson.

It's true that Gale Gordon resembled the Mr. Wilson from the Dennis comic books. However, he didn't have the same acting chemistry with Jay North like Joseph Kearns did. So for that reason I'd say that Joseph Kearns was more suited for the role. Having said that, since Gale Gordon resembled the role more, it would have been interesting to see him play Mr. Wilson in the TV show from the start. If Gale had been there from the beginning, he might have developed great acting chemistry with Jay North also.

Gale Gordon had a difficult situation, he took over the role because Joseph Kearns had suddenly passed away. So from that point forward, the TV show seems to have an air of sadness/depression about it, especially the last eight episodes of the 3rd season. I imagine those episodes were tough to do, but the cast had to carry on.

In the Dennis comic books from the 1950's & 60's, Dennis would do some pretty wild stuff, get in all sorts of mischief and cause mayhem. This TV show version is tame in comparison to the comic books, so the censors must have put a pretty firm lid on the type of antics Dennis could do.

The producers and CBS toned the Dennis character down. Watch the first few episodes--he's a terror.

Joseph Kearns kept the show going..... He was perfect for the role other than not looking like the cartoon character...... Worked great though.... I did love Gale Gordon in season 3 where he was thought to be a witch doctor... Wish that episode was an hour long. Could have done so much more with it.....

As much as I love Gale Gordon , Joseph Kearns was the better Mr. Wilson

Gale Gordon :)

Joe Kearns. Gale Gordon was good but Joe was GREAT!

Gale Gordon, he was the perfect choice to play Mr. Wilson

Kearns. As one of the original characters, he defined the Mr. Wilson role and ran with it from temperament to expressions.
Now that said, Gale Gordon was funny. I thought there were many occasions during the fourth season that not only was he funnier than Dennis, he also could be more likable, especially in the cat catcher episode when Dennis came across as a huge brat. And if you watch the fourth season without comparing it to the first three (i.e. taking the show at face value and not thinking about who is no longer there), some of the episodes are really enjoyable.
But the fourth season was crippled by the fact that Dennis inevitably was growing up and some of the nonsensical plots that worked in earlier seasons just would not work by then. I have caught myself wondering more than once how the fourth season would have transpired if Joseph Kearns had lived (a few years ago, I started a thread about what fourth-season episodes would and would not have worked with either Mr. Wilson). Kearns died just as Dennis was starting to mature, forcing the brass' hand to either cancel the series or transform it dramatically for what turned out be its final season.

Joseph Kearns kept the show going..... He was perfect for the role other than not looking like the cartoon character...... Worked great though.... I did love Gale Gordon in season 3 where he was thought to be a witch doctor... Wish that episode was an hour long. Could have done so much more with it.....

I don't know how much more they could have done with it. That episode didn't really belong in Season 3 because the cast all but acknowledged George and Martha were gone for good (by this time, George was barely referred to and everybody acted like John was there to stay), nor did it belong in Season 4 because Dennis was still in his overalls and there were a couple nods to the house still belonging to George and Martha. I always felt like that episode was the show telling the audience "we'll be back for another season, but try to forget the first Mr. Wilson."
To me, that episode is on an island all by itself and as far as I'm concerned, Community Picnic is the real finale not only for Season 3 but for the first era of the show.
The only other thing the producers could have done to wrap up Season 3 was give Martha a proper farewell. But with George gone, there was no way to properly transition from the first Wilsons to the second.

Joe Kearns was the better Mr. Wilson. He played Mr. Wilson as a curmudgeon, which is what he was in the comics. Gale Gordon may have looked more"like the character, but he played him as a fusspot, which is what Mr. Wilson wasn't.

Joe Kearns was the better Mr. Wilson. He played Mr. Wilson as a curmudgeon, which is what he was in the comics. Gale Gordon may have looked more"like the character, but he played him as a fusspot, which is what Mr. Wilson wasn't.


I think you have to cut Gordon a little slack here. The character of Mr. Wilson wasn't recast, Gordon was playing Mr. Wilson's brother John, Gordon couldn't attempt to just replicate Kearns Mr. Wilson, it wouldn't have made sense. Gordon also had to play off the more mature Dennis in season 4 which took away from the overall fun of the series.

For me the choice is simple, Joseph Kearns was the better Mr. Wilson hands down. Gale Gordon was one of the finest character actors to ever grace a TV screen especially when working with Lucille Ball. His portrayl of John Wilson though falls flat. Once he joined the cast the quality of the episodes started to deteriorate and as stated before the chemistry between him and Jay North wasn't there as it had been with Jay and Joseph Kearns. I've been watching the series on Shout Factory and although I haven't seen all the Gale Gordon episodes I can easily say that so far I'm not impressed. 2 other things about the Gale Gordon era I didn't like were the new theme and opening credits and the fact that Gale received 2nd billing which was previously given to Herbert Anderson. I have no doubt that Gale or his agent insisted upon this.

Gale Gordon was in an extremely tough spot having to replace such a beloved character under those kinds of circumstances. He couldn't play John Wilson exactly like Joseph Kearns played George because then he'd be seen as a ripoff, which I'm sure some fans regard him as anyway. For however long the series went after Joseph Kearns died, Gale Gordon was going to be compared to him. Unfair for sure, but completely natural.
I'd challenge anybody who watched the entire run of the show not to compare the final 46 episodes to the first 100. It can't be done, although I personally maintain that those third-season episodes with Gale Gordon and Sylvia Field in the Wilson house are pretty funny (although sadly awkward at times).

The argument that I've heard is that Joseph Kearns brought a lot of warmth to the Mr. Wilson character that was missing when Gale Gordon took over. It was like Kearns really cared about what happened to Dennis, while Gordon was just aggravated by him. To put it in another way, Kearns' Mr. Wilson was like a fussbudget uncle type who still showed a fondness for Dennis. Meanwhile, Gordon played the role as a jerk who hated kids, period. It didn't help that there just wasn't strong enough of a motivation for Dennis to be trying the same stuff with Mr. Wilson's brother since the original conflict was now gone.

I think it was the other way around. Kearns' version treated the kid like dirt. Gordon's version seemed to like or tolerate the kid most of the time. When Gordon's Wilson treated the kid bad, he recognized it and apologized later.

I do understand why George got aggravated. Dennis is a well-meaning (most of the time) pain in the neck!

Gale Gordon was one of the greatest character actors on television. Loved him on the Lucy shows and Our Miss Brooks. But Joseph Kearns was the best Mr. Wilson. Gale did as best he could but the show was pretty much running on fumes after Kearns died.

Gale Gordon was more similar visually to the comic's Mr Wilson... BUT I like the chemistry Joseph Kearns Mr. Wilson had with Dennis. Kearn's Mr. Wilson of course was annoyed by Dennis a lot, BUT he actually seemed to care about Dennis. I thought it was sweet how Mr Wilson wanted to make sure Dennis has a suitable Christmas tree in the Christmas episode.

Gale Gordon's Mr Wilson, on the other hand, in many ways seemed to despise Dennis and didn't care at all about him

When I started this thread I hadn't seen the very early episodes in quite awhile. Now I've seen the first few recently and they're pretty funny. Kearns' version is really good early on. And at this point Dennis is at his most irritable. Kearns got his chance to shine, since up until this show he was mainly a character actor, but here he got top billing.

One of the things I found myself doing after Kearns died, was thinking about the subsequent scripts. Like in an episode where Quigley coached the kids' baseball team, and Sandy Koufax guest starred. I couldn't help but think that the coach role was probably meant for Mr. Wilson. Same with an episode where they brought Uncle Ned in. Probably they were far enough ahead on scripts that they used them all. Gordon's first appearance was obviously a new script, and also was a pretty good episode. Ditto the witch doctor episode. But the community picnic episode was probably a script that was originally for Kearns.

The main problem in the fourth season was the growing up thing with Dennis. So some of the gags from earlier wouldn't work anymore. Like Dennis getting on Wilson's lap and putting his foot into Wilson's gut. Twice. (Did I get you again, Mr. Wilson?)

One thing on some of the other comments: I think the new animated opening with the jazzed up theme was an improvement. It's better-done than the original.

Yeah, I think those first two definitely were written with Kearns in mind and then quickly altered. You could probably make an argument that except for Gale Gordon's first episode, the rest of the shows that also included Sylvia Field were at least in the brainstorming stages when Kearns died and then were polished off. Those stories all would have worked with either actor.
It makes you wonder what the third-season finale would have been with Kearns around? "Dennis and the Witch Doctor" is one of my least favorite episodes, not necessarily because of the content but because it's the first episode without both George and Martha (not counting the several first-season episodes that did not include either of them). Martha is referred to briefly early on and George isn't mentioned even once.
Nothing personal against Gale Gordon because the fourth season has its moments, but while "The Man Next Door" was the end of the George Wilson era of the show, "Community Picnic" is in some ways the real end of that era (some might say the series) because that is Sylvia Field's final episode and the last one in a series that pays some homage to Joseph Kearns' memory.

Your commentary got me to thinking about how they handled Kearns' death on the show. The "out of town" or "back East" excuse is pretty lame. What were their other options, keeping in mind that it's possible CBS mandated how it was handled?

1. They could have had Henry and George on a fishing trip or something, and they were wading in some rushing water. George fell in, and Henry tried to rescue him but wasn't able to; all of this related via Henry, to Martha and Alice. This could have resulted in a non-sitcom style discussion with Dennis about the whole subject of death. It also might have allowed the actors to grieve. They could have included an In Memoriam slide before the credits. Admittedly, this is a bit much to think could happen in 1962.

2. They could have recast the George Wilson character.

3. They could have elected to end the series or season after the last Kearns episode was aired, and included the above-mentioned slide. Some of the unused scripts could have been used in the following season.

4. Handle it as they did but acknowledge Kearns' death.

In any option they should have acknowledged Kearns' death in some way. I like some version of option one, where the character died in an accident, with acknowledgement that the actor also died.

I could see John as Georges cousin in some episodes which I believe would have been very funny but we will never see that and George was the absolute best for the show...

I've wondered before what a mythical episode that features George and Martha moving out with John and Eloise would have been like.
Your earlier post on how Joseph Kearns' death could have been handled definitely was thought provoking. Personally, I think they handled it correctly, although the options were limited. I wasn't born until 1978, but just from my experience, I don't think an episode out and out stating George had suddenly died would have flown. It would have been a dark episode of a lighthearted sitcom, and I don't think death was directly referred to in that kind of fashion on television in those days.
Whether they had a slide saying "Joseph Kearns, 1907-1962" at the end of an episode, which I think should have been done, I have no idea. I doubt it, but if it was done, it didn't stick around to be included with the episode in syndication.
For me, the fact that George was referred to for every episode but one the rest of that third season, not to mention a few times in the fourth season, was enough given that viewers almost certainly knew the real story. It was the show's way of keeping him around until Gale Gordon was a fixture, although IMO, the show could have ended after that season.
I think it would have ended after four regardless even if Joseph Kearns had lived.

Joe Kearns was so convincing as George Wilson they could never substitute another actor to play him so brought in John Wilson. Like Dick York was hands down the better Darrin Stevens.

The only reason I liked DTM was because of the relationship between Jay and Joe. Joe was perfectly crotchety.

George Wilson!

We agree again. Especially as I’m watching eps on the Antenna Marathon, Gale Gordon, great actor though he was, can’t hold a candle to Joseph Kearns—at least regarding this role.

Well, I do have to revise my response a bit. There was a very sweet episode where John Wilson hugs Dennis, only to have cake accidentally mushed into his shirt. At first he gets annoyed, but then ends up laughing. This scene, and others, make me realize what a great character actor Gale Gordon was.


Even thoughI still prefer Josepn Kearns, Gale Gordon does hold a candle. But Joseph came first, so that’s the tiebreaker for me. At the end of the day, Joseph Kearns will be “Mr.Wilson” to me.

Definitely Joseph Kearns. He and Jay had way better chemistry. There's no better Mr. Wilson than him. I know many love Gale Gordon but I'm not a huge fan. I've seen him on The Lucy Show and I don't think he's the best actor. His acting seems forced or something.

The first three seasons were the best with Joseph Kearns and not only that. I think one of the biggest reason this show is so popular was because of Dennis' youth and because of his age, he was always causing trouble and that's what made the show funny. At the same time Gale Gordon joined the cast officially in Season 4 (I don't think he was actually cast in Season 3 after Joseph died but more like a guest, I guess), Dennis was maturing because Jay was getting older. The younger Dennis was just a little boy who caused trouble, wanted to run around and play and be with boys and not girls. He was never nice to Margaret. As Dennis got older, he started maturing, did away with his slingshot and overalls and started taking an interest in girls and was being nicer to Margaret. Everyone loved a little boy who caused trouble in a funny way, a boy who liked to bother other people, especially his next door neighbor and who was too young to take an interest in girls and his regular wardrobe every episode was classic. As Season 4 rolled around, Jay got older and so they couldn't make Dennis exactly as he used to be and the same fun and chemistry we saw was gone with Dennis' maturity and the sudden death of Joseph Kearns.

Yes, the fact that Jay was growing up is definitely a factor. The writers and producers recognized this, and thus the slingshot and baggy overalls exited, and the cowlick was less pronounced. Fewer blunders and more wisecracks from the younger kid, Seymour. And Dennis is 10 now and is waking up to girls, as shown in the first episode of season 4, where he really likes the Oriental girl. Comic strip Dennis never grows--he's always around 5--but real kids do.

They could have opted to just use Gordon as George, but I think it was wiser to cast him as a new character. So, out with Sylvia Field. Such is the life of an actor.

You can't stop puberty.

stevea states:

"Yes, the fact that Jay was growing up is definitely a factor. The writers and producers recognized this, and thus the slingshot and baggy overalls exited, and the cowlick was less pronounced. Fewer blunders and more wisecracks from the younger kid, Seymour. And Dennis is 10 now and is waking up to girls, as shown in the first episode of season 4, where he really likes the Oriental girl. Comic strip Dennis never grows--he's always around 5--but real kids do.

They could have opted to just use Gordon as George, but I think it was wiser to cast him as a new character. So, out with Sylvia Field. Such is the life of an actor".

king of comedy states:

"You can't stop puberty".

When these two comments are put together, doesn't it bring one to the conclusion that for the good and survival of the series the part of Dennis should have been recast for season 4. There is no secret sauce here, "The Menace" was the key component that made the show "Dennis The Menace" work. Viewers were tuning in to see that character raise hell interacting with the world around him and especially interacting with Mr. Wilson. So Dennis being a menace was critical, redesigning that character to fit the maturing actor playing him changed the founding concept of the series. If the essence of Dennis The Menace isn't fully there then nothing else really matters and that includes who played Mr. Wilson.

The producers recognized the need to make changes they just zigged when they should have zagged.

While the episodes with Joseph Kearns were the best, Gale Gordon did a fine job under difficult circumstances. And Gordon was better in this show than he was on the various Lucy shows, where he frequently was over the top.

stevea states:

"Yes, the fact that Jay was growing up is definitely a factor. The writers and producers recognized this, and thus the slingshot and baggy overalls exited, and the cowlick was less pronounced. Fewer blunders and more wisecracks from the younger kid, Seymour. And Dennis is 10 now and is waking up to girls, as shown in the first episode of season 4, where he really likes the Oriental girl. Comic strip Dennis never grows--he's always around 5--but real kids do.

They could have opted to just use Gordon as George, but I think it was wiser to cast him as a new character. So, out with Sylvia Field. Such is the life of an actor".

king of comedy states:

"You can't stop puberty".

When these two comments are put together, doesn't it bring one to the conclusion that for the good and survival of the series the part of Dennis should have been recast for season 4. There is no secret sauce here, "The Menace" was the key component that made the show "Dennis The Menace" work. Viewers were tuning in to see that character raise hell interacting with the world around him and especially interacting with Mr. Wilson. So Dennis being a menace was critical, redesigning that character to fit the maturing actor playing him changed the founding concept of the series. If the essence of Dennis The Menace isn't fully there then nothing else really matters and that includes who played Mr. Wilson.

The producers recognized the need to make changes they just zigged when they should have zagged.

Thank goodness they did not take that approach. What an insult to the viewer that would have been to replace the central character and render the previous three seasons moot.
It stretched credulity enough that George Wilson suddenly went on a business trip and then, after being gone several weeks, he and Martha just up and decided to move from the town where they'd lived for who knows how long and were well-established.
In the process, they sold the house to his brother who sometimes acted as if he and Eloise never even visited the house prior to John's coming to stay with Martha and then Eloise joining him some weeks later.
That is realistic enough on its own, I suppose, but it was a far better move in comparison to, in essence, rebooting the series. Had that been the case, Jay North, Joseph Kearns and Sylvia Field would have been erased entirely, not to mention Tommy and Margaret who almost would have had to leave considering they were around Jay North's age.
I mean, there's a fair amount about the end of the third season and the entire fourth season that I don't like, largely that George and Martha were pretty much forgotten after the first several episodes. But considering what everyone involved with the show faced, they handled themselves well. The only thing I'd change would be the occasional implications that John and Eloise had been around for longer than they were, and keep in mind that George and Martha had been there first.

Thank goodness they did not take that approach. What an insult to the viewer that would have been to replace the central character and render the previous three seasons moot.
It stretched credulity enough that George Wilson suddenly went on a business trip and then, after being gone several weeks, he and Martha just up and decided to move from the town where they'd lived for who knows how long and were well-established.
In the process, they sold the house to his brother who sometimes acted as if he and Eloise never even visited the house prior to John's coming to stay with Martha and then Eloise joining him some weeks later.
That is realistic enough on its own, I suppose, but it was a far better move in comparison to, in essence, rebooting the series. Had that been the case, Jay North, Joseph Kearns and Sylvia Field would have been erased entirely, not to mention Tommy and Margaret who almost would have had to leave considering they were around Jay North's age.
I mean, there's a fair amount about the end of the third season and the entire fourth season that I don't like, largely that George and Martha were pretty much forgotten after the first several episodes. But considering what everyone involved with the show faced, they handled themselves well. The only thing I'd change would be the occasional implications that John and Eloise had been around for longer than they were, and keep in mind that George and Martha had been there first.

"What an insult to the viewer that would have been"

The viewer was insulted that's the reason so many stopped watching resulting in the show's cancellation!

The show was not Dennis, or Dennis Mitchell, or The Jay North show, it was Dennis THE MENACE that's why people were tuning in to begin with. If Jay could no longer play that role (again no fault of his own) then he had to be replaced. The producers had three choices, one, try to get another year out of North playing Dennis the Menace, two, replace Jay with a younger actor and stay true to the original premise, three, allow Dennis to grow older and tone his character down. The producers took the third choice, it didn't work, and the show was cancelled. Unlike shows like Leave It To Beaver, Father Knows Best or The Donna Reed Show which were built from the ground up, this series had a structure when it was handed to the producers and writers, Dennis The Menace wasn't conceived in a manner or structure that works with an older Dennis. Simply put, the older Dennis wasn't as funny or interesting as the younger Dennis.

I agree with much of what you said, especially the last line. The fourth season wasn't great for that reason combined with no Joseph Kearns. Even if Kearns still had been healthy, I don't think the show would have gone past that fourth season.
It probably could have ended after three seasons and people would have been fine with that, especially after Joseph Kearns died. Those final episodes of the third season, other than "Dennis and the Witch Doctor," would have been suitable to end the series.

Actually, realistically speaking if some producers out there wanted more Dennis shows the best way to do that would just allow the original show die either the way it did or after the 3rd season. And THEN a few years later they could then bring the series back "retooled", as they say, with a whole new cast and in color too. This way people wouldn't be angry the show ignored George Wilson and would have looked on the new Dennis as a whole new series with a new George and a new everyone else.

Actually, realistically speaking if some producers out there wanted more Dennis shows the best way to do that would just allow the original show die either the way it did or after the 3rd season. And THEN a few years later they could then bring the series back "retooled", as they say, with a whole new cast and in color too. This way people wouldn't be angry the show ignored George Wilson and would have looked on the new Dennis as a whole new series with a new George and a new everyone else.

Not a bad idea. Would have been interesting to watch a new rendition had one actually rolled out.

Actually, realistically speaking if some producers out there wanted more Dennis shows the best way to do that would just allow the original show die either the way it did or after the 3rd season. And THEN a few years later they could then bring the series back "retooled", as they say, with a whole new cast and in color too. This way people wouldn't be angry the show ignored George Wilson and would have looked on the new Dennis as a whole new series with a new George and a new everyone else.

It would have been difficult for the production company to give up that spot in the CBS line-up and hope to get it back in the future. That said, something like that might have worked. My Favorite Martian ran for 3 seasons, followed by It's About Time for an additional season before CBS returned that timeslot to another child led series, Gentle Ben. A Dennis The Menace reboot would have been a much better option than a boy and his 1,200 pound Bear.