I've never understood the hate for Billy Connolly's character on the show. I was recently watching season 5 and was enjoying it. I especially liked his debut episode on the series. Yeah I get that he's no Howard Hesseman in terms of acting. He was still able to teach the kids valuable life lessons in his own unique way.

With that I'm curious as to why Billy wasn't really accepted after Hesseman left the show.

I think it was a combination of "He's not Mr. Moore!" (people liked him, and his unique interactions/advising of the students), along with the fact there had been such a shake-up in the roster of students in the class.

Yeah I get the student shake up and that original cast members left. You can't stay in high school forever though. It's still no reason to not give Billy a chance. I ended up watching all of season 5 since I wrote that before. I found some episodes were better than the Hesseman years ones. I know I'll catch heat for that comment.

Because Billy is to Beverly Ann as Head of the Class is to The Facts of Life: they were intended to "replace" the original mentor, but no-one wanted them, no-one asked for them, and they couldn't hold a candle to the original. The show was quickly cancelled.

Because Billy is to Beverly Ann as Head of the Class is to The Facts of Life: they were intended to "replace" the original mentor, but no-one wanted them, no-one asked for them, and they couldn't hold a candle to the original. The show was quickly cancelled.

But I'd watch Beverly Ann over Billy any day!

But I'd watch Beverly Ann over Billy any day!

That is a testament to Cloris Leachman, who did the best with the storylines she was given. But even then, I think even the FOL writers realized how useless Beverly Ann was: at several points, she talks about how useless and unwanted she is, as if the writers realized it themselves.

Billy Connolly doesn't get any respect even from Sitcoms Online. Billy, the spinoff show, is absent from the 90s sitcom subforum. Although I'm not sure Johnny Galecki would really mind that as he might very well be happy if that show was forever lost to the dustbin of history.

Billy Connolly doesn't get any respect even from Sitcoms Online. Billy, the spinoff show, is absent from the 90s sitcom subforum. Although I'm not sure Johnny Galecki would really mind that as he might very well be happy if that show was forever lost to the dustbin of history.

I Googled the show, and I see the reason it's not on the 90s Sitcoms sub-forum is because there were only 13 episodes. Such short-lived series are relegated to the sub-forum "Spin-Offs and One-Year Wonders (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=163)".