There are shows that became popular and reshaped the TV landscape and there are shows that became popular and we're forgotten shortly after.

These shows didn't really do anything new or different and it didn't lead a generation of copycats. They were just well oiled machines that brought in huge numbers though.

What are some examples of each?

Interesting topic.

First one that comes to mind is Alice, followed by Wings.

Both shows seemed to be on forever, but no one cared.

I'm sure there are other obvious examples that I can't recall ATM.

Family Ties comes to mind. Was one of the biggest shows in the 80s but for whatever reason it hasn't aged well at all.

You see more Brady Bunch reruns than Family Ties! Audiences today just don't care for Family Ties today for some reason.

Family Ties comes to mind. Was one of the biggest shows in the 80s but for whatever reason it hasn't aged well at all.

You see more Brady Bunch reruns than Family Ties! Audiences today just don't care for Family Ties today for some reason.

Family Ties was a boring, quiet, slow-paced show that was more drama than comedy. Not good escapism like a sitcom should be.

I think Home Improvement qualifies as one of those shows. Didn’t spawn copycats or become part of the cultural zeitgeist, but got big ratings when it was on.

You see more Brady Bunch reruns than Family Ties! Audiences today just don't care for Family Ties today for some reason.

Unfortunately, The Brady Bunch reruns air on only Sundays on METV. Family Ties reruns air every late evening and Saturday afternoon on AntennaTV in my area.

I was an early to mid 1980’s teenager (graduated high school in 1985) and everyone in our high school watched Family Ties. I would say mostly white, suburban middle to upper middle class teenagers of that era all watched Family Ties. I watched it to lust after Justine Bateman..

Family Ties was a big deal, in 1984. 35 years later, the show is all but forgotten except for people of my generation. No one except for Michael Fox did anything after that show was over.

I dare say that almost no channel shows Family Ties even though it was on for years.

Does Becker qualify? Popular back in its day; now it's barely on any channel besides AntennaTV. Also, I don't see or know which other sitcom has bitter, enraged doctor as the lead.

What about Growing Pains and Everybody Loves Raymond? Popular shows, but they are either slowly forgotten or just mere family sitcoms (probably still funny) that do not result in their own copycats but are just results of other predecessors.

I was an early to mid 1980’s kid (graduated high school on 1985) and everyone in our high school watched Family Ties. I would say mostly white, suburban middle to upper middle class teenagers of that era all watched Family Ties. I watched it to lust after Justine Bateman..

Family Ties was a big deal, in 1984. 35 years later, the show is all but forgotten except for people of my generation. No one except for Michael Fox did anything after that show was over.

I dare say that almost no channel shows Family Ties even though it was on for years.

Exactly my thoughts! It was great for its time but now it has practically NO appeal. That's rather strange because most episodes aren't dated or they involve some type of moral lesson that could be applied to any era.

I also don't see Family Ties anywhere. Amazing that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease only a YEAR after Family Ties ended! What on earth happened to Justine Bateman??

She was cute in the early years of the show but progressively got worse looking. Now she looks horrific! She looks around 20 years older than her age! Something really looks wrong there!

Does Becker qualify? Popular back in its day; now it's barely on any channel besides AntennaTV. Also, I don't see or know which other sitcom has bitter, enraged doctor as the lead.

What about Growing Pains and Everybody Loves Raymond? Popular shows, but they are either slowly forgotten or just mere family sitcoms (probably still funny) that do not result in their own copycats but are just results of other predecessors.

LOL..I've never even heard of Becker eventhough I grew up in the 80s. I thought of tennis player Boris Becker! :lol:

You thought Growing Pains had a major cultural impact?? I don't see it since that show was popular mostly because Kirk Cameron was supposedly a heartthrob.

Never seen Everyone Loves Raymond either.

You thought Growing Pains had a major cultural impact?? I don't see it since that show was popular mostly because Kirk Cameron was supposedly a heartthrob.

Oops... I meant "caused by other predecessors" or "resulted from other predecessors"

I do agree with Home Improvement not getting much cultural impact over the years...I'd also like to add The Facts of Life since though it brought-in a big splash in the 80's...it fell through the cracks in the 90's.

I also feel that other shows before I was born is starting to get that concept as well....

Some TV sitcoms just go on for years and years under the radar. They are just popular enough in their time slot to be renewed, but people just casually watched these shows and we’re not huge fans, it was just better than something else that was on at that time. Or a show just follows another more popular show and just rides that wave for several years.

Some examples are Alice, According to Jim, Becker, Wings. Shows that had a following much not much value in syndication.

1980s--Mr. Belvedere, Head of the Class, The Wonder Years, and Too Close for Comfort. All popular shows, but never really rocked the boat.

1990s--Drew Carey Show, Northern Exposure, Malcolm in the Middle, Wings, and Third Rock from the Sun. Ditto.

1980s--Mr. Belvedere, Head of the Class, The Wonder Years, and Too Close for Comfort. All popular shows, but never really rocked the boat.

1990s--Drew Carey Show, Northern Exposure, Malcolm in the Middle, Wings, and Third Rock from the Sun. Ditto.

I love Too Close as it's one of my favorite shows. I challenge any of you watch the first 3 seasons of Too Close because it's just as good or better than ANY sitcom in history!

But I agree it hasn't had any cultural impact. The LOGO channel showed reruns for over a year and they just stopped last year. After a break they'll probably start it again.

Wonder Years, Drew Carey, & Belvedere were all pretty popular when they ran but now no one cares.

I do agree with Home Improvement not getting much cultural impact over the years...I'd also like to add The Facts of Life since though it brought-in a big splash in the 80's...it fell through the cracks in the 90's.

I also feel that other shows before I was born is starting to get that concept as well....

Facts of Life has been on reruns a lot on Me TV or LOGO. That's a nostalgic show but it was never very funny except for maybe a few episodes.

I do agree with Home Improvement not getting much cultural impact over the years...I'd also like to add The Facts of Life since though it brought-in a big splash in the 80's...it fell through the cracks in the 90's.

I also feel that other shows before I was born is starting to get that concept as well....

Home Improvement was probably "too broad" to make a real lasting impact when compared to other sitcoms of that period like Roseanne, Seinfeld, and Friends.

Exactly my thoughts! It was great for its time but now it has practically NO appeal. That's rather strange because most episodes aren't dated or they involve some type of moral lesson that could be applied to any era.

I also don't see Family Ties anywhere. Amazing that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease only a YEAR after Family Ties ended! What on earth happened to Justine Bateman??

She was cute in the early years of the show but progressively got worse looking. Now she looks horrific! She looks around 20 years older than her age! Something really looks wrong there!

The last time that I was aware of Family Ties being on TV somewhere was when the Up channel aired it. I think that you're on to something, in that Family Ties probably hasn't aged too well or was a product of its time to put things more kindly. It more or less, followed the same pattern (https://theaxisofego.com/2011/12/22/awkward-moments-in-entertainment-history-the-worst-sitcom-joke-ever/) that Norman Lear's shows from the 1970s in that it had to tackle any and every tough issue and topic.

I do agree that Justine Bateman (https://www.datalounge.com/thread/22240881-justine-bateman-looks-really-old) during her Family Ties years, was a cute, wholesome looking girl:
https://starcrush.com/files/2013/05/Justine-Bateman-Family-Ties1.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/49/3c/49493cbb4f1dd3dd2ae1a8d5e4c67618.gif

She kind of reminds me of Daphne Zuniga, who incidentally had a recurring role in I think Season 2:
https://i.pinimg.com/236x/e4/ef/e3/e4efe35a939c9aaa4d46db5fffc64c2d.jpg

It wouldn't surprise me if Justine has been dealing with drugs, stress or some type of illness that would cause her to look so worn down now.

That article addressed another show that didn’t have a broad cultural impact: Two and a Half Men. Ran forever with huge ratings, but honestly has anyone given it a moment’s thought since it ended?

I was an early to mid 1980’s kid (graduated high school on 1985) and everyone in our high school watched Family Ties. I would say mostly white, suburban middle to upper middle class teenagers of that era all watched Family Ties. I watched it to lust after Justine Bateman..

Family Ties was a big deal, in 1984. 35 years later, the show is all but forgotten except for people of my generation. No one except for Michael Fox did anything after that show was over.

I dare say that almost no channel shows Family Ties even though it was on for years.

I suspect that one reason why Family Ties isn't really thought about anymore outside of those people who were old enough to remember watching it during its initial run is because Michael J. Fox (the show's big breakout star) is arguably not really known to younger people who weren't around back then. I think that people tend to forget how big of a star Michael J. Fox was back in the '80s.

And yet, outside of Back to the Future (at least the first one) and maybe to a certain extent, Teen Wolf and The Secret of My Success, none of the other things that Fox did are really considered classics or even remembered by most of society today. It didn't help that his attempts at drama in Light of Day, Bright Lights, Big City. and Casualties of War were met mostly with indifference. Of course, Parkinson's disease would ultimately derail his career but Fox would've likely been limited anyway due to his boyish looks.

I suspect that one reason why Family Ties isn't really thought about anymore outside of those people who were old enough to remember watching it during its initial run is because Michael J. Fox (the show's big breakout star) is arguably not really known to younger people who weren't around back then. I think that people tend to forget how big of a star Michael J. Fox was back in the '80s.

And yet, outside of Back to the Future (at least the first one) and maybe to a certain extent, Teen Wolf and The Secret of My Success, none of the other things that Fox did are really considered classics or even remembered by most of society today. It didn't help that his attempts at drama in Light of Day, Bright Lights, Big City. and Casualties of War were met mostly with indifference. Of course, Parkinson's disease would ultimately derail his career but Fox would've likely been limited anyway due to his boyish looks.

But the Brady Bunch has had a big cultural impact on America and is still on reruns yet none of their stars did anything notable after the Brady Bunch except Florence Henderson but even she never had a big hit or anything.

There is just something about Family Ties that hasn't connected with future viewers like the Brady Bunch has. One thing about the lighting in Family Ties is you could always tell it was shot in a studio and never felt like a real house. Sometimes it almost felt like the lighting was TOO dark.

On the other hand the Brady Bunch had better lightning and looked more like a real house. They also showed the outside of the Brady house but NEVER showed the outside of the Keaton house. I know lighting may seem minor but every little thing adds up especially to people who never saw its original run.

I do agree with Home Improvement not getting much cultural impact over the years...I'd also like to add The Facts of Life since though it brought-in a big splash in the 80's...it fell through the cracks in the 90's.


The Facts of Life definitely doesn't belong on the list. It had a very long syndication life and aired in syndication in the 2000s (it's still occasionally seen in syndication), there are still many pop culture references to it in the media, and you can even purchase Facts of Life merchandise to this day.

Compare this to a show that truly belongs on the list, like Head of the Class.

It wouldn't surprise me if Justine has been dealing with drugs, stress or some type of illness that would cause her to look so worn down now.

The rumor is crystal meth. Not sure it's true, though, and I hate to see someone judged for her looks.

The Facts of Life definitely doesn't belong on the list. It had a very long syndication life and aired in syndication in the 2000s (it's still occasionally seen in syndication), there are still many pop culture references to it in the media, and you can even purchase Facts of Life merchandise to this day.

Compare this to a show that truly belongs on the list, like Head of the Class.

I haven't seen much FOL merchandise besides DVDs...it would be cool to get a sepia-tone pic from that show as well as a t-shirt...they should sell the Eastland shirts and uniforms.

But the Brady Bunch has had a big cultural impact on America and is still on reruns yet none of their stars did anything notable after the Brady Bunch except Florence Henderson but even she never had a big hit or anything.

There is just something about Family Ties that hasn't connected with future viewers like the Brady Bunch has. One thing about the lighting in Family Ties is you could always tell it was shot in a studio and never felt like a real house. Sometimes it almost felt like the lighting was TOO dark.

On the other hand the Brady Bunch had better lightning and looked more like a real house. They also showed the outside of the Brady house but NEVER showed the outside of the Keaton house. I know lighting may seem minor but every little thing adds up especially to people who never saw its original run.

It's a good point that the Family Times home did seem dark. On the other hand, Brady Bunch and more peer shows from its time (Golden Girls and Full House) seemed very bright.

I thought of Family Ties being more clever and intelligent. While Brady Bunch, The Golden Girls and Full House are a bit more feel good but cheesy. The latter wins.

I also think Family Ties was inconsistent in quality. It was definitely better in the beginning and I felt disappointed with the writers adding a new family member then age advancing the kid (Andy). Of course, kids grow up, yet it seems sitcom writers often don't know how to deal with the growing up of the existing kids, in this case the youngest one was played by Tina Yothers. Maybe she grew up too fast.

Many years later, the star and appeal of the show is largely on Michael J Fox (Alex) and his scenes, not Justine Bateman. It's more a side note that she is sister to Jason Bateman. Unfortunately, Michael J. Fox' parkinsons might have not helped him become knowable to generations that were born after the 80's and in the '90s. His success on Back to the Future eclipsed Family Ties although most know him from both. He has starred in dramas more recently (albeit more guest roles), including The Good Wife, and NBC tried a sitcom more recently but cancelled it.

I re-watched the very last episode of Family Ties on CBS All Access just yesterday and I thought that Family Ties could actually be re-done as a Broadway play but obviously for a niche audience. That final episode had some dramatic mother/son scenes with Alex ready to move out of home for a Wall Street job. It's one of the few sitcoms (aside from maybe All in the Family) where political views are mentioned. Here, parents were liberals while Alex was a conservative, which can be re-adapted to today's time. But the strength lies on a strong lead, Alex. Michael J Fox fit that role in the tv series.

I have my doubts if those born in the 90s are really into M*A*S*H or All in the Family, or even Married With Children, even though those shows are on numerous times of day on cable. The oldest show with any appeal to them is likely just The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

I have my doubts if those born in the 90s are really into M*A*S*H or All in the Family, or even Married With Children, even though those shows are on numerous times of day on cable. The oldest show with any appeal to them is likely just The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

I'm afraid that is true...many people that were born in the 90's really never got the chance to watch classic TV. They want remakes, sequels, and shows that last forever!

I was born in 1982 and I love classic TV Shows that were on before I was born. By the late-90's and now, TV wanted to make a quick buck so they remove the older syndicated shows and keep shows like The Simpsons on forever...they don't follow quality anymore....

The rumor is crystal meth. Not sure it's true, though, and I hate to see someone judged for her looks.

That's it! She looks like she was a meth addict. Just Google meth addict pics and they look pretty similar to Justine!

I kind of felt Michael J Fox, Jason Bateman, and Kirk Cameron had some commonality initially in popularity (and in the same way). Family sitcoms with them as the oldest brother, coolest kid in the family, where that attain some level of popularity.

There was a gap between Jason Bateman's Hogan Family years, and when he became popular again in Arrested Development (circa 2003) though, where MJ Fox became big in movies immediately after his Family Ties career, but Parkinsons likely stymied his career not long after. I think of Family Ties very closely coupled with Michael J Fox, and the strength of that show to MJ Fox's talent.

I enjoyed watching Wings in reruns. It's one of those shows that wasn't wildly successful but decent enough, and it had a good run. I'd say it's more watchable years later than a few more popular shows, and doesn't feel aged. A number of the actors (Tim Daly, Steven Weber, Thomas Haden Church) have been active in current television.

If it made money for NBC, I don't see the issue with the show. I think expecting every long lasting sitcom to have a cultural impact as well, is a pretty high bar.

The Facts of Life definitely doesn't belong on the list. It had a very long syndication life and aired in syndication in the 2000s (it's still occasionally seen in syndication), there are still many pop culture references to it in the media, and you can even purchase Facts of Life merchandise to this day.

Compare this to a show that truly belongs on the list, like Head of the Class.

Head of the Class was probably too high-brow of a show to make a lasting impact. Compare that to other shows with a high school setting roughly around that time period like Saved by the Bell or Boy Meets World. Also, outside of maybe, Robin Givens and Dan Schneider, none of the supporting cast members really went on to "bigger and better things". The polarizing (to say the least) last season, where Howard Hesseman left and was replaced by Billy Connolly as the teacher didn't help matters.

Does Becker qualify? Popular back in its day; now it's barely on any channel besides AntennaTV. Also, I don't see or know which other sitcom has bitter, enraged doctor as the lead.

What about Growing Pains and Everybody Loves Raymond? Popular shows, but they are either slowly forgotten or just mere family sitcoms (probably still funny) that do not result in their own copycats but are just results of other predecessors.

One argument that I've read is that Becker had an unpleasant, and grimy look (kind of like Taxi) and feel to it. And you couple that with a truly abrasive protagonist character. I think that to Becker's detriment, it was always going to be in the shadow of a much bigger sitcom that Ted Danson was in. Basically, if Becker is on, you're probably thinking "Hey, you know what I'd really like to see? Cheers!"

Why wasn't BECKER a bigger hit? (http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-wasnt-becker-bigger-hit_19.html)

Why was Becker underrated? (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=195251)

As for why Growing Pains is pretty much forgotten now, a lot of it may have to do with Kirk Cameron. Like Michael J. Fox with Family Ties, Kirk Cameron was the breakout star of its rival show (if you want to call it that) over at ABC. But as everybody knows, Kirk Cameron became extremely difficult to work with behind the scenes upon undergoing a religious reawakening around the fifth season. The notion that Kirk Cameron was an uncompromising, judgmental, sanctimonious, holier than thou brat really soured people's memories of the show. Another problem when revisiting Growing Pains is Tracey Gold's eating disorder and all of the cruel "fat jokes" that were directed at her expense.

I haven't seen much FOL merchandise besides DVDs...it would be cool to get a sepia-tone pic from that show as well as a t-shirt...they should sell the Eastland shirts and uniforms.

You can't get official Eastland uniforms, but you can definitely get Eastland t-shirts (https://www.etsy.com/listing/684723869/facts-of-life-inspired-t-shirt-school?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=facts+of+life&ref=sr_gallery-1-5&referring_page_type=market), school patches (https://www.etsy.com/listing/207339794/facts-of-life-eastland-school-patch?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=facts+of+life&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&referring_page_type=market), lapel buttons (https://www.etsy.com/listing/400867709/your-choice-the-facts-of-life-tv-show?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=facts+of+life&ref=sr_gallery-1-30&referring_page_type=market&cns=1), hoodies (https://www.teepublic.com/kids-hoodie/1963508-eastland-school-for-girls), FOL t-shirts (https://www.redbubble.com/people/dcdesign/works/25085276-the-facts-of-life?cat_context=all-departments&grid_pos=10&p=t-shirt&rbs=1380847c-6119-43b2-876f-3e05d64c2a05&ref=shop_grid&style=mens&searchTerm=the%20facts%20of%20life), and of course several sellers sell copies of the original scripts (I own about 20).

However, my collection won't be complete until I have a commemorative plate illustrating Molly Ringwald eating cinnamon buns, an umbrella with Felice Schachter on it, a Julie Piekarski roach clip, and a Julie Anne Haddock jump-rope. The quest for these items continues!

Head of the Class was probably too high-brow of a show to make a lasting impact. Compare that to other shows with a high school setting roughly around that time period like Saved by the Bell or Boy Meets World. Also, outside of maybe, Robin Givens and Dan Schneider, none of the supporting cast members really went on to "bigger and better things". The polarizing (to say the least) last season, where Howard Hessmann left and was replaced by Billy Connolly as the teacher didn't help matters.

The final season of HOTC sucked, and Hesseman's exit proved his chemistry with the kids was a huge part of what made the show work.

I never understood why Khrystyne Haje never became a big name. After HOTC, she only occasionally did guest spots and commercials for Extra sugar-free gum.

But the Brady Bunch has had a big cultural impact on America and is still on reruns yet none of their stars did anything notable after the Brady Bunch except Florence Henderson but even she never had a big hit or anything.

There is just something about Family Ties that hasn't connected with future viewers like the Brady Bunch has. One thing about the lighting in Family Ties is you could always tell it was shot in a studio and never felt like a real house. Sometimes it almost felt like the lighting was TOO dark.

On the other hand the Brady Bunch had better lightning and looked more like a real house. They also showed the outside of the Brady house but NEVER showed the outside of the Keaton house. I know lighting may seem minor but every little thing adds up especially to people who never saw its original run.

I suspect that another factor working against Family Ties is that it was very much an '80s time capsule. What I mean is that it's probably harder to relate to or have any affinity towards preppy Alex Keaton's Ronald Reagan worship and his aging hippie parents. What also arguably didn't help was the in the latter seasons (once Andrew arrived, Jennifer got older and Nick and Lauren arrived) the quality became more inconsistent.

Golden Girls was from the 80s and it hasn't aged. Then, there is Full House although most of it's run is in the 90s.

Even if the '80s didn't have many sitcoms with long lasting impact, it makes up in fashion and music!

I suspect that another factor working against Family Ties is that it was very much an '80s time capsule. What I mean is that it's probably harder to relate to or have any affinity towards preppy Alex Keaton's Ronald Reagan worship and his aging hippie parents. What also arguably didn't help was the in the latter seasons (once Andrew arrived, Jennifer got older and Nick and Lauren arrived) the quality became more inconsistent.

It also hasn't helped that NONE of the actors from Family Ties even act anymore except maybe in obscure things as a guest role. I'm not saying that's required to have a successful rerun but it could help.

Look at Full House. They have actors who are still in the public eye to some extent.

But the Brady Bunch has had a big cultural impact on America and is still on reruns yet none of their stars did anything notable after the Brady Bunch except Florence Henderson but even she never had a big hit or anything.

There is just something about Family Ties that hasn't connected with future viewers like the Brady Bunch has. One thing about the lighting in Family Ties is you could always tell it was shot in a studio and never felt like a real house. Sometimes it almost felt like the lighting was TOO dark.

On the other hand the Brady Bunch had better lightning and looked more like a real house. They also showed the outside of the Brady house but NEVER showed the outside of the Keaton house. I know lighting may seem minor but every little thing adds up especially to people who never saw its original run.

What really help keep The Brady Bunch in the public eye for future generations is the numerous revivals/spin-offs/reunion specials (The Brady Kids/The Brady Bunch Variety Hour/The Brady Girls Get Married/The Brady Brides/A Very Brady Christmas/The Bradys). Family Ties never really had any spin-offs (unless you count Day by Day (http://www.poobala.com/dayandfamily.html) and The Art of Being Nick (https://dinosaurdracula.com/blog/the-art-of-being-nick/)), revivals or reunion specials. When Family Ties went off the air in May 1989, that was pretty much it. Also, Family Ties when compared to The Brady Bunch doesn't really have that many stand-out moments that have lived on in popular culture like Marcia getting hit in the nose by an errant football, Greg's Johnny Bravo alter-ego, Jan's fictional boyfriend George Glass, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!", and the Hawaii episodes.

I think Home Improvement qualifies as one of those shows. Didn’t spawn copycats or become part of the cultural zeitgeist, but got big ratings when it was on.

This has been addressed elsewhere (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=353548), so I don't want to really repeat what has already been said. Part of the reason I believe that Home Improvement has faded from the cultural zeitgeist (if you want to call it that) is because Tim Allen's style of comedy, his boorish, politically incorrect "manly man" (https://www.vulture.com/2013/06/the-upside-to-tim-allens-manly-man-brand-of-comedy.html) persona, and his regressive shtick hasn't aged well (https://www.looper.com/36421/hollywood-wont-cast-tim-allen-anymore/).

Also, Home Improvement likely suffers from the notion that outside of Tim Allen of course, hardly any of the cast really went on to other high profile stuff to help keep the show into the public's consciousness. I mean, I'm kind of surprised that Patricia Richardson didn't parlay her Home Improvement success into another major sitcom (a la what Patricia Heaton was able to do when she went from also playing the wife of a stand-up comedian on Everybody Loves Raymond, to her own long running show in The Middle). And Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who was the big teen heartthrob and was looked at as the show's young breakout star (and the one out of the three Taylor kids who was believed to have the most post-HI success) kind of fell off the face of the earth after the '90s ended.

I suspect that his subsequent sitcom Last Man Standing (https://tv.avclub.com/last-man-standing-s-second-season-was-the-weirdest-sitc-1798237223), will inevitably fade for its own reasons (https://slate.com/culture/2011/12/tim-allens-last-man-standing-defending-the-last-sad-man-sitcom.html): Too many cast changes (two of Allen's three daughters have been recast), bound to be dated, heavy handed political (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-tim-allens-last-man-859204) commentary (going from a from show that may have had a decidedly conservative viewpoint in its first season to being the ONLY thing (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/9jxm4s/last_man_standing_ratings_surprise_fox_revival/e6vnxr1/) they did), mostly appeals to an older (https://www.adweek.com/tv-video/how-fox-is-trying-to-get-last-man-standings-abc-audience-to-the-shows-new-home/) demographic

What really help keep The Brady Bunch in the public eye for future generations is the numerous revivals/spin-offs/reunion specials (The Brady Kids/The Brady Bunch Variety Hour/The Brady Girls Get Married/The Brady Brides/A Very Brady Christmas/The Bradys). Family Ties never really had any spin-offs (unless you count Day by Day (http://www.poobala.com/dayandfamily.html) and The Art of Being Nick (https://dinosaurdracula.com/blog/the-art-of-being-nick/)), revivals or reunion specials. When Family Ties went off the air in May 1989, that was pretty much it. Also, Family Ties when compared to The Brady Bunch doesn't really have that many stand-out moments that have lived on in popular culture like Marcia getting hit in the nose by an errant football, Greg's Johnny Bravo alter-ego, Jan's fictional boyfriend George Glass, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!", and the Hawaii episodes.

Good point. I posted earlier how I actually asked Gary David Goldberg in 2008 on KMOX radio why they never had a reunion?? He said they never saw any need to have one. To help the show's legacy they could've had just one reunion movie or special.

What's kinda sickening is the actors THEMSELVES don't seem to care that much for this show. I think it was Michael Gross who said (after the show ended) that the Keatons should die in a plane crash! Obviously he didn't want anything to do with them any more! The rest of the cast don't exactly seem in love with the show either.

But I don't get the comparison to the Brady Bunch?? They came from TWO different families but this is just one family of full blooded relatives unlike the Brady Bunch.

Good point. I posted earlier how I actually asked Gary David Goldberg in 2008 on KMOX radio why they never had a reunion?? He said they never saw any need to have one. To help the show's legacy they could've had just one reunion movie or special.

What's kinda sickening is the actors THEMSELVES don't seem to care that much for this show. I think it was Michael Gross who said (after the show ended) that the Keatons should die in a plane crash! Obviously he didn't want anything to do with them any more! The rest of the cast don't exactly seem in love with the show either.

But I don't get the comparison to the Brady Bunch?? They came from TWO different families but this is just one family of full blooded relatives unlike the Brady Bunch.

I think that it goes back to an earlier remark in that how come The Brady Bunch is still able to resonant with younger generations (and still have a lasting foothold in popular culture) while Family Ties, which came roughly a decade later (and was a bigger hit during its initial run than The Brady Bunch was and produced a for a time, genuine A-list star in Michael J. Fox) has seemingly faded from general memory.

It also hasn't helped that NONE of the actors from Family Ties even act anymore except maybe in obscure things as a guest role. I'm not saying that's required to have a successful rerun but it could help.

Look at Full House. They have actors who are still in the public eye to some extent.

Family Ties
1. Michael J Fox

vs.

Who's The Boss?
1. Tony Danza
2. Judith Light
3. Alyssa Milano

So WTB had more of its actors in the public eye afterwards and more recently, but WTB hasn't fared any better than Family Ties from the same time period.

Let’s be honest, most 80’s sitcoms weren’t very good. The edginess was missing from them after Three’s Company and didn’t really come back until Married With Children. What good sitcoms were on the air between 1983 and 1987?

Good point. I posted earlier how I actually asked Gary David Goldberg in 2008 on KMOX radio why they never had a reunion?? He said they never saw any need to have one. To help the show's legacy they could've had just one reunion movie or special.

What's kinda sickening is the actors THEMSELVES don't seem to care that much for this show. I think it was Michael Gross who said (after the show ended) that the Keatons should die in a plane crash! Obviously he didn't want anything to do with them any more! The rest of the cast don't exactly seem in love with the show either.

But I don't get the comparison to the Brady Bunch?? They came from TWO different families but this is just one family of full blooded relatives unlike the Brady Bunch.

They reunited in 2011 for a TV Land award. Tina Yothers and Justine Bateman are quite uninteresting and I remember one of them saying something like thanks for watching us grow up.

Anyways, M.J. Fox is the star and likely Michael Gross, Tina Yothers and Justine Bateman know they aren't. And, Michael J Fox went straight from Family Ties to Back to the Future and then getting Parkinsons. It's pretty atypical for reunion movies to happen anymore. The reboot concept is catching on though.

Let’s be honest, most 80’s sitcoms weren’t very good. The edginess was missing from them after Three’s Company and didn’t really come back until Married With Children. What good sitcoms were on the air between 1983 and 1987?

I liked the early seasons of WTB, Cosby Show and Family Ties, when the kids were young,and shows like 227.

The Golden Girls was from that time. It remains popular on cable (Hallmark and Viacom's channels) and is on Hulu.

Family Ties
1. Michael J Fox

vs.

Who's The Boss?
1. Tony Danza
2. Judith Light
3. Alyssa Milano

So WTB had more of its actors in the public eye afterwards and more recently, but WTB hasn't fared any better than Family Ties from the same time period.

Actually I've not heard of any of those actors currently except Milano who's a liberal CRYBABY!

But as I said being relevant today isn't required to be successful in reruns and is not a rule or anything. It's just one factor among many.

They reunited in 2011 for a TV Land award. Tina Yothers and Justine Bateman are quite uninteresting and I remember one of them saying something like thanks for watching us grow up.

Anyways, M.J. Fox is the star and likely Michael Gross, Tina Yothers and Justine Bateman know they aren't. And, Michael J Fox went straight from Family Ties to Back to the Future and then getting Parkinsons. It's pretty atypical for reunion movies to happen anymore. The reboot concept is catching on though.

Yeah, the cast worked great together on the show but after the show only Fox shined.

Let’s be honest, most 80’s sitcoms weren’t very good. The edginess was missing from them after Three’s Company and didn’t really come back until Married With Children. What good sitcoms were on the air between 1983 and 1987?

Too Close For Comfort was a great show eventhough it tailed off somewhat at the end. Even the legendary Mary Tyler Moore said Ted Knight was a one of a kind talent!

But ANY season of Too Close absolutely BLOWS AWAY any sitcom on today!

Actually I've not heard of any of those actors currently except Milano who's a liberal CRYBABY!


Look up Judith Light. She has been quite active, and has become a more respected actor (than just a sitcom actor).

Tony Danza, less so, but still around. Last involved in a Netflix series (The Good Cop) in 2018, although it was canceled.

Look up Judith Light. She has been quite active, and has become a more respected actor (than just a sitcom actor).

Tony Danza, less so, but still around. Last involved in a Netflix series (The Good Cop) in 2018, although it was canceled.

Of course I know who they are. I just haven't heard of them doing anything recently. You can't cite some dumb unheard of Netflix show that's been cancelled especially when MILLIONS of people don't even have Netflix like me!

This is debatable, but how about The Cosby Show? It was indisputably the biggest TV show of the '80s and yet very few famous episodes, catchphrases, or characters. While the show did do a lot for African-American representation, on an episode to episode basis, do most of us really know much about it compared with other older sitcoms? The Cosby Show pretty much soon devolved into an excuse for Bill Cosby to mug for Rudy and her young friends or stunt casting of some older musician for their name value rather than if they had any comedic skill. So you either saw Cosby doing improv making faces at the younger kids or him and the stunt casted star just sitting and having a conversation that would bring the show to a halt.

This is debatable, but how about The Cosby Show? It was indisputably the biggest TV show of the '80s and yet very few famous episodes, catchphrases, or characters. While the show did do a lot for African-American representation, on an episode to episode basis, do most of us really know much about it compared with other older sitcoms? The Cosby Show pretty much soon devolved into an excuse for Bill Cosby to mug for Rudy and her young friends or stunt casting of some older musician for their name value rather than if they had any comedic skill. So you either saw Cosby doing improv making faces at the younger kids or him and the stunt casted star just sitting and having a conversation that would bring the show to a halt.

You're joking right?? Indisputable??!? Not a CHANCE!

Although I don't agree with everything in the list below Cheers, Family Ties, Night Court, & The Golden Girls ALL beat the Cosby show!

https://m.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-80s-sitcoms

Three's Company, The Jeffersons, Too Close For Comfort, & Family Ties are all SO superior to the Cosby show its not even funny. Also the Cosby show is NOT funny as Bill Maher himself said. I mean you may laugh once in a while but you can say that about ANY sitcom!

You're joking right?? Indisputable??!? Not a CHANCE!

Although I don't agree with everything in the list below Cheers, Family Ties, Night Court, & The Golden Girls ALL beat the Cosby show!

https://m.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-80s-sitcoms

Three's Company, The Jeffersons, Too Close For Comfort, & Family Ties are all SO superior to the Cosby show its not even funny. Also the Cosby show is NOT funny as Bill Maher himself said. I mean you may laugh once in a while but you can say that about ANY sitcom!

I'm basing it on the Nielsen ratings (http://www.liketotally80s.com/2007/08/80s-tv-nielsen-ratings/), which shows that The Cosby Show (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-12-10-8604020309-story.html) was the #1 show in America five years straight (beginning in its second season in 1985).

I want to clarify something with respect to The Cosby Show, this series was by far the most important TV series of the 1980's. The show (like it or not, and I admit I wasn't a big fan) was not only rating smash, not only a series that dictated when the World Series would start, but for African Americans, it was the most important series up to that time, and maybe the most important series of all time. African American women spoke about Clair Huxtable like she was a real person. Blacks and whites alike took pride in that show, and the sense of family and commonality that it projected. As far as Bill Maher goes, when did he start saying the show wasn't funny, I guarantee it wasn't while the show was on.

The show relaunched the family sitcom, which had more or less disappeared with "The Brady Bunch". JSP mentioned "Married With Children", does anyone remember the show's first promo, "they're not the Cosby's, they're 'Married with Children".

It tops the list of shows that don't belong in the category of "Popular Shows With No Cultural Impact".

A Different World. That show drew big ratings for years only because it came on after the Cosby Show and it rode that shows coattails the whole time it. Most popular show ever that no one ever really watched. Today it’s completely forgotten, there’s a reason why it wasn’t mentioned yet in this thread, it’s that forgettable.

What about Step by Step? Popular among young demographics of its day. Lasted five seasons on ABC; moved to CBS for two more. I don't think one breakout character is sufficient enough to create a huge impact. Indeed, the show is nearly forgotten as of date and wouldn't receive newer fanbases.

A Different World. That show drew big ratings for years only because it came on after the Cosby Show and it rode that shows coattails the whole time it. Most popular show ever that no one ever really watched. Today it’s completely forgotten, there’s a reason why it wasn’t mentioned yet in this thread, it’s that forgettable.

I only recently found out that show was about HBCUs. Even today a fairly significant portion of the population doesn't even know what an HBCU is.

If there is one ultimate choice for a long-running classic show that no one talks about anymore, it's Medical Center.

Medical Center ran concurrently with Marcus Welby MD (1969-1976), and it peaked in popularity around the same time as Marcus Welby became first show on ABC Network to top the year-end Nielsen Ratings chart (Medical Center ranked at #8 on that same chart). Yet you never find ANY cultural references to Medical Center in the decades since then. And it's strange that Medical Center is complete on DVD before Marcus Welby (only seasons 1 and 2 of Marcus Welby have been released up to this point).

Let’s be honest, most 80’s sitcoms weren’t very good. The edginess was missing from them after Three’s Company and didn’t really come back until Married With Children. What good sitcoms were on the air between 1983 and 1987?

Not true. I love 80s sitcoms. All sitcoms do not have to have an "edge."

Golden Girls was from the 80s and it hasn't aged.

Golden Girls is very popular with the younger generation.

A Different World. That show drew big ratings for years only because it came on after the Cosby Show and it rode that shows coattails the whole time it. Most popular show ever that no one ever really watched. Today it’s completely forgotten, there’s a reason why it wasn’t mentioned yet in this thread, it’s that forgettable.

I've seen other forums where people LOVE Different World. It's far from forgotten.

What about Step by Step? Popular among young demographics of its day. Lasted five seasons on ABC; moved to CBS for two more. I don't think one breakout character is sufficient enough to create a huge impact. Indeed, the show is nearly forgotten as of date and wouldn't receive newer fanbases.

I think that if you want to make a case for Step by Step, it probably got overshadowed by other shows on the TGIF line-up like Family Matters and Boy Meets World. And there's also Full House, which was produced by the same company as Step by Step (and Family Matters) but has enjoyed a more lasting impact. What probably hurt Step by Step was that outside of Christine Lakin, none of the other kids really went on to have sustainable careers in show business after the show ended.

I guess that Cody was meant to be the breakout character on Step by Step just like Urkel was to Family Matters, but the whole controversy surrounding Sasha Mitchell's abrupt exit really hurt the show's image and legacy. Nor was the sudden disappearance of Josh Byrne (Brandon) when the show moved over to CBS. The fact that the show ended quite unceremoniously and without much fanfare on CBS also didn't really help.

I've seen other forums where people LOVE Different World. It's far from forgotten.

A Different World was actually popular (https://tv.avclub.com/a-different-world-was-the-last-black-sitcom-to-be-a-hit-1798235602) on its own terms during its run. I know that people like to perceive it as merely benefiting from being sandwiched in-between The Cosby Show and Cheers on Thursday nights on NBC. But ADA was I believe, during its peak (https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/different-world-1987-1993/), the highest rated (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Different_World#Ratings) prime time program among African-Americans.

I don't entirely know where the perception that the show has since been forgotten other than it admittedly fell a bit off of a cliff during its last season (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/why-was-a-different-world-canceled.912894/). NBC was not comfortable with the season premiere focusing on the real life LA riots (https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2017/04/a-different-world-la-riots-episode) and the Rodney King situation. ADA always touched upon hot-button issues (https://www.theroot.com/30-years-later-7-ways-a-different-world-was-woke-af-1819816422) but by 1992-93, they no longer had the protection and influence of Bill Cosby and The Cosby Show to more easily get away with such things. NBC I believe, at that point, just viewed ADA as just another show.

So when the ratings in the 8 PM timeslot, that ADA inherited from The Cosby Show weren't up to snuff, NBC shelved (https://www.etonline.com/news/163731_17_things_you_forgot_about_a_different_world#:~:text=During%20the%20middle%20of%20season,then%20the%20other%20episodes%20after.) the show for months. NBC then brought the show back after being off since January 1993 in time for the intended series finale, "When One Door Closes..." There were seven additional episodes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_A_Different_World_episodes#Season_6_(1992%E2%80%9393)): four that aired on NBC over the course of the summer and three (these included guest appearances by Lena Horne, Tupac Shakur, and Billy Dee Williams respectively) that only premiered in syndication.

I think that if you want to make a case for Step by Step, it probably got overshadowed by other shows on the TGIF line-up like Family Matters and Boy Meets World. And there's also Full House, which was produced by the same company as Step by Step (and Family Matters) but has enjoyed a more lasting impact. What probably hurt Step by Step was that outside of Christine Lakin, none of the other kids really went on to have sustainable careers in show business after the show ended.

I guess that Cody was meant to be the breakout character on Step by Step just like Urkel was to Family Matters, but the whole controversy surrounding Sasha Mitchell's abrupt exit really hurt the show's image and legacy. Nor was the sudden disappearance of Josh Byrne (Brandon) when the show moved over to CBS. The fact that the show ended quite unceremoniously and without much fanfare on CBS also didn't really help.

What did Sasha Mitchell do to cause controversy??

What did Sasha Mitchell do to cause controversy??

https://www.bustle.com/articles/142630-11-reasons-why-ill-never-watch-step-by-step-again

Cody (https://www.oocities.org/unincompoop/shocking8.html) is supposed to be the comic relief of the show. The surfer dude with the Keanu Reeves accent that lives in a van parked, not down by the river, but right outside the Lambert-Foster home. He was also painted as the show's (https://www.ranker.com/list/stories-behind-the-scenes-of-step-by-step/ella-talkin) heartthrob, getting those obligatory canned "woos" the first time he stepped into frame. In real life though the actor that played Cody, Sasha Mitchell (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasha_Mitchell), was arrested for beating his wife (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-06-08-me-10843-story.html) in 1995 and given "three years probation (https://www.eonline.com/news/33463/arrest-warrant-issued-for-actor-sasha-mitchell) and ordered to perform community service and attend counseling classes for spouse abusers." After failing to comply, he was given 30 days in jail, but was allowed to leave during the day to film the show. After "several more incidents of violence against his wife," Mitchell left the show (https://www.zimbio.com/Stars+Who+Were+Fired+From+Major+TV+Shows/articles/ohFA7V7a0YE/Sasha+Mitchell+Step+By+Step#:~:text=Stars%20Who%20Were%20Fired%20From%20Major%20TV%20Shows,-Start%20Slideshow&text=In%20the%20'90s%2C%20Sasha%20Mitchell,Lambert%2C%20on%20Step%20by%20Step.&text=When%20additional%20incidents%20of%20violence,permanently%20written%20off%20the%20show.).

I knew nothing about this when I was a kid, but knowing now definitely leaves a bad taste in my mouth and makes it hard to like this character. A very big problem being that Cody's supposed to be the glue that holds the two families together.

Wow, sounds like a total a**hole!

The Codeman should've gone to LOCKUP!

I've seen other forums where people LOVE Different World. It's far from forgotten.

It 100% is. I can spend the next 100 hours chatting with people about TV shows and they'll talk about everything from All in the Family and The Jeffersons to Seinfeld and Big Bang Theory. Nobody will ever mention A Different World. I myself actually forgot it existed until someone mentioned it. It definitely fits into the category of "popular for its time, but now largely forgotten." It didn't create any memorable iconic characters (like Steve Urkel or The Fonz) or have episodes that became part of TV history (like the ending of MASH). The actors all pretty much fell into obscurity, which is surprising to me because I always thought Jasmine Guy was going to be the breakout star on the show.

It 100% is. I can spend the next 100 hours chatting with people about TV shows and they'll talk about everything from All in the Family and The Jeffersons to Seinfeld and Big Bang Theory. Nobody will ever mention A Different World. I myself actually forgot it existed until someone mentioned it. It definitely fits into the category of "popular for its time, but now largely forgotten." It didn't create any memorable iconic characters (like Steve Urkel or The Fonz) or have episodes that became part of TV history (like the ending of MASH). The actors all pretty much fell into obscurity, which is surprising to me because I always thought Jasmine Guy was going to be the breakout star on the show.

I think that Marisa Tomei (https://differentworld.fandom.com/wiki/Marisa_Tomei) wouldn't necessarily qualify as falling into obscurity. But then again, she was only a cast member of A Different World for the first season, which was well before the show's peak years under Debbie Allen. And Cree Summer is one of the most predominate voice over actresses in the industry. So I wouldn't exactly consider herself "obscure", unless you're referring to her on-screen performances.

Drew Carey, 3rd Rock, Coach and Newhart come to mind. And The Red Green Show in Canada

I think that Marisa Tomei (https://differentworld.fandom.com/wiki/Marisa_Tomei) wouldn't necessarily qualify as falling into obscurity. But then again, she was only a cast member of A Different World for the first season, which was well before the show's peak years under Debbie Allen. And Cree Summer is one of the most predominate voice over actresses in the industry. So I wouldn't exactly consider herself "obscure", unless you're referring to her on-screen performances.

Jada Pinkett also starred in the show but I believe a minor character in the final season.

I think the series was strongest in Seasons 2-5. As far as cultural impact, I believe it was well received in the Black community, as it showed the students maturing into adults. I was a fan. The cast reunited on Steve Harvey’s talk show but Jaleesa was absent.

There are a lot of other shows that lasted longer with no cultural impact. Frankly, it is of poor taste to choose a series that had a cast almost entirely from a minority race and single it out as devoid of cultural impact.

A Different World definitely had a cultural impact in the Black community, and as a Black man who attended an HBCU, I can not only say that the show helped influence my decision to do so, but that other friends said the same.

As for The Cosby Show, it was one of the hottest TV shows of the 80s, and is part of the reason NBC made such a big comeback after being in last place for a few years. Before Bill Cosby was exposed for who he is, the show ran in syndication for a long time.

I think some of you believe that just because you didn't watch a certain show, that it wasn't relevant. And that is just not true.

A Different World definitely had a cultural impact in the Black community, and as a Black man who attended an HBCU, I can not only say that the show helped influence my decision to do so, but that other friends said the same.

As for The Cosby Show, it was one of the hottest TV shows of the 80s, and is part of the reason NBC made such a big comeback after being in last place for a few years. Before Bill Cosby was exposed for who he is, the show ran in syndication for a long time.

I think some of you believe that just because you didn't watch with a certain show, that it wasn't relevant. And that is just not true.

I agree with you.

The cultural significance of The Cosby show and A Different World is indisputable. In fact, there are peer-reviewed papers (http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15799coll127/id/659193) and also articles (https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/different-world-1987-1993/) that talk about their cultural significance.

I agree with you.

The cultural significance of The Cosby show and A Different World is indisputable. In fact, there are peer-reviewed papers (http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15799coll127/id/659193) and also articles (https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/different-world-1987-1993/) that talk about their cultural significance.
I'll add to that. Jasmine Guy spoke at a local HBCU a few years ago, and confirmed that Hillman was based on Hampton. At the end of the event, the entire audience sang the Different World. This for a show that had been off the air close to 25 years. Definitely had an impact for people of all ages.

Anyways, I just enjoyed watching A Different World on Bounce this morning. I think it was off the Saturday morning schedule for awhile.

It definitely was more black female lead centric with Whitley, although never directly focused that way, as Dwayne and Ron were present in an ensemble cast. Sinbad was somewhat a bigger name that also was part of the cast.

Frankly, it is of poor taste to choose a series that had a cast almost entirely from a minority race and single it out as devoid of cultural impact.
Just because a show has a predominantly minority cast doesn’t mean it should be off limits from a discussion like this. It’s healthy to have a discussion so that people can point out why they feel it did have a cultural impact. I was in high school and college when A Different World aired. None of my friends watched it, and I didn’t find it particularly funny. But it clearly had an impact for others, particularly those with a different racial background, and it’s informative to hear those points of view.

You’re not going to have a chance to persuade people to consider different points of view if you just try to shut down the conversation altogether.

Regarding A Different World, it does no one any favors to start playing the race card, especially when those of us who disagree with you are of the very demographic that it was aimed towards. Not only does it come across as cheap, it's offensive because you're making condescending assumptions about the people who disagree with you.

I am black. I grew up with: The Jeffersons, Good Times, Sanford and Son, Look What's Happening, 227, Amen, Living Single, The Cosby Show, Family Matters, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Amen, the whole nine yards.

Shows like The Jeffersons, Good Times, Sanford and Son, The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Family Matters, Look What's Happening and now Blackish had cultural impact. They were/are shows that had iconic characters, situations, catchphrases and episodes that crossed cultural boundaries and to this day everyone talks about or remembers. In some cases, they had enough impact to spawn merchandise (like t-shirts, posters, books) or inspire people to dress up as for Halloween (Steve Urkel).

On top of that, they were shows that were and are consistently referenced or parodied. We know The Cosby Show had impact because comics and other shows would parody it, and it spawned a Simpsons version of Cliff Huxtable (Dr. Hibbert). We know Blackish had impact, because there are references to it in other shows (the Roseanne reboot) and it spawned a spin-off and similar block of ethnic programming on ABC.

To bring home the point about the difference between a show that had and didn't have cultural impact, all you have to do is look at the numbers on YouTube. For example, the most viewed clip of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has 26M views. The highest viewed ADW clip has 2.2M but only because it was the episode starring Tupac Shakur.

Now, if people want to argue that ADW should've had greater cultural impact than it did, that's one story. I will agree with that 100%. But invoking the race card that it did have cultural impact is pretty weak.

To bring home the point about the difference between a show that had and didn't have cultural impact, all you have to do is look at the numbers on YouTube. For example, the most viewed clip of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has 26M views. The highest viewed ADW clip has 2.2M but only because it was the episode starring Tupac Shakur.

It's kind of weird to judge cultural impact based on the number of YouTube views, since there just isn't a 1:1 correlation between cultural impact, influence, and people's memories based on video clicks. Like, we all know social media clicks are easily manipulated, either purposefully or without any malice. And videos get removed for copyright violations, skewing numbers.

But even if we take your advice and judge cultural impact based solely on YouTube videos, your statement that "The highest viewed ADW clip has 2.2M but only because it was the episode starring Tupac Shakur" clearly isn't correct, as anyone can see. The highest-viewed ADW video appears to be this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yPzsKSzcaQ), with 2.3 million views, and no sign of Tupac Shakur in it. So you are wrong about the highest-viewed ADW video (you have the wrong video), and wrong about why the most-watched ADW video has views (it doesn't have Tupac in it).

But ultimately, this "we judge cultural impact by number of YouTube views" position doesn't really make much sense. There are dozens of other ways to judge a show's cultural impact. You mentioned merchandising. Not only are there ADW DVDs available, there are t-shirts (https://www.redbubble.com/shop/a+different+world+t-shirts), sweatshirts (https://www.hillmanbookstore.com/product-page/hillman-maroon-sweatshirt-extra-small), lapel buttons and mugs (https://www.etsy.com/listing/659169190/a-different-worldhillman-college-coffee). These items wouldn't exist if there was no market for them.

You want us to believe the show had no cultural impact because you say you forgot about the show. Maybe you just forgot about the show, but it has had cultural impact anyway.

All this being said, I appreciate what you're bringing to the table, providing evidence supporting your positions. Not many do that.

I'll add to that. Jasmine Guy spoke at a local HBCU a few years ago, and confirmed that Hillman was based on Hampton. At the end of the event, the entire audience sang the Different World. This for a show that had been off the air close to 25 years. Definitely had an impact for people of all ages.

BGVA, your experience as a black man who was influenced to attend a HBCU after watching TCS and ADW is fascinating to me. As a white child from the Great Plains, I had never even heard of a HBCU before watching them being discussed on The Cosby Show. When Denise went off to Hillman and learned about how different the world was (from where she came from), I was learning right along with her.

As you say, many people still remember the theme song. I will always remember the core characters, especially (for me) Whitley, Denise, Dwayne, and Ron.

Regarding A Different World, it does no one any favors to start playing the race card, especially when those of us who disagree with you are of the very demographic that it was aimed towards. Not only does it come across as cheap, it's offensive because you're making condescending assumptions about the people who disagree with you.

I am black. I grew up with: The Jeffersons, Good Times, Sanford and Son, Look What's Happening, 227, Amen, Living Single, The Cosby Show, Family Matters, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Amen, the whole nine yards.

Shows like The Jeffersons, Good Times, Sanford and Son, The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Family Matters, Look What's Happening and now Blackish had cultural impact. They were/are shows that had iconic characters, situations, catchphrases and episodes that crossed cultural boundaries and to this day everyone talks about or remembers. In some cases, they had enough impact to spawn merchandise (like t-shirts, posters, books) or inspire people to dress up as for Halloween (Steve Urkel).

On top of that, they were shows that were and are consistently referenced or parodied. We know The Cosby Show had impact because comics and other shows would parody it, and it spawned a Simpsons version of Cliff Huxtable (Dr. Hibbert). We know Blackish had impact, because there are references to it in other shows (the Roseanne reboot) and it spawned a spin-off and similar block of ethnic programming on ABC.

To bring home the point about the difference between a show that had and didn't have cultural impact, all you have to do is look at the numbers on YouTube. For example, the most viewed clip of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has 26M views. The highest viewed ADW clip has 2.2M but only because it was the episode starring Tupac Shakur.

Now, if people want to argue that ADW should've had greater cultural impact than it did, that's one story. I will agree with that 100%. But invoking the race card that it did have cultural impact is pretty weak.

No one is talking about greater cultural impact. I didn't say anything in absolutes... that was your point.

In the case of ADW, race (for cultural impact) was important.

(From wikipedia, and not written by me)

Impact on African-American culture
Because of Debbie Allen's influence as the producer (and usually director) of A Different World after the first season, African-American youth who watched the show often cite it as a defining reason why many of them decided to attend a historically Black college or university.[16][17]

Just because a show has a predominantly minority cast doesn’t mean it should be off limits from a discussion like this. It’s healthy to have a discussion so that people can point out why they feel it did have a cultural impact. I was in high school and college when A Different World aired. None of my friends watched it, and I didn’t find it particularly funny. But it clearly had an impact for others, particularly those with a different racial background, and it’s informative to hear those points of view.

You’re not going to have a chance to persuade people to consider different points of view if you just try to shut down the conversation altogether.

Well, you clipped my post to one sentence that you wanted to quote from. If you read my entire post, it was my view that this show likely had an impact to Black audiences.

I really don't find it healthy to single out shows with all minority casts and then make sweeping statements that it had no cultural impact. Maybe in the case of ADW, I was really perturbed than just as a generalization since my statement was in context of my entire view for that show. But that again is my view and we can agree to disagree.

Well, you clipped my post to one sentence that you wanted to quote from. If you read my entire post, it was my view that this show likely had an impact to Black audiences.

I really don't find it healthy to single out shows with all minority casts and then make sweeping statements that it had no cultural impact. Maybe in the case of ADW, I was really perturbed than just as a generalization since my statement was in context of my entire view for that show. But that again is my view and we can agree to disagree.

This is a debate about shows that have and have not had cultural impact. Shows with minority casts aren’t being singled out. There are plenty of shows with white casts being mentioned too. You’re trying to shut down that debate on certain shows that have a minority cast - saying that to even discuss whether those shows have had a cultural impact is in “poor taste.” That’s what I’m calling out. You have the right to your opinion; you don’t have the right to shut down others’ opinions.

Mad About You is a classic example of this. It was a good sitcom that ran for 7 seasons, but was overshadowed by bigger shows of the time such as Friends and Seinfeld.


Other examples would be Spin City, Chicago Hope, and Who's the Boss

What about Night Court? It ran for 12 seasons but legal shows are a dime a dozen, really.

What about Night Court? It ran for 12 seasons but legal shows are a dime a dozen, really.Night Court only ran for 9 seasons.

NCIS.

What about Night Court? It ran for 12 seasons but legal shows are a dime a dozen, really.

Night Court was sometimes very funny now is completely FORGOTTEN! Why isn't it ever in reruns??

Mad About You is a classic example of this. It was a good sitcom that ran for 7 seasons, but was overshadowed by bigger shows of the time such as Friends and Seinfeld.


Other examples would be Spin City, Chicago Hope, and Who's the Boss

Wow. I've not heard that show's name in DECADES! A truly forgotten show.

Night Court was sometimes very funny now is completely FORGOTTEN! Why isn't it ever in reruns??

Actually, it is in reruns.

Actually, it is in reruns.

Where??

Where??LAFF airs Night Court, weekdays 8-10AM and weekends 8-11AM.

LAFF airs Night Court, weekdays 8-10AM and weekends 8-11AM.

Unfortunately DirectTV doesn't get LAFF.

Unfortunately DirectTV doesn't get LAFF.

Yet DirecTV is losing subscribers recently. Search for news articles about it.

Yet DirecTV is losing subscribers recently. Search for news articles about it.

Cable outlets are losing customers too as more people cut the cord.

Unfortunately DirectTV doesn't get LAFF.

The last time that I recall or was aware of Night Court being on TV outside of LAFF was when Encore Classic aired it commercial free alongside Murphy Brown back around 2014. With that being said, if Night Court (https://screenrant.com/night-court-ranking-season-worst-best/) doesn't have much of a cultural impact now, it's probably because the show really hasn't aged very well. It was a show where you could easily say (https://www.quora.com/Why-has-Night-Court-been-considered-the-black-sheep-among-NBCs-sitcom-dynasty-of-the-80s/answer/Jon-Mixon-1), played sexual harassment for laughs a little too frequently, had pretty lazy writing (https://www.quora.com/Why-has-Night-Court-been-considered-the-black-sheep-among-NBCs-sitcom-dynasty-of-the-80s/answer/William-Mealey), and didn't give the funniest performers the best lines. Plus, it was in that sort of weird continuum, where it took some time to find its footing (https://www.quora.com/Why-has-Night-Court-been-considered-the-black-sheep-among-NBCs-sitcom-dynasty-of-the-80s/answer/Neil-Sarver) and groove but also lasted (https://screenrant.com/night-court-storylines-unresolved-series-ended/) much longer than it maybe should have (https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-television-series-that-lasted-too-long/answer/Jeremy-Lammert) lasted.

I recently came across a similar discussion elsewhere (https://officialfan.proboards.com/thread/627689/classic-tv-staying-power) on this (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/d09jkg/what_are_some_since_forgotten_sitcoms_that_were/) subject (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/l9ivrj/popular_shows_that_have_been_completely_forgotten/). I initially, thought about creating a brand new thread, but then I remembered that I had already started one.

Some of the shows that have been mentioned over there:

Ally McBeal (https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/sep/25/when-good-tv-goes-bad-ally-mcbeal)

Becker (https://ventsmagazine.com/2021/01/02/becker-ted-dansons-forgotten-sitcom/)

The Drew Carey Show (http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2015/10/does-anyone-remember-drew-carey-show.html)

Dharma & Greg (https://screenrant.com/90s-sitcoms-best-forgotten/#dharma-amp-greg)

The Dukes of Hazzard (https://tasteofcountry.com/dukes-of-hazzard-final-episode-1985/)

Dynasty (https://jacksonupperco.com/2016/12/14/dynasty-the-80s-personified-best-of-season-five/) (the original (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-07-16-ca-2527-story.html) version from the 1980s)

Empty Nest (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-24-ca-4578-story.html)

ER (https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-show-ER-so-forgotten-now-It-was-one-of-the-biggest-shows-on-TV-produced-a-massive-movie-star-in-George-Clooney-created-by-the-guy-who-wrote-Jurassic-Park-and-produced-by-Steven-Spielberg-and-yet-its-never)

Glee (https://www.reddit.com/r/glee/comments/bz1zxm/why_do_you_think_glee_is_forgotten_today/)

Grace Under Fire (https://culturess.com/2017/06/01/15-tv-shows-forgot-wish/12/)

Happy Days (https://www.startribune.com/aaay-how-did-happy-days-get-forgotten/15083876/)

Heroes (https://www.joblo.com/what-happened-to-heroes-2006-2010/)

Home Improvement (http://www.avclub.com/article/why-has-time-forsaken-home-improvement-242973)

House of Cards (https://consequence.net/2023/02/house-of-cards-controversy-anniversary/)

Just Shoot Me! (https://thediversionist.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/cultural-changes-in-tv-nov-2008/)

L.A. Law (https://www.quora.com/What-made-the-NBC-television-series-LA-Law-such-a-successful-show-for-8-seasons-Why-was-it-cancelled-in-1992-Could-something-have-been-done-to-make-the-series-last-longer)

Life Goes On (https://thewritelife61.com/2023/01/23/life-goes-on-but-television-shows-do-not/)

Lost (https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/may/11/eight-years-after-it-finished-why-is-lost-being-reappraised)

Mad About You (https://www.vulture.com/2016/08/how-mad-about-you-perfected-the-network-multi-camera-sitcom.html)

Moonlighting (https://medium.com/@loganorourke/what-television-owes-moonlighting-126d45733e2d)

Murphy Brown (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX8tRcNQCfE)

My Name Is Earl (https://www.primetimer.com/item/My-Name-is-Earl-was-more-popular-than-The-Office-Parks-and-Rec-and-30-Rock-so-why-has-it-been-forgotten-62SbjN)

NewsRadio (https://wfumediaphiles.wordpress.com/2020/08/06/a-forgotten-gem-newsradio/)

Northern Exposure (https://popoff.us/northern-exposure-a-nearly-forgotten-gem-f78e5ed2f2c9#:~:text=Northern%20Exposure%20is%20a%20TV,Outstanding%20Drama%20Series%20in%201992.)

Party of Five (https://www.avclub.com/party-of-five-is-the-great-forgotten-drama-of-the-90s-1798239377)

7th Heaven (https://www.insider.com/canceled-tv-shows-from-the-2000s-you-forgot-you-loved#7th-heaven-featured-some-of-todays-best-known-actors-such-as-jessica-biel-mila-kunis-keri-russell-and-jane-lynch-16)

Small Wonder (https://www.cbr.com/classic-sitcoms-everyone-forgot/#small-wonder-was-way-ahead-of-its-time)

Suddenly Susan (https://cantankerousmonk.substack.com/p/we-need-a-suddenly-susan-revival)

Valerie (http://www.tellytalk.net/threads/valerie-valeries-family-the-hogan-family.9457/)/Valerie's Family (https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/wildly-popular-sadly-neglected-sitcoms.307354/)/The Hogan Family (https://www.quora.com/Why-doesnt-the-80s-sitcom-The-Hogan-Family-initially-starring-Valerie-Harper-have-any-fans)

Webster (https://thewritelife61.com/2018/10/15/webster-a-forgotten-sitcom/)

I've been adding some classic drama boards.

Jake and the Fatman ran for five seasons and 106 episodes on CBS from 1987 to 1992. The show must have got decent ratings at the time. I'm not sure if it was ever widely syndicated. The complete series is available on DVD. I found only two threads and a low amount of posts mentioning it.

If we're going to mention more long-runners with no cultural impact, how about California Dreams, Hang Time, and City Guys?

Those three are TNBC sitcoms that are often thought of as rip-offs of Saved by the Bell. None of their cast members are well-known (except for a couple on Hang Time, and only a couple of CD's cast members have Wikipedia articles). All three have been extinct from syndication for a long time, and none of them have been available on streaming platforms like Hulu, The Roku Channel, or Tubi (well, City Guys was, in fact, available on Tubi for a short while last year).

If we're going to mention more long-runners with no cultural impact, how about California Dreams, Hang Time, and City Guys?

Those three are TNBC sitcoms that are often thought of as rip-offs of Saved by the Bell. None of their cast members are well-known (except for a couple on Hang Time, and only a couple of CD's cast members have Wikipedia articles). All three have been extinct from syndication for a long time, and none of them have been available on streaming platforms like Hulu, The Roku Channel, or Tubi (well, City Guys was, in fact, available on Tubi for a short while last year).

I don't have an absolute answer for why California Dreams (http://popcultureaddictlifeguide.blogspot.com/2011/08/saturday-morning-california-dreams.html) seems to have no cultural impact, at least when compared to Saved by the Bell. I think that for starters, like you said, just about all of the cast members faded into obscurity (https://tvovermind.com/is-it-time-for-a-california-dreams-reboot/) (to the point in which, many of them don't have Wikipedia articles) shortly after the show concluded.

It was a show that never really produced a breakout star in other words. Like even if you have never actively watched Saved by the Bell, I'm pretty certain that you can name at least one of the characters or cast members. You can't really do that with California Dreams unless you're of course, a diehard fan. Kelly Packard (https://www.nickiswift.com/129003/why-hollywood-wont-cast-kelly-packard-anymore/) is by far the most "famous" (https://dvdizzy.com/californiadreams-bestof.html) cast member of California Dreams, but even she (https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/zjetiu/comment/izuoqbm/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) isn't exactly an A-lister or true household name.

I guess that the simplest answer (https://moviechat.org/tt0103380/California-Dreams/61aafe57b12bf1178f7b4d91/How-come-California-Dreams-didnt-become-a-pop-cultural-phenomenon) is that California Dreams was just written off and considered (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showpost.php?p=5997308&postcount=2) too much of a Saved by the Bell rip-off. Since California Dreams was pretty much following the same formula as SBTB, there was little room for it to make a big impact on its own.

Also, maybe the band angle was too niche and hard to relate too. Again, when compared to Saved by the Bell, everybody can relate to going to high school. So right then and there, SBTB had a more "universal" appeal. I mean, not everybody is going to be blessed with inherent musical talent. Plus, being in a band regardless, requires a lot of time and resources.

The dramatic format shift (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showpost.php?p=5235496&postcount=7) may have also hurt (https://web.archive.org/web/20181224202102/http://www.californiadreamsreviewed.com/) California Dreams. At first, it was really more of a family show about the Garrison family. But by the third season, all of the Garrisons are out of the picture and it pretty much officially feels like a Saved by the Bell knock off but with a heavier musical focus.

If we're going to mention more long-runners with no cultural impact, how about California Dreams, Hang Time, and City Guys?

Those three are TNBC sitcoms that are often thought of as rip-offs of Saved by the Bell. None of their cast members are well-known (except for a couple on Hang Time, and only a couple of CD's cast members have Wikipedia articles). All three have been extinct from syndication for a long time, and none of them have been available on streaming platforms like Hulu, The Roku Channel, or Tubi (well, City Guys was, in fact, available on Tubi for a short while last year).

I don't know or remember if it has been mentioned yet, but Saved by the Bell: The New Class (https://www.reddit.com/r/SavedByTheBell/comments/1171tze/is_saved_by_the_bell_the_new_class_worth_a_watch/) has to also go in there. It was on the air (https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/65xclm/til_saved_by_the_bell_the_new_class_actually_had/) for a really long time (https://tvline.com/2020/11/19/saved-by-the-bell-revival-peacock-the-new-class-spinoff/), about seven years (https://www.reddit.com/r/SavedByTheBell/comments/jnmf6b/what_was_the_reason_the_new_class_changed_the/) (and 140+ episodes), which is at least three years longer (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106123/reviews) than the original (https://www.reddit.com/r/SavedByTheBell/comments/cx10l6/already_almost_done_with_sbtb_and_i_wished_it_ran/) SBTB. And yet, it seems like the moment that The New Class (https://web.archive.org/web/20200126210127/http://www.savedbythebellreviewed.com/2017/01/09/saved-by-the-bell-the-new-class-reviewed/) went off the air for good in the year 2000, everybody (https://forum.popjustice.com/threads/saved-by-the-bell.59742/#post-4316143) pretty much forgot about it (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showpost.php?p=6030794&postcount=33).

It was reran on USA Network during the early 2000s (around the same time that USA had USA High, another Peter Engel produced sitcom), but it hasn't been anywhere on linear television since. The New Class has been released on DVD, but those sets have since gone out of print (https://www.reddit.com/r/SavedByTheBell/comments/nf5msm/anywhere_to_watched_saved_by_the_bell_the_new/).

Gimme A Break I think is the most poorly aged sitcom of the 80s. It's just all over the place and extremely problematic in too many ways to list....

Girl Meets World - It feels like one of those shows (https://www.reddit.com/r/popheads/comments/w33zhv/comment/ih01l38/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) at least in more recent times, that really wasn't a huge mainstream hit even though people still talked about it.

Gimme A Break I think is the most poorly aged sitcom of the 80s. It's just all over the place and extremely problematic in too many ways to list....

I too don't think that a show like (https://www.bet.com/photo-gallery/vd0wfb/black-maids-in-hollywood/7q4lc8) Gimme a Break! would fly too well today. For one thing, I wouldn't be surprised if people saw (https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1983/07/06/if-you-ask-me-fat-funny-fictitious/68ed9c71-848c-47cc-9771-0db1371dde03/) a woman like (https://www.courant.com/1999/11/14/remembering-mammy-dearest-lest-we-forget/) Nell Carter (https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2016/2/27/who-most-blame-hollywoods-diversity-problem) and accused her (https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/mammies/homepage.htm) of playing into (https://thebomanistudy.com/2018/04/12/the-modern-day-mammy-has-arrives/) the dreaded (https://djrobblog.com/archives/10012) Mammy stereotype (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammy_stereotype).

It's a good point that the Family Times home did seem dark. On the other hand, Brady Bunch and more peer shows from its time (Golden Girls and Full House) seemed very bright.

I thought of Family Ties being more clever and intelligent. While Brady Bunch, The Golden Girls and Full House are a bit more feel good but cheesy. The latter wins.

I also think Family Ties was inconsistent in quality. It was definitely better in the beginning and I felt disappointed with the writers adding a new family member then age advancing the kid (Andy). Of course, kids grow up, yet it seems sitcom writers often don't know how to deal with the growing up of the existing kids, in this case the youngest one was played by Tina Yothers. Maybe she grew up too fast.

Many years later, the star and appeal of the show is largely on Michael J Fox (Alex) and his scenes, not Justine Bateman. It's more a side note that she is sister to Jason Bateman. Unfortunately, Michael J. Fox' parkinsons might have not helped him become knowable to generations that were born after the 80's and in the '90s. His success on Back to the Future eclipsed Family Ties although most know him from both. He has starred in dramas more recently (albeit more guest roles), including The Good Wife, and NBC tried a sitcom more recently but cancelled it.

I re-watched the very last episode of Family Ties on CBS All Access just yesterday and I thought that Family Ties could actually be re-done as a Broadway play but obviously for a niche audience. That final episode had some dramatic mother/son scenes with Alex ready to move out of home for a Wall Street job. It's one of the few sitcoms (aside from maybe All in the Family) where political views are mentioned. Here, parents were liberals while Alex was a conservative, which can be re-adapted to today's time. But the strength lies on a strong lead, Alex. Michael J Fox fit that role in the tv series.

I have my doubts if those born in the 90s are really into M*A*S*H or All in the Family, or even Married With Children, even though those shows are on numerous times of day on cable. The oldest show with any appeal to them is likely just The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Spin City (https://www.watchmojo.com/articles/top-10-sitcoms-you-forgot-were-hilarious) is another thing (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/huaejo/tv_shows_that_have_fell_in_between_the_cracks/) involving (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/zmcboc/what_was_the_most_underrated_comedy_tv_series_of/) Michael J. Fox (https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-09-17-1996261092-story.html) that arguably left little (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/qaxkzw/spin_city_is_one_of_the_funniest_tv_shows_but_it/) if any cultural impact (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/36lpr3/whats_a_tv_show_that_you_think_is_slowly_being/) despite (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/u781dl/what_are_some_tv_shows_that_were_huge_hits_but/) running for (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/5rxoiz/forgottenunderrated_sitcoms/) six seasons. I suspect (https://moviechat.org/tt0115369/Spin-City/58c7711693cef4080d78f14b/Was-Heather-Locklear-the-cause-of-the-shows-decline) that the last (https://www.theguardian.com/media/2000/feb/22/tvandradio.television3) two seasons with Charlie Sheen (https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=108492&page=1) really hurt (https://tvobsessive.com/2019/07/04/how-the-brilliant-spin-city-spun-its-way-to-cancellation/) (as well (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115369/reviews) as Heather Locklear (https://officialfan.proboards.com/thread/490906/spin-city)'s arrival (https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rec.arts.tv/vg6dulFq2ec) in Season 4 (https://www.deseret.com/1999/9/21/19466694/surprise-locklear-joins-spin-city)) the show (https://www.quora.com/Was-Heather-Locklear-and-or-Charlie-Sheen-the-cause-of-the-decline-of-Spin-City/answer/Matt-Cormier-2)'s legacy above all else.

It also likely didn't help that the final season (2001-02) overlapped (https://www.gothamgazette.com/81-rebuilding-nyc/1046-september-11-television) with the 9/11 terrorist attacks (https://www.quora.com/Would-Spin-City-have-lasted-a-few-more-seasons-had-Michael-J-Fox-not-left-after-season-4-and-had-9-11-happened). A fun and jubilant political satire-like sitcom in New York City, now just seemed out of step after such a horrific event in the real world.

10 Hit TV Shows That Are Forgotten Today (https://screenrant.com/forgotten-tv-show-hits/)

There are so many TV series in existence that it’s hard to remember all of them, and these are 10 popular shows that viewers have forgotten about.

Six Feet Under, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Women and Designing Women

With the numerous TV shows, it's difficult for people to remember or watch every series, especially the ones from decades ago, like the following 10, which are forgotten today. Before the advent of streaming, audiences only had to keep up with a handful of network TV and cable shows. Now, due to the various streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV Plus, Max, Amazon Prime and Peacock, nearly every television comedy and drama in history is accessible to everyone with a smart TV or device.

Many shows have been critical successes and huge hits when they aired, earning all kinds of accolades and awards for being the best programs on TV. Popular series have delighted audiences nationwide with interesting and complicated characters, surprising story twists, hysterical moments and memorable catchphrases. Several continue to leave a lasting impression or relate to younger viewers discovering these gems for the first time. Yet 10 shows that were beloved when they were actively on TV are now hardly remembered.

10
Moonlighting

Airing on ABC from 1985 to 1989, Moonlighting relaunched the career of Cybil Shepherd and made Bruce Willis an overnight star. The series told the story of the Blue Moon Detective Agency and its two private investigators, Madolyn "Maddie" Hayes and David Addison Jr., who routinely found themselves handling screwball criminal cases.

The seriesis one of the few currently unavailable on streaming services, although the series creator has recently said that Moonlighting will be streaming soon. The chemistry between the chic and intelligent Maddie and the wise-cracking David; the troublesome adventures they found themselves in while working a case; and the regular breaking of the fourth wall is what drew viewers to the show, which received 16 Emmy Award nominations for season two of the series.

9
Designing Women

The sitcom, Designing Women ran for seven seasons from 1986 to 1993 and was a top 20 ratings producer for CBS. It revolved around the lives of four women working at a design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. Audiences and critics loved the show for its ensemble cast, clever dialogue, and funny storylines that taught a life lesson about relationships and how others should be treated. Dixie Carter's Julia Sugarbaker, the president of an interior design firm located out of her home, became renowned for her elegance, sophistication and ability to speak out against injustices. The series also launched the careers of Jean Smart and Annie Potts, who continue to attract viewers through performances in Hacks and Young Sheldon.

8
Northern Exposure

Northern Exposure was a quirky fish-out-of-water series airing on CBS from 1990-1995. It focused on Joel Fleischman, a neurotic Jewish doctor from New York assigned to be the primary care physician in the small town of Cicely, Alaska. The series was a ratings phenomenon, winning seven Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes and two Peabody Awards. Northern Exposure's popularity was reflected in an assortment of themed merchandise made available during its broadcast, such as clothes, posters, coffee mugs, cookbooks and a hit soundtrack. Viewers consistently tuned in each week because of the interesting and eccentric characters of Cicely and storylines designed around Native American and Alaskan culture, small-town living and the joys and messiness of community.

7
Caroline In The City

Fresh off her success in the widely-acclaimed Back to the Future film trilogy, Lea Thompson was cast in the title role of the NBC sitcom Caroline in the City. Airing for four seasons on NBC's coveted "Must See TV" slot between Seinfeld and ER, the series chronicled the life of Manhattan cartoonist Caroline Duffy. Episodes of the show delved into Caroline's ongoing attempts to become a lucrative cartoonist, her dating experiences and her habit of meddling in the lives of friends and strangers. A key to the show's success was the love triangle between Caroline, her on-again-off-again boyfriend Del and her colorist Richard who is in love with her.

6
Thirtysomething

Thirtysomething was a show about a group of friends in their 30s navigating the challenges of family and careers immediately connected to the baby boomer generation in the late 80s and early 90s. The series kick-started long acting careers for Timothy Busfield and Patricia Wettig, who would generate memorable roles in other TV shows and films. As a ratings hit and the winner of 13 Emmy Awards, the series attracted a faithful audience for its authentic portrayal of family life in that era. Thirtysomething delivered one of the biggest shocks in television history when creators killed off fan-favorite Gary, who died in a car accident on the way to the hospital to visit Nancy.

5
China Beach

The critically acclaimed series China Beach, airing on ABC from 1988 to 1991, was a Vietnam War drama told from the perspective of women, military personnel and civilians working and living at the 510th Evacuation Hospital and R&R facility (the "Five-and-Dime") on the My Khe Beach in the city of Da Nang. The main protagonist, First Lt. Colleen McMurphy, was a breakout role for actress Dany Delay who won an Emmy for her performance. The show, which didn't hesitate to show the brutality of war and the trauma it leaves, was a jumping point for many careers, leading to roles on popular shows like Desperate Housewives, The Wonder Years, ER, CSI, and Spin City.

4
L.A. Law

The award-winning, groundbreaking courtroom drama, L.A. Law, was a ratings darling for NBC from 1986 to 1994. L.A. Law's cast was noted for tackling topics such as capital punishment, abortion, racism, homophobia, sexual harassment, domestic violence and the HIV/AIDS crises. The show also featured the first lesbian kiss on television and highlighted interracial relationships, which was uncommon then. L.A. Law kept viewers on the edge of their seats and provided next-day water cooler talk due to regularly surprising story twists like the discovery that senior law partner Leland McKenzie is sleeping with his enemy, lawyer Rosalind Shays.

3
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Jane Seymour's immensely popular Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, aired for six seasons on CBS and spawned two TV movies. The series, which has details that viewers never noticed, took place in the late 1860s and centered on the life of Quinn, aka "Dr. Mike," a proper and wealthy female physician from Boston. Following her father's death, Quinn moved to Colorado to set up a practice in the small western town of Colorado Springs. She adjusted to her new life with the assistance of mountain man Byron Sully and birthing specialist Charlotte Cooper. Later, Quinn adopted Charlotte's three children, adding parenting to her duties while regularly convincing the townspeople that a female can be a good doctor.

2
Six Feet Under

Six Feet Under, HBO's first TV hit, garnered acclaim for exploring grief and family dysfunction. Although Six Feet Under ended nearly 20 years ago, its considered one of the greatest series of all time for many darkly funny moments and poignant looks at relationships, infidelity, mortality and religion through the fictitious family-run Fisher and Sons Funeral Home in L.A. The series, which shocked viewers in its pilot episode by killing off the family patriarch and funeral home director, Nathaniel Fisher Sr., began each episode with a death of someone who would end up at the funeral home, setting the theme for that particular plot.

1
Hill Street Blues

Hailed by critics as the grandfather of modern police dramas, Hill Street Blues aired for seven seasons on NBC from 1981 to 1987. Hill Street Blues won 26 Emmy Awards for its depiction of a police station located on Hill Street in an unnamed city. The series was popular with audiences and critics for presenting the daily life and work struggles of policing and doing the right thing in a world of crime and suffering. Hill Street Blues was noted for including Black actors as main cast members, presenting interracial and interethnic police partnerships and handling moral topics such as police corruption and racism on the TV show.

"Dr Quinn" was a favorite of my mother's and mine when we watched about a decade ago.
But you can't expect shows from the '80s or the '90s to still be talked about in the 2023.
(Except on message boards like this one.)

I've been adding some classic drama boards.

Jake and the Fatman ran for five seasons and 106 episodes on CBS from 1987 to 1992. The show must have got decent ratings at the time. I'm not sure if it was ever widely syndicated. The complete series is available on DVD. I found only two threads and a low amount of posts mentioning it.

With Jake and the Fatman, it was probably a case in which it simply got overshadowed by its spin-off, Diagnosis: Murder with Dick Van Dyke.

10 Hit TV Shows That Are Forgotten Today (https://screenrant.com/forgotten-tv-show-hits/)This author doesn't fact check their articles. Caroline in the City only aired one season on Must See Thursdays between Seinfeld and ER. Season two it moved to Tuesdays after Frasier, then seasons three and four it moved to Mondays as part of a female centric comedy block. Caroline in the City only lasted two seasons as the anchor of Mondays without a strong lead-in, definite case of a timeslot hit.

M*A*S*H is one show that nobody ever talks of today, I grew up a kid in the 80's and once the afternoon cartoons ended and M*A*S*H came on I quickly changed the channel, seriously even into the 90's and 2000's in my age range this show was never talked about.

M*A*S*H is one show that nobody ever talks of today, I grew up a kid in the 80's and once the afternoon cartoons ended and M*A*S*H came on I quickly changed the channel, seriously even into the 90's and 2000's in my age range this show was never talked about.

I wouldn't (https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/mash-finale) out and out (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/fifty-years-and-tvs-mash-still-draws-audiences-180980790/) say that M*A*S*H (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/what-mash-taught-us) currently (https://www.slashfilm.com/577682/mash-in-2020/) has little to no cultural impact (https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/sep/15/the-impact-of-mash-a-half-century-after-its-debut/). I mean, its series finale (https://www.newsweek.com/iconic-1983-finale-mash-impacted-decade-858911) 40 years ago (https://wtop.com/entertainment/2023/02/m-a-s-h-finale-broke-records-40-years-ago-tuesday-will-another-show-ever-top-it/#:~:text=The%20episode%20drew%20105.97%20million,WTOP%20entertainment%20editor%20Jason%20Fraley.) alone, got Super Bowl level ratings (https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/is-the-series-finale-of-mash-still-the-most-watched-tv-show-of-all-time.html/) when it was first broadcast. It's to this day (https://screenrant.com/mash-show-finale-most-viewed-tv-episode/), I believe, the highest rated single scripted program in American television history.

^ Still back then there were only 3 networks and the finale aired on a Monday the start of the work week for many they just decided to stay in house and tune in whatever was on while having dinner.

Had M*A*S*H aired on a Friday night with most families either going out for dinner or a movie I'm sure the ratings would've been different.

M*A*S*H is one show that nobody ever talks of today, I grew up a kid in the 80's and once the afternoon cartoons ended and M*A*S*H came on I quickly changed the channel, seriously even into the 90's and 2000's in my age range this show was never talked about.

I'm assuming you're being facetious, MASH, like it or not (and I certainly have issues with the backend of the series) is one of the most influential series of all time. Every series from Hill Street Blues, to St. Elsewhere to ER, to House was influenced by MASH.

^ Still back then there were only 3 networks and the finale aired on a Monday the start of the work week for many they just decided to stay in house and tune in whatever was on while having dinner.

Had M*A*S*H aired on a Friday night with most families either going out for dinner or a movie I'm sure the ratings would've been different.

No offense, but that finale was one of the most talked about in TV history. I was not a fan of the finale, I remember one newspaper running an editorial cartoon referring to the finale and MASH as "Mostly Absurd Slanted Hogwash", but again like it or not everyone had an opinion of the finale and the series. You couldn't be more wrong.

Unlike many shows from that era, M*A*S*H has always been successful in syndication. Mace Dolex must not have heard of Me TV. :lol:

NYPD Blue. It laid the footprint for modern crime dramas and ran for 12 seasons, but is nothing but a memory these days. It lacked the grittiness of a Hill Street Blues but also didn't have the realism and case by case approach of Law and Order

NYPD Blue. It laid the footprint for modern crime dramas and ran for 12 seasons, but is nothing but a memory these days. It lacked the grittiness of a Hill Street Blues but also didn't have the realism and case by case approach of Law and Order

It was due to get a sequel series focusing on Sipowicz' (Dennis Franz) son a few years ago, but it got scrapped.

It's probably still too soon to out and out say this, but The Goldbergs (https://www.reddit.com/r/sitcoms/comments/1481qc3/if_you_look_at_it_without_context_the/) somehow (at least in my mind) feels like a show that was almost completely forgotten about the moment that it finally went off the air earlier this year. The show is still being syndicated the last time that I checked on TV Land, Pop TV, and your local CW station, but the reruns are usually buried in the middle of the night.

^ Still back then there were only 3 networks and the finale aired on a Monday the start of the work week for many they just decided to stay in house and tune in whatever was on while having dinner.

Had M*A*S*H aired on a Friday night with most families either going out for dinner or a movie I'm sure the ratings would've been different.when mash did air on friday nights during season 4 the ratings tanked against chicho and the man so you may be right

wings comes to mind that show aired forever but its hardly talked about these days

wings comes to mind that show aired forever but its hardly talked about these daysWings is so underrated. I prefer it to more famous Cheers from the same producers. And Wings is miles better than popular 90s sitcoms like Roseanne, Friends, The Simpsons, Married with Children, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I like Seinfeld but it still isn't as good as Wings.

Newhart ran for 8 years and has seemingly had no lasting impact. Rarely mentioned and is oft-forgetten about within the realm of 80s sitcoms

Newhart ran for 8 years and has seemingly had no lasting impact. Rarely mentioned and is oft-forgetten about within the realm of 80s sitcoms

I've previously wrote about this (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=386477). With that being said, I still wouldn't necessarily say that Newhart is often forgotten about or rarely mentioned. If Newhart (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=419923) is remembered for anything above all else, it's for its series finale (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=391827).

With Jake and the Fatman, it was probably a case in which it simply got overshadowed by its spin-off, Diagnosis: Murder with Dick Van Dyke.

JAG is another example (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/17z4bsm/comment/k9y0wd7/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) of a series that has seemingly dropped out of the public consciousness because its spin-off, NCIS has since greatly overshadowed it. (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MorePopularSpinOff)