Some shows just don't find their feet to begin with and it takes a while for them to know what they're about. Others go for a completely different path half way into the show. What are the best examples?

Little House on the Prairie. It started out as this very uplifting family show and then turned into this trashy show that used shock value for ratings. The show went so much in the opposite direction that it started contradicting its own positive messages from earlier on in the series.

For example, when Mary went blind, there were entire episodes based around her having to cope with her disability and teaching the audiences that blind people were just as capable as raising children as anyone else. Then when the show went in full shock value mode, it had Mary stupidly abandon her baby during a fire when all she had to do was scoop it up in her arms before leaving the house. And then her husband magically restores his vision and gets to live a happy, fulfilled life as a sighted person when he was the one who taught Mary how to accept her blindness.

Happy Days, a family show was set in the 50's, had an alien land!!! That's pretty much off the story line.

MASH-it started out as a sitcom set in a medical unit during the Korean war but went on waaay too long and became "oh we're doctors..and we're nurses...and we're so good because we save lives...and death is such a bummer...and war is hell..." and on and on and on...

MASH-it started out as a sitcom set in a medical unit during the Korean war but went on waaay too long and became "oh we're doctors..and we're nurses...and we're so good because we save lives...and death is such a bummer...and war is hell..." and on and on and on...

OK we get it, you hate M.A.S.H. :rolleyes:

Ed.

OK we get it, you hate M.A.S.H. :rolleyes:

Ed.I don't hate it, I like the first 3 seasons, 50% of seasons 4-7 and about 4 or 5% of seasons 8-11 Like the scene in the finale when Hawkeye saw a dead chicken and went crazy:rolleyes:

I don't hate it, I like the first 3 seasons, 50% of seasons 4-7 and about 4 or 5% of seasons 8-11 Like the scene in the finale when Hawkeye saw a dead chicken and went crazy:rolleyes:

It wasn't a dead chicken, he was repressing a horrific memory...but if I have to explain it to you forget it.

Ed.

it should have been cancelled after season 7 when Radar left.

It wasn't a dead chicken, he was repressing a horrific memory...but if I have to explain it to you forget it.

Ed.
well whatever; it was still ridiculous.

well whatever; it was still ridiculous.

I forget the exact circumstances now (Because I haven't seen the final MASH episode in several years) but for some reason they had to evacuate the camp (invading enemy soldiers I think). And they were all hiding out somewhere with some native South Koreans like on a bus. One of them was a young woman with a very young and crying baby. And if the enemy soldiers found them they were all going to be shot and killed. So Hawkeye gets really annoyed and upset with the baby crying and he gets angry at the young mother and tells her to make the baby stop crying, something like will you shut that damn baby up! And the young mother knows that if enemy soldiers are nearby and can hear her baby crying they will be found and killed. So she intentionally smothers her baby to death in order spare everybody else from possibly being murdered. And Hawkeye's so ridden with guilt over it believing it was all his fault she smothered her baby to death, that's why he had the mental breakdown and had repressed the memory and substituted a chicken for the baby in his mind. If that's not horrifying to you well then you're just a really really cold person that I wouldn't even want to know!

Ed.

This one (at least for me) isn't so much the whole show (Everybody Loves Raymond) as it is one character. In the beginning Debra's really likable and relatable and by the end of the series the writers and producers had turned her into this shrewish nag that I couldn't even stand. I don't understand why they did that but I think they sure ruined Debra.

Ed.

Little House on the Prairie. It started out as this very uplifting family show and then turned into this trashy show that used shock value for ratings. The show went so much in the opposite direction that it started contradicting its own positive messages from earlier on in the series.

For example, when Mary went blind, there were entire episodes based around her having to cope with her disability and teaching the audiences that blind people were just as capable as raising children as anyone else. Then when the show went in full shock value mode, it had Mary stupidly abandon her baby during a fire when all she had to do was scoop it up in her arms before leaving the house. And then her husband magically restores his vision and gets to live a happy, fulfilled life as a sighted person when he was the one who taught Mary how to accept her blindness.
Don't forget about the addition of that annoying, bratty little twit "Albert" who didn't even exist in real life. I'll never know WHY the writers chose to add that twerp. I couldn't stand him. The show sometimes deviated quite a bit from Laura Ingalls Wilder's real life books. "Adam" also did not exist in real life. In real life, Mary never got married and she never had children. She became a burden on her sister Carrie and lived with her for years. So the whole story about Mary abandoning her baby during the fire was fiction. None of that ever happened for real.

Don't forget about the addition of that annoying, bratty little twit "Albert" who didn't even exist in real life. I'll never know WHY the writers chose to add that twerp. I couldn't stand him. The show sometimes deviated quite a bit from Laura Ingalls Wilder's real life books. "Adam" also did not exist in real life. In real life, Mary never got married and she never had children. She became a burden on her sister Carrie and lived with her for years. So the whole story about Mary abandoning her baby during the fire was fiction. None of that ever happened for real.

Albert was played by Matthew Laborteaux, and his brother Patrick Laborteaux was a regular on the drama series JAG, but I can't remember his character's name. Also if I remember as a boy, Patrick guest starred on a couple of episodes of Little House On The Prairie too. Also in the show the Oleson family Harriet, Nels, bratty Nelly and her bratty brother (I can't remember his name right now either) never existed in real life either.

Ed.

I forget the exact circumstances now (Because I haven't seen the final MASH episode in several years) but for some reason they had to evacuate the camp (invading enemy soldiers I think). And they were all hiding out somewhere with some native South Koreans like on a bus. One of them was a young woman with a very young and crying baby. And if the enemy soldiers found them they were all going to be shot and killed. So Hawkeye gets really annoyed and upset with the baby crying and he gets angry at the young mother and tells her to make the baby stop crying, something like will you shut that damn baby up! And the young mother knows that if enemy soldiers are nearby and can hear her baby crying they will be found and killed. So she intentionally smothers her baby to death in order spare everybody else from possibly being murdered. And Hawkeye's so ridden with guilt over it believing it was all his fault she smothered her baby to death, that's why he had the mental breakdown and had repressed the memory and substituted a chicken for the baby in his mind. If that's not horrifying to you well then you're just a really really cold person that I wouldn't even want to know!
sorry you feel that way, but as my fathers old college professor used to say "Well, great minds differ!" Or; something my mother used to say: "Everyone to their own opinion said the woman as she kissed the cow." LOL :)






I used to work with a guy who said everyone has a different opinion and that's what makes the world go round!
Ed.

Albert was played by Matthew Laborteaux, and his brother Patrick Laborteaux was a regular on the drama series JAG, but I can't remember his character's name.

Patrick was Bud Roberts on JAG and both the Laborteaux brothers were on Little House. Patrick played Andrew Garvey.

Don't forget about the addition of that annoying, bratty little twit "Albert" who didn't even exist in real life. I'll never know WHY the writers chose to add that twerp. I couldn't stand him. The show sometimes deviated quite a bit from Laura Ingalls Wilder's real life books. "Adam" also did not exist in real life. In real life, Mary never got married and she never had children. She became a burden on her sister Carrie and lived with her for years. So the whole story about Mary abandoning her baby during the fire was fiction. None of that ever happened for real.

Someone on the writing staff must have hated the addition of Albert because the show did a total 180 on that character. He went from adorable scamp to evil baby murderer and drug addict in two seconds flat. And then in the very last episode he appeared in (where he becomes an addict), Charles is all like, "I hate that kid; I don't care what happens to him!" So, someone on staff clearly was annoyed with this character. :D

Albert was played by Matthew Laborteaux, and his brother Patrick Laborteaux was a regular on the drama series JAG, but I can't remember his character's name. Also if I remember as a boy, Patrick guest starred on a couple of episodes of Little House On The Prairie too. Also in the show the Oleson family Harriet, Nels, bratty Nelly and her bratty brother (I can't remember his name right now either) never existed in real life either.

Ed.

Nellie was a real person.

Someone on the writing staff must have hated the addition of Albert because the show did a total 180 on that character. He went from adorable scamp to evil baby murderer and drug addict in two seconds flat. And then in the very last episode he appeared in (where he becomes an addict), Charles is all like, "I hate that kid; I don't care what happens to him!" So, someone on staff clearly was annoyed with this character. :D

Charles should have dumped that kid after he caused the fire that killed Alice Garvey and Mary's baby.

Nellie was a real person.

That's not what I heard. I heard the character of Nellie was a combination of a couple of people Laura Ingalls Wilder knew growing up but there was never a real Nellie Oleson.

Ed.

Patrick was Bud Roberts on JAG and both the Laborteaux brothers were on Little House. Patrick played Andrew Garvey.

Yeah thanks, I've watched JAG some here and there and I just couldn't think of Patrick Laborteaux's character's name.

Ed.

It's a TV show about a fictional character. Watching a show set in wartime isn't really like being in a war.

I never said it was did I? :rolleyes: But I think M.A.S.H. did an excellent job of realistically portraying the horrors of war.

Ed.

That's not what I heard. I heard the character of Nellie was a combination of a couple of people Laura Ingalls Wilder knew growing up but there was never a real Nellie Oleson.

Ed.
Yes, I know. That's why I just said that Nellie was a real person. The real Nellie is Nellie Owens and then there are two other girls who are combined with Nellie Owens to create "Nellie Olsen."

JAG changed a lot after it switched networks. The first season only had one episode in a courtroom and it was in Iraq. Once it moved to CBS almost every episode featured court proceedings.

It's a TV show about a fictional character. Watching a show set in wartime isn't really like being in a war.
:yeahthat

one i can think of one i can really think of is family matters!! It became steve urkel show & then later season he started cloning him self & then he became stefan urquelle! i heard it was originally going to be about the wilson's family!! but then it became the steve urkel show!! the first seaon didn't even have steve urkel in it!!

one i can think of one i can really think of is family matters!! It became steve urkel show & then later season he started cloning him self & then he became stefan urquelle! i heard it was originally going to be about the wilson's family!! but then it became the steve urkel show!! the first seaon didn't even have steve urkel in it!!

It was also outrageous how they eventually got rid of the daughter Judy. She just vanished with no explanation.

Don't forget about the addition of that annoying, bratty little twit "Albert" who didn't even exist in real life. I'll never know WHY the writers chose to add that twerp. I couldn't stand him. The show sometimes deviated quite a bit from Laura Ingalls Wilder's real life books. "Adam" also did not exist in real life. In real life, Mary never got married and she never had children. She became a burden on her sister Carrie and lived with her for years. So the whole story about Mary abandoning her baby during the fire was fiction. None of that ever happened for real.

I couldn't stand the fake adopted children: Albert, Cassandra, James. Why ruin a historic family with a bunch of fake adopted kids? And the real Ingalls siblings were gradually phased out after Season 5: Carrie went from getting a few lines per episode to getting a few lines per season. Mary and Grace were also barely seen anymore... it was like a completely different show, and they wanted us to just forget the real Ingalls girls had ever existed.

It was also outrageous how they eventually got rid of the daughter Judy. She just vanished with no explanation.

I hate when shows get rid of characters with no explanation.

I hate when shows get rid of characters with no explanation.
or when they switch sets with no explanation like THE ODD COUPLE and HAPPY DAYS.

I couldn't stand the fake adopted children: Albert, Cassandra, James.

I never understood why they didn't get the girl who played Cassandra to replace the actress who played Carrie, since the original actress couldn't act her way out of a paper bag. That's why she got so few lines as the show wore on; she had zero acting ability.

or when they switch sets with no explanation like THE ODD COUPLE and HAPPY DAYS.

OMG! The Happy Days house change was as disturbing as them never mentioning what happened to Chuck! What secrets these people were hiding! :lol:

I never understood why they didn't get the girl who played Cassandra to replace the actress who played Carrie, since the original actress couldn't act her way out of a paper bag. That's why she got so few lines as the show wore on; she had zero acting ability.

The Greenbush twins (who played Carrie) definitely had several BAD years where their acting was horrific, it's true. I particularly recall "The Godsister" as very bad, and there were times they weren't even believable when they were just acting like little girls... which is what they actually were. The wooden delivery, the monotone voice, the scripts that made them sound mentally challenged... At one point in the fifth season, what must be a 10-year-old Carrie wets her pants. WTF!?

BUT: Carrie was very believable in the Season 8 episode "A Christmas They Never Forgot", which was likely the last episode where the Greenbush twins got more than three lines. Sure, it was just a small role, but it came off very well, IMO. I don't know if they had to do a dozen takes to get that performance, but Carrie's scenes there were decent. So it seemed to me like the Greenbushes had improved in their final season, and it's a shame that more couldn't have been done along those lines during seasons 8 and 9. But instead Carrie becomes living wallpaper, barely speaking during her final 68 episodes, and not even mentioned after season 8.

All of that still doesn't explain how Grace and Mary also disappeared. Heck, in Mary's final episode (also "A Christmas They Never Forgot"), MSA's name doesn't even appear in the opening credits, though "Adam's" does. It's like they decided to abandon Laura's real historical siblings in favor of Fakey McFakesiblings.

or when they switch sets with no explanation like THE ODD COUPLE and HAPPY DAYS.

"Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" also did that.

It's like they decided to abandon Laura's real historical siblings in favor of Fakey McFakesiblings.
I also loathed the fake adopted kids.

Does anyone know if Almonzo's neice "Jenny" was a real person?

Little House on the Prairie. It started out as this very uplifting family show and then turned into this trashy show that used shock value for ratings. The show went so much in the opposite direction that it started contradicting its own positive messages from earlier on in the series.

For example, when Mary went blind, there were entire episodes based around her having to cope with her disability and teaching the audiences that blind people were just as capable as raising children as anyone else. Then when the show went in full shock value mode, it had Mary stupidly abandon her baby during a fire when all she had to do was scoop it up in her arms before leaving the house. And then her husband magically restores his vision and gets to live a happy, fulfilled life as a sighted person when he was the one who taught Mary how to accept her blindness.


I didn't really like the "Mary went blind" storyline either but I wouldn't call it trashy at all. It was certainly better in the beginning but trashy makes me think of shows like Rosanne. Just my opinion of course. But you're right, they could have done without those other story lines. Maybe it shouldn't have run as long as it did. I haven't read all of the books but I wonder if they were just trying to keep up with the times.

I have to add... wow, so much hatred for Albert! I should probably duck before saying that he was one of my favorite characters. Even though it's a tragic episode, my favorite is that "Sylvia" one, although I wish it would have had a different ending.

I didn't really like the "Mary went blind" storyline either but I wouldn't call it trashy at all. It was certainly better in the beginning but trashy makes me think of shows like Rosanne. Just my opinion of course. But you're right, they could have done without those other story lines. Maybe it shouldn't have run as long as it did. I haven't read all of the books but I wonder if they were just trying to keep up with the times.It wasn't a "story." It happened in real life.

I didn't really like the "Mary went blind" storyline either but I wouldn't call it trashy at all. It was certainly better in the beginning but trashy makes me think of shows like Rosanne. Just my opinion of course. But you're right, they could have done without those other story lines. Maybe it shouldn't have run as long as it did. I haven't read all of the books but I wonder if they were just trying to keep up with the times.

Yeah I think a better word to describe Little House On The Prairie as it went on is "melodramatic".

Ed.

The Greenbush twins (who played Carrie) definitely had several BAD years where their acting was horrific, it's true.

I keep forgetting Carrie was played by twins for some reason. I guess it's because they were so bad that I just stopped paying attention to that character after awhile. You'd think that at least one of them could've grown into the role but they both must have stunk pretty badly to pretty much be ignored in favor of the child actors who only came on later in the series.

I have to add... wow, so much hatred for Albert! I should probably duck before saying that he was one of my favorite characters. Even though it's a tragic episode, my favorite is that "Sylvia" one, although I wish it would have had a different ending.

I loved Albert, too, (well, more the actor who played him, who was charismatic) but the show completely ruined him with that "May We Make Them Proud" episode. Plus, he threatened to overshadow Laura Ingalls, so I can understand the hatred. He really shouldn't have been added to the show. As others said, he never existed, and the show seemed to be propping him up as the main character.

I'm sorry, but that "Sylvia" episode is an example of what I mean about the show getting trashy. It starts out by setting her up as this girl who gets peeped on because she's "maturing," which implies that she got raped because she was developed. I also don't like this episode because it seemed like a very obvious attempt at trying to redeem Albert after "May We Make Them Proud," but IMO, there was no bouncing back from that episode.

Yeah I think a better word to describe Little House On The Prairie as it went on is "melodramatic".

Melodrama is a perfect word for Little House. I love the joke from WKRP about LHOTP "It's a show about blind children and every week someone dies in a fire or from a horrible disease." LOL! I don't hate Little House, but some of the episodes were downright weird and disturbing; but if they had totally stuck to the books it would not have lasted 200+ episodes. If the books were adapted for TV today, they would probably do short seasons for each novel. Somebody should do it!

I also loathed the fake adopted kids.

Does anyone know if Almonzo's neice "Jenny" was a real person?

Royal Wilder did have many children or step-children, but none of them were named Jenny. His daughters were named Susan (who died very young), Bernice, and an unnamed daughter who died in infancy. His step-children were Ethel, Clyde, Ray, and May.

I'm sorry, but that "Sylvia" episode is an example of what I mean about the show getting trashy. It starts out by setting her up as this girl who gets peeped on because she's "maturing," which implies that she got raped because she was developed. I also don't like this episode because it seemed like a very obvious attempt at trying to redeem Albert after "May We Make Them Proud," but IMO, there was no bouncing back from that episode.

I always call the episode where everyone's burned in the fire "May We Bake Them Brown". :lol: As you said, Mary just had to pick up her baby, but instead she... leaves the room. Makes no sense.

The later seasons were full of episodes that really had no place in a family show; "Sylvia" (the Mime Rape episode) is the worst one, but there were many others. Melodramatic, sure, but also twisted and bizarre.

Melodrama is a perfect word for Little House. I love the joke from WKRP about LHOTP "It's a show about blind children and every week someone dies in a fire or from a horrible disease." LOL!

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

I always call the episode where everyone's burned in the fire "May We Bake Them Brown". :lol: As you said, Mary just had to pick up her baby, but instead she... leaves the room. Makes no sense.

The later seasons were full of episodes that really had no place in a family show; "Sylvia" (the Mime Rape episode) is the worst one, but there were many others. Melodramatic, sure, but also twisted and bizarre.

What about Nancy Olsen trying to murder a classmate out of jealousy by locking her up in an ice house? But this was played up on the show as the cute antics of a brat. Uh, no, writers. She was a straight up sociopath.

What about Nancy Olsen trying to murder a classmate out of jealousy by locking her up in an ice house? But this was played up on the show as the cute antics of a brat. Uh, no, writers. She was a straight up sociopath.

EXACTLY! I almost even mentioned this sinister episode as an example of the way the show had degraded. Thanks for mentioning it. I don't know what the writers were thinking. How could they ever have Willie associate with Nancy after this episode? And yet, he does...

What about Nancy Olsen trying to murder a classmate out of jealousy by locking her up in an ice house? But this was played up on the show as the cute antics of a brat. Uh, no, writers. She was a straight up sociopath.

Nancy was definitely a sociopath. She also ordered the shooting death of Mr. Edwards' orangutan Blanche. Luckily, Mr. Edwards and Blanche were able to fake her death in order to satisfy that sick psycho bitch Nancy.

Nancy was definitely a sociopath. She also ordered the shooting death of Mr. Edwards' orangutan Blanche. Luckily, Mr. Edwards and Blanche were able to fake her death in order to satisfy that sick psycho bitch Nancy.

Wow! That's the first time I've heard of this episode! :eek: Might it have been pulled for syndication, because somehow, I missed this one. What a sick story line. It pretty much nailed my problems with the character and the direction LHOTP was going in towards the end. It wasn't about melodrama anymore but shock value. It wasn't "ratings worthy" to just have Nancy be a funny, harmless spoiled brat like Nelly; she had to attempt to kill people and animals.

Wow! That's the first time I've heard of this episode! :eek: Might it have been pulled for syndication, because somehow, I missed this one. What a sick story line. It pretty much nailed my problems with the character and the direction LHOTP was going in towards the end. It wasn't about melodrama anymore but shock value. It wasn't "ratings worthy" to just have Nancy be a funny, harmless spoiled brat like Nelly; she had to attempt to kill people and animals.
I think Nancy was much worse than Nellie. I haven't seen this episode in years. Blanche, the orangutan offended Nancy in some way so Nancy made up a fake story about the animal being vicious and demanded that it be shot to death. So Mr. Edwards took Blanche behind the school house and said he would shoot Blanche in front of Nancy, but he purposely missed Blanche, but they pretended he shot her and Blanche clutched her chest and fell down to the ground at the sound of the gun shot. It was all an act in order to fool that sick, deranged brat Nancy.

I think Nancy was much worse than Nellie. I haven't seen this episode in years. Blanche, the orangutan offended Nancy in some way so Nancy made up a fake story about the animal being vicious and demanded that it be shot to death. So Mr. Edwards took Blanche behind the school house and said he would shoot Blanche in front of Nancy, but he purposely missed Blanche, but they pretended he shot her and Blanche clutched her chest and fell down to the ground at the sound of the gun shot. It was all an act in order to fool that sick, deranged brat Nancy.

Yikes! That's awful. So glad I missed that one! :mad:

I just saw The Bad Seed again the other day, and I'm fairly sure that the writers based Nancy on Rhoda, which doesn't make sense, since that character was supposed to be a sick, twisted child murderer.

Yikes! That's awful. So glad I missed that one! :mad: It was actually a very good episode and probably the last humorous episode of Little House on the Prairie. Mr. Edwards and Blanche were very cute together and Willie helped them with the fake death ruse.

https://youtu.be/5Lpms-eFlGs

I just saw The Bad Seed again the other day, and I'm fairly sure that the writers based Nancy on Rhoda, which doesn't make sense, since that character was supposed to be a sick, twisted child murderer.
What episode is Bad Seed?

What episode is Bad Seed?

It wasn't an episode of LHOTP. It was a movie from the 1950s about an evil child murderess. She was blonde like Nancy Oleson and would do the fake "woe is me" crying shtick whenever her mother got angry with her:

https://d2ycltig8jwwee.cloudfront.net/articles/6127/detail.995f642f.JPG

It wasn't an episode of LHOTP. It was a movie from the 1950s about an evil child murderess. She was blonde like Nancy Oleson and would do the fake "woe is me" crying shtick whenever her mother got angry with her:

https://d2ycltig8jwwee.cloudfront.net/articles/6127/detail.995f642f.JPG
Sounds like a movie I would love to see! I need to check this out! The kid looks like a horror show!

Sounds like a movie I would love to see! I need to check this out! The kid looks like a horror show!

It's currently in rotation on the Movies! network this month for Halloween. If you can, you can catch it midnight on Saturday, October 26th or 1PM on Monday, October 28th. The movie was based on a stage play.

Here's another creepy still :D:

https://68.media.tumblr.com/4144a9766aa08930441768d2667fe7a9/tumblr_miht51LNpz1r7r8e0o1_500.jpg

MELROSE PLACE (1992 - 1999). The 1st season is VERY different from the others. When Melrose Place started, they were all friends. They had scenes where they would all be swimming together and having barbeques. There was a scene where they were all playing poker. The ratings were not good in season 1 and they decided to change the format by adding Heather Locklear as a vixen and change it to a soap opera type format. Storylines then became about cheating, betrayal, blackmail, alcoholism, Jo shooting a boyfriend in self defense and having her baby stolen, the building blowing up by Kimberly and so on.