In other words, a show that had a later (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LaterInstallmentWeirdness) or final season that as so drastically different, distinct, and tonally (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ToneShift) divorced from what came before (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/GenreShift/LiveActionTV), that it might as well have been branded as a different show.

One example would probably be the show "Gimme a Break!". Their final season, or so, was different from the earlier seasons.

One example would probably be the show "Gimme a Break!". Their final season, or so, was different from the earlier seasons.

That's the first show that came to my mind, too. That last season basically had a different cast and different premise.

The Facts of Life had several retoolings throughout its history, and might have been better split into two series.

The final season of Suddenly Susan was vastly different than the previous seasons, and feels like a different show. The first season of A Different World feels like a different series, even featuring a different theme song. Charles in Charge has a very different cast after the first season. The first two seasons of Happy Days are vastly different than the later seasons. Laverne and Shirley should have been a different series when the girls moved to California.

That's the first show that came to my mind, too. That last season basically had a different cast and different premise.

The Facts of Life had several retoolings throughout its history, and might have been better split into two series.

The final season of Suddenly Susan was vastly different than the previous seasons, and feels like a different show. The first season of A Different World feels like a different series, even featuring a different theme song. Charles in Charge has a very different cast after the first season. The first two seasons of Happy Days are vastly different than the later seasons. Laverne and Shirley should have been a different series when the girls moved to California.

The Facts of Life practically has at least five distinctive eras. The first was the pre-Jo Season 1 that had Mrs. Garrett (fresh from Diff'rent Strokes) being a housemother to about seven girls.

The second era has Mrs. Garrett in effect, becoming a probation officer of sorts to Blair, Natalie, and Tootie (the only other holdovers from Season 1), as well as newcomer Jo, who all have to work together in Eastland's cafeteria.

The third era, has the show become something more of a workplace show instead of a school show, by having the girls work for Mrs. Garrett in her gourmet shop after she quits her job at Eastland.

Season 7 (1985-86) introduces Over Our Heads as a replacement for the burned down Edna's Edibles, George Clooney's contractor character, and the updated, synth-pop version of the theme song. This was also Charlotte Rae's last season.

The last two seasons, still has Over Our Heads as the primary setting but now has Cloris Leachman taking over the main "female adult" role as Mrs. Garrett's sister. It also introduced Sherrie Krenn's Pippa character presumably, to (along with Mackenzie Astin's Andy) bring some "new blood" into the show.

Had TFOL gotten a tenth season, it would've in all likelihood, retooled itself once more by taking the primary action back to Eastland with Blair now the headmistress of Eastland, which would now be co-ed.

One example would probably be the show "Gimme a Break!". Their final season, or so, was different from the earlier seasons.

I wonder if Dolph Sweet's untimely passing after Season 4 forced the show's hand. I highly doubt that had he lived, the producers would've felt so inclined to write out the Kanisky family and move Nell to New York.

One Day At A Time, Season 1- Ann’s a newly divorced woman raising two high school daughters

One Day At A Time, Season 8 (by the end of it)- Ann’s a married woman with two married daughters no longer living at home

One Day At A Time, Season 1- Ann’s a newly divorced woman raising two high school daughters

One Day At A Time, Season 8 (by the end of it)- Ann’s a married woman with two married daughters no longer living at home

I remember reading a comment (http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2013/03/in-memory-of-bonnie-franklin.html?showComment=1362232935503#c2266059038885810667) on Ken Levine's blog that said that One Day at a Time may have not have done so well initially, in syndication (despite being on the air for nine nears) is in part, because it revamped itself several times. When these changes would happen in a new season, they weren't so jarring. In syndication, one week you might be watching Anne dating Richard Masur, a few weeks later, the girls might be married, and how did Glenn Scarpelli get there?

The Facts of Life practically has at least five distinctive eras. The first was the pre-Jo Season 1 that had Mrs. Garrett (fresh from Diff'rent Strokes) being a housemother to about seven girls.

The second era has Mrs. Garrett in effect, becoming a probation officer of sorts to Blair, Natalie, and Tootie (the only other holdovers from Season 1), as well as newcomer Jo, who all have to work together in Eastland's cafeteria.

The third era, has the show become something more of a workplace show instead of a school show, by having the girls work for Mrs. Garrett in her gourmet shop after she quits her job at Eastland.

Season 7 (1985-86) introduces Over Our Heads as a replacement for the burned down Edna's Edibles, George Clooney's contractor character, and the updated, synth-pop version of the theme song. This was also Charlotte Rae's last season.

The last two seasons, still has Over Our Heads as the primary setting but now has Cloris Leachman taking over the main "female adult" role as Mrs. Garrett's sister. It also introduced Sherrie Krenn's Pippa character presumably, to (along with Mackenzie Astin's Andy) bring some "new blood" into the show.

Had TFOL gotten a ninth season, it would've in all likelihood, retooled itself once more by taking the primary action back to Eastland with Blair now the headmistress of Eastland, which would now be co-ed.

The Facts of Life did have a ninth season. But the "tenth season" would have been the Eastland spin-off.

FOL went through more retoolings than is commonly understood. The backdoor pilot episode features Mrs. Garrett with Mr. Crocker with over 20 girls, but the named ones were Nancy, Blair, Sue Ann, Molly, Tootie, Jennifer, and Laura. By the time the series started, Jennifer and Laura were replaced with Natalie and Cindy, and an added character is Miss Mahoney; Mr. Crocker was replaced by Mr. Bradley.

Four episodes into the series, there was a soft retooling, and the series was placed on a six-month hiatus. When it returned, Miss Mahoney was gone (and the grandfather clock in the dorm common room had also been replaced). Nancy's role had also been significantly reduced, and she wouldn't have more than seven lines in most episodes, although she does gain an unseen boyfriend.

The Cast Purge between Seasons 1 and 2 was a major shift, with Jo replacing Cindy, Sue Ann, Nancy, and Molly; Mr. Bradley no longer was on the show, and there were completely new sets.

Season Five saw a major retooling again, as Mrs. Garrett moved into her own shop and Blair and Jo enrolled at Langley College shortly into the fifth season. Gone were the Eastland sets (although the rarely-seen Eastland classroom was pressed into service as a Langley classroom) and gone also were the guest appearances from recurring Eastland students. A new recurring character, Kelly, was added, but did not last long. This might have been the point that a new series title would have been warranted: it really bore little relation to the original premise, and there were only three remaining characters from the original backdoor pilot.

Seasons Six and Seven saw the reduction of Mrs. Garrett's character; Season Six also introduced the recurring characters of Kevin (who would not last long), and Andy (who would), and Season Seven saw Edna's shop become a tacky Spencer's rip-off. The character of Kevin was replaced by George. Mrs. Garrett left at the beginning of Season Eight, and her character was replaced by Beverly Ann; George was also phased out. By this point, only Blair and Tootie remained from the original backdoor pilot. Season Nine saw the addition of Pippa.

I remember reading a comment (http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2013/03/in-memory-of-bonnie-franklin.html?showComment=1362232935503#c2266059038885810667) on Ken Levine's blog that said that One Day at a Time may have not have done so well initially, in syndication (despite being on the air for nine nears) is in part, because it revamped itself several times. When these changes would happen in a new season, they weren't so jarring. In syndication, one week you might be watching Anne dating Richard Masur, a few weeks later, the girls might be married, and how did Glenn Scarpelli get there?

I used to read that blog occasionally, but drifted away. He still doing it?

Unless you’re watching on a network that oddly jumps around in show order for whatever reason, or picking and choosing episodes at random from streaming if they’re all available at once, that comment doesn’t seem to be a major issue.

But Levine gets his wish. With the expansion of retronets and streaming options now, ODAAT is pretty prevalent.

The Andy Griffith Show should have transitioned to Mayberry RFD after season 5.

"Happy Days" had at least 3 different stages. Seasons 1 and 2 was about Richie, Potsie, and Ralph growing up in the 1950s in Milwaukee facing the typical teenage problems of that era.

Seasons 3-7 was when Fonzie took over and became the undisputed star, as well as a friend and mentor to Richie and his friends, who were now on their way to college.

Seasons 8-11 might as well have been part of a new show since many of the characters and plots were totally unrecognizable from Season 1. You can call this the "Joanie Loves Chachi" era and that's a good way of saying how bad it became.