I was suprised to find out that the show went to ABC, and that there was an 85/86 season. For some reason I always thought the show ended around 84 or 85. I don't think I've ever seen the last season in syndication, so was the last season any good? Or was it just like the last few years of the show, not really as good as it used to be.

The last season was quite strange- personally I thought it was quite different to the rest of the series.
It was similar to the last couple of seasons in that it wasn't as good as it's early days. There were some really good episodes in it but also some terrible ones.

In the last season it seemed like Arnold was involved with his friends a little more, and the show focused around them, and it wasn't as interesting as it was in the other seasons.

wow, i actually have seen some of the last season episodes. the only ones that stick out in my mind are the sam kidnapping episode, and the one where arnold forms a band or something. yeah the last season was pretty bad. i didn't know maggie was re-cast though.

The last season had so many changes, a new opening (credits; the theme song was the same, but the music was different), no Kimberly (Except for one or two episodes), a different Maggie (played by Mary Anne Mobley; first one was Dixie Carter) and hardly any Willis (who went through more hair changes than Madonna, LOL). So it was very different. I didn't like it at all, although a few episodes (Sam's Kidnapping & Bulimia stick out in my mind) were pretty good, but they too had flaws. Oh, and Sam was not easy to get used to! lol

I did not like it. It's almost like ABC tried to recreate DS into an entirely different show. New cast members, new set, new theme music...it just didn't work for me.

Oh *yeah* they did re-do the set! I HATED that too. You're right, it did seem like ABC was trying to change the show to something entirely different. I have a feeling that if ABC kept things the way they were, Diff'rent Strokes would have lasted a FULL season, and maybe even another.

Was it ABC's choice to get rid of Dixie Carter, or did she leave to do Designing Women?

Originally posted by TVJunkie101
Oh *yeah* they did re-do the set! I HATED that too. You're right, it did seem like ABC was trying to change the show to something entirely different. I have a feeling that if ABC kept things the way they were, Diff'rent Strokes would have lasted a FULL season, and maybe even another.

Was it ABC's choice to get rid of Dixie Carter, or did she leave to do Designing Women?

From what I read, Dixie Carter and Gary Coleman didn't get along and that was part of the reason Dixie was 'let go' from the series and replaced with Mary Ann.