View Full Version : Why does this show get the short end of the stick when it comes to cable TV


Superswiper
07-16-2023, 04:34 AM
Many of its fellow TGIF shows still regularly air in reruns on cable TV, such as Family Matters (which is currently airing on three different channels, no less), Full House, Step by Step, Sister, Sister, Boy Meets World and George Lopez.

As far as I know, 2007 was the last time the show was seen on cable TV in the US, and even before then, it had a habit of always showing up on a channel's schedule, only to disappear a month or two later.

Seriously, I think it would be awesome if they added this show to TBS, IFC or Logo, and actually stay on there, especially now that it's no longer on Hulu. The DVDs tend to be pretty costly too.

icecream
07-16-2023, 10:42 AM
Boy Meets World hasn't aired in a long time either, I miss it.

Superswiper
07-19-2023, 11:09 PM
Boy Meets World hasn't aired in a long time either, I miss it.

I'm not sure why I said Boy Meets World, because I haven't seen that on a while. Either way, it's still been treated a lot better in reruns than Perfect Strangers.

JO Sweet Heart
08-05-2023, 04:43 PM
Sadly, the brain train can only travel so far where the powers that be are concerned.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

PerfectStranger
08-24-2023, 11:34 PM
I actually never heard of this show until recently and watched it for the first time and was shocked at how good this show was even though it's only on Amazon Prime. Other shows like All in the Family which I didn't like and the Jeffersons which wasn't bad were always aired all the time. My suspicion is maybe internal politics. I would think it would be on Disney+ and the show has recently been going up in popularity yet it seems to be universally blacklisted.

Alan Brady's Hair
08-25-2023, 12:05 AM
Could it be that it's known as a TGIF show, but there are no kids in it?

Superswiper
08-25-2023, 04:32 AM
I actually never heard of this show until recently and watched it for the first time and was shocked at how good this show was even though it's only on Amazon Prime. Other shows like All in the Family which I didn't like and the Jeffersons which wasn't bad were always aired all the time. My suspicion is maybe internal politics. I would think it would be on Disney+ and the show has recently been going up in popularity yet it seems to be universally blacklisted.

It used to be on Hulu as well, but was removed a couple years back. It actually managed to stay on there for quite a while.

It's pretty interesting how shows that are over 30 years old (particular the more elusive ones like this) are still getting new fans. How did you discover this show, by the way?

Could it be that it's known as a TGIF show, but there are no kids in it?

Maybe it could have something to do with that. Now that I think about it, the show is pretty unique in that aspect. The vast majority of TGIF shows have kids in them, but Perfect Strangers doesn't.

JO Sweet Heart
08-25-2023, 09:10 AM
^^^ Why the show did not have any kids during the show on a normal basis my guess would be due to Balki having the mind of a child for the most part. Maybe the writers though that kids being on the show more would only take the focus off of him when him and Larry were the main characters of the show.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

Alan Brady's Hair
08-25-2023, 09:26 AM
^^^ Why the show did not have any kids during the show on a normal basis my guess would be due to Balki having the mind of a child for the most part.

Yes. I associate Balki with Gilligan sometimes.

Superswiper
08-27-2023, 11:38 PM
Yeah, true. Also, I don't see where a child could really fit in on the show. The show was all about Larry and Balki. Even all the supporting characters revolved around them. We never see anyone that ties to just Jennifer or Maryanne, for instance.

JO Sweet Heart
08-28-2023, 10:31 AM
^^^ We do get to meet Jennifer's parents in two episodes, first her dad and later on her mom.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

TMC
01-01-2024, 06:38 AM
Does it seem like Perfect Strangers doesn't really get much respect these days? It had some of the best slapstick (https://www.google.com/search?q=slapstick+perfect+strangers&sca_esv=c53d936b83f76567&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=AM9HkKl7KTIrHRAjBKHYnLoe8hF14Ngjdw%3A1704104694051&ei=9pKSZfffArWRwbkPnJ2P-A8&ved=0ahUKEwj3ssvX_LuDAxW1SDABHZzOA_8Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=slapstick+perfect+strangers&gs_lp=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_CAgsQABiABBiKBRiGA8ICBRAhGJ8F4gMEGAAgQYgGAboGBggBEAEYAboGBggCEAEYCw&sclient=gws-wiz-serp) and physical comedy in any network sitcom. But it feels like after it had its final season, it pretty much faded out. Especially when compared to its spin-off show Family Matters. To add insult to injury, Mark Lynn-Baker appeared (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0577059/) on the final season of Family Matters but NOT as Larry Appleton.

rusty spike
01-01-2024, 07:10 AM
Maybe it's how we watch tv now; meaning long binge streaks. There are some shows which I like best in small spurts 1-2 episodes. If I try to watch more, I find irritating inconsistencies which ruin the entertainment.

I think networks believe in binge watching programming. Perhaps this show doesn't test favorable with back to back episodes.

OmegaWolf747
02-11-2024, 01:41 PM
This may not be what everyone's looking for, but PS is available on streaming, such as Amazon Prime and YouTube from $1.99/episode or $19.99/season.

Superswiper
05-17-2024, 09:09 PM
This may not be what everyone's looking for, but PS is available on streaming, such as Amazon Prime and YouTube from $1.99/episode or $19.99/season.

Yeah, no thank you. If I'm paying for the show individually, I would rather buy a physical copy of one of the season DVD sets on a sale or something. I wish they would put it on Max with some of the other TGIF shows that are on there.

Hawkee
10-03-2025, 04:13 AM
When you look at all the sitcoms of the Lorimar/Miller/Boyett line such as Family Matters Full House and Step By Step I think Perfect Strangers remains the least known sitcom of Miller/Boyett because when it debuted on ABC in 1986 I think ABC had plans for making this sitcom successful. But when the sitcom ends it's run and begins new life in reruns in syndication it can too be hard to find. For Perfect Strangers the reason why reruns of it are never seen on channels like Laff and METV is because like Full House and Family Matters they are popular with fans but I think with Perfect Strangers it has become like Step By Step very underrated. But I discovered that Howdy now has Perfect Strangers and all the seasons are featured