The Beverly Hillbillies was great its first 3 seasons and the next 3 were fairly good but the last 3 shouldn't have ever happened.

The Jeffersons went on about 3-4 seasons too long.

All in the Family last 1 season too long. The Stivics Go West should have been the stopping point.

Bewitched last about 3 seasons too long. I never liked Dick Sergeant as Darren.

The last season of Full House sucked. They really should have ended it after 6 or 7.

The Facts Of Life died during it's last two seasons.

Cheers lost it's touch after Shelley Long left.

Family Ties just wasn't as good anymore because everyone was grown up, and it wasn't anywhere as cute and interesting.

Three's Company wasn't bad in it's last seasons but began losing it's spunk when Chrissy left. The sex comedy just wasn't funny anymore, and John and Joyce were the only ones who could really keep the show alive.

Newhart was an excellent sitcom, but once the show hit the late 80's and early 90's, it was clear that Bob just wasn't funny anymore, and that his humor had dated very quickly in a world of Saturday Night Live-type shows.

Murphy Brown really bad at the end. They should have cancelled it when Miles left. Family Ties was also bad at the end as was Growing Pains.

Roseanne.:eek:

I'd have to say Frasier even though it is still on the air, it seems that they are running out of ideas...maybe its just a bad point and it'll bounce back to being a smart and funny sitcom again, at least I hope it will.

Penny Lane - I have to totally disagree with you about Roseanne. The first few seasons were probably the best, and there was a period in the middle of the show's run where it was pretty dull, but the last season had an excellent premise and great writing...I have no idea why people didn't care for it. Them winning the lottery was something awesome!

Diff'rent Strokes: It should've ended when NBC cancelled it.

Facts of Life: Over Our Heads was terrible and Beverly Ann was worse.

Family Matters: Once the original Harriet left, there was no reason to continue.

Roseanne: Winning lottery=Jumping shark

All of Norman Lear shows seemed to last one or two seasons too long. If you notice the trend that the second to the last seaosn or the last season every episode is spent on the characters going through major transitions. Right there that is a sign that it is time to pack it up. Watching the final seasons of many of his shows are painful to watch. For instance, All in the Family after Mike and Gloria left, the last season of One Day at A Time and the final season of The Jeffersons.

Roseanne-Started out pretty mediocre, even boring at times. But for like maybe 4 or 5 seasons was hilarious, and then just plain sucked during the last 2 seasons. ESPECIALLY the last one. The lottery thing was so horrible.

Family Matters-Went about 4 seasons too long. It really went bad with the introduction of Stephan Urkel.

Fresh Prince-It was over the minute that 5 year old stepped on the set when he was a baby the previous season.

Despite my undying love for the show, "M.A.S.H" should have finished things up two or three seasons earlier then they did. They were really running out of ideas in the end, and the cast looked like they were getting pretty bored.

This is a funny topic because it could almost be said for ANY classic show. Few shows go out on the top of their game, most wait until they are no longer good to go off the air. The only show I can think of that truely went off at the top of its game was Seinfield, now im sure im spacing some out, but in general most shows go on too long.

I Love Lucy went out as #1 and in my opinion and at just the right time. Also, as far as Seinfeld, its easy to go out on top of your game when your game was always at the bottom.

The show that truly left on top was The Dick Van Dyke Show. That show could have gone on for at least three more seasons. Five years they knew was enough to say everything they had to say.

Suddenly Susan the last season with a complete new cast and set was just horrible.
The Facts of LifeI liked the 9th season, but it wasn't as funny. Especially with Pippa, eww
Charmed it should've been cancelled after it's 4th season. this 5th season is SO stupid

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that's all

I tend to agree that almost every classic long running tv series does eventually run out of ideas and begins to repeat itself. But a few series do come to mind that really extended there welcome far longer than they should have:

MASH: A great first three years, good next couple of seasons, but by the time Radar left for home it was time for the show to pack it in. Whenever I see the opening credits of MASH and don't see Radar in the first frame--I tend to turn it off.

Cheers: I like both Diane and Rebecca but it also went on a couple of seasons too long.

Fraiser: I agree that this show is running out of ideas. The ratings are reflecting it too. It still does well enough, but no longer wins its time slot with regularity. And I think they have Kelsey signed to play Fraiser for another season or so. This is NBC's problem on the comedic side too many of there successful comedies are getting long in the tooth.

The Lucy Show: This show ran from 1962-1968 and then became "Here's Lucy" from 68-74. Different names for the character (Lucy Charmichael became Lucy Carter) but it is still "Lucy" and still with Gale Gordon. The Lucy Show was pretty good for the first three seasons (particularly season one), but after Vivian Vance left it went south and in my opinion, "Here's Lucy"--except for a good opening credit sequence--was never very good and best not even airing. The one gem of an episode featuring Liz Taylor and Dick Burton could not redeem a whole series and could have been best used perhaps as an hour long Lucy special.

The Andy Griffith Show: Don Knotts left TAGS after five seasons becuz he assumed that Andy was going to do the same thing--in fact Andy had told him that--so, Don signs a movie deal with Universal. Meanwhile Andy has a change of heart and tells Don that he will be doing another season and wants Don to sign on again, but Knotts now can't becuz of his new contract. Thus the final three seasons of TAGS is without Deputy Barney Fife (except for five well done guest shots). Nevertheless, the show isn't nearly as funny and the quality is not as good. In fact Andy has said himself by season eight he had lost interest and would even arrive on the set not knowing his lines. Which is understandable since by season eight Andy was pretty much just reacting to Aunt Bee and Goober and saying, "well" alot--and shrugging his shoulders.

Bewitched: Five years with Dick York--four of them excellent. Begins to decline in the fifth season, but still pretty entertaining. Then York can't go on due to chronic back pain. Dick Sargent is recruited is an ok actor, but is just not Darrin Stephens. Show runs three more years and by season eight (just like Andy) Liz Montgomery is showing definite signs of being bored. Not only that but ratings reflect the switch in Darrins. Last York season ranks #12. First Sargent season is #22, by last season dropped out of top 30. Surprisingly I like Bewitched with Dick Sargent more than the Andy Griffith Show without Don Knotts and yet TAGS ended its run in 1968 as the #1 show on television.

Two series in my view withstood the usual decline in quality and those are "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"--both could do outstanding episodes into there last seasons.

I Love Lucy: I think it the show was done when Lucy and Ricky moved into the country, without Fred and Ethel.

The Facts of Life: Should have ended when Mrs. Garrett left.

The Cosby Show: Should have ended when Denise left and when Rudy had grown up, and Olivia and Pam showed up.

I essential agree with you Buddy Love that "The Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy" were very similar but they were also different. "Here's Lucy" added Lucy's children and I think that added a lot to the new plot of "Here's Lucy". I agree the first 3 seasons of "The Lucy Show were far superior to the last 3 however I believe "Here's Lucy" greatly picked up from where "The Lucy Show" was declining. The first 3 seasons of "Here's Lucy"(the years w/ Desi Jr) was good, quite a bit better than the last 3 years of "The Lucy Show". After Desi Jr left, the series began a decline in Season 4. Then in Season 5 is when things really started going downhill when Lucy broke here leg. Her great comedic performances were no more afterwards and the scripts were really awful. Season 6 wasn't much better either.

Happy Days: When Richie, Ralph, and Joannie were gone from the show, it just didn't hold my attention anymore.

Originally posted by Notorious

Charmed it should've been cancelled after it's 4th season. this 5th season is SO stupid


I think once Charmed added Rose McQuackin to replace Shannen Doherty was the shows biggest mistake ever. Rose is ugly, she can't act, and the episodes aren't as exciting, funny, and great like they used to.

The Simpsons are going on way to long. I think they will end up like Bewitched and redo episode themes.

Originally posted by Silver Daze

The Simpsons are going on way to long. I think they will end up like Bewitched and redo episode themes.

They've been doing that for years on The Simpsons. They've even made references to the repetitiveness of some of the plots...

Originally posted by TJL


They've been doing that for years on The Simpsons. They've even made references to the repetitiveness of some of the plots...

They redid episodes already? I don't get to see most of the Simpsons episodes, my local FOX station will air like the same episodes every other week, I got tired of that stupid Mel Gibson episode. :rolleyes: I haven't even got see the Who Shot Mr. Burns episodes yet.

I don't think The Simpsons is as good as it used to be, but I still love it. I think a bad Simpsons episode is still a heck of a lot better than a lot of the stuff that's on now.

Roseanne: should have ended the 9th and final season. It did have some very funny episodes but most of the episodes in that last season were not so funny.

Originally posted by Will and Grace Fanatic
Roseanne: should have ended the 9th and final season. It did have some very funny episodes but most of the episodes in that last season were not so funny.

Roseambo is the only episode from 9th season I hated. The rest were ok.

I don't like Frasier anymore, and can't quite explain why.
I think The Love Boat lasted a couple years too long.
The Simpsons is one of my favorite shows, but it seems to not be as funny as it used to be. :(

Happy Days.. this one should have concluded at the end of the '79-'80 season. As much as I liked it in the earlier years, by the fifth season, it just started getting too cartoonish, and it never should have gone on without the original star, Ron Howard.

Dallas.. This one should have ended when Patrick Duffy wanted to leave in 1985. The ratings began to decline the next season without him, and then when he was brought back, and Bobby's death was only a dream.. what more really needs to be said.

Coach.. Pretty good show, but the last few seasons, especially the very last one, just didn't have much to offer anymore..

Cosby Show.. I actually enjoyed the '89-'90 season with Olivia & Martin, but anytime a series has to bring in fresh characters, especially to replace kids that are growing up, bad sign.. and the next season was proof of this..(Pam)

Seinfeld.. hilarious, still entertaining till the end, but I think maybe they should have wrapped it up a season or so earlier.. As with any other show, they take the antics that the public simply can't get enough of, and make it so we do..:rolleyes:

Cheers.. See Seinfeld..


Yes, Mary Tyler Moore wrapped up at exactly the right time. It was still hilarious the last season, but you could tell that maybe there was beginning to be a slight decrease in the quality( I did say slight) of the episodes, but they did the right thing, and went out before this became a problem.

1988-2000

It had 3 different titles, which is fine. I think between 1998-2000 is when I started to lose interest. Part of the reason was kids being let go every season. It's like 3 kids were let go and then 3 new ones were added. This started back in 1994. The Character Maria Lopez overstayed her welcome. In 1995, she started as a transfer student from Valley along with 2 other students. She was also turing 16 around the same time. One of the other 2 was gone by the end of the season and the other character was gone by the 97-98 season. Maria then had an encounter with a boy from Valley Jr.High in Fall of 1998. Think about it, don't you think she would have left by now with it being the 98-99 season? She would have been 19. It seems as though the writers made her a little adjustment by saying she went to Valley Jr. High she originally was a x-fer student from Valley Sr. High. Then 13 more eps were shot for the 99-00 season and she was still there! 5 years, she would have been 20 years old.

Basically I lost interest around the 98-99 season. The 88-98 years were good. Especially 88-93.

Okay, this list will be mostly my favorite shows and when they should've ended.

The Andy Griffith Show- should've stopped when Don left

Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.- This is a pretty good show, but they ran out of ideas because it seems they started to focus more on Gomer's singing than anything else. It was no longer Gomer Pyle, it became the Jim Nabors Talent Show or something. It should've ended before they had Gomer singing in just about every episode.

Leave it to Beaver- should've stopped about 3 seasons earlier. Beaver was growing older, but his storylines were so kiddish. I could've bought some of those storylines if they occurred earlier, but they did them later and it just killed the Beaver character to me. Toward the later years, I'm glad they focused more on Wally. They still should've ended it earlier.

Sanford and Son- I think this one left at the right time. I can't speak on any of the spinoffs (Sanford and Sanford Arms), but they did end Sanford and Son at the correct time.

Diff'rent Strokes- Should've ended it before Sam and Maggie got into it.

My Favorite Martian- I think this one went off at the right time too.

The Twilight Zone- It ended at the right time too. Season 4 was pretty weak to me, but it picked back up during Season 5. I'm glad it ended when it did and they didn't draw it out and made it a long painful death.

The Facts of Life- Should've ended it before they added Pippa. I'm still clueless why they added Pippa. They were doing okay with Jo, Blair, Natalie, Tootie and Andy. Andy had the young factor going on. I guess they wanted younger viewers the right to relate to younger characters.

All in the Family- should've ended it when Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers left.

Happy Days- No Ron Howard = One Crappy Show

Batman- Ended at the right time. Season 3 had some very weak criminals imo, and I feel it ended at the right time before they dragged it out too much.
I'll come back if I think of anymore.

I did forget one show. Petticoat Junction went on 2 years too long. After Bea left the show with terminal cancer they should have ended it.

Originally posted by Jenny
The Facts of Life- Should've ended it before they added Pippa.

I've been reading all of the posts and since there is such a unanimous opinion on one particular show, I am now adding a new entry to "TJL's rules for TV."

Rule 437 - It's time for a show to pack it in when they add a character named "Pippa."



;)

Originally posted by TJL


I've been reading all of the posts and since there is such a unanimous opinion on one particular show, I am now adding a new entry to "TJL's rules for TV."

Rule 437 - It's time for a show to pack it in when they add a character named "Pippa."



;)

I have to admit "Pippa" is a very unusual name. Pippa sounds like it would be the name of a very small, pink poodle.

The first 100 episodes (five seasons) of a sitcom are the best. Everything after that is downhill. Shows that ran too long are:

The Jeffersons (5 years was enough)
Happy Days (after Ron Howard left, it was over)
Laverne and Shirley (without Shirley??? Why??)
All in the Family (when the Stivics left. We should have been
spared from Archie Bunker's Place)
Cheers (over when Shelly Long left)
Frasier (over after 5 seasons)
Friends (over after 13 episodes)
MASH (when McLean Stevenson left)
The Carol Burnett Show (when Harvey Korman left)
Married with Children (should have never happened)
The Andy Griffith Show (over when Don Knotts left)
Murphy Brown (over after third season)

happy days after richie the show turned stupid brady bunch the addition of oliver terrible idea tags when barney left the show was so-so until that idiot warren came in.

It seems that as a lot of shows get older they have to change their format. I think that whenever a show has to go through a major format change between seasons, it's may be better to just do one last episode in the old format and end it right there.