When Things Were Rotten - Page 2 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

1960'sTVfan · 04-02-2013, 11:47 AM

This show was bad in 1975 when it originally aired, 38 years hasn't improved it any. However, I am curious to see the show again so I might decide to buy the DVD. If I recall, the series was inspired from Monty Python And The Holy Grail, a movie that was popular in theatres during that time.

Du Mont · 04-20-2013, 11:37 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Du Mont June 11, 2011
I'm sure the 'When Things are Rotten' DVD delays are centred on the legal time needed to clear permissions and find an appropriate marketing window, and nothing more.

Read more: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...#ixzz2R47N6Skt

Quote:

Originally Posted by bencasey

You go ahead and keep thinking that. Get back to me in a few years when its still not out. Your man Mel is the one who looked at them, realized they sucked, and nixed a release. But you go on and keep believing what you want.

Well, a few years have passed, and I'm just getting back to you now that permissions have been cleared and a marketing window has been opened to let you know that it will soon be out bencasey.

Zoneboy · 04-20-2013, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retroTVfan4ever

This show was bad in 1975 when it originally aired, 38 years hasn't improved it any.

That's a freaking joke if I've ever heard one.

The show was hilarious and my opinion of it hasn't changed from the time I saw it during it's original run at age 11 and now at 48. This and the The Six Million Dollar Man were the only 2 shows that I ever begged my parents to let me stay up past my bedtime and watch.

Mr. Television · 04-21-2013, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

That's a freaking joke if I've ever heard one.

The show was hilarious and my opinion of it hasn't changed from the time I saw it during it's original run at age 11 and now at 48. This and the The Six Million Dollar Man were the only 2 shows that I ever begged my parents to let me stay up past my bedtime and watch.

I agree. It was a great show. I haven't seen it since it first aired but I watched it every week.

1960'sTVfan · 04-21-2013, 09:45 PM

If it was such a great show, it wouldn't have been cancelled after 13 episodes and only 3 months on the air. The series was poorly conceived and poorly written, the one thing it had going for it was 3 good actors were in the cast, Dick Gautier, Bernie Kopell, and Dick Van Patten. But despite the talent, they were given absolutely horrendous material to work with. Back in the day when short lived shows like this were cancelled, they were considered to be poor TV and written off as failures. Now years later, when studios plan to release failed shows like this on DVD, they try to put a positive spin on it and now suddenly these shows have gone from flops and failures to "lost classics". I guess they will say anything to try and sell a DVD.

McGillicuddy · 04-22-2013, 01:00 PM

According to Tim Brooks and Earle Marshs' Directory to Prime Time TV Shows, critics applauded Mel Brook's WTWR as one of the most inventive shows of the season, but viewers paid no attention to it and and it was soon cancelled.

Seems like another series that wasn't given a chance.

Mr. Television · 04-22-2013, 03:19 PM

The length of time that a show runs has no bearing on how great it is. There have been plenty of shows that had short runs but were pretty good. That was more true in the 70's when there was only 3 networks and people had to watch their shows live. WTWR went up against Little House on the Praire and Tony Orlando & dawn, two of the more popular shows of the time.

treky · 05-09-2013, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

The length of time that a show runs has no bearing on how great it is. There have been plenty of shows that had short runs but were pretty good. That was more true in the 70's when there was only 3 networks and people had to watch their shows live. WTWR went up against Little House on the Praire and Tony Orlando & dawn, two of the more popular shows of the time.

dude, I think you mean the 50s; not the 70s. In the 70s there were 7 channels and shows weren't done live anymore (except for SNL) like they were in the 50s when there were only 3 channels.

Torgo · 05-12-2013, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

dude, I think you mean the 50s; not the 70s. In the 70s there were 7 channels and shows weren't done live anymore (except for SNL) like they were in the 50s when there were only 3 channels.

By watching live, I think they meant you watched the show while it was airing and not like later on when you could record them and watch later.

Mr. Television · 05-12-2013, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torgo

By watching live, I think they meant you watched the show while it was airing and not like later on when you could record them and watch later.

Exactly. That's what I meant. You had to watch the shows on the night they originally aired. You could not record shows to watch later. The competition had a lot to do with some good shows going unnoticed.

04-02-2013, 11:47 AM	#16
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,046	This show was bad in 1975 when it originally aired, 38 years hasn't improved it any. However, I am curious to see the show again so I might decide to buy the DVD. If I recall, the series was inspired from Monty Python And The Holy Grail, a movie that was popular in theatres during that time.

04-21-2013, 09:45 PM	#20
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,046	If it was such a great show, it wouldn't have been cancelled after 13 episodes and only 3 months on the air. The series was poorly conceived and poorly written, the one thing it had going for it was 3 good actors were in the cast, Dick Gautier, Bernie Kopell, and Dick Van Patten. But despite the talent, they were given absolutely horrendous material to work with. Back in the day when short lived shows like this were cancelled, they were considered to be poor TV and written off as failures. Now years later, when studios plan to release failed shows like this on DVD, they try to put a positive spin on it and now suddenly these shows have gone from flops and failures to "lost classics". I guess they will say anything to try and sell a DVD.

04-22-2013, 01:00 PM	#21
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	According to Tim Brooks and Earle Marshs' Directory to Prime Time TV Shows, critics applauded Mel Brook's WTWR as one of the most inventive shows of the season, but viewers paid no attention to it and and it was soon cancelled. Seems like another series that wasn't given a chance.

04-22-2013, 03:19 PM	#22
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	The length of time that a show runs has no bearing on how great it is. There have been plenty of shows that had short runs but were pretty good. That was more true in the 70's when there was only 3 networks and people had to watch their shows live. WTWR went up against Little House on the Praire and Tony Orlando & dawn, two of the more popular shows of the time.