Surprised to find out this sitcom from the 1950's didn't do well in the ratings - Page 3 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TVFactFan · 06-06-2015, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SitcomsOffline

Ratings are only one factor when a network considers renewing or cancelling a show.

If it's attracting a large audience desirable to advertisers, then a show doesn't have to be a ratings blockbuster to stay on the air.

Also, one has to consider that Leave it to Beaver faced stiff competition from shows on other networks also.

What stiff competition in 1957???

SitcomsOffline · 06-06-2015, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

What stiff competition in 1957???

From Wikipedia:

Quote:

In spite of solid and consistent ratings, Leave It to Beaver never climbed into the Nielsen's top-30 though similar sitcoms of the period like Father Knows Best, The Donna Reed Show, The Real McCoys, and Dennis the Menace managed to do so.

Leave It to Beaver faced stiff competition in its time slots. During its next to last season, for example, the show ran against The Defenders, a program examining highly charged courtroom cases about abortion and the death penalty. In its final season, the show was up against Perry Mason and Dr. Kildare but was in the ABC line-up with television greats The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Donna Reed Show, and My Three Sons.

TVFactFan · 06-06-2015, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SitcomsOffline

From Wikipedia:

Father Knows Best succeeded because it was no Internet lol

BigManMike · 06-06-2015, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Father Knows Best succeeded because it was no Internet lol

And they're showing a marathon on Antenna TV of that lame show for the fourth year in a row on Father's Day. Beaver would have been a much better choice.

TVFactFan · 06-06-2015, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebigcookie

And they're showing a marathon on Antenna TV of that lame show for the fourth year in a row on Father's Day. Beaver would have been a much better choice.

You are so right

Bonniegirl · 06-06-2015, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

You are so right

I "third" that! Leave it to Beaver would be a way better marathon than Father Knows best!

TVFactFan · 06-06-2015, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

I "third" that! Leave it to Beaver would be a way better marathon than Father Knows best!

I may watch since it was stated it was SO GOOD back in the 50's and the fact that it was chosen to air on father's day

Dude111 · 06-07-2015, 06:48 AM

Leave it to beaver is awesome!! (A lesson with every show)

biffbronson · 06-08-2015, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I may watch since it was stated it was SO GOOD back in the 50's and the fact that it was chosen to air on father's day

The late seasons of Father Knows Best were more to my liking than the early ones.

Sometimes people quickly dismiss the series as an idealized view of middle-class American life, but the characters are actually pretty good. They have their moments of sarcasm, anger, foolishness, etc. Margaret, the mom, is definitely the one on a path to sainthood -- but she has her moments of frustration.

The difference between the two series: Leave It to Beaver focuses on immediate problems instigated either by Beaver or the boys' friends, while Father Knows Best is about more general goings on.

Once in a while though, FKB has some similarities -- like when Kathy takes on the neighborhood's shoe shining, only to neglect to keep track of the shoes' owners. That could easily have been a Beaver plot.

I can relate to Kathy as being the youngest, relate to Bud as girl-crazy, and to dad Jim as an aging guy who sometimes wants to recapture the past. And then you have Margaret and Betty, both very easy on the eyes.

mets82 · 06-12-2015, 05:47 PM

Dont forget Beaver only had 2 boys on the show where Father Knows Best had 3 kids, 2 girls and a boy, so there is a different plot to the show and they had maybe more different storylines because they had one more character.

Bonniegirl · 06-12-2015, 10:48 PM

Something about Father knows best IDK why, but this show never appealed to me! I liked Robert Young much better as Marcus Welby for some reason. And to me the kids didn't seem like they had much chemistry with each other. Didn't seem like real siblings! And the oldest daughter was kind of snotty and mean! I watched an ep one time where she was really mean to the little sister!

FKB was similar to the Donna Reed show but I like Donna Reed much better, seems more lively, FKB kind of is depressing to me for some reason!

06-12-2015, 05:47 PM	#40
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	Dont forget Beaver only had 2 boys on the show where Father Knows Best had 3 kids, 2 girls and a boy, so there is a different plot to the show and they had maybe more different storylines because they had one more character.
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06-07-2015, 06:48 AM	#38
Dude111 Forum Legend Join Date: Nov 05, 2013 Posts: 35,313	Leave it to beaver is awesome!! (A lesson with every show)

06-12-2015, 10:48 PM	#41
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,398	Something about Father knows best IDK why, but this show never appealed to me! I liked Robert Young much better as Marcus Welby for some reason. And to me the kids didn't seem like they had much chemistry with each other. Didn't seem like real siblings! And the oldest daughter was kind of snotty and mean! I watched an ep one time where she was really mean to the little sister! FKB was similar to the Donna Reed show but I like Donna Reed much better, seems more lively, FKB kind of is depressing to me for some reason!