How Did They Write Rerun Out Of WHN?

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by GSU2004

I could imagine. None of the leads from WH were really in high demand. I think Ernest had some roles here and there. Haywood may have guest starred one one or two other shows but nothing steady. Danielle focused on her education. Shirley had a short lived sitcom and then went back to stand up comedy. Mabel went back to the theatre.

That's because the show wasn't that much of a hit to begin with so I can understand the actors not being that high in demand

[TMC]

Originally Posted by GSU2004

Here is the TV Party article about that issue and others:
http://www.tvparty.com/recwhats.html

Here is the Urbanite article about that issue surrounding Fred and his wife. The article contains typos as it appears a rough draft was mistakenly placed on the online version. The print edition was much better
http://media.www.gsusignal.com/media...ntedstoriestab

I remember Ernest Thomas saying on the Unsung: Hollywood special on What's Happening!!, that ABC canceled What's Happening!! (or at least the straw that broke the camel's back) was when Fred Berry called the producers racists. Many of these producers according to Ernest, many of these producers were very sensitive about being called bigots since they had relatives who survived the Holocaust. Anyway, to make a long story short, the producers shot back at Fred by saying that since he doesn't like to work for "racists" they were going to end production of the show after three years.

On What's Happening Now!!, Fred's lack of humility and foresight is what got him in trouble again. Fred should've counted his blessings that he was able to get a second chance after all of the shenanigans that he pulled on the original show. But he of course, had to pull a Suzanne Somers on Three's Company firmly believing that he deserved a massive pay-raise since he was in theory, the main reason why people watched the show.

Fred needed to understand that What's Happening Now!! was a first-run syndicated show, and therefore was going to be cheaper than a prime time, network show. Also, I don't think that Fred/Rerun was as essential to the show (even though, the show did sorely missed his presence during the last two seasons) when compared to Ernest/Raj.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

That's because the show wasn't that much of a hit to begin with so I can understand the actors not being that high in demand

The original WH!! was actually a modest success during its three year run on ABC. For its first and third seasons (when it aired on Thursdays instead of Saturdays like in the second season), it was actually in the top 28. When the show entered syndication, it's ratings were better (kind of like what happened with the original Star Trek) than they were during its original network run. That's how WHN!! came about.

[mets82]

I don't think Rerun was written out per say. They just never mentioned him.

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by mets82

I don't think Rerun was written out per say. They just never mentioned him.

They did mention him at some point, but I don't think that they said what happened to him.

[JR1]

As noted, Rerun was mentioned, and seen via flashbacks of the original series, in the season 2 episode "The Yard Sale."

[Dr. Thong]

Fred Berry wasn't content to merely ruin the show once back in 1979, he had to do it again when the show was revived in the mid-eighties.

You'd think being out of work and struggling would have taught him a lesson, but drugs and ego really took their toll on him.

[JR1]

In "The Sorority Sisters," when Raj sees Dee dressed as Heidi, he asked if she was wearing Rerun's baby clothes.

So, the show really didn't act as if he never existed after season 1- no Chuck Cunningham Syndrome, even if mentions of him ceased in season 3.