‘NewsRadio’s’ Phil Hartman Tribute Episode Is Still Devastating 20 Years Later - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 09-24-2018, 04:38 AM

https://decider.com/2018/09/23/newsr...edium=referral

Quote:

Twenty years ago today, NewsRadio did the hardest thing a sitcom has to do: they came back after the death of a core cast member. And in this episode, the Season 5 premiere “Bill Moves On,” you get to see the surviving cast members all raw, grieving not only in front of a studio audience there to watch a half-hour comedy, but in front of millions of devastated viewers.

Chocolate Moose · 09-26-2018, 03:24 PM

In a way, I think it's worse. He had so much more to give.

bh7812 · 02-19-2019, 05:03 PM

The whole thing is just flat out sad. Phil died far FAR too young. Incredibly talented, I was always in awe of his Bill Clinton impression and how much it sounded exactly like him! I truly wish they could have gotten his wife the help she desperately needed. I don’t think anyone, even Phil, expected her to do what she did. I know from what I’ve read she regretted killling him and it hit her full force after but it was too late.

I watched the first half of the series a few years back but had to stop for a bit. I’ve finally picked it back up the last few weeks so I could finally finish the last half of it. The first half of the series is brilliant! They had focus, direction and knew where they wanted to take the show. Season 4 has flashes of brilliance too but that’s where it started to fall off. When Phil died, you could tell by the 5th Season premiere they were utterly lost without him. They lost their way, direction and were a real mess. I can’t blame them. Phil’s character was the most self centered, selfish and stuck up character I’ve ever seen on TV-he played it perfectly bad masterfully. That’s impossible to replace and that cast knew it. The final season...has been very very rough to watch. The quality went entirely down the toilet. It wanders aimlessly that last year and it hurts to see that. They did the absolute best with what they had which wasn’t much. I literally have just the Series Finale left to watch today, I hope they ended it at least somewhat respectfully! I’m glad I’m finished with it more or less. Real shame what ended up happening. I think they should have stopped when Phil died unexpectedly. They brought in Jon Lovitz, who I’m not a huge fan of and I feel he just didn’t work well.

09-26-2018, 03:24 PM	#2
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,881	In a way, I think it's worse. He had so much more to give.
	__________________ How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

02-19-2019, 05:03 PM	#3
bh7812 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 21, 2005 Posts: 272	The whole thing is just flat out sad. Phil died far FAR too young. Incredibly talented, I was always in awe of his Bill Clinton impression and how much it sounded exactly like him! I truly wish they could have gotten his wife the help she desperately needed. I don’t think anyone, even Phil, expected her to do what she did. I know from what I’ve read she regretted killling him and it hit her full force after but it was too late. I watched the first half of the series a few years back but had to stop for a bit. I’ve finally picked it back up the last few weeks so I could finally finish the last half of it. The first half of the series is brilliant! They had focus, direction and knew where they wanted to take the show. Season 4 has flashes of brilliance too but that’s where it started to fall off. When Phil died, you could tell by the 5th Season premiere they were utterly lost without him. They lost their way, direction and were a real mess. I can’t blame them. Phil’s character was the most self centered, selfish and stuck up character I’ve ever seen on TV-he played it perfectly bad masterfully. That’s impossible to replace and that cast knew it. The final season...has been very very rough to watch. The quality went entirely down the toilet. It wanders aimlessly that last year and it hurts to see that. They did the absolute best with what they had which wasn’t much. I literally have just the Series Finale left to watch today, I hope they ended it at least somewhat respectfully! I’m glad I’m finished with it more or less. Real shame what ended up happening. I think they should have stopped when Phil died unexpectedly. They brought in Jon Lovitz, who I’m not a huge fan of and I feel he just didn’t work well.