Popular shows with no cultural impact - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 05-15-2019, 01:59 AM

There are shows that became popular and reshaped the TV landscape and there are shows that became popular and we're forgotten shortly after.

These shows didn't really do anything new or different and it didn't lead a generation of copycats. They were just well oiled machines that brought in huge numbers though.

What are some examples of each?

cbikle · 05-15-2019, 09:58 AM

Interesting topic.

First one that comes to mind is Alice, followed by Wings.

Both shows seemed to be on forever, but no one cared.

I'm sure there are other obvious examples that I can't recall ATM.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 05-17-2019, 01:22 AM

Family Ties comes to mind. Was one of the biggest shows in the 80s but for whatever reason it hasn't aged well at all.

You see more Brady Bunch reruns than Family Ties! Audiences today just don't care for Family Ties today for some reason.

JSP · 05-17-2019, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SitcomsHeydayfan

Family Ties comes to mind. Was one of the biggest shows in the 80s but for whatever reason it hasn't aged well at all.

You see more Brady Bunch reruns than Family Ties! Audiences today just don't care for Family Ties today for some reason.

Family Ties was a boring, quiet, slow-paced show that was more drama than comedy. Not good escapism like a sitcom should be.

JSP · 05-17-2019, 02:22 AM

I think Home Improvement qualifies as one of those shows. Didn’t spawn copycats or become part of the cultural zeitgeist, but got big ratings when it was on.

george ho · 05-17-2019, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SitcomsHeydayfan

You see more Brady Bunch reruns than Family Ties! Audiences today just don't care for Family Ties today for some reason.

Unfortunately, The Brady Bunch reruns air on only Sundays on METV. Family Ties reruns air every late evening and Saturday afternoon on AntennaTV in my area.

Yong Fang · 05-17-2019, 08:46 AM

I was an early to mid 1980’s teenager (graduated high school in 1985) and everyone in our high school watched Family Ties. I would say mostly white, suburban middle to upper middle class teenagers of that era all watched Family Ties. I watched it to lust after Justine Bateman..

Family Ties was a big deal, in 1984. 35 years later, the show is all but forgotten except for people of my generation. No one except for Michael Fox did anything after that show was over.

I dare say that almost no channel shows Family Ties even though it was on for years.

george ho · 05-17-2019, 03:38 PM

Does Becker qualify? Popular back in its day; now it's barely on any channel besides AntennaTV. Also, I don't see or know which other sitcom has bitter, enraged doctor as the lead.

What about Growing Pains and Everybody Loves Raymond? Popular shows, but they are either slowly forgotten or just mere family sitcoms (probably still funny) that do not result in their own copycats but are just results of other predecessors.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 05-17-2019, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

I was an early to mid 1980’s kid (graduated high school on 1985) and everyone in our high school watched Family Ties. I would say mostly white, suburban middle to upper middle class teenagers of that era all watched Family Ties. I watched it to lust after Justine Bateman..

Family Ties was a big deal, in 1984. 35 years later, the show is all but forgotten except for people of my generation. No one except for Michael Fox did anything after that show was over.

I dare say that almost no channel shows Family Ties even though it was on for years.

Exactly my thoughts! It was great for its time but now it has practically NO appeal. That's rather strange because most episodes aren't dated or they involve some type of moral lesson that could be applied to any era.

I also don't see Family Ties anywhere. Amazing that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease only a YEAR after Family Ties ended! What on earth happened to Justine Bateman??

She was cute in the early years of the show but progressively got worse looking. Now she looks horrific! She looks around 20 years older than her age! Something really looks wrong there!

SitcomsHeydayfan · 05-17-2019, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by george ho

Does Becker qualify? Popular back in its day; now it's barely on any channel besides AntennaTV. Also, I don't see or know which other sitcom has bitter, enraged doctor as the lead.

What about Growing Pains and Everybody Loves Raymond? Popular shows, but they are either slowly forgotten or just mere family sitcoms (probably still funny) that do not result in their own copycats but are just results of other predecessors.

LOL..I've never even heard of Becker eventhough I grew up in the 80s. I thought of tennis player Boris Becker!

You thought Growing Pains had a major cultural impact?? I don't see it since that show was popular mostly because Kirk Cameron was supposedly a heartthrob.

Never seen Everyone Loves Raymond either.

george ho · 05-17-2019, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SitcomsHeydayfan

You thought Growing Pains had a major cultural impact?? I don't see it since that show was popular mostly because Kirk Cameron was supposedly a heartthrob.

Oops... I meant "caused by other predecessors" or "resulted from other predecessors"

MrCleveland · 05-17-2019, 06:33 PM

I do agree with Home Improvement not getting much cultural impact over the years...I'd also like to add The Facts of Life since though it brought-in a big splash in the 80's...it fell through the cracks in the 90's.

I also feel that other shows before I was born is starting to get that concept as well....

Yong Fang · 05-17-2019, 06:35 PM

Some TV sitcoms just go on for years and years under the radar. They are just popular enough in their time slot to be renewed, but people just casually watched these shows and we’re not huge fans, it was just better than something else that was on at that time. Or a show just follows another more popular show and just rides that wave for several years.

Some examples are Alice, According to Jim, Becker, Wings. Shows that had a following much not much value in syndication.

dee2364 · 05-17-2019, 08:02 PM

1980s--Mr. Belvedere, Head of the Class, The Wonder Years, and Too Close for Comfort. All popular shows, but never really rocked the boat.

1990s--Drew Carey Show, Northern Exposure, Malcolm in the Middle, Wings, and Third Rock from the Sun. Ditto.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 05-18-2019, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dee2364

1980s--Mr. Belvedere, Head of the Class, The Wonder Years, and Too Close for Comfort. All popular shows, but never really rocked the boat.

1990s--Drew Carey Show, Northern Exposure, Malcolm in the Middle, Wings, and Third Rock from the Sun. Ditto.

I love Too Close as it's one of my favorite shows. I challenge any of you watch the first 3 seasons of Too Close because it's just as good or better than ANY sitcom in history!

But I agree it hasn't had any cultural impact. The LOGO channel showed reruns for over a year and they just stopped last year. After a break they'll probably start it again.

Wonder Years, Drew Carey, & Belvedere were all pretty popular when they ran but now no one cares.

05-15-2019, 01:59 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,621	Popular shows with no cultural impact There are shows that became popular and reshaped the TV landscape and there are shows that became popular and we're forgotten shortly after. These shows didn't really do anything new or different and it didn't lead a generation of copycats. They were just well oiled machines that brought in huge numbers though. What are some examples of each?

05-17-2019, 08:46 AM	#7
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	I was an early to mid 1980’s teenager (graduated high school in 1985) and everyone in our high school watched Family Ties. I would say mostly white, suburban middle to upper middle class teenagers of that era all watched Family Ties. I watched it to lust after Justine Bateman.. Family Ties was a big deal, in 1984. 35 years later, the show is all but forgotten except for people of my generation. No one except for Michael Fox did anything after that show was over. I dare say that almost no channel shows Family Ties even though it was on for years.
	Last edited by Yong Fang; 12-28-2023 at 02:35 AM.

05-17-2019, 06:33 PM	#12
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,222	I do agree with Home Improvement not getting much cultural impact over the years...I'd also like to add The Facts of Life since though it brought-in a big splash in the 80's...it fell through the cracks in the 90's. I also feel that other shows before I was born is starting to get that concept as well....
	__________________ Thank God for kids that love Obscure Things. Lee Hazlewood (1929-2007) You ARE Special to God! Rev. Ernest Angely (August 1921-May 2021)

05-15-2019, 09:58 AM	#2
cbikle Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 15, 2019 Posts: 113	Interesting topic. First one that comes to mind is Alice, followed by Wings. Both shows seemed to be on forever, but no one cared. I'm sure there are other obvious examples that I can't recall ATM.

05-17-2019, 01:22 AM	#3
SitcomsHeydayfan Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2018 Location: The Show Me state Posts: 2,966	Family Ties comes to mind. Was one of the biggest shows in the 80s but for whatever reason it hasn't aged well at all. You see more Brady Bunch reruns than Family Ties! Audiences today just don't care for Family Ties today for some reason.

05-17-2019, 02:22 AM	#5
JSP Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 19, 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,735	I think Home Improvement qualifies as one of those shows. Didn’t spawn copycats or become part of the cultural zeitgeist, but got big ratings when it was on.

05-17-2019, 03:38 PM	#8
george ho Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 19, 2010 Posts: 85	Does Becker qualify? Popular back in its day; now it's barely on any channel besides AntennaTV. Also, I don't see or know which other sitcom has bitter, enraged doctor as the lead. What about Growing Pains and Everybody Loves Raymond? Popular shows, but they are either slowly forgotten or just mere family sitcoms (probably still funny) that do not result in their own copycats but are just results of other predecessors.

05-17-2019, 06:35 PM	#13
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	Some TV sitcoms just go on for years and years under the radar. They are just popular enough in their time slot to be renewed, but people just casually watched these shows and we’re not huge fans, it was just better than something else that was on at that time. Or a show just follows another more popular show and just rides that wave for several years. Some examples are Alice, According to Jim, Becker, Wings. Shows that had a following much not much value in syndication.

05-17-2019, 08:02 PM	#14
dee2364 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 20, 2019 Posts: 643	1980s--Mr. Belvedere, Head of the Class, The Wonder Years, and Too Close for Comfort. All popular shows, but never really rocked the boat. 1990s--Drew Carey Show, Northern Exposure, Malcolm in the Middle, Wings, and Third Rock from the Sun. Ditto.