Valerie / The Hogan Family Chosen As The WORST Case Of Retooling A Show

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by TMC

The last season of Laverne & Shirley was an utter trainwreck. It wasn't just the fact that Cindy Williams was gone after the first two episodes, it was feeling that writers ran out of decent storylines and began to come up with really far fetched ones. Like there was an episode where Laverne ends up on death row by mistake. And there is another one where they are talking to a ghost.

I think I blocked most of that last season from my memories. I don't even remember a ghost or Laverne being on Death Row. But that sounds horrible. I do, however, remember that, for some bizarre reason, the writers decided to make Edna leave her husband, instead of her just being off-screen. I found that completely unbelievable, and a betrayal of the characters, as well as the audience.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I think I blocked most of that last season from my memories. I don't even remember a ghost or Laverne being on Death Row. But that sounds horrible. I do, however, remember that, for some bizarre reason, the writers decided to make Edna leave her husband, instead of her just being off-screen. I found that completely unbelievable, and a betrayal of the characters, as well as the audience.

Agreed. The only reason Betty Garrett left the show is that she was led to believe that the seventh season would be the final one, so she signed on to do a touring play.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

Agreed. The only reason Betty Garrett left the show is that she was led to believe that the seventh season would be the final one, so she signed on to do a touring play.

Yep. But I don't buy Edna leaving her husband. There was no warning, she just... suddenly left? Just like Shirley? Lazy writing. ...Or body snatchers!!!

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yep. But I don't buy Edna leaving her husband. There was no warning, she just... suddenly left? Just like Shirley? Lazy writing. ...Or body snatchers!!!

And even worse, she left Frank for another man. They could have said she was visiting a sick relative or whatever and just not mentioned her for the rest of the season.

The final season of L&S was a bit of a downer.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

And even worse, she left Frank for another man. They could have said she was visiting a sick relative or whatever and just not mentioned her for the rest of the season.

The final season of L&S was a bit of a downer.

"Visiting a sick relative" would have been a great solution, Doctor T. It would have opened up the possibility for a brief guest appearance by Edna, while maintaining continuity with the show. "Suddenly ran off with another man" made no sense, given the existing context.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

"Visiting a sick relative" would have been a great solution, Doctor T. It would have opened up the possibility for a brief guest appearance by Edna, while maintaining continuity with the show. "Suddenly ran off with another man" made no sense, given the existing context.

It just made a show that was already going downhill into even more of a downer. Laverne didn't have Shirley, Frank didn't have Edna and later in the season, Squiggy didn't have Lenny.

I think once they moved the characters to California, it was never the same.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

It just made a show that was already going downhill into even more of a downer. Laverne didn't have Shirley, Frank didn't have Edna and later in the season, Squiggy didn't have Lenny.

I think once they moved the characters to California, it was never the same.

Yep.

I'm sure the writers thought moving the show to California would lead to interesting storylines. But by the following season, with half the cast missing, the show soon felt... hollow.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yep.

I'm sure the writers thought moving the show to California would lead to interesting storylines. But by the following season, with half the cast missing, the show soon felt... hollow.

What's even worse is watching the redone opening theme sequence, where it's just Laverne alone while a group of kids sing the "Schlemiel Schlamazel" chant while she just watches.

[TMC]

Here is some food for thought, professional misogynist Les Moonves became head of Lorimar when Valerie began.

[king of comedy]

Originally Posted by TMC

Here is some food for thought, professional misogynist Les Moonves became head of Lorimar when Valerie began.

I didn't know that.

[Lorimar Television]

Originally Posted by TMC

Here is some food for thought, professional misogynist Les Moonves became head of Lorimar when Valerie began.

Yikes

[Sonny Carson]

Originally Posted by TMC

One could argue that Valerie/The Hogan Family really wasn't that funny to begin with. Outside of with Valerie Harper and Jason Bateman and an occasional one-liner later on from Sandy Duncan, was the show really that amusing? And besides Jason Bateman's David, were there any real breakout characters? As talented of a performer Bateman was/is it isn't like he could easily carry the series on his own shoulders. The narrative structure just wasn't compatible with the style of humor at which he excels. I mean compare being inside the confines of the formulaic, Miller-Boyett cheese-factory to something more ahead of its time and edgier like It's Your Move.

Not as good as 'It's Your Move', but a lot better then 'Full House' and 'Growing Pains'!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Yikes

Molly Parker would have led a pitchforked mob of women against him!

[Lorimar Television]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Molly Parker would have led a pitchforked mob of women against him!

LOL darn right

[afijamesy2k]

Originally Posted by megamanj2004

What happened was that Miller-Boyett, the producers of Valerie wanted to make the show to be more slapstick, along the lines of another M-B sitcom in Perfect Strangers on ABC, which debuted about 24-25 days after Valerie premiered. Valerie, along with husband and co-producer Tony Cacciotti objected to this decision. So when tension and disagreements rose, M-B forced Valerie, along with Cacciotti off the show, which eventually led to the lawsuits and Valerie and Cacciotti winning their case, which later led to the title and name changes.

And I agree with what Sonny Carson said about the show.

shame on lorimar and the producers for firing her.