Did the show already start declining before the move to LA? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 06-11-2018, 01:25 AM

Many fans point to Season 6, when the locale changed from Milwaukee to Los Angeles as when the show jumped the shark. But the show was already slipping creatively leading up that point, don't you agree? It was around this time that the humor seemingly became more juvenile, with more "awwww" moments, and more dramatic episodes. Meanwhile, they brought on writers like Bob Boyett and Jeff Franklin, who perfected the family-friendly "laughter with heart" formula later used in Full House, Family Matters, etc.

TV Guy · 06-10-2020, 07:44 PM

Completely agreed. Season 5 wasn’t nearly as good as the seasons before it. The producers and writers changed, as you mentioned, and the show was dumbed down.

TVFactFan · 06-13-2020, 03:03 AM

I never realized that until now lol The show finished #1 after the 78-79 season and the next season the show had lower ratings than Happy Days and Mork and Mindy and finished below 30

Must have been some big changes at the start of 79-80 season

Missygal21880 · 06-16-2020, 02:29 AM

I'd actually disagree on that point. While season 5's got some bad episodes (like the execrable Take Two, They're Small), it's also got some all time favorites and known classics, like The Diner and Murder on the Moosejaw Express).

There was no dramatic increase in "lesson learned" or dramatic episodes during the show's run. Each season had at least one semi-serious episode from season 2 on. Season 5 has "Why Did the Fireman...?" which may be the show at its most bathetic, but it also includes the wonderful character study "Testing Testing" and the wacky-but-depth-possessing "Duke of Squiggman."

What contributed to the show's ratings tumble was ABC moving the timeslot.

Schmo · 06-16-2020, 04:43 PM

I don’t think L&S recovered from “Angiegate”.

TVFactFan · 06-16-2020, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Missygal21880

I'd actually disagree on that point. While season 5's got some bad episodes (like the execrable Take Two, They're Small), it's also got some all time favorites and known classics, like The Diner and Murder on the Moosejaw Express).

There was no dramatic increase in "lesson learned" or dramatic episodes during the show's run. Each season had at least one semi-serious episode from season 2 on. Season 5 has "Why Did the Fireman...?" which may be the show at its most bathetic, but it also includes the wonderful character study "Testing Testing" and the wacky-but-depth-possessing "Duke of Squiggman."

What contributed to the show's ratings tumble was ABC moving the timeslot.

Well the shows that L&S went up against wasnt in the top 30 either so maybe it was the eps

NBC-Buck Rogers in the 20th century
CBS-Waltons

Dr. Thong · 10-31-2020, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmo

I don’t think L&S recovered from “Angiegate”.

"Angiegate?"

Missygal21880 · 11-03-2020, 02:18 AM

Also, L&S' ratings were comparable with everything around it. I'm not sure where The Waltons placed, but it's hard to ague the quality of the episodes were bad when, in hindsight, many episodes from the season are considered iconic.

Angiegate's basically shorthand for ABC's choice to put Angie in Laverne and Shirley's timeslot (8:30 PM Tuesdays) and moving L&S to Thursdays and had it anchor a night where it had no really compatible shows (they launched Benson behind it, and that was followed by Barney Miller and Soap). It's a move that killed Angie after a promising first season, took Laverne and Shirley from being the number one show in America to below the top 30 in a single season, and ruined Happy Days' ratings as well. ABC tried One in a Million and Good Time Girls in the Tuesday timeslot in the winter and moved L&S to Mondays, but that didn't work, so post-Winter Olympics they slid Laverne and Shirley back into its original timeslot and burned off Angie and Good Time Girls on Saturdays.

TVFactFan · 11-03-2020, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Missygal21880

Also, L&S' ratings were comparable with everything around it. I'm not sure where The Waltons placed, but it's hard to ague the quality of the episodes were bad when, in hindsight, many episodes from the season are considered iconic.

Angiegate's basically shorthand for ABC's choice to put Angie in Laverne and Shirley's timeslot (8:30 PM Tuesdays) and moving L&S to Thursdays and had it anchor a night where it had no really compatible shows (they launched Benson behind it, and that was followed by Barney Miller and Soap). It's a move that killed Angie after a promising first season, took Laverne and Shirley from being the number one show in America to below the top 30 in a single season, and ruined Happy Days' ratings as well. ABC tried One in a Million and Good Time Girls in the Tuesday timeslot in the winter and moved L&S to Mondays, but that didn't work, so post-Winter Olympics they slid Laverne and Shirley back into its original timeslot and burned off Angie and Good Time Girls on Saturdays.

And by that time putting L&S in its old slot was too late, damage was done

mets82 · 11-03-2020, 02:47 AM

You know I think about this from time to time. I thought the show wasn't the same when they moved to LA. I thought there apartment wasn't right and neither was there hangout, Cowboy Bill's. It just seemed everything was off when they moved to LA. I can't really put my finger on it. And as the show went on, the show declined. I'm just not really into the episodes from LA.

TVFactFan · 11-03-2020, 02:56 AM

The only thing good about the California era was shirley's hairstyle

Dr. Thong · 11-04-2020, 06:15 PM

I realize that the show was a sitcom, and not a documentary, but everyone moving to California en masse??

And i hated the way Edna was written out by cheating on Frank and leaving him for another man. I know that Betty Garrett left the show, but they could have had her visiting a sick relative or something to explain the character's absence.

RetroGuy2000 · 11-04-2020, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

I realize that the show was a sitcom, and not a documentary, but everyone moving to California en masse??

And i hated the way Edna was written out by cheating on Frank and leaving him for another man. I know that Betty Garrett left the show, but they could have had her visiting a sick relative or something to explain the character's absence.

You are absolutely right. It felt like character assassination.

And what was just as bad was that they had her leave him via a letter, just like how Shirley said goodbye to Laverne. It was just lazy writing, recycling the same idea to explain the absence of a character.

And because this episode aired near the end of Season 8, I really wonder why this plotline was even needed: there were only six more episodes left, and they must have known by then that the show would soon be over.

"Caring for a sick relative" would have made so much more sense, considering what we knew of Edna.

TVLegend · 11-07-2020, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

The only thing good about the California era was shirley's hairstyle

And Rhonda’s body

Missygal21880 · 11-10-2020, 12:49 AM

Eh, I'll stick up for a few of the California episodes. The Dating Game is hilarious, To Tell The Truth a fine bottle episode, Sing Sing Sing pretty cute. Perfidy in Blue and The Most Important Day Ever are fun, too.

Season 8, Aside from Please Don't Feed the Buzzards, though, is execrable.

11-03-2020, 02:47 AM	#10
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	You know I think about this from time to time. I thought the show wasn't the same when they moved to LA. I thought there apartment wasn't right and neither was there hangout, Cowboy Bill's. It just seemed everything was off when they moved to LA. I can't really put my finger on it. And as the show went on, the show declined. I'm just not really into the episodes from LA.
	__________________ http://www.superbowlgreatness.blogspot.com/ Please check out my blog. I vent on all things. TV, sports etc. you name it. Its also a work in progress. Check out and see what you think.

06-11-2018, 01:25 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,450	Did the show already start declining before the move to LA? Many fans point to Season 6, when the locale changed from Milwaukee to Los Angeles as when the show jumped the shark. But the show was already slipping creatively leading up that point, don't you agree? It was around this time that the humor seemingly became more juvenile, with more "awwww" moments, and more dramatic episodes. Meanwhile, they brought on writers like Bob Boyett and Jeff Franklin, who perfected the family-friendly "laughter with heart" formula later used in Full House, Family Matters, etc.

06-10-2020, 07:44 PM	#2
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Completely agreed. Season 5 wasn’t nearly as good as the seasons before it. The producers and writers changed, as you mentioned, and the show was dumbed down.

06-13-2020, 03:03 AM	#3
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,950	I never realized that until now lol The show finished #1 after the 78-79 season and the next season the show had lower ratings than Happy Days and Mork and Mindy and finished below 30 Must have been some big changes at the start of 79-80 season

06-16-2020, 02:29 AM	#4
Missygal21880 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 03, 2002 Location: US Posts: 67	I'd actually disagree on that point. While season 5's got some bad episodes (like the execrable Take Two, They're Small), it's also got some all time favorites and known classics, like The Diner and Murder on the Moosejaw Express). There was no dramatic increase in "lesson learned" or dramatic episodes during the show's run. Each season had at least one semi-serious episode from season 2 on. Season 5 has "Why Did the Fireman...?" which may be the show at its most bathetic, but it also includes the wonderful character study "Testing Testing" and the wacky-but-depth-possessing "Duke of Squiggman." What contributed to the show's ratings tumble was ABC moving the timeslot.

06-16-2020, 04:43 PM	#5
Schmo Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 24, 2013 Posts: 466	I don’t think L&S recovered from “Angiegate”.

11-03-2020, 02:18 AM	#8
Missygal21880 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 03, 2002 Location: US Posts: 67	Also, L&S' ratings were comparable with everything around it. I'm not sure where The Waltons placed, but it's hard to ague the quality of the episodes were bad when, in hindsight, many episodes from the season are considered iconic. Angiegate's basically shorthand for ABC's choice to put Angie in Laverne and Shirley's timeslot (8:30 PM Tuesdays) and moving L&S to Thursdays and had it anchor a night where it had no really compatible shows (they launched Benson behind it, and that was followed by Barney Miller and Soap). It's a move that killed Angie after a promising first season, took Laverne and Shirley from being the number one show in America to below the top 30 in a single season, and ruined Happy Days' ratings as well. ABC tried One in a Million and Good Time Girls in the Tuesday timeslot in the winter and moved L&S to Mondays, but that didn't work, so post-Winter Olympics they slid Laverne and Shirley back into its original timeslot and burned off Angie and Good Time Girls on Saturdays.

11-03-2020, 02:56 AM	#11
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,950	The only thing good about the California era was shirley's hairstyle

11-04-2020, 06:15 PM	#12
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,545	I realize that the show was a sitcom, and not a documentary, but everyone moving to California en masse?? And i hated the way Edna was written out by cheating on Frank and leaving him for another man. I know that Betty Garrett left the show, but they could have had her visiting a sick relative or something to explain the character's absence.

11-10-2020, 12:49 AM	#15
Missygal21880 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 03, 2002 Location: US Posts: 67	Eh, I'll stick up for a few of the California episodes. The Dating Game is hilarious, To Tell The Truth a fine bottle episode, Sing Sing Sing pretty cute. Perfidy in Blue and The Most Important Day Ever are fun, too. Season 8, Aside from Please Don't Feed the Buzzards, though, is execrable.