Was One Day At A Time better with or without Mackenzie Phillips? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

mstewart · 02-21-2003, 12:38 AM

The show was much better with MacKenzie Phillips because the three of them (referring to Phillips, Bonnie Franklin and Valerie Bertinelli) played off each other very well. They hit their stride well in the middle of the second season into the fourth season. The fifth season was very sad and tragic because it was visually displayed to the public of MacKenzie's downward spiral from drugs and alcohol. Those episodes with her being so strung out on drugs and alcohol was showing on her with her being so thin and that god awful hair she had. Her voice sounded horrible. That particular season, in my opinion, was not good because of MacKenzie's problems and with her being written out of several episodes the cast lost its rhythm during that time that MacKenzie was gone. The episodes of that season was not too entertaining. When she came back for a few episodes it did come back until she was fired before that season ended.

The post MacKenzie shows. The sixth season shows was hit and miss because of the void of not having her there. Especially the two episodes before Nick and Alex arrived. There was something missing. Nick and Alex did not fill that void very well. For starters, the romantic sparks that was suppose to be there for Nick and Ann was not there. They were not compatible. There were a some entertaining shows during that season especially when Richard Masur, from the first season as Ann's love interest/lawyer David Kane, came for a visit. It was good that a lot of loose ends were tied from that. The Barbara dropping out of school thing to work at a sporting goods store was too far fetching given that she had the brains. I figure if I was that smart and dropping out of school I would get a challenging job while figuring out the rest of my life.

The seventh season saw the rhythm of the show coming back except for Pat Harrington bieng absent the first few shows due to wanting more money. Those shows without him were good but the comedy just was not there. It was great seeing Ann and Francine running a business together. As much as I am in love with Shelley Fabares but her character I could not stand. That was the best acting I've seen Shelley done. It was good that Ann took Alex in and it was interesting to see how she dealt with a teenage boy given she had girls. In many ways he was a male version of Julie but not as dramatic as her. It was good to see Julie and Max back. With Barbara getting engaged to Mark it was showing how Ann, Barbara and Julie (who got pregnant during that season) had raised each other and grown to be mature responsible women.

The eighth season should have been the final season. It was full of changes and transitions. Over half of that season's shows was showing either job changes, a wedding, birth, engagement and coming to terms with the past (the episode when Grandma got the letter from her husband Michael who died during the sixth season and Alex coming to terms with Nick's death).

The ninth season, and final, was lame and the show was tired. It was tragic to see MacKenzie going back to drugs again. If you saw the episode from season eight, Episode 181 The Letter, you can see MacKenzie beginning downward spiral. She looked all drawn up and the weight was coming off on her.

I had only wished the show would had ended at the end of season eight with Ann marrying Sam and her taking the job offer in London, which was the way the final season ended.

Timdalyfan · 02-22-2003, 12:22 AM

Did you know that the episodes of "One Day At A Time" Aired
Before?

ThomasE · 03-02-2003, 04:23 AM

The show was better WITH her definitely. I wished that Mac would have held out. She began to be more prominent on the show and then let go. She was getting 50,000 per episode, too. They tried to work with her.

Tweety · 08-08-2003, 09:50 PM

The show was definitely best when Ann, Julie and Barbara were all living under the same roof...the show was definitely better WITH Macenzie!

Although, it still somewhat puzzles me to this day how the show tried to portray Julie as the hot older sister who gets all the great guys, and poor Barbara as the plain jane who the guys ignore (except the nerdy guy, who was pretty funny in that role). Well, I take that back...Barbara did have a couple of boy friends, I guess...the guy Cliff (who fathered a child by another girl one summer), and I forget who else...

But seriously, one look at Barbara would have made a lot of guys forget all about Julie...but Julie was a great character, and the show suffered greatly without her, especially when that annoying Glenn Scarpelli showed up...I still watched the show at that time, because by then Barbara had turned into a totally incredible babe!

Mr. Television · 08-08-2003, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tweety
The show was definitely best when Ann, Julie and Barbara were all living under the same roof...the show was definitely better WITH Macenzie!

Although, it still somewhat puzzles me to this day how the show tried to portray Julie as the hot older sister who gets all the great guys, and poor Barbara as the plain jane who the guys ignore (except the nerdy guy, who was pretty funny in that role). Well, I take that back...Barbara did have a couple of boy friends, I guess...the guy Cliff (who fathered a child by another girl one summer), and I forget who else...

But seriously, one look at Barbara would have made a lot of guys forget all about Julie...but Julie was a great character, and the show suffered greatly without her, especially when that annoying Glenn Scarpelli showed up...I still watched the show at that time, because by then Barbara had turned into a totally incredible babe!

I Agree

Dr. Thong · 09-20-2003, 12:38 AM

Valerie's still a babe...and available once again!!

douglasjc · 10-18-2003, 11:58 PM

It was better with MacKenzie Phillips!. It was too bad about her drug problem, and wish she could of found help earlier. the Hollywood fast lane will do that to many people. Least, she is now healthy and drug free since 1993.

dandelion wine · 11-07-2003, 01:36 AM

It wasn't the same without MacKenzie, at all. As everyone has already said, the three of them played off each other very well and it would've been great had she decided to stick around.

Fallon97 · 11-12-2008, 03:29 PM

I like Julie, but I thought the show was just as good in the later years. In fact, I prefer the later years when they all are married.

Dr. Thong · 11-12-2008, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littleinsomniac

It wasn't the same without MacKenzie, at all. As everyone has already said, the three of them played off each other very well and it would've been great had she decided to stick around.

Well, MacKenzie didn't really decide whether to stick around. She was too fried on drugs and therefore unreliable, forcing the producers to fire her. They even gave her a second chance, but she couldn't stay off drugs.

Even after proclaiming herself clean and sober for several years afterwards, MacKenzie had a recent relapse and was arrested for heroin possession. She is currently in an 18-month rehab as part of a court order. I believe if she stays with the program and remains clean, she'll avoid jail time.

catlover79 · 11-12-2008, 07:28 PM

Julie was the source of conflict in most episodes, so the show was more interesting when she was in it (and when MP was sober). Oh well.

opus · 12-20-2023, 01:17 AM

Definitely with, as everyone above agrees to.

AMackII · 12-20-2023, 11:45 AM

Either Both but Having Mackenzie Phillips being on One Day At A Time was better

CJMD03 · 01-14-2024, 04:02 AM

Better with Julie, for sure.

02-21-2003, 12:38 AM	#1
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	Was One Day At A Time better with or without Mackenzie Phillips? The show was much better with MacKenzie Phillips because the three of them (referring to Phillips, Bonnie Franklin and Valerie Bertinelli) played off each other very well. They hit their stride well in the middle of the second season into the fourth season. The fifth season was very sad and tragic because it was visually displayed to the public of MacKenzie's downward spiral from drugs and alcohol. Those episodes with her being so strung out on drugs and alcohol was showing on her with her being so thin and that god awful hair she had. Her voice sounded horrible. That particular season, in my opinion, was not good because of MacKenzie's problems and with her being written out of several episodes the cast lost its rhythm during that time that MacKenzie was gone. The episodes of that season was not too entertaining. When she came back for a few episodes it did come back until she was fired before that season ended. The post MacKenzie shows. The sixth season shows was hit and miss because of the void of not having her there. Especially the two episodes before Nick and Alex arrived. There was something missing. Nick and Alex did not fill that void very well. For starters, the romantic sparks that was suppose to be there for Nick and Ann was not there. They were not compatible. There were a some entertaining shows during that season especially when Richard Masur, from the first season as Ann's love interest/lawyer David Kane, came for a visit. It was good that a lot of loose ends were tied from that. The Barbara dropping out of school thing to work at a sporting goods store was too far fetching given that she had the brains. I figure if I was that smart and dropping out of school I would get a challenging job while figuring out the rest of my life. The seventh season saw the rhythm of the show coming back except for Pat Harrington bieng absent the first few shows due to wanting more money. Those shows without him were good but the comedy just was not there. It was great seeing Ann and Francine running a business together. As much as I am in love with Shelley Fabares but her character I could not stand. That was the best acting I've seen Shelley done. It was good that Ann took Alex in and it was interesting to see how she dealt with a teenage boy given she had girls. In many ways he was a male version of Julie but not as dramatic as her. It was good to see Julie and Max back. With Barbara getting engaged to Mark it was showing how Ann, Barbara and Julie (who got pregnant during that season) had raised each other and grown to be mature responsible women. The eighth season should have been the final season. It was full of changes and transitions. Over half of that season's shows was showing either job changes, a wedding, birth, engagement and coming to terms with the past (the episode when Grandma got the letter from her husband Michael who died during the sixth season and Alex coming to terms with Nick's death). The ninth season, and final, was lame and the show was tired. It was tragic to see MacKenzie going back to drugs again. If you saw the episode from season eight, Episode 181 The Letter, you can see MacKenzie beginning downward spiral. She looked all drawn up and the weight was coming off on her. I had only wished the show would had ended at the end of season eight with Ann marrying Sam and her taking the job offer in London, which was the way the final season ended.

11-12-2008, 03:29 PM	#9
Fallon97 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2007 Location: America Posts: 1,272	I like Julie, but I thought the show was just as good in the later years. In fact, I prefer the later years when they all are married.
	Last edited by Fallon97; 02-03-2024 at 01:25 AM.

11-12-2008, 07:28 PM	#11
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	Julie was the source of conflict in most episodes, so the show was more interesting when she was in it (and when MP was sober). Oh well.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

02-22-2003, 12:22 AM	#2
Timdalyfan Banned Banned!! Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 13, 2003 Location: High Point, Nc Posts: 39	Did you know that the episodes of "One Day At A Time" Aired Before?

03-02-2003, 04:23 AM	#3
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	The show was better WITH her definitely. I wished that Mac would have held out. She began to be more prominent on the show and then let go. She was getting 50,000 per episode, too. They tried to work with her.

08-08-2003, 09:50 PM	#4
Tweety Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 18, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 6,804	The show was definitely best when Ann, Julie and Barbara were all living under the same roof...the show was definitely better WITH Macenzie! Although, it still somewhat puzzles me to this day how the show tried to portray Julie as the hot older sister who gets all the great guys, and poor Barbara as the plain jane who the guys ignore (except the nerdy guy, who was pretty funny in that role). Well, I take that back...Barbara did have a couple of boy friends, I guess...the guy Cliff (who fathered a child by another girl one summer), and I forget who else... But seriously, one look at Barbara would have made a lot of guys forget all about Julie...but Julie was a great character, and the show suffered greatly without her, especially when that annoying Glenn Scarpelli showed up...I still watched the show at that time, because by then Barbara had turned into a totally incredible babe!

09-20-2003, 12:38 AM	#6
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	Valerie's still a babe...and available once again!!

10-18-2003, 11:58 PM	#7
douglasjc Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 318	It was better with MacKenzie Phillips!. It was too bad about her drug problem, and wish she could of found help earlier. the Hollywood fast lane will do that to many people. Least, she is now healthy and drug free since 1993.

11-07-2003, 01:36 AM	#8
dandelion wine ~ Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Behind the Couch Posts: 34,967	It wasn't the same without MacKenzie, at all. As everyone has already said, the three of them played off each other very well and it would've been great had she decided to stick around.

12-20-2023, 01:17 AM	#12
opus VB Forum Superstar Join Date: May 16, 2015 Location: VB Galaxy Posts: 32,748	Definitely with, as everyone above agrees to.

12-20-2023, 11:45 AM	#13
AMackII Member Forum Star Join Date: Oct 23, 2015 Location: St. Louis Posts: 17,231	Either Both but Having Mackenzie Phillips being on One Day At A Time was better

01-14-2024, 04:02 AM	#14
CJMD03 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 18, 2018 Posts: 457	Better with Julie, for sure.