I don’t think WBK could have had a long run

[TVFactFan]

I watched season 4 on the DVD just because I never had the opportunity but its no reason for me to ever watch it again

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by DEH55

Travolta leaving. Beau replacing him. Kotter there part time. The show is named after Kotter and he is not there. Lol Julie working at the school. Della Reese joining. Horshack falling in love and having a drinking problem. The last season was crap.

The worst thing about Horshack becoming an alcoholic was that he became an *instant* alcoholic. Today, that would be a storyline that would play out over several episodes or an entire season.

[hatwink]

Right writers, right people, 2 more seasons max.

[Dude111]

WBK worked well because it was made WHEN IT WAS... Most people are so dumbed down and conditioned now it wouldnt be good at all..........

I love that show.....

[TVFactFan]

Could have lasted longer if it started with characters in middle school but not highschool and already grown men

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by DJM77

I read that Gabe Kaplan's idea for a 5th season was that Mr. Kotter would get a new job teaching college somewhere and that the sweathogs would end up being his students there. So there's that.

The idea is that Kotter would have moved on to a community college and the Sweathogs would have followed him there. And I'm sure, somehow, that Woodman would have ended up there as well. Sitcoms were like that back then.

I think had they gone with the idea, it would have worked. It would be a new environment and the "fish out of water" thing would apply to the Sweathogs, who would be in the adult world having to fend for themselves at the new college.

I'm sure that Kotter would have guided them along.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by hatwink

Right writers, right people, 2 more seasons max.

I think you're right.

The show had already begun sliding in the ratings during season three when Travolta and Kaplan were still regulars on the show.

The changes in season four just accelerated the demise...not to mention changing the time slot from Thursday to Monday nights.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by Dude111

WBK worked well because it was made WHEN IT WAS... Most people are so dumbed down and conditioned now it wouldnt be good at all..........

I love that show.....

If they tried to air WBK today, they would say it was prejudiced against special needs students.

Quite the opposite: It showed that these kids had intelligence (well, okay, maye not Barbarino), but required alternative methods to help them learn.

Horshack was even briefly promoted out of the class and probably was the smartest of all of them.

[Dude111]

Ya the world is so screwed up its sad.......

[Old School]

Originally Posted by DJM77

I read that Gabe Kaplan's idea for a 5th season was that Mr. Kotter would get a new job teaching college somewhere and that the sweathogs would end up being his students there. So there's that.

That might have been interesting. The HS aspect of the show only had a 4 year run with the same cast at most.

[TVFactFan]

The 5th season would had to be one of sweathogs working at the school with home life shown 60% of the time

[treky]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

The 5th season would had to be one of sweathogs working at the school with home life shown 60% of the time

no, I think it would have worked with them as students.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by treky

no, I think it would have worked with them as students.

The problem with season 4 is that it got too far from the premise of the show.

There was virtually no Kotter, very little Barbarino and parts of the show were taking place outside the school.

The show was built on Kotter and the four Sweathogs and their interactions at school. Once you take that away, it's not the same show anymore...and wasn't.

The main factor in all this was James Komack's demands for a change in direction and hiring an entirely new set of writers and producers, who didn't really get the show's tone.

It's doubtful Travolta would have come back for a fifth season -- maybe a guest appearance or two -- but if Kotter had returned and the characters allowed to graduate and transfer to a community college, maybe the show's fortunes could have been revived.

But we'll never know.

[hatwink]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

I think you're right.

The show had already begun sliding in the ratings during season three when Travolta and Kaplan were still regulars on the show.

The changes in season four just accelerated the demise...not to mention changing the time slot from Thursday to Monday nights.

Yeah, that time slot thing can really ruin a show. WBK doesn't fit on Monday nights.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by hatwink

Yeah, that time slot thing can really ruin a show. WBK doesn't fit on Monday nights.

Especially when it had been on Thursday nights since the first season.

You also have to remember this was pre-DVR. Hell, most people didn't have a VCR because they were new.

If you went to go watch a show and it was no longer in the same time slot, some people assumed the show was cancelled.

Not everyone read TV Guide from front to back every week like I did!