This show is addicting

[Christopher]

I've been watching some 70's sitcoms lately for the first time since today's TV sucks. Out of all the ones I'm watching, Laverne & Shirley is the best one. I've owned the complete series for a couple of years now and I'm kicking myself for waiting until now to watch this gem. I love how racy the dialogue can be at times. I think the best line I've heard so far is from the Roxy episode where Shirley tells Laverne she treats her body like a temple and Laverne treats hers like an amusement park I've skipped seasons to season 6 and 7 because I haven't seen all of those. I've read some fans don't care for those seasons but I think the writing is still good those years. Penny and Cindy are the show. As long as they're the center of the story, it doesn't matter where the show takes place. I have seen some season 8 episodes and I don't care for the show being just Laverne. The magic isn't there. I think Penny tried her best but the writing wasn't working.

[RetroGuy2000]

Laverne and Shirley is indeed hilarious. The final season is terrible. "Laverne and" didn't work.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

The final season is terrible. "Laverne and" didn't work.

There isn't a lot of Laverne in the last few episodes of season 8. We have a lot of the supporting characters getting the screen time. I guess Penny was burned out after Cindy left.


I love the early years a lot. There's a lot of episodes I've been rewatching after seeing them for the first time. There's some in season 6 and 7 I've rewatched a few times. The high school reunion in season 7 is hilarious. I love when Laverne finds out Shirley was the one who ratted her out for cheating she responds with violence and says "I've been looking for you for years" There's some great episodes those two seasons.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Christopher

There isn't a lot of Laverne in the last few episodes of season 8. We have a lot of the supporting characters getting the screen time. I guess Penny was burned out after Cindy left.


I love the early years a lot. There's a lot of episodes I've been rewatching after seeing them for the first time. There's some in season 6 and 7 I've rewatched a few times. The high school reunion in season 7 is hilarious. I love when Laverne finds out Shirley was the one who ratted her out for cheating she responds with violence and says "I've been looking for you for years" There's some great episodes those two seasons.

That reunion episode is hilarious! I just rewatched, having not seen that episode in many years. I love how their classmates prepared milk and Pepsi for Laverne's arrival!

[shotzette]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I've been watching some 70's sitcoms lately for the first time since today's TV sucks. Out of all the ones I'm watching, Laverne & Shirley is the best one. I've owned the complete series for a couple of years now and I'm kicking myself for waiting until now to watch this gem. I love how racy the dialogue can be at times. I think the best line I've heard so far is from the Roxy episode where Shirley tells Laverne she treats her body like a temple and Laverne treats hers like an amusement park I've skipped seasons to season 6 and 7 because I haven't seen all of those. I've read some fans don't care for those seasons but I think the writing is still good those years. Penny and Cindy are the show. As long as they're the center of the story, it doesn't matter where the show takes place. I have seen some season 8 episodes and I don't care for the show being just Laverne. The magic isn't there. I think Penny tried her best but the writing wasn't working.

Welcome to the dark side; we have milk and Pepsi.

[shotzette]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I've been watching some 70's sitcoms lately for the first time since today's TV sucks. Out of all the ones I'm watching, Laverne & Shirley is the best one. I've owned the complete series for a couple of years now and I'm kicking myself for waiting until now to watch this gem. I love how racy the dialogue can be at times. I think the best line I've heard so far is from the Roxy episode where Shirley tells Laverne she treats her body like a temple and Laverne treats hers like an amusement park I've skipped seasons to season 6 and 7 because I haven't seen all of those. I've read some fans don't care for those seasons but I think the writing is still good those years. Penny and Cindy are the show. As long as they're the center of the story, it doesn't matter where the show takes place. I have seen some season 8 episodes and I don't care for the show being just Laverne. The magic isn't there. I think Penny tried her best but the writing wasn't working.

Season 8 was a bit of a sh*tshow. Originally, they had planned to end it at Season 7, but the network decided to hold everyone that they could to their contracts for more seasons.

Betty Garrett had already taken another job on Broadway, and Michael McKean only appeared in a few episodes because he, with Garry Marshall's blessings, had it written into his contract that he would only be in a few episodes while he was out promoting "Spinal Tap".

Cindy Williams was heavily pregnant when it was time to shoot Season 8, and ended up leaving due to a dispute on workplace conditions and pay.

The actor who was slated to play Laverne's love interest, Larry Breeding, died in a car accident early in the season, so between that and Cindy's leaving, many scripts and arcs had to be abandoned or clumsily rewritten late in the game.

Penny herself wasn't in to many episodes and wanted out. When negotiations came out for Season 9, she demanded that the show move to NYC from LA, and the network predictably canceled the series at the end of Season 8.

They tried a back door pilot with Carmine moving to NYC to become a dancer on Broadway, but it wasn't picked up.

IMO, the Marshallverse had pretty much run it's course by then. L&S ended in '83, HD ended in '84, and M&M ended in '82.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by shotzette

Season 8 was a bit of a sh*tshow. Originally, they had planned to end it at Season 7, but the network decided to hold everyone that they could to their contracts for more seasons.

I hate when networks do that. Night Court was set to end in season 8 with all the actors on board. NBC brought them back and that last season is one of the worst from any show. I don't even think the performers cared to give it their best that season.

That's awful about Larry Breeding. I didn't know that. I also noticed Michael was out of a lot of episodes during the later half of season 8 and wondered why. I won't be rewatching season 8, but seasons 6 and 7 has a lot of great episodes that I'll definitely rewatch.

[shotzette]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I won't be rewatching season 8, but seasons 6 and 7 has a lot of great episodes that I'll definitely rewatch.

I actually liked season 6 a lot. The five year time jump and the move to Burbank actually gave the writers new areas to explore and created some great FOOW moments. There really wasn't much to have them do in Milwaukee after five years.

[Chocolate Moose]

I adored it when I was a young teenager!!!!

[CosmicCharlie]

lol I never saw the show back then but saw it a decade ago ... many great comedy routines - good acting - interesting characters - better than the average sit com !