Never knew the show went from being #1 to #42 in just one season

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

You know I don't recall ever watching L & S in primetime when it didn't follow Happy Days, so I guess I was one of the "lost" viewers. I remember watching the old ABC lineup (with HD/L & S) while doing my school homework and not changing the channel. Tremendous popularity.

I know I didn't. My Mom's favorite show was The Waltons so we watched that and on Mondays it was Little House. I must have stopped watching L&S for a year because I always watched it on Tuesday night after Happy days.

[James28]

Originally Posted by icecream

I thought being sent against The Waltons killed Laverne and Shirley. But that year was season 8 for The Waltons, its least popular yet with Michael Lerned gone as well as Richard Thomas. Laverne and Shirley's other competitor Buck Rogers in the 25th Century didn't make the top 30 either, so the hour was wide open now. Ironically Benson lasted 7 seasons with the much weaker Laverne and Shirley as its first ever lead-in.

How exactly would being sent against The Waltons have killed Laverne & Shirley if The Waltons was already beaten in the ratings by two freshmen (Mork & Mindy and Angie)? I mean, if a freshman show can take viewers away from The Waltons, why couldn't a (younger) veteran show like Laverne & Shirley have done the same? And how good of a job Mork & Mindy and Angie do in taking viewers away from The Waltons?

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by James28

How exactly would being sent against The Waltons have killed Laverne & Shirley if The Waltons was already beaten in the ratings by two freshmen (Mork & Mindy and Angie)? I mean, if a freshman show can take viewers away from The Waltons, why couldn't a (younger) veteran show like Laverne & Shirley have done the same? And how good of a job Mork & Mindy and Angie do in taking viewers away from The Waltons?

Still so odd for a show to drop so fast after 1 season. Its not like no one left the show lol

[BestTVever]

One huge bit of irony was that Penny Marshall had just re-negotiated her contract with ABC which was almost unheard of during this time especially for a woman. She based her claim on how the show was a huge ratings bonanza for ABC. Sure enough once she tricked the network, the show jumped the shark.
This is one reason why ABC did not consider Suzzane Sommers a new contract. Suzzane was basing her claim like Penny did. There were other reasons why ABC did not let Suzzane out of her contract but the Penny Marshall deal was still zinging the network to never let something like that happen again. If Penny had not done it when she did, ABC would never have done it since the show was bombing in the ratings.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

One huge bit of irony was that Penny Marshall had just re-negotiated her contract with ABC which was almost unheard of during this time especially for a woman. She based her claim on how the show was a huge ratings bonanza for ABC. Sure enough once she tricked the network, the show jumped the shark.
This is one reason why ABC did not consider Suzzane Sommers a new contract. Suzzane was basing her claim like Penny did. There were other reasons why ABC did not let Suzzane out of her contract but the Penny Marshall deal was still zinging the network to never let something like that happen again. If Penny had not done it when she did, ABC would never have done it since the show was bombing in the ratings.

Just read that and it was right before the season that finished at #42 after being #1 the previous seasons. Well I guess the raise did make sense at the time since it was the number show. Suzzane dumb ass failed to realized that Cindy and Penny was lead characters on their show and she wasnt