Negative Review by the Chicago Tribune 1975

[TVFactFan]

"Sleazy piece of garbage" is what Gary Deeb called the show lol


https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116846860/

[opus]

Ouch

[biffbronson]

What a hatchet job that review was. Look at some of his assessments:

Gabe Kaplan: "awful actor"
James Komack: "a Hollywood hack of the first magnitude" with "bankrupt morality"
John Sylvester White: unfunny
The show itself: "a contemptible burlesque of a very real issue -- the misery of many big-city schools"

Did this guy know what the word "sitcom" meant? The premise was never claiming to be a dramedy. Deeb claims the show is not funny while calling it "a grotesque imitation of life." He was looking for "tinges of true social consciousness" he saw in an unaired pilot. Maybe ABC was just smarter than Deeb in their choice of direction.

Of course, the show went on to be a smash hit, so it looks as though Deeb's complaining was totally out-of-touch with viewers -- and ABC laughed all the way to the bank. Terrible heavy-handed, one-sided review.

[howilu]

I read the review and one character he didn't mention was Horshack. He didn't give a negative review on his laugh. I was alway a fan of Horshack. He was a very funny sweathog.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

What a hatchet job that review was. Look at some of his assessments:

Gabe Kaplan: "awful actor"
James Komack: "a Hollywood hack of the first magnitude" with "bankrupt morality"
John Sylvester White: unfunny
The show itself: "a contemptible burlesque of a very real issue -- the misery of many big-city schools"

Did this guy know what the word "sitcom" meant? The premise was never claiming to be a dramedy. Deeb claims the show is not funny while calling it "a grotesque imitation of life." He was looking for "tinges of true social consciousness" he saw in an unaired pilot. Maybe ABC was just smarter than Deeb in their choice of direction.

Of course, the show went on to be a smash hit, so it looks as though Deeb's complaining was totally out-of-touch with viewers -- and ABC laughed all the way to the bank. Terrible heavy-handed, one-sided review.

Yup maintain a top 20 ranking the whole season

[1960'sTVfan]

I have no idea where Gary Deeb is now or what he's doing but I remember he was the TV critic for the Chicago Tribune in the 1970's.

I've never paid attention to critics reviews, whether it's TV, movies, or music. It's just one persons opinion and doesn't mean they're an expert on what's good or bad.

I think Welcome Back Kotter was a pretty good show up until the 4th season when things started unraveling.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by 1960'sTVfan

I have no idea where Gary Deeb is now or what he's doing but I remember he was the TV critic for the Chicago Tribune in the 1970's.

I've never paid attention to critics reviews, whether it's TV, movies, or music. It's just one persons opinion and doesn't mean they're an expert on what's good or bad.

I think Welcome Back Kotter was a pretty good show up until the 4th season when things started unraveling.

He went from Newspaper to TV in the 80's but I cant found out what he is doing now. He did develop a reputation for being a Harsh TV critic

so now I want to see what he said about my other favorite shows lol

[opus]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

He went from Newspaper to TV in the 80's but I cant found out what he is doing now. He did develop a reputation for being a Harsh TV critic

so now I want to see what he said about my other favorite shows lol

You can find some of his stuff here (some sitcoms, some dramas)

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/critics/gary-deeb/tv


For example--- Diff'rent Strokes- A disastrous piece of junk that ought to be wiped out before it spreads. -Chicago Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8333...es-season-one/

(I'll let you decide if you want to post what's there on the appropriate boards)

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by opus

You can find some of his stuff here (some sitcoms, some dramas)

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/critics/gary-deeb/tv


For example--- Diff'rent Strokes- A disastrous piece of junk that ought to be wiped out before it spreads. -Chicago Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8333...es-season-one/

(I'll let you decide if you want to post what's there on the appropriate boards)

Thank you. I see he liked Happy Days a little lol

[stevea]

He sounds like the old Indianapolis News TV critic, Richard K. Shull. He was ultra-snarky, and liked nothing on TV.

[biffbronson]

Originally Posted by 1960'sTVfan

I've never paid attention to critics reviews, whether it's TV, movies, or music. It's just one persons opinion and doesn't mean they're an expert on what's good or bad.

Giving an opinion on the finished product is one thing, but the character assassination of James Komack crosses a line. I don't think Bill Bixby would have worked closely with Komack for years if he were the walking disaster Deeb painted him to be.

Imagine you're Komack reading that about yourself, you'd probably be dialing-up your attorney.