Why the hell did they add DELLA REESE to this show in the 4th season?

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

You do realize there were other teachers at the school, right?

Yes but they were introduced

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Yes but they were introduced

As bad as that Horshack-becomes-an-instant-alcoholic episode was, it needed a teacher.

I'm not saying that Gabe could have saved it, but they needed a teacher to intervene.

There were so many things wrong with that episode. The aforementioned Horshack becoming instantly addicted to alcohol, Carvelli not getting expelled (or at least suspended) when he confessed to giving Arnold the first bottle, and the fact that it played like a bad ABC Afterschool Special.

There were some 4th season episodes where Ron Palillo didn't seem to be into playing Horshack anymore. He seemed bored or fed up with the character and this couldn't have helped matters.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

As bad as that Horshack-becomes-an-instant-alcoholic episode was, it needed a teacher.

I'm not saying that Gabe could have saved it, but they needed a teacher to intervene.

There were so many things wrong with that episode. The aforementioned Horshack becoming instantly addicted to alcohol, Carvelli not getting expelled (or at least suspended) when he confessed to giving Arnold the first bottle, and the fact that it played like a bad ABC Afterschool Special.

There were some 4th season episodes where Ron Palillo didn't seem to be into playing Horshack anymore. He seemed bored or fed up with the character and this couldn't have helped matters.

Underrated characters on that show that should have had bigger roles after Vinny and Kotter left was Woodman and Judy Borden

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Underrated characters on that show that should have had bigger roles after Vinny and Kotter left was Woodman and Judy Borden

I think we actually saw more of Woodman in the fourth season, as we did Mrs. Kotter.

And Gabe Kotter was never completely absent during the fourth season. He became more of a recurring character, having only cameo appearances in some episodes. Ironic, considering Gabe Kaplan's name was above the title in the opening credits of every episode.

It seems that Executive Producer Komack wanted to rid the series of as many of the classic elements as possible during the final year, which is probably why we never saw characters like Judy Borden or Todd Ludlow.

The final year of WBK is a classic example of how to kill off a show.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

I think we actually saw more of Woodman in the fourth season, as we did Mrs. Kotter.

And Gabe Kotter was never completely absent during the fourth season. He became more of a recurring character, having only cameo appearances in some episodes. Ironic, considering Gabe Kaplan's name was above the title in the opening credits of every episode.

It seems that Executive Producer Komack wanted to rid the series of as many of the classic elements as possible during the final year, which is probably why we never saw characters like Judy Borden or Todd Ludlow.

The final year of WBK is a classic example of how to kill off a show.

Yup, less Grumpy and more funny

[DEH55]

I think this show may have derailed faster than any other show that I can remember. It became a huge hit With Travolta and there were lunch boxes and didn't they even have dolls? Lol and then it nose dived. The kids became the marx brothers. I remember them singing Me and my shadow. They became like a vaudeville act. So weird. Travolta was soon only there part time, then Gabe Kaplin who the show was centered around was there only part time. The replacement for Travolta was terrible and season 4 was a car wreck.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by DEH55

I think this show may have derailed faster than any other show that I can remember. It became a huge hit With Travolta and there were lunch boxes and didn't they even have dolls? Lol and then it nose dived. The kids became the marx brothers. I remember them singing Me and my shadow. They became like a vaudeville act. So weird. Travolta was soon only there part time, then Gabe Kaplin who the show was centered around was there only part time. The replacement for Travolta was terrible and season 4 was a car wreck.

Sure did. It went from finishing at #28 after season 3 all the way to #78 the last season

[The_Iceflash]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

I think we actually saw more of Woodman in the fourth season, as we did Mrs. Kotter.

And Gabe Kotter was never completely absent during the fourth season. He became more of a recurring character, having only cameo appearances in some episodes. Ironic, considering Gabe Kaplan's name was above the title in the opening credits of every episode.

It seems that Executive Producer Komack wanted to rid the series of as many of the classic elements as possible during the final year, which is probably why we never saw characters like Judy Borden or Todd Ludlow.

The final year of WBK is a classic example of how to kill off a show.

I think the original premise of the series was by nature of school’s and teaching, very limited on how long a cast can remain the same. Realistically, a teacher gets new students every year. Barbarino and the rest of the Sweathogs could not have been in the picture as long as you would expect a normal cast of a tv show. Any TV show based around a school needs to have this in mind or it will never make it more than a couple of years unless they went the Boy Meets World route or the Degrassi route. The Kotter and Head of the Class route gives the show a much shorter life span.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by The_Iceflash

I think the original premise of the series was by nature of school’s and teaching, very limited on how long a cast can remain the same. Realistically, a teacher gets new students every year. Barbarino and the rest of the Sweathogs could not have been in the picture as long as you would expect a normal cast of a tv show. Any TV show based around a school needs to have this in mind or it will never make it more than a couple of years unless they went the Boy Meets World route or the Degrassi route. The Kotter and Head of the Class route gives the show a much shorter life span.

what route did Boy Meets World take?

[The_Iceflash]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

what route did Boy Meets World take?

They started the show with the cast in middle school and their teacher, a middle school teacher. When they moved up to the high school, the show moved with it and their teacher became the principal of the high school. When they graduated high school and went to college, their teacher, turned principal, became a college professor. The show moved along with it and added cast members where appropriate as the show moved on.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by The_Iceflash

They started the show with the cast in middle school and their teacher, a middle school teacher. When they moved up to the high school, the show moved with it and their teacher became the principal of the high school. When they graduated high school and went to college, their teacher, turned principal, became a college professor. The show moved along with it and added cast members where appropriate as the show moved on.

Ok Thank you. Yeah when WBK started it had to be known that it couldnt exceed 4 seasons since Sweathoggs wasnt college material

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by DEH55

I think this show may have derailed faster than any other show that I can remember. It became a huge hit With Travolta and there were lunch boxes and didn't they even have dolls?

There were action figures. I know, because I had Kotter and Barbarino.