The season 5 episode that led to announcement of cancellation

[TVFactFan]

Aired in Nov 11, 1978..."Martin Comes home" After this airing the show was ranked last at #50 for the week. The cancellation announcement came on Dec 1, 1978 and the last airing was Dec 9, 1978.

[Durwood]

Season 5 was always intended to be the last season of 'Rhoda'. Harper had said in later interviews that she had decided when her contract was up at the end of S5, she was done with the show. She was playing 'Rhoda' since 1970, and wanted to branch out into movies ( she would go on to do 1979's 'Chapter 2' and 1984's 'Blame It On Rio'). She told CBS, as well as the cast and crew, this would be her final season when S5 went into production in the summer of 1978. (IIRC, she said they were contracted to do 23 episodes for season 5).

Some 'trade papers' reported when Season 5 started, CBS execs were in talks with Julie Kavner, Ray Buktenica and Nancy Walker to continue on after 'Rhoda' ended with a 'Brenda' spin-off. The show started focusing on 'Brenda' as season 5 progressed ( storylines about her engagement which would lead to her upcoming wedding planned for the end of the season, and then her spin-off). However, the show was moved to Saturdays at 8 PM (with 'Good Times' in the 8:30 PM slot), opposite NBC's "CHiPs" and ratings went into a free-fall during the all-important 'November Sweeps'.

By the middle of November, 1978 they had filmed 13 episodes, which would have carried the show into the new year (they were scheduled to be pre-empted for a few weeks in December for 'Holiday Specials'). At that point, they went on 'holiday break' for six weeks, and were due back on the set the first week of January to finish the final 10 episodes of the series. However, CBS canceled the show during the holiday break, after nine episodes actually aired. Harper said when she had gotten the call about the cancelation, she breathed a sigh of relief - she didn't have to return to finish the series, but she was still getting paid for the full 23 episode season.

"Good Times", which premiered in February 1974, had also been struggling in the ratings for the past few seasons, and was also in a ratings free-fall by November Sweeps, 1978. Everyone was expecting CBS to cancel that show during the holiday break as well, but CBS ended up moving it out of the Saturday night time slot - which didn't help the show. They let the show finish out its sixth season, and canceled it in May, 1979.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Durwood

Season 5 was always intended to be the last season of 'Rhoda'. Harper had said in later interviews that she had decided when her contract was up at the end of S5, she was done with the show. She was playing 'Rhoda' since 1970, and wanted to branch out into movies ( she would go on to do 1979's 'Chapter 2' and 1984's 'Blame It On Rio'). She told CBS, as well as the cast and crew, this would be her final season when S5 went into production in the summer of 1978. (IIRC, she said they were contracted to do 23 episodes for season 5).

Some 'trade papers' reported when Season 5 started, CBS execs were in talks with Julie Kavner, Ray Buktenica and Nancy Walker to continue on after 'Rhoda' ended with a 'Brenda' spin-off. The show started focusing on 'Brenda' as season 5 progressed ( storylines about her engagement which would lead to her upcoming wedding planned for the end of the season, and then her spin-off). However, the show was moved to Saturdays at 8 PM (with 'Good Times' in the 8:30 PM slot), opposite NBC's "CHiPs" and ratings went into a free-fall during the all-important 'November Sweeps'.

By the middle of November, 1978 they had filmed 13 episodes, which would have carried the show into the new year (they were scheduled to be pre-empted for a few weeks in December for 'Holiday Specials'). At that point, they went on 'holiday break' for six weeks, and were due back on the set the first week of January to finish the final 10 episodes of the series. However, CBS canceled the show during the holiday break, after nine episodes actually aired. Harper said when she had gotten the call about the cancelation, she breathed a sigh of relief - she didn't have to return to finish the series, but she was still getting paid for the full 23 episode season.

"Good Times", which premiered in February 1974, had also been struggling in the ratings for the past few seasons, and was also in a ratings free-fall by November Sweeps, 1978. Everyone was expecting CBS to cancel that show during the holiday break as well, but CBS ended up moving it out of the Saturday night time slot - which didn't help the show. They let the show finish out its sixth season, and canceled it in May, 1979.

CBS thought Esther Rolle would save GT and was wrong. Im surprised CBS didnt make an attempt to move Rhoda after a month

[Howard]

Luckily all 13 episodes made it into the syndication-package even though not all of aired on CBS Primetime! The biggest mistake was moving it from Monday nights! I loved this series and wanted it to continue with or without a Brenda-spinoff.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Howard

Luckily all 13 episodes made it into the syndication-package even though not all of aired on CBS Primetime! The biggest mistake was moving it from Monday nights! I loved this series and wanted it to continue with or without a Brenda-spinoff.

They were actually talking about a Brenda spinoff??

[thejuliekavnergirl]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

They were actually talking about a Brenda spinoff??

I'm actually mutuals with Julie Kavner's stepdaughter on instagram and I made a post about this elusive "Brenda" spinoff. She asked Julie about it and Julie doesn't remember anything about a Brenda spinoff. I think it never really went any further than a concept

[Durwood]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

CBS thought Esther Rolle would save GT and was wrong. Im surprised CBS didnt make an attempt to move Rhoda after a month

I think CBS was ambivalent about the show going into S5. Harper had told them before S5 started production that she was not coming back for a S6. She was done with the show. If she had left open the possibility to returning for a S6, I think CBS would've done what they could to keep the show going (including moving it out of the Sat 8 PM slot, opposite the mega-hit 'CHiPs'). Instead, they left the show to float on its own and didn't toss it a life preserver when it was needed (November sweeps). They were interested in a 'Brenda' spin-off, but that was probably only if the show stayed afloat to the end, on its own. Alas, it sunk.

[Durwood]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

They were actually talking about a Brenda spinoff??

That's what was reported at the beginning of the S5, when the new season started. It was 'leaked' to some of the 'entertainment magazines' back then (and there were hundreds of those tabloids back in the 70s). IIRC, even TV GUIDE hinted at a possible 'Brenda' spin-off for 1979-80, when they gave a preview of what to expect for the upcoming season in one of their issues.

[Durwood]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

CBS thought Esther Rolle would save GT and was wrong. Im surprised CBS didnt make an attempt to move Rhoda after a month

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember reading back then that CBS gave Rolle a HUGE pay increase to return to the show for S6 (1978-79), gambling that the audience would definitely return with her. The gamble didn't pay off.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Durwood

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember reading back then that CBS gave Rolle a HUGE pay increase to return to the show for S6 (1978-79), gambling that the audience would definitely return with her. The gamble didn't pay off.

what's weird is the ratings were higher the season she wasnt there