Should NBC Have Canceled Chico and the Man After Freddie Prinze's Death? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

howilu · 06-20-2024, 09:52 AM

When Freddie Prinze shot himself in the head midway through the third season, I felt the show should have been canceled. Unfortunately, the show limped on until it was axed the following season. Should NBC have canceled Chico and the Man after the death of Freddie Prinze?

DJM77 · 06-20-2024, 01:25 PM

Yes, they should've ended the show as soon as Freddie died. They probably only decided to continue because they were trying to get enough episodes for a syndication deal.

Dude111 · 06-20-2024, 10:26 PM

Yes indeed it should have ended!!

FreddiesDetroitGirl · 01-25-2026, 07:10 AM

Agreed, it should have ended.

Alanwench · 03-01-2026, 07:28 PM

Yes. The heart of the show was gone. It would never be the same without Freddie.

weldonballou · 03-04-2026, 11:10 AM

What they ended up doing for that 4th year was one of the riskiest moves ever made for a sitcom after a tragedy. Not only that but it was the beginning of the "little kids" era of sitcoms that would go for another decade until Silver Spoons and Webster were finally off the air in 1987. A bad precedent had begun with that fateful 4th season and the worst part was that the boy (Gabriel Melgar) got all the blame. He even got a Love Boat credit and appearance in it's first season and after that he was never seen again in the public eye to this very day.

stellina · 06-03-2026, 03:20 AM

I also believe they should have ended the show and I wonder why they didn't.. Was it due to commitments that had to do with contracts and stuff?
How would producers deal with a similar situation nowadays?

Adamantium · 06-20-2026, 02:27 PM

I think the majority of people feel the show should have been cancelled when Freddie died. I, however, am glad they continued. I like season four. It's the weakest season, of course, but I still enjoy it. The only thing I really didn't like was Ed continually referring to Raul as "Chico". Also, how they ignored Chico's absence (and his existence) until mid-way through the season. But those flaws aside, I still like season four.

I can only assume they kept it going for a syndication deal. Four seasons was more likely to be rerun than three. Of course, if that was their reason, it was for nothing as the show didn't have much of a syndication life. I didn't see it myself until 2001 (I was born in 1981), when it aired for a couple years on TV Land. After that, I didn't see it again (save a best of disc and a bootleg DVD) until December 2023, when it came to Tubi.

stellina · 06-21-2026, 07:45 AM

So, you were born in the same year Jack died.

Adamantium · 06-21-2026, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stellina

So, you were born in the same year Jack died.

Yes, but I had nothing to do with it. I swear!

Actually, I just missed him. I was born in December and I believe he died in November.

Courtjester · 06-21-2026, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alanwench

Yes. The heart of the show was gone. It would never be the same without Freddie.

Ditto.

View Poll Results: Should NBC Have Canceled Chico and the Man After Freddie Prinze's Deat?
Yes	9	81.82%
No	2	18.18%
Voters: 11. You may not vote on this poll

06-20-2024, 09:52 AM	#1
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,966	Should NBC Have Canceled Chico and the Man After Freddie Prinze's Death? When Freddie Prinze shot himself in the head midway through the third season, I felt the show should have been canceled. Unfortunately, the show limped on until it was axed the following season. Should NBC have canceled Chico and the Man after the death of Freddie Prinze?

06-20-2024, 01:25 PM	#2
DJM77 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: May 15, 2001 Location: Missouri Posts: 5,571	Yes, they should've ended the show as soon as Freddie died. They probably only decided to continue because they were trying to get enough episodes for a syndication deal.
	__________________ Marge: There are only 49 stars on that flag. Abe: I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missouri!

06-20-2024, 10:26 PM	#3
Dude111 Forum Legend Join Date: Nov 05, 2013 Posts: 37,402	Yes indeed it should have ended!!

01-25-2026, 07:10 AM	#4
FreddiesDetroitGirl Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 05, 2017 Location: Motown Posts: 21	Agreed, it should have ended.

03-01-2026, 07:28 PM	#5
Alanwench Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 02, 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 99	Yes. The heart of the show was gone. It would never be the same without Freddie.

03-04-2026, 11:10 AM	#6
weldonballou Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 10, 2020 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 69	What they ended up doing for that 4th year was one of the riskiest moves ever made for a sitcom after a tragedy. Not only that but it was the beginning of the "little kids" era of sitcoms that would go for another decade until Silver Spoons and Webster were finally off the air in 1987. A bad precedent had begun with that fateful 4th season and the worst part was that the boy (Gabriel Melgar) got all the blame. He even got a Love Boat credit and appearance in it's first season and after that he was never seen again in the public eye to this very day.

06-03-2026, 03:20 AM	#7
stellina Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 31, 2026 Posts: 56	I also believe they should have ended the show and I wonder why they didn't.. Was it due to commitments that had to do with contracts and stuff? How would producers deal with a similar situation nowadays?

06-20-2026, 02:27 PM	#8
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,840	I think the majority of people feel the show should have been cancelled when Freddie died. I, however, am glad they continued. I like season four. It's the weakest season, of course, but I still enjoy it. The only thing I really didn't like was Ed continually referring to Raul as "Chico". Also, how they ignored Chico's absence (and his existence) until mid-way through the season. But those flaws aside, I still like season four. I can only assume they kept it going for a syndication deal. Four seasons was more likely to be rerun than three. Of course, if that was their reason, it was for nothing as the show didn't have much of a syndication life. I didn't see it myself until 2001 (I was born in 1981), when it aired for a couple years on TV Land. After that, I didn't see it again (save a best of disc and a bootleg DVD) until December 2023, when it came to Tubi.

06-21-2026, 07:45 AM	#9
stellina Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 31, 2026 Posts: 56	So, you were born in the same year Jack died.