When did the show start going downhill ?

[tmacsrockets]

Originally Posted by PRAIDER

IN MY OPINION GROWING PAINS WITH DOWN HILL WHEN JUILE McCULLOUGH WAS DROPPED FROM THE CAST.THE SHOW GOT TOO SERIOUS AND "JUMPED THE SHARK".

This. Once Julie left, fans were upset by how it ended because there were absolutely no hints that they wouldn't be together. Made it seem like something was fishy.

[blkplaguelmc]

I feel like the show stayed entertaining until about the last half of the final season. I've only seen a few episodes from season 1, so I can't really comment to much on it. Season 2-6, in my opinion were good. I agree adding Chrissy was pointless. I think she was added to fill the void Ben left when he grew up a little, but it's like "Yea cute kid who's to smart for their own". Hasn't that been done before?? I liked when they added Luke. I would've been happy with just adding Luke and not Chrissy, even though Luke wasn't added til the final season and Chrissy was added in the 4th I believe. Carols "doof" boyfriend was only in like 6 episodes I believe, he didn't bug me to much but it was definitely a reach for her to end up with him.
If you watch the Larry King reunion they did for the release of the season 1 dvd, Alan Thicke says that they lost a lot of their former writers for the show. I think this is what kills a lot of shows. Hiring new writers that have no history with the show. At least if they had kept some of the original writers the character development would've made a lot more sense. All in all, this is definitely one my favorite sitcoms of the 80s, if not all time. It may have gone downhill in the final season but you and I both know it was better than 90% of what is on tv these days. The laugh track sitcom is dead.

[Rambo Stallone]

Originally Posted by Jack Frost

Although it started off slow the first season, I think 'Growing Pains' hit its stride the second, and then peaked during its third year on the air. From the fall of '88 on however, with the exception of maybe half a dozen episodes that were hilarious, I thought the show lost its direction. Whether the birth of Chrissy or the change in producers affected this, I know that by the last season the show all but flat out sucked. What does everybody else think about this ?

I think it went down when Mike became obviously bi and took in a boy home called Leonardo DiCaprio.The show went downhill as it became dramedy more.

[Syndication]

Originally Posted by daisygirlee

i think when mike became a teacher it went downhill...story lines werent growing pains style anymore..mike was responsible... i couldnt believe it

This was definitely it for me. I hated the new responsible Mike. Had they started to focus on teenage Ben and Stinky a little sooner I may have stuck with it. But Mike the actor and good guy teacher was such a hard change that it made the show lose its funny

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Syndication

This was definitely it for me. I hated the new responsible Mike. Had they started to focus on teenage Ben and Stinky a little sooner I may have stuck with it. But Mike the actor and good guy teacher was such a hard change that it made the show lose its funny

Once Mike went into teaching, Ben hit puberty, and Carol began withering away, the show went to hell. There was none of that familiar family dynamic that had made the show as popular as it was during the previous seasons. The kids were old enough to care for themselves, and Jason and Maggie were relegated to stage props or to interact with and play the straight man to Chrissy and her antics.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Rambo Stallone

I think it went down when Mike became obviously bi and took in a boy home called Leonardo DiCaprio.The show went downhill as it became dramedy more.

Was Luke in actuality, meant to be a friendly teenage rival for Ben? I mean, what's not to say that he wasn't brought in because Chrissy (as now played by Ashley Johnson) lacked in charm and was just a prop. Meanwhile, Kirk Cameron was at this point, too old for teen storylines and was difficult to work to boot.

[paul.austin]

Ah, Chrissy hate! How much i've missed you


"Dear Jason and Margaret Seaver,

Please let me pick Chrissy (Ashley Johnson) up from school today and all your problems will be solved. In a difficult way for her but a permanent way for you.

Yours,
Dennis Rader"

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Syndication

This was definitely it for me. I hated the new responsible Mike. Had they started to focus on teenage Ben and Stinky a little sooner I may have stuck with it. But Mike the actor and good guy teacher was such a hard change that it made the show lose its funny

As others have said, Kirk Cameron insisting that his character be more responsible, wholesome, and straight-laced messed up the dynamic because Mike was meant to be a foil to his responsible parents and serious sister.

[paul.austin]

KC was no JC.