How bad was "Amanda's"? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TJAMES03 · 07-10-2005, 04:01 AM

I was very surprised that Bea Aruthur was in a television show that was such a flop. Since I was way too young to remember it, just how bad was this show?

TVFactFan · 07-10-2005, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJAMES03

I was very surprised that Bea Aruthur was in a television show that was such a flop. Since I was way too young to remember it, just how bad was this show?

Well it's hard to say since ABC put the show up against Magnum P.I. on CBS which was a popular show at the time. So I guess we will never know how bad it was because I was too young to remember too-lol

JeffRuss1972 · 08-06-2005, 11:03 PM

I had forgotten about this show. I vaguely remember seeing it around 81 or 82 and thinking that the lady from "Maude" is in a new show about a hotel or something. Then, just as quickly, it was gone. I don't remember it being horrible, but it's been a long time-LOL

Lamont · 08-07-2005, 10:16 PM

I liked the show to be honest, because I loved Bea Arthur from Maude, but I knew it wouldnt last

maryfan5 · 08-11-2005, 05:36 AM

Strangely enough, The Golden Palace had a similar premise.

TJAMES03 · 08-11-2005, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maryfan5

Strangely enough, The Golden Palace had a similar premise.

From what I read in 1992 (if someone could confirm this, I would be grateful), "Amanda's" is a direct result of why Bea Arthur objected to proposed changes in "The Golden Girls" in its 06th or 07th season. From what I can remember in the article, producers wanted to change "GG's" format to a "Golden Palace" setting to revamp the show - but Ms. Arthur would have none of it.

vectorlime · 08-18-2005, 11:42 AM

I've been going through my videos lately, after about a 4 year break and recently watched Amanda's again. I have 4 episodes and, you can really see how they are focusing on trying to make it just like Faulty Towers, yet without thinking about character development and real story lines. Though I'm partial to Bea naturally, I think she did a great job and sold her part as Amanda. But, the supporting cast really fell short in my opinion. Not one of them was interesting enough to get attached to. So, I really think the show could have been much better if they put a little more thought and time into it, it really seemed rushed. I also think the attempts at the slap stick comedy failed, viewers might not have gotten the comedy, therefore, it came off as bad and/or cheesy.

Kev!

caladon · 08-25-2005, 02:51 PM

Oddly enough, in 1999 there was another failed attempt to recreate "Fawlty Towers" called "Payne," starring John Larroquette. You'd think that they would've known better after the failure of "Amanda's." Both shows are good examples that you can have talented performers and still not be guaranteed success

Steve M. · 08-25-2005, 03:52 PM

It was pretty bad.

Bea Arthur said she was glad it wasn't in a better time slot, otherwise more people would have seen it.

John Cleese complained that when this Americanized "Fawlty Towers" was aired, he found it incomprehensible that the screenwriters wrote out Basil and put all the nastiness of two people in a singel character, making Amanda look like a cartoon.

Mr. Television · 08-27-2005, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riff

I saw a few of the 10 episodes that were aired (they made 13 -- I don't think the remaining 3 have ever been shown in the US), and it was kind of a trainwreck, but not nearly as bad as the show it was paired with, "Condo." Mind you, I was probably predisposed to hate it because it replaced "The Greatest American Hero" -- which was yanked off the air and which was appointment TV for me.

Even though John Larroquette was better suited to fill Cleese's shoes, if I were to watch reruns of "Amanda's" and "Payne" back to back, chances are I'd find "Payne" worse.

I actually liked Condo. I watched it every week. I think I watched Amandas once and that was that. It just didn't stand out to me as something I'd like to watch week after week.

Yong Fang · 07-30-2022, 10:35 AM

It copied one episode of Fawlty Towers almost word to word.

It might have worked with some originality.

TMC · 11-27-2022, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lamont

I liked the show to be honest, because I loved Bea Arthur from Maude, but I knew it wouldnt last

She was also written to insult guests to their faces. Basil on Fawlty Towers did it under his breath and after some of the guests behaved very off or badly.

dee2364 · 08-23-2023, 08:52 AM

I caught the series on YouTube. It was a lot better than I had heard, and I couldn't believe how well they cast the actor to play the Manuel character.

Oh, and in spite of being a flop, shows ripped it off. The Julia Duffy and Peter Scolari characters from Newhart were just a Yuppie version of Amanda's son and daughter-in-law.

JonathanM · 09-06-2023, 06:17 PM

It was a pretty standard sitcom for its time: not especially funny writing, loud laughtrack, shot on videotape. I watched it because, even as a kid, I loved Bea Arthur. Amanda's was nothing special, but it also wasn't the disaster it's been made out to be.

michelala · 09-07-2023, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dee2364

I caught the series on YouTube. It was a lot better than I had heard, and I couldn't believe how well they cast the actor to play the Manuel character.

Oh, and in spite of being a flop, shows ripped it off. The Julia Duffy and Peter Scolari characters from Newhart were just a Yuppie version of Amanda's son and daughter-in-law.

Agreed! I had the exact same thought about the Newhart characters totally ripping off the son and DIL from Amanda's.

07-10-2005, 04:01 AM	#1
TJAMES03 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 193	How bad was "Amanda's"? I was very surprised that Bea Aruthur was in a television show that was such a flop. Since I was way too young to remember it, just how bad was this show?

08-06-2005, 11:03 PM	#3
JeffRuss1972 70s Sitcoms Rule!!! Eternal Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 11, 2005 Location: Villa Rica, GA Posts: 1,257	I had forgotten about this show. I vaguely remember seeing it around 81 or 82 and thinking that the lady from "Maude" is in a new show about a hotel or something. Then, just as quickly, it was gone. I don't remember it being horrible, but it's been a long time-LOL
	__________________ Previously JalanRuss for a SHORT time, but got my OLD Username Back! Hello Again Last edited by JeffRuss1972; 08-06-2005 at 11:20 PM.

08-07-2005, 10:16 PM	#4
Lamont Lamont says Smile! Forum Veteran Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Deep in the Heart of Nowhere Posts: 5,217	I liked it, maybe im weird I liked the show to be honest, because I loved Bea Arthur from Maude, but I knew it wouldnt last

08-18-2005, 11:42 AM	#7
vectorlime Bea Lord Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 08, 2002 Location: Chicago Posts: 11	I've been going through my videos lately, after about a 4 year break and recently watched Amanda's again. I have 4 episodes and, you can really see how they are focusing on trying to make it just like Faulty Towers, yet without thinking about character development and real story lines. Though I'm partial to Bea naturally, I think she did a great job and sold her part as Amanda. But, the supporting cast really fell short in my opinion. Not one of them was interesting enough to get attached to. So, I really think the show could have been much better if they put a little more thought and time into it, it really seemed rushed. I also think the attempts at the slap stick comedy failed, viewers might not have gotten the comedy, therefore, it came off as bad and/or cheesy. Kev!
	__________________ :::: Kevin @ BeatriceArthur.com ::::

08-25-2005, 03:52 PM	#9
Steve M. Back on the road to reality Forum Superstar Join Date: Nov 07, 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 33,307	It was pretty bad. Bea Arthur said she was glad it wasn't in a better time slot, otherwise more people would have seen it. John Cleese complained that when this Americanized "Fawlty Towers" was aired, he found it incomprehensible that the screenwriters wrote out Basil and put all the nastiness of two people in a singel character, making Amanda look like a cartoon.
	__________________ I don't really get out a lot. When I do go out, I couldn't be happier. I love being in a nice milieu. I'm as happy as a clam. Just as long as I'm not in some club playing hip-hop. You hear that sort of thing in a lot of places. That's not my milieu. Rock and roll is good-time music. I love rock. So did my parents.

08-11-2005, 05:36 AM	#5
maryfan5 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 23, 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 116	Strangely enough, The Golden Palace had a similar premise.

08-25-2005, 02:51 PM	#8
caladon Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2001 Location: Massachusetts state home for the bewildered Posts: 1,151	Oddly enough, in 1999 there was another failed attempt to recreate "Fawlty Towers" called "Payne," starring John Larroquette. You'd think that they would've known better after the failure of "Amanda's." Both shows are good examples that you can have talented performers and still not be guaranteed success

07-30-2022, 10:35 AM	#11
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	It copied one episode of Fawlty Towers almost word to word. It might have worked with some originality.

08-23-2023, 08:52 AM	#13
dee2364 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 20, 2019 Posts: 643	I caught the series on YouTube. It was a lot better than I had heard, and I couldn't believe how well they cast the actor to play the Manuel character. Oh, and in spite of being a flop, shows ripped it off. The Julia Duffy and Peter Scolari characters from Newhart were just a Yuppie version of Amanda's son and daughter-in-law.

09-06-2023, 06:17 PM	#14
JonathanM Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 03, 2023 Location: Alabama Posts: 18	It was a pretty standard sitcom for its time: not especially funny writing, loud laughtrack, shot on videotape. I watched it because, even as a kid, I loved Bea Arthur. Amanda's was nothing special, but it also wasn't the disaster it's been made out to be.