Would the show still have been good without Valerie Bertinelli? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

seventies_sitcoms · 07-31-2005, 07:01 PM

I read that there was an unaired pilot of ODAAT shot and Mckenzie Phillips was the only child. Do you think it helped to add Valerie Bertinelli or would it have been okay with just Mack? Whenever I think of this show I always think of the mischief Julie caused and I hardly think about the Barbara character. I guess they wanted to add another member to the cast. Barbara should've been a boy because we would've been able to see the different problems caused by the kids in a single parent home.

Brian Damage · 07-31-2005, 09:43 PM

Since it was a Norman Lear project, I have no doubts that the writing quality would be there. However, Valerie really added a spark to the show.

Mikado · 07-31-2005, 11:23 PM

Well, since the a lot of the shows revolved around the "bad girl" that Julie was supposed to be, having a "good girl" ( To make Julie look worse by compairison ) helped make for more tension with the mother than if Julie was the only kid...so Id say the show wouldnt have been as good

NancyEiE · 08-01-2005, 12:44 AM

absolutely not, she's my favorite character.

seventies_sitcoms · 08-01-2005, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NancyEiE

absolutely not, she's my favorite character.

It would be hard to think of One Day at a Time without Barbara.

Brian Damage · 08-01-2005, 10:50 AM

It made for an excellent dynamic between Barbara and Julie.

dandelion wine · 09-07-2005, 09:35 PM

No way. No how.

Mr. Television · 07-07-2015, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dandelion wine

No way. No how.

I agree.

billybatts · 07-07-2015, 11:14 PM

Wouldn't be the same show, Single mom and one daughter kills a lot of their storylines.
What would they have done once Mackenzie was having her drug issues? Then it's just Ann.

And considering how they kept beefing up the cast in the later seasons, it would have probably happened earlier.

Bonniegirl · 07-08-2015, 12:15 AM

No. I don't think it would have nearly been as good without her. If another actress had played Barbara from the start we would have got used to her, but it really needed two daughters, and I think Valerie was a good casting choice!

'80sSitcoms · 07-08-2015, 08:15 AM

Val as Barbara is my favorite, too.

opus · 07-08-2015, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

Barbara should've been a boy

I feel compelled to note that this would have really played havoc with my adolescence

Bonniegirl · 07-08-2015, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

I feel compelled to note that this would have really played havoc with my adolescence

I Know you wouldn't have liked that idea at all Opus! No Valerie and not even a chance that another girl casted in her place would be pretty too!

So have Julie and a brother. Ann having a son and daughter instead of two daughters? Hmm, nah. Because the show was supposed to be about "women's independence" It was Ann and two girls against the world! LOL!! A son wouldn't meet the dynamic of the show IMO!!!! Just like why Alex really never worked!

If that did happen, I wonder what actor would have been casted as the son? It would have been a guy that was around 15 or so in 1975!! That would be a fun topic for us all to ponder? What do you all think? I vote for Matt Dillon!

Matt Dillon young!!!!!! YUMMY!!!! I fell in LOVE with him from the movie Little Darlings!!!

TVFactFan · 07-09-2015, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

No. I don't think it would have nearly been as good without her. If another actress had played Barbara from the start we would have got used to her, but it really needed two daughters, and I think Valerie was a good casting choice!

This show without Barbara have been SUPER A$$

She was the only thing watchable on the show

07-31-2005, 07:01 PM	#1
seventies_sitcoms * Senior Member Join Date: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 2,244	Would the show still have been good without Valerie Bertinelli? I read that there was an unaired pilot of ODAAT shot and Mckenzie Phillips was the only child. Do you think it helped to add Valerie Bertinelli or would it have been okay with just Mack? Whenever I think of this show I always think of the mischief Julie caused and I hardly think about the Barbara character. I guess they wanted to add another member to the cast. Barbara should've been a boy because we would've been able to see the different problems caused by the kids in a single parent home.

09-07-2005, 09:35 PM	#7
dandelion wine ~ Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Behind the Couch Posts: 34,967	No way. No how.
	__________________ Fans of Jon-Erik Hexum Merry Christmas!

07-31-2005, 09:43 PM	#2
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Since it was a Norman Lear project, I have no doubts that the writing quality would be there. However, Valerie really added a spark to the show.

07-31-2005, 11:23 PM	#3
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,886	Well, since the a lot of the shows revolved around the "bad girl" that Julie was supposed to be, having a "good girl" ( To make Julie look worse by compairison ) helped make for more tension with the mother than if Julie was the only kid...so Id say the show wouldnt have been as good

08-01-2005, 12:44 AM	#4
NancyEiE ff and rp addict Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2003 Location: Hampton, VA Posts: 174	absolutely not, she's my favorite character.

08-01-2005, 10:50 AM	#6
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	It made for an excellent dynamic between Barbara and Julie.

07-07-2015, 11:14 PM	#9
billybatts Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 04, 2015 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 111	Wouldn't be the same show, Single mom and one daughter kills a lot of their storylines. What would they have done once Mackenzie was having her drug issues? Then it's just Ann. And considering how they kept beefing up the cast in the later seasons, it would have probably happened earlier.

07-08-2015, 12:15 AM	#10
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,789	No. I don't think it would have nearly been as good without her. If another actress had played Barbara from the start we would have got used to her, but it really needed two daughters, and I think Valerie was a good casting choice!

07-08-2015, 08:15 AM	#11
'80sSitcoms Member Forum Star Join Date: Jan 30, 2013 Posts: 12,474	Val as Barbara is my favorite, too.