This show's demise began when...

[Brian Damage]

...Wesley grew up. The show was just not the same after Wesley hit puberty. Anyone agree?

[gerrya]

I thought the show still had it's moments when Wesley grew up. I felt the show's demise really began when Mr. Belvedere went off to Africa with his wife. I don't mean to be glib, but I thought the show was consistently good overall.

I just recently saw the Ned and Stacey episode with Mr. Belvedere on it. It was actually kind of sad and painful to watch.

[McFly121]

LOL, well uh....when he left for Africa the show ended, so that would have to be a demise or sorts.

I'd agree about the Wesley puberty thing, tho I think that just coincided with the writing going downhill. The show was fun as hell up until the fifth year. That season the eps were just really kiddie-fied. They didn't play George off Belvey as much as they used to, which was always good for big laughs.

[71dude]

I thought the writing went downhill in the fourth year - after that it kept getting zanier without getting funnier. A lot of those later episodes were just absurd.

[glickmam]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

...Wesley grew up. The show was just not the same after Wesley hit puberty. Anyone agree?

Well at least when Wesley grew up, the producers did not try to hire a "cute child" to replace him on the show, as what TV producers usually do when their original child cast grows up.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by glickmam

Well at least when Wesley grew up, the producers did not try to hire a "cute child" to replace him on the show, as what TV producers usually do when their original child cast grows up.

I haven't seen Mr. Belvedere in years - I'd LOVE to see it again. Why isn't it on DVD or at least in syndication anymore??

[glickmam]

Originally Posted by McFly121

LOL, well uh....when he left for Africa the show ended, so that would have to be a demise or sorts.

I'd agree about the Wesley puberty thing, tho I think that just coincided with the writing going downhill. The show was fun as hell up until the fifth year. That season the eps were just really kiddie-fied. They didn't play George off Belvey as much as they used to, which was always good for big laughs.

I couldn't agree more. During the first three seasons, the show frequently featured very sophisticated humor involving George and Mr. Belvedere sparring or whatever predicament Wesley managed to get himself into. By the fourth and fifth seasons, however, the show had become increasingly saccharine and farcical in what I can only determine to be a very desperate attempt by executive producers Frank Dungan, Jeff Stein, and Tony Sheehan to make the show more on par ratings wise with higher rated TGIF stablemates Full House and Perfect Strangers, and thus avoid getting cancelled a second time.

[Vahan]

Originally Posted by glickmam

I couldn't agree more. During the first three seasons, the show frequently featured very sophisticated humor involving George and Mr. Belvedere sparring or whatever predicament Wesley managed to get himself into. By the fourth and fifth seasons, however, the show had become increasingly saccharine and farcical in what I can only determine to be a very desperate attempt by executive producers Frank Dungan, Jeff Stein, and Tony Sheehan to make the show more on par popularity wise with higher rated TGIF stablemates Full House and Perfect Strangers.

Perhaps it's for the best that the series went on for no more than six seasons. In short, it began, and ended at the right time.

A few other things I noticed: About half-way through season 4 in 1987, Tony Sheehan stepped down from his role as executive producer.

Most of the episodes were written by Frank Dungan, Jeff Stein, and Tony Sheehan. But about half-way through the 5th season in 1988, they all stopped writing for the show. Were they unhappy with the shows' direction, or did they just run out of ideas to write about?

[megamanj2004]

The 1st 3 seasons had a lot of sophisticated writing and dry humor, much like Barney Miller, since Dungan and Stein got their start on Barney Miller. By the 4th season or so, some of that writing dropped off and some of it comes off as farcical, like another poster mentioned and the humor sometimes became a bit juvenile at times as well.

[glickmam]

Originally Posted by megamanj2004

The 1st 3 seasons had a lot of sophisticated writing and dry humor, much like Barney Miller, since Dungan and Stein got their start on Barney Miller. By the 4th season or so, some of that writing dropped off and some of it comes off as farcical, like another poster mentioned and the humor sometimes became a bit juvenile at times as well.

Of course, the thing was that at the time of Mr. Belvedere's original run on ABC, NBC had pretty much cornered the market in sophisticated sitcom writing thanks to such hits as The Cosby Show, A Different World, Family Ties, Cheers, Night Court, ALF, Dear John, The Facts of Life, 227, The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, and Amen.

[TMC]

*BUMP*:
http://www.bonethefish.com/viewtopics.php?1978

[Kristen]

I've seen several cycles of the show on FamilyNet (which was my first real experience watching it regularly, BTW). I do agree w/ the point that Wesley's growing up changed the show. Some of the "cute" factor in his constant scheming and trouble-making was definitely lost there. But I don't think it was a bad show at all. Anytime there are kids on a show, there's only so much you can do after a certain point. I think the series ended at the right time, b/c it would've been ridiculous to stay on any longer, IMO. Bringing in a cute kid would've been a terrible idea, as the whole premise of the show was for Marcia to pursue her law degree while Mr. Belvedere helped hold down the fort as it were. A kid would've wrecked all of that.

[Vahan]

Was this show under contract to keep going for 3 more seasons (66 more episodes) from 1987-1990?

Also, Brice Beckham, who played Wesley, was around 7 or 8 when production began. He was 14 when production ended.

[glickmam]

Originally Posted by Kristen

I've seen several cycles of the show on FamilyNet (which was my first real experience watching it regularly, BTW). I do agree w/ the point that Wesley's growing up changed the show. Some of the "cute" factor in his constant scheming and trouble-making was definitely lost there. But I don't think it was a bad show at all. Anytime there are kids on a show, there's only so much you can do after a certain point. I think the series ended at the right time, b/c it would've been ridiculous to stay on any longer, IMO. Bringing in a cute kid would've been a terrible idea, as the whole premise of the show was for Marcia to pursue her law degree while Mr. Belvedere helped hold down the fort as it were. A kid would've wrecked all of that.

Indeed, you're right, Kristen. In fact, bringing in a cute kid on a TV show is just a bad idea in general. Unfortunately, however, many TV shows do so anyway. A few glaring examples include Nicky and Alex Katsopolis on Full House, Jerry Jamal "3J" Jameson on Family Matters, and Lily Foster-Lambert on Step by Step.

[megamanj2004]

Originally Posted by glickmam

Indeed, Kristen. In fact, bringing in a cute kid on a TV show is just a bad idea in general. Unfortunately, however, many TV shows do so anyway. A few glaring examples include Nicky and Alex Katsopolis on Full House, Jerry Jamal "3J" Jameson on Family Matters, and Lily Foster-Lambert on Step by Step.

And Olivia on The Cosby Show and Oliver on The Brady Bunch.