Did "The Cosby Show" kill "The Jeffersons"? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Magic · 09-09-2006, 03:23 PM

i must really have a great mind for old school TV *LOL*

The Jeffersons' ratings for 1983-1984 were still respectable - #19 for the season. Apparently, that was enough for them to be on the fall schedule the following season, their 11th.

then The Cosby Show premieres September 30, 1984 and though the two shows did not go head-to-head, i have to wonder if seeing a new kind of black family made people decide they were tired of the same old thing on CBS and subsequently grew on the upper-middle class, dual income Huxtables.

what do you all think? if not for "Cosby" do you think The Jeffersons would've still had the good ratings it had the year before? and if so how long would it have continued?

i personally think they would've wrapped up the show after 1986-1987.

Ireneparalegal · 09-09-2006, 03:24 PM

The Jeffersons had their run, their moment on t.v. it was time to move on outta there.

Mr. Television · 09-09-2006, 03:28 PM

The Jeffersons were getting old by the 11th season. Most sitcoms don't even last that long. I still watched the show when the season began but then CBS moved it to Tuesdays opposite The A-Team and I stopped. I think The A-Team is what really killed The Jeffersons although I doubt it would have last more then a year longer anyway.

mstewart · 09-09-2006, 03:32 PM

The show ran its course. It ran four seasons too long. When it became whitewashed the show got uninteresting. The Jeffersons had a tired and stale look in the 11th season and it was amazing that no one wanted the plug pulled and go out on top. The Jeffersons shot itself in the foot.

Magic · 09-09-2006, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

The Jeffersons were getting old by the 11th season. Most sitcoms don't even last that long. I still watched the show when the season began but then CBS moved it to Tuesdays opposite The A-Team and I stopped. I think The A-Team is what really killed The Jeffersons although I doubt it would have last more then a year longer anyway.

what in the hell was CBS thinking?

Magic · 09-09-2006, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstewart

The show ran its course. It ran four seasons too long. When it became whitewashed the show got uninteresting. The Jeffersons had a tired and stale look in the 11th season and it was amazing that no one wanted the plug pulled and go out on top. The Jeffersons shot itself in the foot.

i have read threads where the consensus was that the show should have gone off the air after 1981-1982. however i am curious as to how the ratings stayed decent for '82-83 and '83-'84, though the show's quality had declined.

Mr. Television · 09-09-2006, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magic

what in the hell was CBS thinking?

I think CBS wanted to burn the show off. They paired it with Alice and that show ended as well although at least Alice was smart enough to tape a final episode.

Magic · 09-09-2006, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

I think CBS wanted to burn the show off. They paired it with Alice and that show ended as well although at least Alice was smart enough to tape a final episode.

amazing...i wonder if we'll ever see a "Behind The Camera" on The Jeffersons, despite the lack of cast conflicts.

TVFactFan · 09-09-2006, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magic

i must really have a great mind for old school TV *LOL*

The Jeffersons' ratings for 1983-1984 were still respectable - #19 for the season. Apparently, that was enough for them to be on the fall schedule the following season, their 11th.

then The Cosby Show premieres September 30, 1984 and though the two shows did not go head-to-head, i have to wonder if seeing a new kind of black family made people decide they were tired of the same old thing on CBS and subsequently grew on the upper-middle class, dual income Huxtables.

what do you all think? if not for "Cosby" do you think The Jeffersons would've still had the good ratings it had the year before? and if so how long would it have continued?

i personally think they would've wrapped up the show after 1986-1987.

The Obvious answer would be NO since both shows aired on Different Nights

TVFactFan · 09-09-2006, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magic

i have read threads where the consensus was that the show should have gone off the air after 1981-1982. however i am curious as to how the ratings stayed decent for '82-83 and '83-'84, though the show's quality had declined.

Because the Jeffersons comptition in 82-83 and 83-84 were the NBC and ABC sunday Night movie which wasn't really that popular at the time

Mr. Television · 09-09-2006, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVResearcher

Because the Jeffersons comptition in 82-83 and 83-84 were the NBC and ABC sunday Night movie which wasn't really that popular at the time

Yea that is true. If you wanted to watch entertainment shows on Sundays in the early 80's CBS was the network. They had a pretty good lineup too until they decided to go the movie route as well.

TVFactFan · 09-09-2006, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

Yea that is true. If you wanted to watch entertainment shows on Sundays in the early 80's CBS was the network. They had a pretty good lineup too until they decided to go the movie route as well.

Yup they took that route in 86-lol

88survivor · 09-10-2006, 03:10 AM

Another theory I have is the decade(the conservative 80s)...

The 80s were the decade where brand new shows like the A Team, Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I, and all those crime drama shows a lot of kids watched during the time. It was also the materialistic decade, Iran-Contra scandal, the coke era, Reaganomics, the scarred AIDS epidemic, and much more. The Jeffersons were in a 70s era based show at one point. Racial issues and others were the Norman Lear touches in most of his popular shows, but when the 80s came, it was time slide away from the issue and update the show with a more 80s family based team. Fat jokes are in. No more "Honky" jokes, please, etc. Let us watered down the character a notch or two, making them much tamer than before. Let's do mean ol' George's attitude a complete 180 degree angle for no one to notice and make him a friend with his enemy/neighbor Tom. We want no racial jokes, says the censor of the 80s. Make more fat jokes and no matter how stale the other jokes get, make sure you do complete overhaul with the show as well. That's my take on as to why The Jeffersons changed in the 80s. In my perspective opinion.

TVFactFan · 09-10-2006, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88survivor

Another theory I have is the decade(the conservative 80s)...

The 80s were the decade where brand new shows like the A Team, Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I, and all those crime drama shows a lot of kids watched during the time. It was also the materialistic decade, Iran-Contra scandal, the coke era, Reaganomics, the scarred AIDS epidemic, and much more. The Jeffersons were in a 70s era based show at one point. Racial issues and others were the Norman Lear touches in most of his popular shows, but when the 80s came, it was time slide away from the issue and update the show with a more 80s family based team. Fat jokes are in. No more "Honky" jokes, please, etc. Let us watered down the character a notch or two, making them much tamer than before. Let's do mean ol' George's attitude a complete 180 degree angle for no one to notice and make him a friend with his enemy/neighbor Tom. We want no racial jokes, says the censor of the 80s. Make more fat jokes and no matter how stale the other jokes get, make sure you do complete overhaul with the show as well. That's my take on as to why The Jeffersons changed in the 80s. In my perspective opinion.

George was calling Tom Fat in the 1976-77 season too

88survivor · 09-10-2006, 11:09 AM

Sorry. My bad. Sorry about that.

09-09-2006, 03:24 PM	#2
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	The Jeffersons had their run, their moment on t.v. it was time to move on outta there.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

09-09-2006, 03:28 PM	#3
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	The Jeffersons were getting old by the 11th season. Most sitcoms don't even last that long. I still watched the show when the season began but then CBS moved it to Tuesdays opposite The A-Team and I stopped. I think The A-Team is what really killed The Jeffersons although I doubt it would have last more then a year longer anyway.
	__________________ Sonny

09-09-2006, 03:23 PM	#1
Magic Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 06, 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 29	Did "The Cosby Show" kill "The Jeffersons"? i must really have a great mind for old school TV LOL The Jeffersons' ratings for 1983-1984 were still respectable - #19 for the season. Apparently, that was enough for them to be on the fall schedule the following season, their 11th. then The Cosby Show premieres September 30, 1984 and though the two shows did not go head-to-head, i have to wonder if seeing a new kind of black family made people decide they were tired of the same old thing on CBS and subsequently grew on the upper-middle class, dual income Huxtables. what do you all think? if not for "Cosby" do you think The Jeffersons would've still had the good ratings it had the year before? and if so how long would it have continued? i personally think they would've wrapped up the show after 1986-1987.

09-09-2006, 03:32 PM	#4
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	The show ran its course. It ran four seasons too long. When it became whitewashed the show got uninteresting. The Jeffersons had a tired and stale look in the 11th season and it was amazing that no one wanted the plug pulled and go out on top. The Jeffersons shot itself in the foot.

09-10-2006, 03:10 AM	#13
88survivor Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 03, 2006 Location: NY Posts: 1,849	Another theory I have is the decade(the conservative 80s)... The 80s were the decade where brand new shows like the A Team, Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I, and all those crime drama shows a lot of kids watched during the time. It was also the materialistic decade, Iran-Contra scandal, the coke era, Reaganomics, the scarred AIDS epidemic, and much more. The Jeffersons were in a 70s era based show at one point. Racial issues and others were the Norman Lear touches in most of his popular shows, but when the 80s came, it was time slide away from the issue and update the show with a more 80s family based team. Fat jokes are in. No more "Honky" jokes, please, etc. Let us watered down the character a notch or two, making them much tamer than before. Let's do mean ol' George's attitude a complete 180 degree angle for no one to notice and make him a friend with his enemy/neighbor Tom. We want no racial jokes, says the censor of the 80s. Make more fat jokes and no matter how stale the other jokes get, make sure you do complete overhaul with the show as well. That's my take on as to why The Jeffersons changed in the 80s. In my perspective opinion.

09-10-2006, 11:09 AM	#15
88survivor Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 03, 2006 Location: NY Posts: 1,849	Sorry. My bad. Sorry about that.