Failure of The Ropers (IMO). - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TJAMES03 · 09-21-2006, 07:32 AM

OK, now that I have officially seen The Ropers (I was too young when it originally premiered), I shall give my opinion as to why it didn't work.

01. Helen and Stanley were great supporting players and not main players.

02. The Brookes' were NOT likable at all (neither was Helen's family. Ethel was just a b*tch, Mama was just annoying, and even though she was not part of Helen's family, why was the character of Jenny even there?).

03. The writing was not very good. It seems as though scripts for the Ropers were an afterthought after the scripts for "Three's Company" were completed.

Given my opinion, I would still buy The Ropers on DVD if/when it is released. I love Audra Lindley and Norman Fell and it is obvious that they tried their best on the show with what they were given and I would honor their memory by adding The Ropers to my DVD collection.

TVFactFan · 09-21-2006, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJAMES03

OK, now that I have officially seen The Ropers (I was too young when it originally premiered), I shall give my opinion as to why it didn't work.

01. Helen and Stanley were great supporting players and not main players.

02. The Brookes' were NOT likable at all (neither was Helen's family. Ethel was just a b*tch, Mama was just annoying, and even though she was not part of Helen's family, why was the character of Jenny even there?).

03. The writing was not very good. It seems as though scripts for the Ropers were an afterthought after the scripts for "Three's Company" were completed.

Given my opinion, I would still buy The Ropers on DVD if/when it is released. I love Audra Lindley and Norman Fell and it is obvious that they tried their best on the show with what they were given and I would honor their memory by adding The Ropers to my DVD collection.

You don't think Ann was likable? I think you just mean her husband wasn't likable. I know I liked Roper less because he wasn;t making fun of anyone after leaving Three's Company.

Brian Damage · 09-21-2006, 10:53 AM

Ann was hot, but she added nothing to the show.

TVFactFan · 09-21-2006, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Ann was hot, but she added nothing to the show.

I disagree, Ann added that..............................................................................LOL

BTW: When Ann was dancing to the song playing in the Ropers Apt with her Arms upin the air, she was looking VERY SEXY!!!!!-LOL

TJAMES03 · 10-04-2006, 09:31 AM

I don't know if anything could have saved the Ropers, but getting rid of the Brookes' couldn't have hurt the show any. As far as Ann, well, she may have a large rack, but she added zero to the show.

TVFactFan · 10-04-2006, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJAMES03

I don't know if anything could have saved the Ropers, but getting rid of the Brookes' couldn't have hurt the show any. As far as Ann, well, she may have a large rack, but she added zero to the show.

Ann added the same thing to the ropers that Chrissy added to Three's Company, SEX APPEAL

TJAMES03 · 10-06-2006, 08:08 AM

I guess that you are right. Sadly, Chrissy became a cartoon in her final years on the show..

comedyfreak · 10-08-2006, 07:12 AM

I think it had potential and I always thought The Ropers didn't have a strong enough supporting cast that was very likeable.

Subspace · 06-19-2007, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJAMES03

I guess that you are right. Sadly, Chrissy became a cartoon in her final years on the show..

I agree. I liked Season 1 Chrissy the best. And Season 3 Chrissy the worst.

TVFactFan · 06-19-2007, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subspace

I agree. I liked Season 1 Chrissy the best. And Season 3 Chrissy the worst.

Do you have anything to add in regards to why the Ropers Failed? This isn't a Three's Company message board

TJAMES03 · 06-20-2007, 08:52 AM

A funny story happened to me that I have been forgetting to put up in this thread. About two weeks ago I wore my "Ropers" shirt (Helen and Stanely are on the front obviously) to my local bar and it was really a hit (though most people thought that it was a "TC" shirt, and not strictly from the "Ropers" series) - but the four people that knew that it was from the seperate series ALL commented (though four isn't really that many but they did all have the same opinion) that they couldn't stand the Ropers neighbors.

Though the Ropers was a weak premise to begin with, I really think that had different casting been done Jefferey and Ann, it 'may' have run longer.

TJAMES03 · 06-20-2007, 12:46 PM

Yeah! When I mentioned that the Ropers may have lasted longer with different neighbors, I only meant maybe another season. Though I LOVED Audra Lindley and Norman Fell in their roles, the show just didn't have that spark.

BTW - there were plans to spin Fred and Ethel off into their own show but William Frawley and Vivan Vance said that they were staying with "ILL" and refused - wise choice!

TV_on_the_Porch · 06-20-2007, 06:26 PM

There was no ILL to stay with when the Fred & Ethel series was pitched. The Lucy-Desi specials could have carried (or rather trudged) on without the Mertzes. What killed the idea of a spinoff dead was only Vivian's refusal to do it. She refused to costar alone with the despised William Frawley.

TVFactFan · 06-20-2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJAMES03

Yeah! When I mentioned that the Ropers may have lasted longer with different neighbors, I only meant maybe another season. Though I LOVED Audra Lindley and Norman Fell in their roles, the show just didn't have that spark.

BTW - there were plans to spin Fred and Ethel off into their own show but William Frawley and Vivan Vance said that they were staying with "ILL" and refused - wise choice!

When you say Different neighbors, what kind of neighbors?

TVFactFan · 06-20-2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDRyan

There was no ILL to stay with when the Fred & Ethel series was pitched. The Lucy-Desi specials could have carried (or rather trudged) on without the Mertzes. What killed the idea of a spinoff dead was only Vivian's refusal to do it. She refused to costar alone with the despised William Frawley.

Can you keep ILL discussions on the ILL Board, thank you very much. I'm not trying to be a smart a$$ I'm just not a FAN of ILL and only want to have a Ropers discussion on a Ropers Board

09-21-2006, 07:32 AM	#1
TJAMES03 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 193	Failure of The Ropers (IMO). OK, now that I have officially seen The Ropers (I was too young when it originally premiered), I shall give my opinion as to why it didn't work. 01. Helen and Stanley were great supporting players and not main players. 02. The Brookes' were NOT likable at all (neither was Helen's family. Ethel was just a b*tch, Mama was just annoying, and even though she was not part of Helen's family, why was the character of Jenny even there?). 03. The writing was not very good. It seems as though scripts for the Ropers were an afterthought after the scripts for "Three's Company" were completed. Given my opinion, I would still buy The Ropers on DVD if/when it is released. I love Audra Lindley and Norman Fell and it is obvious that they tried their best on the show with what they were given and I would honor their memory by adding The Ropers to my DVD collection.

09-21-2006, 10:53 AM	#3
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	Ann was hot, but she added nothing to the show.
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10-08-2006, 07:12 AM	#8
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,059	I think it had potential and I always thought The Ropers didn't have a strong enough supporting cast that was very likeable.
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06-20-2007, 06:26 PM	#13
TV_on_the_Porch anything good on? Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Posts: 879	There was no ILL to stay with when the Fred & Ethel series was pitched. The Lucy-Desi specials could have carried (or rather trudged) on without the Mertzes. What killed the idea of a spinoff dead was only Vivian's refusal to do it. She refused to costar alone with the despised William Frawley.
	__________________ Turn up the good times!

10-04-2006, 09:31 AM	#5
TJAMES03 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 193	I don't know if anything could have saved the Ropers, but getting rid of the Brookes' couldn't have hurt the show any. As far as Ann, well, she may have a large rack, but she added zero to the show.

10-06-2006, 08:08 AM	#7
TJAMES03 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 193	*I guess that you are right. Sadly, Chrissy became a cartoon in her final years on the show..*

06-20-2007, 08:52 AM	#11
TJAMES03 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 193	A funny story happened to me that I have been forgetting to put up in this thread. About two weeks ago I wore my "Ropers" shirt (Helen and Stanely are on the front obviously) to my local bar and it was really a hit (though most people thought that it was a "TC" shirt, and not strictly from the "Ropers" series) - but the four people that knew that it was from the seperate series ALL commented (though four isn't really that many but they did all have the same opinion) that they couldn't stand the Ropers neighbors. Though the Ropers was a weak premise to begin with, I really think that had different casting been done Jefferey and Ann, it 'may' have run longer.

06-20-2007, 12:46 PM	#12
TJAMES03 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 193	Yeah! When I mentioned that the Ropers may have lasted longer with different neighbors, I only meant maybe another season. Though I LOVED Audra Lindley and Norman Fell in their roles, the show just didn't have that spark. BTW - there were plans to spin Fred and Ethel off into their own show but William Frawley and Vivan Vance said that they were staying with "ILL" and refused - wise choice!