#1 Worst Show of All Time?? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

seventies_sitcoms · 09-24-2006, 03:06 PM

http://paulkatcher.com/020505.shtml

Gee, I thought MAude would've been #1

Rich3 · 09-28-2006, 02:04 AM

There is some truth there. One Day at a Time was a "comedy" that never really made anyone laugh. I don't think any viewer ever laughed at anything portrayed on the show.

It was a popular show. But not for the comedy. I'm not sure what, to be honest.

TVFactFan · 09-28-2006, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

http://paulkatcher.com/020505.shtml

Gee, I thought MAude would've been #1

After finally seeing it I wouldn;t say it's the worst but I don;t understand why it was rated in the top ten for so many years. The best grade i would give this show is a C not a C+, a plain C

Brian Damage · 09-28-2006, 09:36 AM

It was a great show

seventies_sitcoms · 09-28-2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

It was a great show

I don't know what it is about the show, but it was my favorite in my childhood years. It was great show until the girls got married and Alex came around. I can see why it wouldn't cut it with the TV Land fans because there weren't many "laugh-out-loud scenes" in it, but something made it work. Sometimes I wonder if they should've just made this a drama-type show like "Family" or "Eight Is Enough".

tv star collector · 09-29-2006, 09:22 AM

The show did run for nine years on CBS. Creator/producer Norman Lear said
that "he was trying to do for the divorced woman what ALL IN THE FAMILY
had done for the bigot--maker her comically respectable" (in the words of
Rick Mitz, author of "THE GREAT TV SITCOM BOOK"). On another post here,
Lear was quoted as saying ALL IN THE FAMILY was a satire, not a comedy.
Seems to be a matter of semantics. But I digress. Mitz goes on to say that
"the most surprising thing about the show was how successful it came to be"
and that "Unlike most other Lear ventures, there was little controversy surrounding the show. Not that it was bland. Just that it was sensible."

Re my favorite comic character on the show, Mitz says: "Schneider seems
to have been Lear's throwback to Archie Bunker, but over the seasons he
became more seasoned and softened. He started off as a romance-obsessed
character .. who had the hots for Ann. Then he became the friend of the
family, Uncle Schneider."

Summing up, Mitz says: "The key to the program, though, shows up in one
bit of dialogue--a little schmaltzy, to be sure, but sitcom-sophisticated. Ann
had just broken up with her married lover and was explaining to him why she
had to do it.

"'There is something that matters more than you do,' she tells him. 'My self-
respect.'

"Because if ONE DAY AT A TIME had anything, it had self-respect."

Brian Damage · 09-29-2006, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventies_sitcoms

I don't know what it is about the show, but it was my favorite in my childhood years. It was great show until the girls got married and Alex came around. I can see why it wouldn't cut it with the TV Land fans because there weren't many "laugh-out-loud scenes" in it, but something made it work. Sometimes I wonder if they should've just made this a drama-type show like "Family" or "Eight Is Enough".

I absolutely agree. It wasn't a laugh out loud show, but a very entertaining show. It is kind of weird, but that is what it was. lol

mstewart · 09-29-2006, 02:27 PM

The show did something right to run for nine years. But, like most of Norman Lear's sitcoms i.e. The Jeffersons and All in the Family, it ran into a victim of its own success by squeezing the blood out of it by keeping it on the air too long. The best of any sitcom is five years and/or 100 episodes whatever comes first. It was a good show and it portrayed divorced life in a honest but entertaining way. No other show have done it. That same season that ODAT came on Lee Grant starred in a sitcom called Fay and it did not last.

seventies_sitcoms · 09-29-2006, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstewart

The show did something right to run for nine years. But, like most of Norman Lear's sitcoms i.e. The Jeffersons and All in the Family, it ran into a victim of its own success by squeezing the blood out of it by keeping it on the air too long. The best of any sitcom is five years and/or 100 episodes whatever comes first. It was a good show and it portrayed divorced life in a honest but entertaining way. No other show have done it. That same season that ODAT came on Lee Grant starred in a sitcom called Fay and it did not last.

I honestly remember (barely!) Fay being on TV at I must've been 5 years old. My mother likes Lee Grant so that is why she watched the show. Didn't that show only last 8 episodes?? I wonder if Universal would release it?

opus · 10-15-2015, 05:59 PM

First, disregard the original link. It no longer applies to the topic. Second, even if you strongly dislike the show, and hate Schneider with the burning passion of 1000 suns, calling One Day at a Time the worst show of all time seems a bit much.

TVFactFan · 10-15-2015, 07:09 PM

It's definitely on the Top 5 Worst of the 70's

5. One Day at a Time
4. Phyllis
3. Mash
2. Laverne and Shirley
1. Barney Miller

'80sSitcoms · 10-16-2015, 08:17 AM

The Worst Show of All Time "accolade" I believe belongs to Small Wonder.

opus · 10-16-2015, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

Worst ever depends on point of view

Someone says they don't like ONE DAY or it's not funny, fine. Personal preference. Someone says it's the worst show ever, we're dropping the gloves.

Bonniegirl · 10-16-2015, 01:30 PM

I love all the drama and soap opera type stuff in this show, (the two and three even four part eps ROCKED) more than the comedy! But there still are funny moments too!!! Sometimes It can be boring and cheesy too. But it's a good 'comfort show"!! And it's fun to make fun of too, if the ep is bad or far fetched!!!

1960'sTVfan · 10-16-2015, 02:37 PM

One Day At A Time is a sitcom mainly because of Schnieder. Most of the comedy in the show revolves around him, or scenes he's in. Ann and her two daughters aren't funny, they are less interesting dramatic characters and mostly involved with the drama in their lives. Barbara is occasionally given something funny to say or do because she's good looking. Schnieder is the comedy relief, the one who usually provides the laughs. He's an integral part of the show, and he's probably what kept the show on for nine seasons.

One Day At A Time certainly isn't the worst show of all time. Far from it, since it lasted nine seasons. The writing is above average as far as sitcoms go. However, without Schnieder, I don't think the show would have lasted as long as it did.

09-28-2006, 09:36 AM	#4
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 was a great show
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

10-16-2015, 02:37 PM	#15
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,077	One Day At A Time is a sitcom mainly because of Schnieder. Most of the comedy in the show revolves around him, or scenes he's in. Ann and her two daughters aren't funny, they are less interesting dramatic characters and mostly involved with the drama in their lives. Barbara is occasionally given something funny to say or do because she's good looking. Schnieder is the comedy relief, the one who usually provides the laughs. He's an integral part of the show, and he's probably what kept the show on for nine seasons. One Day At A Time certainly isn't the worst show of all time. Far from it, since it lasted nine seasons. The writing is above average as far as sitcoms go. However, without Schnieder, I don't think the show would have lasted as long as it did.
	Last edited by 1960'sTVfan; 10-16-2015 at 04:15 PM.

09-24-2006, 03:06 PM	#1
seventies_sitcoms * Senior Member Join Date: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 2,244	#1 Worst Show of All Time?? http://paulkatcher.com/020505.shtml Gee, I thought MAude would've been #1

09-28-2006, 02:04 AM	#2
Rich3 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 10, 2005 Posts: 691	There is some truth there. One Day at a Time was a "comedy" that never really made anyone laugh. I don't think any viewer ever laughed at anything portrayed on the show. It was a popular show. But not for the comedy. I'm not sure what, to be honest.

09-29-2006, 09:22 AM	#6
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	The show did run for nine years on CBS. Creator/producer Norman Lear said that "he was trying to do for the divorced woman what ALL IN THE FAMILY had done for the bigot--maker her comically respectable" (in the words of Rick Mitz, author of "THE GREAT TV SITCOM BOOK"). On another post here, Lear was quoted as saying ALL IN THE FAMILY was a satire, not a comedy. Seems to be a matter of semantics. But I digress. Mitz goes on to say that "the most surprising thing about the show was how successful it came to be" and that "Unlike most other Lear ventures, there was little controversy surrounding the show. Not that it was bland. Just that it was sensible." Re my favorite comic character on the show, Mitz says: "Schneider seems to have been Lear's throwback to Archie Bunker, but over the seasons he became more seasoned and softened. He started off as a romance-obsessed character .. who had the hots for Ann. Then he became the friend of the family, Uncle Schneider." Summing up, Mitz says: "The key to the program, though, shows up in one bit of dialogue--a little schmaltzy, to be sure, but sitcom-sophisticated. Ann had just broken up with her married lover and was explaining to him why she had to do it. "'There is something that matters more than you do,' she tells him. 'My self- respect.' "Because if ONE DAY AT A TIME had anything, it had self-respect."

09-29-2006, 02:27 PM	#8
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	The show did something right to run for nine years. But, like most of Norman Lear's sitcoms i.e. The Jeffersons and All in the Family, it ran into a victim of its own success by squeezing the blood out of it by keeping it on the air too long. The best of any sitcom is five years and/or 100 episodes whatever comes first. It was a good show and it portrayed divorced life in a honest but entertaining way. No other show have done it. That same season that ODAT came on Lee Grant starred in a sitcom called Fay and it did not last.

10-15-2015, 05:59 PM	#10
opus VB Forum Superstar Join Date: May 16, 2015 Location: VB Galaxy Posts: 32,280	First, disregard the original link. It no longer applies to the topic. Second, even if you strongly dislike the show, and hate Schneider with the burning passion of 1000 suns, calling One Day at a Time the worst show of all time seems a bit much.

10-15-2015, 07:09 PM	#11
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,023	It's definitely on the Top 5 Worst of the 70's 5. One Day at a Time 4. Phyllis 3. Mash 2. Laverne and Shirley 1. Barney Miller

10-16-2015, 08:17 AM	#12
'80sSitcoms Member Forum Star Join Date: Jan 30, 2013 Posts: 12,474	The Worst Show of All Time "accolade" I believe belongs to Small Wonder.

10-16-2015, 01:30 PM	#14
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,602	I love all the drama and soap opera type stuff in this show, (the two and three even four part eps ROCKED) more than the comedy! But there still are funny moments too!!! Sometimes It can be boring and cheesy too. But it's a good 'comfort show"!! And it's fun to make fun of too, if the ep is bad or far fetched!!!