Areas the show could have improved on - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

ThomasE · 10-03-2001, 05:21 PM

Do you think the show needed any improvement? What were the strong areas and the weak areas?

TV Guy · 10-04-2001, 06:23 PM

Strong: Archie's well-defined character; Carroll O'Connor's wonderful performance; and a decent premise (Archie runs the neighborhood saloon).

Weak: The supporting cast (no one really stands out); the Murray Klein character, which wasn't very fleshed-out; the death of Edith; continuing attempts to involve Stephanie in the show.

cp · 10-05-2001, 09:55 PM

Bruce the short fly- swatting chineese waiter and Billie the other good looking neice and waitress were an enjoyment to the show trough the last season.
Certainly, the death of Edith really dimished the show. I did like Martin Balsams peformance as Murray on the show though it wasent as strong as Rob Reiners Mike on AITF.

ThomasE · 10-12-2001, 02:18 PM

I don't think that they were trying to Make Murray another Mike. At least I hope not.

TV Guy · 10-13-2001, 02:40 AM

I think that they tried to make liberal Murray a foil for conservative Archie, albeit a more subtle one than Mike.

It was much worse when Billie started dating one of the Rabinowitzes (before Gary) whom Archie really didn't like. It was a blatant attempt to duplicate the Archie-Mike-Gloria relationships, and it didn't work at all. The producers must have realized this, and brought in Gary instead.

RWCTV · 10-14-2001, 04:13 AM

I think that the chemistry was fine between Murray and Archie. Murray displays his mind in the sense that he understands Archie. He knows that Archie means well and he respects that. That was the best point of the show.

The weak part in that sense was that theshow wasn't very funny. I mean there were a few funny moments, but the show was in fact plainly interesting to watch. I mean I was watching Archie to see how he would handle something more than wait for him to say something funny. The best of the best will always be the early episodes of All in the Family.

Johnny be good! · 08-13-2008, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomasE

Do you think the show needed any improvement? What were the strong areas and the weak areas?

The show could have improved with the Jefferson's and Lorenzo's making guest appearances.

tv star collector · 08-13-2008, 06:49 PM

First, let me say that I haven't seen the show since it originally aired on CBS
(1979-1983). But I kind of liked the chemistry between Gary Rabinowitz
(Barry Gordon) and Billie Bunker (Denise Miller). It is ironic, too, that they
had both previously been regulars on the Barney Miller spin-off, Fish. I know Barry Gordon (a former child star, who recorded the holiday
novelty tune 'I'm Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas") went on to do several voice
overs (including the Nestle Quix Bunny and Donatello on The Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles). But whatever became of Denise? She made one
TV-movie, "Sooner or Later," and then sort of disappeared off the radar.

On the web, I just learned that Denise also appeared on Diagnosis Murder,
Charles in Charge, Knight Rider, and (interestingly) In the Heat of the Night,
starring Carroll O'Connor. There was a rumor (later disproved) that she was killed in the World
Trade Center on 9/11/01. We know that is false because she appeared in the 2003 movie,
"April's Shower."

TVFactFan · 08-17-2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny be good!

The show could have improved with the Jefferson's and Lorenzo's making guest appearances.

The Jeffersons had already made uest appearances on All in the Family in 1978 and 1979 so having them appear on Archie's Bunkers Place too(even thought it was still AITF) would have been too much.

Johnny be good! · 08-18-2008, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solomon

The Jeffersons had already made uest appearances on All in the Family in 1978 and 1979 so having them appear on Archie's Bunkers Place too(even thought it was still AITF) would have been too much.

How would it have been too much?

TVFactFan · 08-18-2008, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny be good!

How would it have been too much?

If George came back to visit in 1978 and Louise came back to visit in 1979, what would either of them have returned again for??? That was already Two guest appearances

ThomasE · 08-22-2008, 12:53 AM

Nothing wrong with that Solomon. It would not have been to much at all. It would have been a nice little bonus. However, I will agree with you on the fact that the show was still AITF instead of ABP. I'm with you 100 percent on that. That is just our opinion though.

TVFactFan · 08-22-2008, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomasE

Nothing wrong with that Solomon. It would not have been to much at all. It would have been a nice little bonus. However, I will agree with you on the fact that the show was still AITF instead of ABP. I'm with you 100 percent on that. That is just our opinion though.

The bonus was the 2 guest appearances in 78/79. What could have possibl been the reason for George and Weezy returning again in the 80's and there was no more Edith?

ThomasE · 08-22-2008, 01:02 AM

I am sure that there are other reasons out there. Television is one of the most creative fields that we have.

Johnny be good! · 05-18-2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomasE

I don't think that they were trying to Make Murray another Mike. At least I hope not.

Murray was Archie's foil in lieu of Mike. Just like Arthur Harmon was Maude's foil in lieu of Archie Bunker.

10-03-2001, 05:21 PM	#1
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	Areas the show could have improved on Do you think the show needed any improvement? What were the strong areas and the weak areas?

08-13-2008, 06:49 PM	#8
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	First, let me say that I haven't seen the show since it originally aired on CBS (1979-1983). But I kind of liked the chemistry between Gary Rabinowitz (Barry Gordon) and Billie Bunker (Denise Miller). It is ironic, too, that they had both previously been regulars on the Barney Miller spin-off, Fish. I know Barry Gordon (a former child star, who recorded the holiday novelty tune 'I'm Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas") went on to do several voice overs (including the Nestle Quix Bunny and Donatello on The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). But whatever became of Denise? She made one TV-movie, "Sooner or Later," and then sort of disappeared off the radar. On the web, I just learned that Denise also appeared on Diagnosis Murder, Charles in Charge, Knight Rider, and (interestingly) In the Heat of the Night, starring Carroll O'Connor. There was a rumor (later disproved) that she was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11/01. We know that is false because she appeared in the 2003 movie, "April's Shower."
	Last edited by tv star collector; 08-13-2008 at 07:06 PM.

10-04-2001, 06:23 PM	#2
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Strong: Archie's well-defined character; Carroll O'Connor's wonderful performance; and a decent premise (Archie runs the neighborhood saloon). Weak: The supporting cast (no one really stands out); the Murray Klein character, which wasn't very fleshed-out; the death of Edith; continuing attempts to involve Stephanie in the show.

10-05-2001, 09:55 PM	#3
cp Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 10, 2000 Location: MN Posts: 359	Bruce the short fly- swatting chineese waiter and Billie the other good looking neice and waitress were an enjoyment to the show trough the last season. Certainly, the death of Edith really dimished the show. I did like Martin Balsams peformance as Murray on the show though it wasent as strong as Rob Reiners Mike on AITF.

10-12-2001, 02:18 PM	#4
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I don't think that they were trying to Make Murray another Mike. At least I hope not.

10-13-2001, 02:40 AM	#5
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	I think that they tried to make liberal Murray a foil for conservative Archie, albeit a more subtle one than Mike. It was much worse when Billie started dating one of the Rabinowitzes (before Gary) whom Archie really didn't like. It was a blatant attempt to duplicate the Archie-Mike-Gloria relationships, and it didn't work at all. The producers must have realized this, and brought in Gary instead.

10-14-2001, 04:13 AM	#6
RWCTV Making Sense Senior Member Join Date: Sep 21, 2001 Location: Lockport, IL USA Posts: 1,138	I think that the chemistry was fine between Murray and Archie. Murray displays his mind in the sense that he understands Archie. He knows that Archie means well and he respects that. That was the best point of the show. The weak part in that sense was that theshow wasn't very funny. I mean there were a few funny moments, but the show was in fact plainly interesting to watch. I mean I was watching Archie to see how he would handle something more than wait for him to say something funny. The best of the best will always be the early episodes of All in the Family.

08-22-2008, 12:53 AM	#12
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	Nothing wrong with that Solomon. It would not have been to much at all. It would have been a nice little bonus. However, I will agree with you on the fact that the show was still AITF instead of ABP. I'm with you 100 percent on that. That is just our opinion though.

08-22-2008, 01:02 AM	#14
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I am sure that there are other reasons out there. Television is one of the most creative fields that we have.