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USATVFAN · 02-06-2008, 10:18 PM

List Shows That Suprised People When They Became It.

dawsongirl · 02-06-2008, 11:04 PM

Criminal Minds. ALL the critics pretty much trashed the show as violent garbage. Proof that critics suck.

Mikado · 02-06-2008, 11:24 PM

Dukes of Hazard...probably #1 surprise hit, EVERYONE trashed this !
Honorable Mentions:
Gilligan's Island
Hogan's Heroes
Get Smart <ABC dumped their option on the show after preview showings of the pilot (Which NBC gladly picked up)

treky · 02-07-2008, 01:46 AM

"MASH"-critics trashed it when it started; in fact Time magazine called it "the biggest dissapointment of the 1972-73 fall season". The only reason it was renewed for a second season was because Bill Paileys wife liked it, and asked her husband to renew it. (Bill Pailey was the president of CBS at the time).

Dean Winchester · 02-07-2008, 01:52 AM

Facts Of Life. The first season had poor ratings and even poorer reviews. It was only by a stroke of luck and a very desparate period for NBC that the show was renewed in 1980 for a season two with a revitalized cast. And then the show lasted almost until the end of the 1980's with Nancy McKeon.

Seinfeld. It was a cult hit and critical fave, but I think pretty much everyone gave up by 92 on the show ever becoming a ratings blockbuster, and then in 1993.... it moved to Thursday night and was the #1 sitcom on television for it's last four seasons.

comedyfreak · 02-07-2008, 06:40 AM

Cheers was not doing too well in the ratings during its first year.
All In The Family didn't do well in the ratings until it went into reruns and caught on during its summer airings.

JulieSomoski · 02-07-2008, 12:13 PM

Family Ties . . . it's first season didn't do that well, but NBC kept renewing it, until it's third season, when it finally caught on and placed #3, after being after The Cosby Show at 8:30.

Wasn't Family Matters doing poorly until they brought in Urkel? I heard if it wasn't for Urkel joing the cast halfway through the first season, ABC would have cancelled it.

mstewart · 02-07-2008, 12:32 PM

The Beverly Hillbillies - The critics thrashed that show and hated on it but it was a ratings bonanza immediately.

Too Close for Comfort - OK show but not the best. It was only a hit because it came on after Three's Company in the first two seasons but once it got out of that comfort time slot it was cancelled the following season. It was a hit because audiences knew Ted Knight and Nancy Dussault.

tanquant · 02-07-2008, 01:50 PM

The critics hated the Brady Bunch. Fans loved it.

JulieSomoski · 02-07-2008, 04:14 PM

WKRP in Cincinnati - it was never a ratings hit, but CBS had no faith at all in it. It was shoved around on the schedule numerous times, and never had time to gain an audience. But, once CBS placed it after MASH, it finally did well, and started to become a hit, until CBS moved it once again and cancelled it after 4 seasons.

But, this show went on to be one of the biggest hits in syndication in the 80's and 90's.

treky · 02-07-2008, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comedyfreak

Cheers was not doing too well in the ratings during its first year.
All In The Family didn't do well in the ratings until it went into reruns and caught on during its summer airings.

that's right; "CHEERS" only became a hit once NBC placed it right after "THE COSBY SHOW".

JulieSomoski · 02-07-2008, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

that's right; "CHEERS" only became a hit once NBC placed it right after "THE COSBY SHOW".

What show didn't become a hit after The Cosby Show-LOL

EmoJoe · 02-07-2008, 05:12 PM

i NEVER would've expected Two and a Half Men to become as big as it did.

USATVFAN · 02-07-2008, 06:53 PM

Three's Company-Nonody Thought Three's Company Would Last Past Spring 1977 Not Even Most Of The Cast , Even the Critics Thought It Was Going To Be Cancled after it 6 episodes airing,But Then In It Last Five Weeks The Show Placed In The Top 10 And Proved To Be A Hit And Shocked The Network And Even The Cast Were Suprise By The Shows High Numbers,And Three's Company Broke The Season Racord For A Show To Be A To 10 Hits In Only 6 Airings And Abc Renewed The Show For A Second Season,And 23 Years Later Three's Company Continue To Have Gret Success In Sydnication And Has Great DVD Sales.

Three's Company Is Considered As One Of Th Most Surpised Hts In Tv History Who Agree?

ryan423 · 02-07-2008, 07:37 PM

Friends was almost cancelled after season 1 however due to high ratings in summer repeats, the show was renewed!

02-06-2008, 10:18 PM	#1
USATVFAN Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 31, 2007 Location: Kalispell, USA Posts: 1,742	Suprise Hits List Shows That Suprised People When They Became It.
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02-07-2008, 01:46 AM	#4
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	"MASH"-critics trashed it when it started; in fact Time magazine called it "the biggest dissapointment of the 1972-73 fall season". The only reason it was renewed for a second season was because Bill Paileys wife liked it, and asked her husband to renew it. (Bill Pailey was the president of CBS at the time).
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02-07-2008, 06:40 AM	#6
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,058	Cheers was not doing too well in the ratings during its first year. All In The Family didn't do well in the ratings until it went into reruns and caught on during its summer airings.
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02-07-2008, 12:13 PM	#7
JulieSomoski Roseanne Reboot - March 27! Forum Veteran Join Date: Nov 06, 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 7,558	Family Ties . . . it's first season didn't do that well, but NBC kept renewing it, until it's third season, when it finally caught on and placed #3, after being after The Cosby Show at 8:30. Wasn't Family Matters doing poorly until they brought in Urkel? I heard if it wasn't for Urkel joing the cast halfway through the first season, ABC would have cancelled it.
	__________________ Click here to view some great articles written by my husband and I! All views are appreciated! Watch: Medium, Fridays at 9pm, on CBS! Big Bang Theory, Mondays at 9:30pm, on CBS! The Mentalist, Thursdays at 10pm, on CBS! Old Christine, Wednesdays at 8pm, on CBS! ABC's Comedy Lineup, Starting Wednesdays at 8:30pm, on ABC!

02-07-2008, 05:12 PM	#13
EmoJoe Cool cool cool Forum Addict Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 71,478	i NEVER would've expected Two and a Half Men to become as big as it did.
	__________________ "I know the difference between TV and reality, Jeff. TV has structure, it makes sense, there are likable leading men. In real life, we have this. We have you." - Abed Nadir, Community www.sitcomsarestupid.blogspot.com

02-06-2008, 11:04 PM	#2
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,128	Criminal Minds. ALL the critics pretty much trashed the show as violent garbage. Proof that critics suck.

02-06-2008, 11:24 PM	#3
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,880	Dukes of Hazard...probably #1 surprise hit, EVERYONE trashed this ! Honorable Mentions: Gilligan's Island Hogan's Heroes Get Smart <ABC dumped their option on the show after preview showings of the pilot (Which NBC gladly picked up)

02-07-2008, 01:52 AM	#5
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	Facts Of Life. The first season had poor ratings and even poorer reviews. It was only by a stroke of luck and a very desparate period for NBC that the show was renewed in 1980 for a season two with a revitalized cast. And then the show lasted almost until the end of the 1980's with Nancy McKeon. Seinfeld. It was a cult hit and critical fave, but I think pretty much everyone gave up by 92 on the show ever becoming a ratings blockbuster, and then in 1993.... it moved to Thursday night and was the #1 sitcom on television for it's last four seasons.

02-07-2008, 12:32 PM	#8
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	The Beverly Hillbillies - The critics thrashed that show and hated on it but it was a ratings bonanza immediately. Too Close for Comfort - OK show but not the best. It was only a hit because it came on after Three's Company in the first two seasons but once it got out of that comfort time slot it was cancelled the following season. It was a hit because audiences knew Ted Knight and Nancy Dussault.

02-07-2008, 01:50 PM	#9
tanquant Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 13, 2003 Posts: 864	The critics hated the Brady Bunch. Fans loved it.

02-07-2008, 04:14 PM	#10
JulieSomoski Roseanne Reboot - March 27! Forum Veteran Join Date: Nov 06, 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 7,558	WKRP in Cincinnati - it was never a ratings hit, but CBS had no faith at all in it. It was shoved around on the schedule numerous times, and never had time to gain an audience. But, once CBS placed it after MASH, it finally did well, and started to become a hit, until CBS moved it once again and cancelled it after 4 seasons. But, this show went on to be one of the biggest hits in syndication in the 80's and 90's.

02-07-2008, 06:53 PM	#14
USATVFAN Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 31, 2007 Location: Kalispell, USA Posts: 1,742	Three's Company-Nonody Thought Three's Company Would Last Past Spring 1977 Not Even Most Of The Cast , Even the Critics Thought It Was Going To Be Cancled after it 6 episodes airing,But Then In It Last Five Weeks The Show Placed In The Top 10 And Proved To Be A Hit And Shocked The Network And Even The Cast Were Suprise By The Shows High Numbers,And Three's Company Broke The Season Racord For A Show To Be A To 10 Hits In Only 6 Airings And Abc Renewed The Show For A Second Season,And 23 Years Later Three's Company Continue To Have Gret Success In Sydnication And Has Great DVD Sales. Three's Company Is Considered As One Of Th Most Surpised Hts In Tv History Who Agree?

02-07-2008, 07:37 PM	#15
ryan423 Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2007 Posts: 1,829	Friends was almost cancelled after season 1 however due to high ratings in summer repeats, the show was renewed!