Was Growing Pains A Ripoff of Family Ties? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 02-10-2008, 01:26 AM

They were very similar to each other. Was ABC trying to copy cat the formula from NBC?

Dean Winchester · 02-10-2008, 01:31 AM

I know a lot of people disagree, but I do think the format was almost too similar, down to the baby who came in around season 3 that was suddenly a six year old about two years later

Brian Damage · 02-10-2008, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Winchester

I know a lot of people disagree, but I do think the format was almost too similar, down to the baby who came in around season 3 that was suddenly a six year old about two years later

Oh yeah, I forgot about that.

Jude The Obscure · 02-10-2008, 01:37 AM

It was my understanding that Growing Pains was ABC's answer to The Cosby Show (dad works out of home office while mom is a professional in the city). CBS's answer was the short-lived Flip Wilson vehicle, Charlie & Company.

Brian Damage · 02-10-2008, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jude86

It was my understanding that Growing Pains was ABC's answer to The Cosby Show (dad works out of home office while mom is a professional in the city). CBS's answer was the short-lived Flip Wilson vehicle, Charlie & Company.

Hmmm, I don't know about that. I mean, if it was a Cosby ripoff, wouldn't you need a black family instead of a white surburban one?

JulieSomoski · 02-10-2008, 04:43 PM

Growing Pains was too similar to Family Ties. And, it was right around the time Growing Pains premiered that Family Ties was most popular.

Growing Pains was also similar to Who's the Boss?, in my opinion - both showed how Dad didn't always know best. You could say all 3 shows were similar to each other.

OH Nuts! · 02-10-2008, 05:39 PM

The shows were quite identical to each other. But since I liked Family Ties I liked Growing Pains. Actually, if truth be told, I liked Growing Pains more--I thought the kids had more personality on that show. And Mike was such a character! He came across as such a smart a** and a hellion, but actually was a good kid underneath, which to me, added a nice nuance.

Mr. Television · 02-10-2008, 07:18 PM

Yes it was a rip off. When GP first premiered I refused to watch it because I thought it was a pale imitation of FT which was my favorite sitcom at the time. I started watching it though in year two and it quickly became one of my favorites. It had different things in it that appealed to me.

MikeLutton · 02-10-2008, 09:12 PM

i always heard charles n charge was rip off of whos the boss

Mr. Television · 02-10-2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeL

i always heard charles n charge was rip off of whos the boss

That wasn't true because both shows premiered at the same time... fall of 1984.

Scoobiedoo30 · 02-11-2008, 02:18 PM

I do not think Growings Pains was a ripoff of Family Ties

TVFactFan · 02-21-2008, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jude86

It was my understanding that Growing Pains was ABC's answer to The Cosby Show (dad works out of home office while mom is a professional in the city). CBS's answer was the short-lived Flip Wilson vehicle, Charlie & Company.

Yeah how could I forget Charlie and Company, it was the CBS version of Family Matters 4 years before the REAL FAMILY MATTERS-lol

Schmoopie · 07-24-2008, 03:25 AM

I never thought about "Family Ties" and "Growing Pains" being so similar, but now that I think about it, they really wore. I loved "Family Ties" but I barely remember anything about it (jobs, most eppys, etc). I was a "Growing Pains" addict for a while, so I loved it more. Maybe it was just coincidence that the two shows were similar?

Andrea

PrettyinPink55 · 07-24-2008, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

I never thought about "Family Ties" and "Growing Pains" being so similar, but now that I think about it, they really wore. I loved "Family Ties" but I barely remember anything about it (jobs, most eppys, etc). I was a "Growing Pains" addict for a while, so I loved it more. Maybe it was just coincidence that the two shows were similar?

Andrea

When I was younger, I used to get the two confused because they were so similar to me. I'm a bigger fan of Family Ties though.

Jude The Obscure · 07-28-2008, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Hmmm, I don't know about that. I mean, if it was a Cosby ripoff, wouldn't you need a black family instead of a white surburban one?

I didn't say it was a ripoff, Brian. I said it was ABC's response to the popularity of The Cosby Show, which brought back to life the family sitcom (heck, sitcoms in general were a dying breed at that point on all the networks)

02-10-2008, 01:26 AM	#1
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	Was Growing Pains A Ripoff of Family Ties? They were very similar to each other. Was ABC trying to copy cat the formula from NBC?
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02-10-2008, 04:43 PM	#6
JulieSomoski Roseanne Reboot - March 27! Forum Veteran Join Date: Nov 06, 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 7,558	Growing Pains was too similar to Family Ties. And, it was right around the time Growing Pains premiered that Family Ties was most popular. Growing Pains was also similar to Who's the Boss?, in my opinion - both showed how Dad didn't always know best. You could say all 3 shows were similar to each other.
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02-10-2008, 05:39 PM	#7
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	The shows were quite identical to each other. But since I liked Family Ties I liked Growing Pains. Actually, if truth be told, I liked Growing Pains more--I thought the kids had more personality on that show. And Mike was such a character! He came across as such a smart a** and a hellion, but actually was a good kid underneath, which to me, added a nice nuance.
	Last edited by OH Nuts!; 02-10-2008 at 06:01 PM.

02-10-2008, 07:18 PM	#8
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	Yes it was a rip off. When GP first premiered I refused to watch it because I thought it was a pale imitation of FT which was my favorite sitcom at the time. I started watching it though in year two and it quickly became one of my favorites. It had different things in it that appealed to me.
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02-11-2008, 02:18 PM	#11
Scoobiedoo30 Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Jun 27, 2002 Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA Posts: 27,654	I do not think Growings Pains was a ripoff of Family Ties
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02-10-2008, 01:31 AM	#2
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	I know a lot of people disagree, but I do think the format was almost too similar, down to the baby who came in around season 3 that was suddenly a six year old about two years later

02-10-2008, 01:37 AM	#4
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,520	It was my understanding that Growing Pains was ABC's answer to The Cosby Show (dad works out of home office while mom is a professional in the city). CBS's answer was the short-lived Flip Wilson vehicle, Charlie & Company.

02-10-2008, 09:12 PM	#9
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,886	i always heard charles n charge was rip off of whos the boss

07-24-2008, 03:25 AM	#13
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	I never thought about "Family Ties" and "Growing Pains" being so similar, but now that I think about it, they really wore. I loved "Family Ties" but I barely remember anything about it (jobs, most eppys, etc). I was a "Growing Pains" addict for a while, so I loved it more. Maybe it was just coincidence that the two shows were similar? Andrea
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