Why Did they Wait Until the End of the 1st Season to Air the Pilot? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Skywalker · 12-06-2008, 01:19 AM

I was looking at a few episode guides for this show to see if there was ever an actual pilot episode and I found out that there was a pilot episode, but it was the last episode to air in the first season.

According to the episode guides I saw, "Fog Bound" aired in April or May 1987. Now I've heard of some pilots airing a few weeks after a show debuts, but NOT at the very end of the season... that's just crazy.

catlover79 · 12-06-2008, 01:23 AM

I don't get that, either.

Mr. Television · 12-06-2008, 01:23 AM

I don't know but CBS never treated MSS with any respect. I know during the second season it got moved to Saturdays and got pulled off and on all season. Half of the episodes for season 2 never aired until it went into syndication. I don't know how CBS thought that was a good idea.

I liked the show. CBS should have kept it on Monday.

Skywalker · 12-06-2008, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

I don't know but CBS never treated MSS with any respect. I know during the second season it got moved to Saturdays and got pulled off and on all season. Half of the episodes for season 2 never aired until it went into syndication. I don't know how CBS thought that was a good idea.

I liked the show. CBS should have kept it on Monday.

And the show that replaced it on Mondays, "Frank's Place", only lasted 1 season.

I heard it was a critically acclaimed show, but it was also very offbeat and didn't really fit in with those other shows that aired on Mondays. I think CBS made a huge mistake by not only airing that show on Mondays, but by also having it leadoff the night at 8:00 pm in Kate and Allie's old timeslot. What were they thinking!

Mr. Television · 12-06-2008, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skywalker

And the show that replaced it on Mondays, "Frank's Place", only lasted 1 season.

I heard it was a critically acclaimed show, but it was also very offbeat and didn't really fit in with those other shows that aired on Mondays. I think CBS made a huge mistake by not only airing that show on Mondays, but by also having it leadoff the night at 8:00 pm in Kate and Allie's old timeslot. What were they thinking!

I tried to get into Frank's Place but I couldn't. It wasn't funny. It was more of a dramedy. It was not filmed in front of an audience or anything. It would probably fit in more nowadays than it did then. It did have a great theme song and I did like Tim Reid from his days on WKRP and Simon and Simon but it wasn't enough.

It didn't really fit on CBS' Monday night lineup. They should have kept MSS there. It might have built into a big hit. It was ranked I think #23 during the first season.

Skywalker · 12-06-2008, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

I tried to get into Frank's Place but I couldn't. It wasn't funny. It was more of a dramedy. It was not filmed in front of an audience or anything. It would probably fit in more nowadays than it did then. It did have a great theme song and I did like Tim Reid from his days on WKRP and Simon and Simon but it wasn't enough.

It didn't really fit on CBS' Monday night lineup. They should have kept MSS there. It might have built into a big hit. It was ranked I think #23 during the first season.

I watched a few minutes of Frank's Place on youtube recently, but I lost interest right away.

Good theme song though. I even heard that it might be coming to DVD, but a lot of the music may be replaced.

Yeah, and Kate and Allie wasn't much better in the ratings. I think MSS would have remained in the top 30 at least 2 more seasons if they had kept it on Mondays. They always had a solid lineup for the most part.

catlover79 · 12-06-2008, 02:29 AM

^ CBS has always had some pretty solid Monday night lineups. Didn't Northern Exposure always air on Mondays?

Mr. Television · 12-06-2008, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

^ CBS has always had some pretty solid Monday night lineups. Didn't Northern Exposure always air on Mondays?

CBS' Monday night comedy lineup goes all the way back to I Love Lucy in the early 50's. Hopefully it will stay strong for years to come. Yea NE did air on Mondays on CBS at 10:00.

catlover79 · 12-06-2008, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

CBS' Monday night comedy lineup goes all the way back to I Love Lucy in the early 50's. Hopefully it will stay strong for years to come. Yea NE did air on Mondays on CBS at 10:00.

I thought so - thanks, Sonny.

12-06-2008, 01:19 AM	#1
Skywalker Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2003 Posts: 14,205	Why Did they Wait Until the End of the 1st Season to Air the Pilot? I was looking at a few episode guides for this show to see if there was ever an actual pilot episode and I found out that there was a pilot episode, but it was the last episode to air in the first season. According to the episode guides I saw, "Fog Bound" aired in April or May 1987. Now I've heard of some pilots airing a few weeks after a show debuts, but NOT at the very end of the season... that's just crazy.

12-06-2008, 01:23 AM	#3
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	I don't know but CBS never treated MSS with any respect. I know during the second season it got moved to Saturdays and got pulled off and on all season. Half of the episodes for season 2 never aired until it went into syndication. I don't know how CBS thought that was a good idea. I liked the show. CBS should have kept it on Monday.
	__________________ Sonny

12-06-2008, 01:23 AM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I don't get that, either.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

12-06-2008, 02:29 AM	#7
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	^ CBS has always had some pretty solid Monday night lineups. Didn't Northern Exposure always air on Mondays?