Did The Guest Appearance of 'Dukes of Hazzard' Cheapen 'Alice' Any?

[Brian Damage]

Keep in mind that I haven't seen this episode in awhile, but I always hated stunt casting. Any thoughts?

[Frump]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Keep in mind that I haven't seen this episode in awhile, but I always hated stunt casting. Any thoughts?

I don't think it was any worse than a lot of the later episodes, like MANY TV shows, Alice got more cartoony as it went on. Like when Mel hires a robot as a waitress. I just thought that was silly, we don't even have robots like that NOW about 40 years later!
The UFO episode, the later episodes are just so different than how the seires started.

[catlover79]

In this case, I don't think so. I think it was great to have Boss Hogg and Mel in the same episode of a show - and that Enos came along. Too bad Rosco wasn't in the ep. THAT would've been classic!! *does a Rosco laugh*

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Frump

I don't think it was any worse than a lot of the later episodes, like MANY TV shows, Alice got more cartoony as it went on. Like when Mel hires a robot as a waitress. I just thought that was silly, we don't even have robots like that NOW about 40 years later!
The UFO episode, the later episodes are just so different than how the seires started.

Let us not forget, Dukes also did an episode about a robot ("Robot P. Coltrane"). I guess they were really big back then!

[magellan333]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Let us not forget, Dukes also did an episode about a robot ("Robot P. Coltrane"). I guess they were really big back then!

Robot P. Coltrane looked a lot like the robot waitress from Mel's diner. The robot's appearance is easily my least favorite episode of both Alice and The Dukes of Hazzard. On a similar note, the Dukes had a UFO episode.

[Retro4Life]

By the time this occurred, I had stopped watching Alice regularly. After Flo left it was just never the same for me.

I think it's hard not to admit that Alice was a very different show by then from when it started out. At first, it was a fairly realistic sitcom about a mother and divorcee starting out on her own, trying to pursue her dream and survive at the same time in an environment that was totally different than the one she was used to. It was a bit like One Day at a Time (which premiered just a year before, if I recall), now that I think of it.

After Flo left, it did become a lot less realistic, more 'cartoony'. It's what happens to a lot of sitcoms that are on for a long time; they lose a lot of their original premise as characters drift away and writers scramble to do something they haven't already done.

Thinking of it this way, I think introducing DOH characters was in step with the tone of the show, and honestly, kind of cute. By that time it wasn't supposed to be overly real anymore anyway.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by magellan333

Robot P. Coltrane looked a lot like the robot waitress from Mel's diner. The robot's appearance is easily my least favorite episode of both Alice and The Dukes of Hazzard. On a similar note, the Dukes had a UFO episode.

Yes, the infamous UFO ep. That was from the final season - Tom Wopat has even gone on the record calling that episode dumb. Back to the robots on TV craze - thankfully it didn't last long!!!!

[magellan333]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

After Flo left, it did become a lot less realistic, more 'cartoony'.

There was an episode where some gruff guys lifted up the diner for some reason. WTH?

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by magellan333

There was an episode where some gruff guys lifted up the diner for some reason. WTH?

WHAT????? I don't recall that one. I must have blocked it out - thank goodness.

[Frump]

Originally Posted by catlover79

WHAT????? I don't recall that one. I must have blocked it out - thank goodness.

Yeah it was Jolene's relatives I think.

But after Eliot came on I thought it started going down hill. Especially when pratically EVERY episode took place away form the diner where they were singing or putting on a talent show or something, those are just boring IMO!

[Frump]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

By the time this occurred, I had stopped watching Alice regularly. After Flo left it was just never the same for me.

I think it's hard not to admit that Alice was a very different show by then from when it started out. At first, it was a fairly realistic sitcom about a mother and divorcee starting out on her own, trying to pursue her dream and survive at the same time in an environment that was totally different than the one she was used to. It was a bit like One Day at a Time (which premiered just a year before, if I recall), now that I think of it.

After Flo left, it did become a lot less realistic, more 'cartoony'. It's what happens to a lot of sitcoms that are on for a long time; they lose a lot of their original premise as characters drift away and writers scramble to do something they haven't already done.

Thinking of it this way, I think introducing DOH characters was in step with the tone of the show, and honestly, kind of cute. By that time it wasn't supposed to be overly real anymore anyway.

Yeah a lot of series become self-satired when they run a long time.

BUT I gotta admitt, I think there were some good Jolene episodes and I did like Jolene for the most part, but for ME when it went downhill is when Vera got married and all those new characters like Arnie came into it.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Frump

Yeah it was Jolene's relatives I think.

But after Eliot came on I thought it started going down hill. Especially when pratically EVERY episode took place away form the diner where they were singing or putting on a talent show or something, those are just boring IMO!

Thanks - poor Celia Weston, a fine actress, sure got stuck with all sorts of goofy material once she replaced Diane Ladd.

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by Frump

Yeah a lot of series become self-satired when they run a long time.

BUT I gotta admitt, I think there were some good Jolene episodes and I did like Jolene for the most part, but for ME when it went downhill is when Vera got married and all those new characters like Arnie came into it.

That's about the time it got pretty bad. Linda Lavin I believe was even cutting down her appearances some the last 2 years. I liked Jolene. She was much better than Belle.

[Frump]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

That's about the time it got pretty bad. Linda Lavin I believe was even cutting down her appearances some the last 2 years. I liked Jolene. She was much better than Belle.

At least Jolene tried to be different, I just felt Belle was a temp. stand-in for Flo.
I really liked the EARLY Jolene episodes, but the last season was just kinda stale.

Though I do own most all of the episodes.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

I think it's hard not to admit that Alice was a very different show by then from when it started out. At first, it was a fairly realistic sitcom about a mother and divorcee starting out on her own, trying to pursue her dream and survive at the same time in an environment that was totally different than the one she was used to. It was a bit like One Day at a Time (which premiered just a year before, if I recall), now that I think of it.

Wait a minute... Alice was a widow, not a divorcee.

Anyway, I think that since the series was past its prime by the time of the episode with Boss Hogg, it did not hurt the series. In fact, it made for a fun and different episode... something the series really needed by then.