Did The Censors Ruin Potentially Good To Great 'Welcome Back Kotter' Episodes??? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 06-01-2011, 10:10 PM

Freddie Washington addicted to pills, The Sweathogs all drunk on Beer, Someone having a venereal disease at James Buchanan High School etc...

These were all episodes pitched by Gabe Kaplan and were rejected by the censors. Do you think the show was a victim of the 1970's? Would "Kotter" work well in this day and age?

Retro4Life · 06-01-2011, 11:15 PM

Well the Freddie addicted to pills idea was an actual episode, I believe.

But overall, you're probably right. This was a show that aired in the family hour in the 1970's and it's obvious that a lot of the Sweathogs "rough edges" were smoothed out so as not to alienate younger viewers. My guess is that the real Sweathogs world was also a lot more violent, too. Sure, you heard about some occasional rumbles with Carvelli, etc, but you never really saw one and nobody ever seemed to really get hurt. And the consequences of Vinnie's (and presumably Freddy's and Epstein's) promiscuity were never explored; an episode where one of their girlfriend's thought they might be pregnant would have been realistic and welcome.

Marvo301 · 06-02-2011, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

Well the Freddie addicted to pills idea was an actual episode, I believe.

But overall, you're probably right. This was a show that aired in the family hour in the 1970's and it's obvious that a lot of the Sweathogs "rough edges" were smoothed out so as not to alienate younger viewers. My guess is that the real Sweathogs world was also a lot more violent, too. Sure, you heard about some occasional rumbles with Carvelli, etc, but you never really saw one and nobody ever seemed to really get hurt. And the consequences of Vinnie's (and presumably Freddy's and Epstein's) promiscuity were never explored; an episode where one of their girlfriend's thought they might be pregnant would have been realistic and welcome.

Well there was an episode in which Rosalie "Hotsie" Totsy claimed to be pregnant. Gabe lined up all the sweathogs against a wall and interrogated them in order to determine which one was the father. Eventually Rosalie admitted she wasn't really pregnant. I heard Robert Hegyes in an interview say that the sweathogs were originally envisioned with a rougher edge but the network was worried that would scare audiences away so it was decided to give the show a more comedic tone.

Dr. Thong · 01-22-2012, 03:16 PM

In the pilot, Epstein comes off as more menacing. He's got a bit more of an edge.

As time wore on, the character was softened, with a Zeppo marx voice on occasion.

They did tackle drugs with Freddie getting hooked on pills, but any serious social message got undercut by Barbarino's comedic repeating of "Gimme drugs, gimme drugs."

I think WBK worked better as just a pure sitcom. We had the Norman Lear shows and M*A*S*H to tackle the serious stuff.

TVFactFan · 02-02-2012, 11:45 PM

There could have atleast been a episode with one of them getting arrested

Hell, Willis was arrested on Diffrent Strokes

Jack was arrested on Three's Company

George was arrested on the Jeffersons

Was it because they were already hoodlums?-lol

Skywalker · 02-03-2012, 03:17 PM

What about the episode where The Sweathogs go to a strip club and find out Hotsie Totsie is a stripper, not to mention the infamous Horshack has a drinking problem episode and the episode where Mr. Kotter is accused of sexually assaulting a student.

Dr. Thong · 07-05-2013, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

There could have atleast been a episode with one of them getting arrested

This would have made for a great crossover with Barney Miller.

TVFactFan · 07-05-2013, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

This would have made for a great crossover with Barney Miller.

Maybe the network didn't want to portray the swethoggs as real thugs which is my guess why they never did the crossover

I guess they just wanted to be seen as class clowns not thugs getting arrested

biffbronson · 07-06-2013, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

In the pilot, Epstein comes off as more menacing. He's got a bit more of an edge.

As time wore on, the character was softened, with a Zeppo marx voice on occasion.

I think you mean Chico Marx. Zeppo didn't have an ethnic-sounding voice.

Dr. Thong · 07-22-2013, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biffbronson

I think you mean Chico Marx. Zeppo didn't have an ethnic-sounding voice.

You are correct!

06-01-2011, 10:10 PM	#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	Did The Censors Ruin Potentially Good To Great 'Welcome Back Kotter' Episodes??? Freddie Washington addicted to pills, The Sweathogs all drunk on Beer, Someone having a venereal disease at James Buchanan High School etc... These were all episodes pitched by Gabe Kaplan and were rejected by the censors. Do you think the show was a victim of the 1970's? Would "Kotter" work well in this day and age?
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

06-01-2011, 11:15 PM	#2
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	Well the Freddie addicted to pills idea was an actual episode, I believe. But overall, you're probably right. This was a show that aired in the family hour in the 1970's and it's obvious that a lot of the Sweathogs "rough edges" were smoothed out so as not to alienate younger viewers. My guess is that the real Sweathogs world was also a lot more violent, too. Sure, you heard about some occasional rumbles with Carvelli, etc, but you never really saw one and nobody ever seemed to really get hurt. And the consequences of Vinnie's (and presumably Freddy's and Epstein's) promiscuity were never explored; an episode where one of their girlfriend's thought they might be pregnant would have been realistic and welcome.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

01-22-2012, 03:16 PM	#4
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	In the pilot, Epstein comes off as more menacing. He's got a bit more of an edge. As time wore on, the character was softened, with a Zeppo marx voice on occasion. They did tackle drugs with Freddie getting hooked on pills, but any serious social message got undercut by Barbarino's comedic repeating of "Gimme drugs, gimme drugs." I think WBK worked better as just a pure sitcom. We had the Norman Lear shows and MASH* to tackle the serious stuff.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

02-02-2012, 11:45 PM	#5
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,067	There could have atleast been a episode with one of them getting arrested Hell, Willis was arrested on Diffrent Strokes Jack was arrested on Three's Company George was arrested on the Jeffersons Was it because they were already hoodlums?-lol

02-03-2012, 03:17 PM	#6
Skywalker Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2003 Posts: 14,204	What about the episode where The Sweathogs go to a strip club and find out Hotsie Totsie is a stripper, not to mention the infamous Horshack has a drinking problem episode and the episode where Mr. Kotter is accused of sexually assaulting a student.