'Family Matters' Moves From ABC to CBS: Good Move Or Bad Move??? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 06-30-2012, 12:37 PM

New Harriet Winslow debuted along with some other subtle changes. Did you like the move to extend Family Matters life or should it have ended on ABC?

Mr. Television · 06-30-2012, 02:20 PM

It should have ended on ABC. The show was finished by this time. I think I only saw about 7 or 8 episodes that season. The one that I do remember was the Christmas episode where they had most of the cast on including Rachel. I think this was Jo Marie Payton's final show too. I don't think I watched another episode until the summer when I knew the show was ending.

Brian Damage · 06-30-2012, 02:22 PM

Yeah, I agree. I think Jo Marie Payton left the show because she saw the writing on the wall too. LOL

Mr. Television · 06-30-2012, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Yeah, I agree. I think Jo Marie Payton left the show because she saw the writing on the wall too. LOL

I know when I watched it again, I thought I was watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I had no idea that Harriet had been replaced. That's how much press Family Matters got by then.

Brian Damage · 06-30-2012, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

I know when I watched it again, I thought I was watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I had no idea that Harriet had been replaced. That's how much press Family Matters got by then.

LOL

Pretty sad that a spin-off character would be replaced on the spin-off. LOL

Buffyboy323 · 06-30-2012, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

LOL

Pretty sad that a spin-off character would be replaced on the spin-off. LOL

By the 8th season on ABC, Family Matters was a caricature of itself. The show would have went out fine then, ONLY if ABC informed them that this was it. The show had run it's course, but deserved a few episodes to bid farewell. I was happy when CBS picked Family Matters (and Step By Step) up the next season, because ABC didn't give them a proper finale. But then CBS did the same thing the following year...

So, from a fan's point of view, the move to CBS was good. From a business point of view, it probably wasn't the best move.

GARFIELDKOOL · 06-30-2012, 08:23 PM

It had no business moving to CBS. The show was dead by then. Then, they brought in that new harriet. I don't know why producers likes to play with viewers intelligence. That new Harriette had no physical features to like like Jo Marie. I could see if she somewhat resembled the original. They could have written Jo Marie off by saying she went to visit a sick relative. That way Judy Ann Elder(the new Harriette) could have been intoduced as an aunt sitting in for Harriette. The show proabably would have went out more gracefully than it did.

Blackout · 06-30-2012, 09:05 PM

Family MAtters moved to CBS???

holy crap i thought this show was off the air years ago!!

catlover79 · 06-30-2012, 09:23 PM

Are you kidding? This horse was history WAY before CBS made the decision to beat it all over again.

Brian Damage · 06-30-2012, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackout805

Family MAtters moved to CBS???

holy crap i thought this show was off the air years ago!!

LOL

It is over blackout, it moved to CBS and then ended back in 1997-1998.

TVFactFan · 06-30-2012, 10:02 PM

Bad Move because the show was already a confirmed success, which was 1989-1997

Wasn't no point in moving the show

Brian Damage · 06-30-2012, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Bad Move because the show was already a confirmed success, which was 1989-1997

Wasn't no point in moving the show

I agree, I mean once CBS had to replace the spin-off character, I think the time was right to end the show.

TVFactFan · 06-30-2012, 10:20 PM

I will check my collection tomorrow to see if I have any CBS eps from 1997 so I can see how different the show was at that point

Buffyboy323 · 07-01-2012, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I will check my collection tomorrow to see if I have any CBS eps from 1997 so I can see how different the show was at that point

Laura looked her best that season. Eddie joins the Police Academy. I liked that story for him though. It brought him and Carl full-circle. The 3J story was thrown in for obvious reasons, but wasn't as bad in syndication viewings. The season-long arc of Laura finally falling for Steve was great. I remember the tone (and maybe even the lighting) of the show changed a little. It did feel more mature, or, at least based in reality than the previous few years.

If the complete series of Family Matters makes it to DVD, that's one show I'd like to watch from start to finish, and see what my thoughts are all these years later.

TVFactFan · 07-01-2012, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buffyboy323

Laura looked her best that season. Eddie joins the Police Academy. I liked that story for him though. It brought him and Carl full-circle. The 3J story was thrown in for obvious reasons, but wasn't as bad in syndication viewings. The season-long arc of Laura finally falling for Steve was great. I remember the tone (and maybe even the lighting) of the show changed a little. It did feel more mature, or, at least based in reality than the previous few years.

If the complete series of Family Matters makes it to DVD, that's one show I'd like to watch from start to finish, and see what my thoughts are all these years later.

When Family matters is complete on DVD I will probably be too OLD and BLIND to care

06-30-2012, 12:37 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: 63,108	'Family Matters' Moves From ABC to CBS: Good Move Or Bad Move??? New Harriet Winslow debuted along with some other subtle changes. Did you like the move to extend Family Matters life or should it have ended on ABC?
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

06-30-2012, 02:20 PM	#2
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	It should have ended on ABC. The show was finished by this time. I think I only saw about 7 or 8 episodes that season. The one that I do remember was the Christmas episode where they had most of the cast on including Rachel. I think this was Jo Marie Payton's final show too. I don't think I watched another episode until the summer when I knew the show was ending.
	__________________ Sonny

06-30-2012, 09:05 PM	#8
Blackout Sart Bimpson Senior Member Join Date: Jan 13, 2003 Location: where the sun rises Posts: 2,235	Family MAtters moved to CBS??? holy crap i thought this show was off the air years ago!!
	__________________ MOHRIOR

06-30-2012, 09:23 PM	#9
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Are you kidding? This horse was history WAY before CBS made the decision to beat it all over again.
	__________________ "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

06-30-2012, 02:22 PM	#3
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: 63,108	Yeah, I agree. I think Jo Marie Payton left the show because she saw the writing on the wall too. LOL

06-30-2012, 08:23 PM	#7
GARFIELDKOOL Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 02, 2004 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 7,204	It had no business moving to CBS. The show was dead by then. Then, they brought in that new harriet. I don't know why producers likes to play with viewers intelligence. That new Harriette had no physical features to like like Jo Marie. I could see if she somewhat resembled the original. They could have written Jo Marie off by saying she went to visit a sick relative. That way Judy Ann Elder(the new Harriette) could have been intoduced as an aunt sitting in for Harriette. The show proabably would have went out more gracefully than it did.

06-30-2012, 10:02 PM	#11
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,966	Bad Move because the show was already a confirmed success, which was 1989-1997 Wasn't no point in moving the show

06-30-2012, 10:20 PM	#13
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,966	I will check my collection tomorrow to see if I have any CBS eps from 1997 so I can see how different the show was at that point