Shows that Lasted the Longest Without Significant Change - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Retro4Life · 12-28-2013, 03:56 PM

Most shows change over time. Characters come and go, they get married, they die, they change actors, they move, etc.

What shows were on the longest with the least change over that time?

Ones that come to mind for me are The Beverly Hillbillies (never moved, no new major characters, no moving, marriage or deaths), Green Acres, Hogan's Heroes, Gilligan's Island, and the Dick Van Dyke Show.

tlc38tlc38 · 12-28-2013, 04:16 PM

For the most part ALL shows change and evolve over the seasons. Although, some shows change and evolve more than others.

Retro4Life · 12-28-2013, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlc38tlc38

For the most part ALL shows change and evolve over the seasons. Although, some shows change and evolve more than others.

Yes, I know...but I was curious as to what everyone felt were the shows that changed the LEAST while lasting the longest?...

tlc38tlc38 · 12-28-2013, 04:43 PM

They did change some over the years, but my pics for the shows that lasted the longest without major changes: (my picks may be up for debate)

The Golden Girls
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (some would say the show majorly changed in season 5 with the addition of Dawn but I don't think it really started to change til it hit season 8 in comic book form)
Seinfeld
The Addams Family
Reba
Will & Grace
That Girl
The Jeffersons (for 11 seasons it didn't change that much)

McGillicuddy · 12-28-2013, 05:17 PM

Friends kept their cast intact for 10 seasons!

SitcomsOffline · 12-29-2013, 12:51 AM

The below shows probably take the cake for NO changes:

*Leave it to Beaver

*Golden Girls (excluding their gay male housekeeper in the pilot)

*The Brady Bunch (before Cousin Oliver)

*Sanford and Son (before Sanford Arms)

*Dinosaurs

*Drake and Josh

*Victorious

*Animaniacs

*Pinky and the Brain

*Tiny Toon Adventures

*The Jetsons (we're going to ignore Orbitty)

*The Addams Family

*The Honeymooners

*The Bernie Mac Show

*SpongeBob Squarepants

*The Beverly Hillbillies

*Green Acres

*Petticoat Junction

Some other honorable mentions that had MINOR/LITTLE changes include:

*Home Improvement (besides JTT being absent during the last season, and the casting change for Heidi)

*Friends (no cast changes or plot changes, despite all the topsy-turvy relationships in the storyline)

*American Dad (other than Haley marrying Jeff and Jeff becoming a main character)

*The Simpsons (let's be honest, although the jokes aren't as funny, there have been very little changes to this show's plot or main characters)

*Family Guy (see The Simpsons, ignoring the Brian/Vinny shake up)

*Frasier (again, no major cast changes or plot changes besides Niles/Daphne getting married and having a baby).

*All in the Family (pre-Season 6)

*Kenan and Kel (a couple classmates were added as recurring characters, but otherwise there were no changes to the storylines and the main cast remained the same).

*iCarly (beside "Gibby" becoming a main cast member after Season 3)

*The Parkers (besides Andell replacing Desiree in Season 2)

*The Nanny (besides all of the plot twists during the last season)

ThomasE · 12-29-2013, 02:38 PM

George Lopez
The Wayans Bros
Maude (the only thing that changed were the maids)

SitcomsOffline · 12-29-2013, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomasE

George Lopez
The Wayans Bros
Maude (the only thing that changed were the maids)

The Wayans Bros did have cast changes after Season 1. A Caucasian lady played the security guard in Season 1 before Anna Marie Horsford took over. Also, they got rid of that black guy and black lady who supported Pops, Marlon and Shawn.

But it was nothing major (the plot/setting didn't change and the principal cast generally remained the same).

I agree with George Lopez.

12-28-2013, 03:56 PM	#1
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	Shows that Lasted the Longest Without Significant Change Most shows change over time. Characters come and go, they get married, they die, they change actors, they move, etc. What shows were on the longest with the least change over that time? Ones that come to mind for me are The Beverly Hillbillies (never moved, no new major characters, no moving, marriage or deaths), Green Acres, Hogan's Heroes, Gilligan's Island, and the Dick Van Dyke Show.
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12-28-2013, 04:16 PM	#2
tlc38tlc38 Every day’s a Dolly day! Forum Star Join Date: May 02, 2008 Location: I’m just travelin’ thru Posts: 19,257	For the most part ALL shows change and evolve over the seasons. Although, some shows change and evolve more than others.
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12-28-2013, 04:43 PM	#4
tlc38tlc38 Every day’s a Dolly day! Forum Star Join Date: May 02, 2008 Location: I’m just travelin’ thru Posts: 19,257	They did change some over the years, but my pics for the shows that lasted the longest without major changes: (my picks may be up for debate) The Golden Girls Buffy the Vampire Slayer (some would say the show majorly changed in season 5 with the addition of Dawn but I don't think it really started to change til it hit season 8 in comic book form) Seinfeld The Addams Family Reba Will & Grace That Girl The Jeffersons (for 11 seasons it didn't change that much)
	Last edited by tlc38tlc38; 12-28-2013 at 05:02 PM.

12-29-2013, 12:51 AM	#6
SitcomsOffline Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 03, 2013 Posts: 492	The below shows probably take the cake for NO changes: Leave it to Beaver Golden Girls (excluding their gay male housekeeper in the pilot) The Brady Bunch (before Cousin Oliver) Sanford and Son (before Sanford Arms) Dinosaurs Drake and Josh Victorious Animaniacs Pinky and the Brain Tiny Toon Adventures The Jetsons (we're going to ignore Orbitty) The Addams Family The Honeymooners The Bernie Mac Show SpongeBob Squarepants The Beverly Hillbillies Green Acres Petticoat Junction Some other honorable mentions that had MINOR/LITTLE changes include: Home Improvement (besides JTT being absent during the last season, and the casting change for Heidi) Friends (no cast changes or plot changes, despite all the topsy-turvy relationships in the storyline) American Dad (other than Haley marrying Jeff and Jeff becoming a main character) The Simpsons (let's be honest, although the jokes aren't as funny, there have been very little changes to this show's plot or main characters) Family Guy (see The Simpsons, ignoring the Brian/Vinny shake up) Frasier (again, no major cast changes or plot changes besides Niles/Daphne getting married and having a baby). All in the Family (pre-Season 6) Kenan and Kel (a couple classmates were added as recurring characters, but otherwise there were no changes to the storylines and the main cast remained the same). iCarly (beside "Gibby" becoming a main cast member after Season 3) The Parkers (besides Andell replacing Desiree in Season 2) *The Nanny (besides all of the plot twists during the last season)
	Last edited by SitcomsOffline; 12-29-2013 at 01:12 AM.

12-29-2013, 02:38 PM	#7
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	George Lopez The Wayans Bros Maude (the only thing that changed were the maids)
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12-28-2013, 05:17 PM	#5
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	Friends kept their cast intact for 10 seasons!