The 4th Season: If Gabe Kaplan had stayed, would it have been better? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Dr. Thong · 05-07-2016, 11:29 AM

Do you think the 4th season would have been better if Gabe Kaplan had stayed on full time and appeared in all the episodes?

Hypothetically speaking, let's say that Gabe, despite his opposition to Executive Producer James Komack's changes to the show, decided to be professional and play Kotter in all the season's episodes, instead of the handful he appeared in. (I always thought it was weird that Gabe Kaplan was credited above the title for every episode, even though he wasn't in every show and that Travolta was credited as a "Special Guest Star" only in the episodes he appeared in).

Now, I have no doubt that the loss of Travolta would have hurt the show: Travolta had become a major star in 1978 due to Saturday Night Fever and Grease, and his fans were most likely disappointed that he was reduced to a handful of appearances in the 4th and final season.

But I think Kaplan's presence would have softened the blow. Instead, two of the key members of the five man ensemble were gone and the three remaining cast members were left to fend for themselves with a new Sweathog and supporting characters like Woodman and Mrs. Kotter.

Too much had changed when season four debuted -- and I'm sure the changing of the time slot (Kotter had been on Thursday nights since season 1) didn't help either.

Svenfan1234 · 05-07-2016, 02:17 PM

Maybe if he had stayed, it would have been different. He wanted it to be in a community college which would have been really interesting

Dr. Thong · 05-10-2016, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

Maybe if he had stayed, it would have been different. He wanted it to be in a community college which would have been really interesting

My premise is that the show stays at Buchanan High, as James Komack decreed it would be and Gabe Kaplan decides to go along with it, even though he doesn't agree with the format.

treky · 05-13-2016, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

Maybe if he had stayed, it would have been different. He wanted it to be in a community college which would have been really interesting

he suggested that Kotter takes a teaching job at a community college and Barbarino etc.graduate and also go there and he ends up being their teacher again. Then they could go on for 4 season and the situation would be believable.

Svenfan1234 · 05-13-2016, 09:12 AM

^And the situation in a community college might've helped get a 5th season!

Dr. Thong · 05-13-2016, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

^And the situation in a community college might've helped get a 5th season!

I think it might have.

But I think Travolta would have left completely. He was a major movie star and probably saw no future in TV.

Svenfan1234 · 05-13-2016, 08:20 PM

^That seems likely.

Mr. Television · 05-13-2016, 08:26 PM

Komack should have just listened to Kaplan. If Gabe would have stayed it probably would have been more watchable but the show had nowhere else to go with this format. I never even watch the 4th season whenever it airs.

TVFactFan · 05-14-2016, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Television

Komack should have just listened to Kaplan. If Gabe would have stayed it probably would have been more watchable but the show had nowhere else to go with this format. I never even watch the 4th season whenever it airs.

The 4th season is why I am not in a rush to buy the whole series on DVD

Dr. Thong · 05-15-2016, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Television

Komack should have just listened to Kaplan. If Gabe would have stayed it probably would have been more watchable but the show had nowhere else to go with this format. I never even watch the 4th season whenever it airs.

Egos can be a bad thing and neither Kaplan nor Komack was willing to back down.

Since Komack was the boss, the changes were made and ultimately, killed the show.

Dr. Thong · 05-15-2016, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

The 4th season is why I am not in a rush to buy the whole series on DVD

The Travolta episodes aren't bad, but some of the non-Travolta 4th season episodes are kind of depressing.

It seems to me that in some of the later episodes, Ron Palillo was burned out. He didn't have the same kind of enthusiasm he'd had in the earlier seasons. Maybe he was reacting to the dissension on the set and/or realized the show was going downhill.

Still, I'm glad I have the entire series on DVD.

Svenfan1234 · 05-15-2016, 05:39 PM

I am buying WBK next month! After a year and a half of not having it, I'll finally have the complete series!

Dr. Thong · 05-16-2016, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

I am buying WBK next month! After a year and a half of not having it, I'll finally have the complete series!

It's worth it. To have it all in one box set is pretty cool.

Yong Fang · 05-26-2016, 02:43 AM

This was a great TV show for about two seasons. Should have only lasted two seasons. No shame in producing a great TV show for two or three seasons, and it shouldn't drag on when key characters go missing. Ensamble shows can survive losing a member and adding people over time, but this was a show about a relationship between a teacher and his students.

One thing was that obviously the students were in their mid twenties. Ironically, the only one who looked like a teenager was the oldest student, Ron Pallilo who played Horseshack. Later on in life, he was a well liked drama teacher in a high school somewhere before he died.

Something which would have been a better setup was that Kotter was a JobCorps teacher, with high schoolers and drift less barely graduated in a job setting, with the four doing knucklehead stuff which the mentor gets in trouble and has to defend his crew. That is something limited about doing a high school show anyway, the actors are usually on average 20 or 21 and if the show is a hit what happens (like Head of the Class, or Dobie Gillis or a lot of shows)

When Gabe Kaplan left, what was the point? It was his show.

JT2016 · 08-01-2016, 05:52 PM

I don't think it would've mattered much if Gabe would have been in every episode of the dreaded 4th season. Travolta was on to bigger things, the sweathogs were way too old, and the writers ran out of ideas. For me, the thing that made the show so great for the first couple seasons was the chemistry between the cast, but the actors could't keep playing 16 year-olds and when they tried to make them "grow up" it didn't work and wasn't funny anymore.

05-07-2016, 11:29 AM	#1
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	The 4th Season: If Gabe Kaplan had stayed, would it have been better? Do you think the 4th season would have been better if Gabe Kaplan had stayed on full time and appeared in all the episodes? Hypothetically speaking, let's say that Gabe, despite his opposition to Executive Producer James Komack's changes to the show, decided to be professional and play Kotter in all the season's episodes, instead of the handful he appeared in. (I always thought it was weird that Gabe Kaplan was credited above the title for every episode, even though he wasn't in every show and that Travolta was credited as a "Special Guest Star" only in the episodes he appeared in). Now, I have no doubt that the loss of Travolta would have hurt the show: Travolta had become a major star in 1978 due to Saturday Night Fever and Grease, and his fans were most likely disappointed that he was reduced to a handful of appearances in the 4th and final season. But I think Kaplan's presence would have softened the blow. Instead, two of the key members of the five man ensemble were gone and the three remaining cast members were left to fend for themselves with a new Sweathog and supporting characters like Woodman and Mrs. Kotter. Too much had changed when season four debuted -- and I'm sure the changing of the time slot (Kotter had been on Thursday nights since season 1) didn't help either.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

05-07-2016, 02:17 PM	#2
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	Maybe if he had stayed, it would have been different. He wanted it to be in a community college which would have been really interesting
	__________________ [

05-13-2016, 08:26 PM	#8
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Komack should have just listened to Kaplan. If Gabe would have stayed it probably would have been more watchable but the show had nowhere else to go with this format. I never even watch the 4th season whenever it airs.
	__________________ Sonny

05-13-2016, 09:12 AM	#5
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	^And the situation in a community college might've helped get a 5th season!

05-13-2016, 08:20 PM	#7
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	^That seems likely.

05-15-2016, 05:39 PM	#12
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	I am buying WBK next month! After a year and a half of not having it, I'll finally have the complete series!

05-26-2016, 02:43 AM	#14
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	This was a great TV show for about two seasons. Should have only lasted two seasons. No shame in producing a great TV show for two or three seasons, and it shouldn't drag on when key characters go missing. Ensamble shows can survive losing a member and adding people over time, but this was a show about a relationship between a teacher and his students. One thing was that obviously the students were in their mid twenties. Ironically, the only one who looked like a teenager was the oldest student, Ron Pallilo who played Horseshack. Later on in life, he was a well liked drama teacher in a high school somewhere before he died. Something which would have been a better setup was that Kotter was a JobCorps teacher, with high schoolers and drift less barely graduated in a job setting, with the four doing knucklehead stuff which the mentor gets in trouble and has to defend his crew. That is something limited about doing a high school show anyway, the actors are usually on average 20 or 21 and if the show is a hit what happens (like Head of the Class, or Dobie Gillis or a lot of shows) When Gabe Kaplan left, what was the point? It was his show.

08-01-2016, 05:52 PM	#15
JT2016 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2016 Posts: 11	I don't think it would've mattered much if Gabe would have been in every episode of the dreaded 4th season. Travolta was on to bigger things, the sweathogs were way too old, and the writers ran out of ideas. For me, the thing that made the show so great for the first couple seasons was the chemistry between the cast, but the actors could't keep playing 16 year-olds and when they tried to make them "grow up" it didn't work and wasn't funny anymore.