When did One Day at a Time Jump the Shark? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

um · 12-20-2016, 08:35 PM

I watched ODAAT for several years from the time it became a new sitcom in 1975 up to approximately the very late 1970s. I then stopped watching it regularly and in the following years when I tuned in occasionally, I noticed that there were changes in the makeup of the Romano household. It appeared that Julie and Barbara had men in their lives as they never had when they were in their teens and there was a new regular character named Alex, a boy of about 14 who was a wise-cracking, "wise-beyond-his-years" type ( and I never found out how he became part of the Romano household until I found out about sitcomsonline.com approximately two years ago, and read about it) .
Decades afterward I heard about the factors that apply to all TV shows which have "Jumped-the-Shark" and that is that new regular characters are somehow incorporated, and often the new character is a very young person, someone who is still a child, or teen, at least that was very often the case in the mid to late 1970s. Also another element of "Jumping - The -Shark" is when an unmarried character gets married and has a child.
It is a way to bring in a "new face" into the series.

So the character of Alex was similar to what The Brady Bunch did by incorporating "Cousin Oliver" and also similar to what "The Partridge Family" did by bringing in "Ricky" and Archie's Place did by bringing in Stephanie.

Did Alex ruin ODAAT like Cousin Oliver ruined the Brady Bunch and little Ricky ruined The Partridge Family, and Stephanie ruined All In The Family?

Anna Karenina · 12-20-2016, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by um

I watched ODAAT for several years from the time it became a new sitcom in 1975 up to approximately the very late 1970s. I then stopped watching it regularly and in the following years when I tuned in occasionally, I noticed that there were changes in the makeup of the Romano household. It appeared that Julie and Barbara had men in their lives as they never had when they were in their teens and there was a new regular character named Alex, a boy of about 14 who was a wise-cracking, "wise-beyond-his-years" type ( and I never found out how he became part of the Romano household until I found out about sitcomsonline.com approximately two years ago, and read about it) .
Decades afterward I heard about the factors that apply to all TV shows which have "Jumped-the-Shark" and that is that new regular characters are somehow incorporated, and often the new character is a very young person, someone who is still a child, or teen, at least that was very often the case in the mid to late 1970s. Also another element of "Jumping - The -Shark" is when an unmarried character gets married and has a child.
It is a way to bring in a "new face" into the series.

So the character of Alex was similar to what The Brady Bunch did by incorporating "Cousin Oliver" and also similar to what "The Partridge Family" did by bringing in "Ricky" and Archie's Place did by bringing in Stephanie.

Did Alex ruin ODAAT like Cousin Oliver ruined the Brady Bunch and little Ricky ruined The Partridge Family, and Stephanie ruined All In The Family?

For me um, no.

He let Ann show a softer side and gave her a different kind of parenting stories with a boy. Also he provided Schneider with a surrogate son.

For me it jumped the shark when the boy was written out after 3 years with a couple of throw away lines by Ann and her new husband who obviously didn't want him around. Which was really tacky because the character had abandonment issues after his father was killed and his mother left him on Ann's doorstep basically.

Svenfan1234 · 12-20-2016, 08:44 PM

No. Alex added to the show.

Anna Karenina · 12-20-2016, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

No. Alex added to the show.

Absolutely.

Bonniegirl · 12-20-2016, 10:59 PM

The show really picked up in Season 5 with the addition of a dark haired, bearded, smiling hot guy!!

opus · 12-20-2016, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

The show really picked up in Season 5 with the addition of a dark haired, bearded, smiling hot guy!!

The show really picked up in the pilot with the addition of someone dribbling a basketball.

opus · 12-20-2016, 11:43 PM

For um:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...ad.php?t=83374

Bonniegirl · 12-21-2016, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

For um:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...ad.php?t=83374

Poor Mark was called a "square bore" over on that thread!

Willie O! · 12-22-2016, 03:57 AM

Jumped the sharks when Barbara got married! How many all American red blooded boys wanna see there dream girl get pawed by her husband? Boring....

1960'sTVfan · 12-22-2016, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

The show really picked up in Season 5 with the addition of a dark haired, bearded, smiling hot guy!!

Incorrect, the precise jump the shark moment was when that Lembeck clown joined the cast. Terrible actor, not good looking at all, he's better off being unseen and working behind the camera as a director or producer.

For me, the jump the shark moment is when Ann was given the short hairstyle. She lost a lot of her cuteness and sex appeal with that lousy butch haircut. But I guess at that point of the show, season 4, the producers wanted to give her a career woman/businesslike type of look.

It didn't work for me, that's for sure.

Bonniegirl · 12-22-2016, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retroTVfan4ever

Incorrect, the precise jump the shark moment was when that Lembeck clown joined the cast. Terrible actor, not good looking at all, he's better off being unseen and working behind the camera as a director or producer.

For me, the jump the shark moment is when Ann was given the short hairstyle. She lost a lot of her cuteness and sex appeal with that lousy butch haircut. But I guess at that point of the show, season 4, the producers wanted to give her a career woman/businesslike type of look.

It didn't work for me, that's for sure.

OMG !!! OK, when I first read this I was all ready to jump down your throat!!!

Than I noticed the smiley's at the end so I'm assuming you are joking!

Not only is Michael goodlooking, seeing more and more roles he has played besides Max, he really is a wonderful actor!

Anna Karenina · 12-22-2016, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

OMG !!! OK, when I first read this I was all ready to jump down your throat!!!

Than I noticed the smiley's at the end so I'm assuming you are joking!

Not only is Michael goodlooking, seeing more and more roles he has played besides Max, he really is a wonderful actor!

He also has a thick and sweet candy cane!

1960'sTVfan · 12-22-2016, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

Michael is a wonderful actor!

He's OK as an actor, he's been versatile and done different things. I like him on the Mary Hartman show. He's funny as Clete the goofy TV reporter.

opus · 12-22-2016, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willie O!

Jumped the sharks when Barbara got married! How many all American red blooded boys wanna see there dream girl get pawed by her husband? Boring....

Valerie had been married, so it didn't really bother me Barbara was. But I never really thought of her as Barbara Royer.

Bonniegirl · 12-22-2016, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

Valerie had been married, so it didn't really bother me Barbara was. But I never really thought of her as Barbara Royer.

Barbara Roy(er) to the world!!!

12-20-2016, 08:35 PM	#1
um Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 26, 2015 Posts: 907	When did One Day at a Time Jump the Shark? I watched ODAAT for several years from the time it became a new sitcom in 1975 up to approximately the very late 1970s. I then stopped watching it regularly and in the following years when I tuned in occasionally, I noticed that there were changes in the makeup of the Romano household. It appeared that Julie and Barbara had men in their lives as they never had when they were in their teens and there was a new regular character named Alex, a boy of about 14 who was a wise-cracking, "wise-beyond-his-years" type ( and I never found out how he became part of the Romano household until I found out about sitcomsonline.com approximately two years ago, and read about it) . Decades afterward I heard about the factors that apply to all TV shows which have "Jumped-the-Shark" and that is that new regular characters are somehow incorporated, and often the new character is a very young person, someone who is still a child, or teen, at least that was very often the case in the mid to late 1970s. Also another element of "Jumping - The -Shark" is when an unmarried character gets married and has a child. It is a way to bring in a "new face" into the series. So the character of Alex was similar to what The Brady Bunch did by incorporating "Cousin Oliver" and also similar to what "The Partridge Family" did by bringing in "Ricky" and Archie's Place did by bringing in Stephanie. Did Alex ruin ODAAT like Cousin Oliver ruined the Brady Bunch and little Ricky ruined The Partridge Family, and Stephanie ruined All In The Family?

12-20-2016, 08:44 PM	#3
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	No. Alex added to the show.
	__________________ [

12-20-2016, 10:59 PM	#5
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,718	The show really picked up in Season 5 with the addition of a dark haired, bearded, smiling hot guy!!

12-20-2016, 11:43 PM	#7
opus VB Forum Superstar Join Date: May 16, 2015 Location: VB Galaxy Posts: 32,433	For um: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...ad.php?t=83374

12-22-2016, 03:57 AM	#9
Willie O! Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 09, 2016 Location: Walnut Grove MN Posts: 109	Jumped the sharks when Barbara got married! How many all American red blooded boys wanna see there dream girl get pawed by her husband? Boring....