Why wasn't Theo spun-off into his own program - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 05-18-2017, 02:40 AM

In 1992-93, a year after The Cosby Show ended, Malcolm-Jamal Warner starred in another NBC sitcom produced by Bill Cosby called Here and Now. It only lasted for a season's worth of 15 episodes (the last two were never aired on NBC) and Bill Cosby himself, said that the cancellation was justified since he felt it wasn't written well enough.

But my main question is that why wasn't Here and Now simply a Theo Huxtable spin-off and would it been more successful had it played up the Cosby Show connection more? I mean, it wasn't like Malcolm-Jamal Warner wasn't playing a character too far removed from Theo anyway.

Was it not turned into a full-blown spin-off because they already tried and failed with another one of the Huxtable kids with Lisa Bonet/Denise and A Different World?

Couch Potato 05 · 06-02-2017, 09:09 AM

Since only those people know at the time what the real issues was, it's hard for us to speculate on something like this.

I personally didn't remember about this show. I'd like to see the episodes...maybe I can find it somewhere on Youtube.

TMC · 06-20-2022, 06:27 PM

Malcolm-Jamal Warner discusses Here and Now - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG

Basically, Malcolm says that the idea of doing a spin-off on Theo was briefly under consideration, but Malcolm admitted that he (nor Bill Cosby) wasn't keen on continuing to play him after doing so for eight years. But still, the character that he played on Here and Now, A.J., was similar to Theo Huxtable. Theo like A.J. on Here and Now, majored in psychology and worked with kids at a community center. So Here and Now became a spin-off of The Cosby Show that wasn't officially a spin-off.

Malcolm said that the show failed because NBC didn't give it enough support. Instead of putting it on Thursday nights at 8 o'clock, in the old time slot for The Cosby Show, or at the very least, at 8:30 p.m. behind A Different World, NBC placed it on Saturday nights. Even back in 1992, Saturday nights was considered a death-slot. The presumed target audience for Here and Now (which would be young adults and teenagers) would likely be out of the house.

icecream · 06-20-2022, 07:05 PM

Saturdays wasn't a total death slot yet. Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Early Edition, Walker Texas Ranger, The District, The Pretender, and Profiler all aired at least four seasons all on Saturdays. The Golden Girls had just finished a successful Saturday run, and Empty Nest lasted awhile. ABC didn't do well on Saturdays though.

05-18-2017, 02:40 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,755	Why wasn't Theo spun-off into his own program In 1992-93, a year after The Cosby Show ended, Malcolm-Jamal Warner starred in another NBC sitcom produced by Bill Cosby called Here and Now. It only lasted for a season's worth of 15 episodes (the last two were never aired on NBC) and Bill Cosby himself, said that the cancellation was justified since he felt it wasn't written well enough. But my main question is that why wasn't Here and Now simply a Theo Huxtable spin-off and would it been more successful had it played up the Cosby Show connection more? I mean, it wasn't like Malcolm-Jamal Warner wasn't playing a character too far removed from Theo anyway. Was it not turned into a full-blown spin-off because they already tried and failed with another one of the Huxtable kids with Lisa Bonet/Denise and A Different World?
	Last edited by TMC; 06-20-2022 at 06:19 PM.

06-20-2022, 07:05 PM	#4
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,843	Saturdays wasn't a total death slot yet. Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Early Edition, Walker Texas Ranger, The District, The Pretender, and Profiler all aired at least four seasons all on Saturdays. The Golden Girls had just finished a successful Saturday run, and Empty Nest lasted awhile. ABC didn't do well on Saturdays though.
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06-02-2017, 09:09 AM	#2
Couch Potato 05 Night Owl! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 31, 2005 Location: California Posts: 392	Since only those people know at the time what the real issues was, it's hard for us to speculate on something like this. I personally didn't remember about this show. I'd like to see the episodes...maybe I can find it somewhere on Youtube.

06-20-2022, 06:27 PM	#3
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,755	Malcolm-Jamal Warner discusses Here and Now - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG Basically, Malcolm says that the idea of doing a spin-off on Theo was briefly under consideration, but Malcolm admitted that he (nor Bill Cosby) wasn't keen on continuing to play him after doing so for eight years. But still, the character that he played on Here and Now, A.J., was similar to Theo Huxtable. Theo like A.J. on Here and Now, majored in psychology and worked with kids at a community center. So Here and Now became a spin-off of The Cosby Show that wasn't officially a spin-off. Malcolm said that the show failed because NBC didn't give it enough support. Instead of putting it on Thursday nights at 8 o'clock, in the old time slot for The Cosby Show, or at the very least, at 8:30 p.m. behind A Different World, NBC placed it on Saturday nights. Even back in 1992, Saturday nights was considered a death-slot. The presumed target audience for Here and Now (which would be young adults and teenagers) would likely be out of the house.