Shows that continued passed their finale/natural conclusion? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 06-29-2019, 07:57 PM

What are some shows you think continued past their finale, or what you would otherwise consider a natural or logical end point for the series?

quincywagstaff · 06-29-2019, 08:45 PM

"The Office" was an example of a show that should have ended when Steve Carell left at the end of Season 7. The show tried to replace him with James Spader, who is a good actor but his character was awful. They brought in Catherine Tate who just didn't fit at all, and then finally made Ed Helms the boss in the last season, only to have him miss 7 or 8 episodes while doing a movie. Everything felt off after Carell left, and although there were a few funny episodes, for the most part the show was running on fumes.

TV Guy · 06-29-2019, 09:37 PM

So many examples: Happy Days post Ron Howard; Laverne & Shirley post Cindy Williams; All in the Family post Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers; Chico and the Man post Freddie Prinze; Northern Exposure post Rob Morrow; Love Boat post Lauren Tewes; Dallas post Victoria Principal; Bewitched post Dick York.

Adamantium · 06-29-2019, 09:47 PM

The first one I think of is All in the Family. There was no creative point to having it continue after Mike and Gloria moved away. There was a transitional season, still titled All in the Family, before changing over to Archie Bunker's Place. But the finale for Mike and Gloria was also the perfect finale for the series, and yet...

Another similar example is Scrubs. They ended the 8th season thinking it was the end of the show. They gave us a great series finale where J.D. left the hospital, but then the show came back for a 9th season. However, most of the cast was reduced to either recurring, one-time guest spot or not on it at all, while they focused on the newer characters. There was no season 10.

Michael J. Fox's last episode of Spin City probably should have just been the two-part series finale. Not only did he leave, but three other cast members did as well, though their absences were not explained the following season.

biffbronson · 06-29-2019, 09:49 PM

Petticoat Junction post Bea Benadaret (also had lost Smiley Burnette, both died).

Adamantium · 06-29-2019, 10:07 PM

I have another one. Gimme a Break should have ended with season five. In fact, the premiere of season six would have made the perfect series finale. It's the one where the girls move out and Nellie moves to New York City. That season feels like a spin-off more than just the next season.

dee2364 · 06-29-2019, 10:26 PM

Any show where the writers had run so out of steam that they felt they needed to change locations or cast. For example:

Hazel. Why bother continuing without the Baxters, who had such chemistry with Hazel herself?

Suddenly Susan. Again, why bother switching locations and dropping Judd Nelson, when they were the focus of the show?

Shows where a cast member outgrew their character or a very important character died. For example:

News Radio, with the death of Phil Hartman.

Dennis the Menace, with both the death of Joseph Kearns and Jay North becoming way too old to play Dennis.

Married with Children (David Faustino and Christina Applegate were getting too old to keep playing their characters)

treky · 06-30-2019, 12:30 AM

the finale of MASH should been the 2-ppart one where Radar left.

favoriteshow · 06-30-2019, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quincywagstaff

"The Office" was an example of a show that should have ended when Steve Carell left at the end of Season 7. The show tried to replace him with James Spader, who is a good actor but his character was awful. They brought in Catherine Tate who just didn't fit at all, and then finally made Ed Helms the boss in the last season, only to have him miss 7 or 8 episodes while doing a movie. Everything felt off after Carell left, and although there were a few funny episodes, for the most part the show was running on fumes.

I agree. But I think the show starting falling off even before Carell left. About right after Jim and Pam married, so maybe around that season 6-7 time frame. The great part was Jim trying to court Pam.

I would have rather seen a spinoff, with new show title, right after Carell left. It'd be a new slate to some extent, even if it meant a lot of characters from the previous show to the new show.

Chocolate Moose · 06-30-2019, 08:04 PM

Frasier ran too long as did Seinfeld. That got embarrassing.

Greenbeans · 06-30-2019, 10:42 PM

Bloodline should have been a one-season mini-season.

icecream · 07-01-2019, 01:08 AM

Once Upon a Time should have ended with the season 6 finale. Season 7 that was banished to Fridays was awful.

Tubehead · 07-03-2019, 06:41 AM

i used to watch seventh heaven! i liked the first seaon cause they helped other people! then it got to be more about there family!! ! it last seaon seventh or eight seaon!! i think they should have ended it!! cause then it became liked soap opera!! i didn't liked it once the kids started dated!! i didn't';t liked that they turned mary into troubled preachers kid!! then they made ruth too smart she was only 7 or 10!! she acted to much liked grown up!!

treky · 07-04-2019, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tubehead

i used to watch seventh heaven! i liked the first seaon cause they helped other people! then it got to be more about there family!! ! it last seaon seventh or eight seaon!! i think they should have ended it!! cause then it became liked soap opera!! i didn't liked it once the kids started dated!! i didn't';t liked that they turned mary into troubled preachers kid!! then they made ruth too smart she was only 7 or 10!! she acted to much liked grown up!!

what's with all the exclamation points?

RetroGuy2000 · 07-04-2019, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamantium

I have another one. Gimme a Break should have ended with season five. In fact, the premiere of season six would have made the perfect series finale. It's the one where the girls move out and Nellie moves to New York City. That season feels like a spin-off more than just the next season.

Yes. Once the girls left, the show was horrible.

06-29-2019, 07:57 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,611	Shows that continued passed their finale/natural conclusion? What are some shows you think continued past their finale, or what you would otherwise consider a natural or logical end point for the series?

06-29-2019, 10:26 PM	#7
dee2364 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 20, 2019 Posts: 643	Any show where the writers had run so out of steam that they felt they needed to change locations or cast. For example: Hazel. Why bother continuing without the Baxters, who had such chemistry with Hazel herself? Suddenly Susan. Again, why bother switching locations and dropping Judd Nelson, when they were the focus of the show? Shows where a cast member outgrew their character or a very important character died. For example: News Radio, with the death of Phil Hartman. Dennis the Menace, with both the death of Joseph Kearns and Jay North becoming way too old to play Dennis. Married with Children (David Faustino and Christina Applegate were getting too old to keep playing their characters)

06-30-2019, 12:30 AM	#8
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	the finale of MASH should been the 2-ppart one where Radar left.
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

06-30-2019, 08:04 PM	#10
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,900	Frasier ran too long as did Seinfeld. That got embarrassing.
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07-01-2019, 01:08 AM	#12
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,815	Once Upon a Time should have ended with the season 6 finale. Season 7 that was banished to Fridays was awful.
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06-29-2019, 08:45 PM	#2
quincywagstaff Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 15, 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 191	"The Office" was an example of a show that should have ended when Steve Carell left at the end of Season 7. The show tried to replace him with James Spader, who is a good actor but his character was awful. They brought in Catherine Tate who just didn't fit at all, and then finally made Ed Helms the boss in the last season, only to have him miss 7 or 8 episodes while doing a movie. Everything felt off after Carell left, and although there were a few funny episodes, for the most part the show was running on fumes.

06-29-2019, 09:37 PM	#3
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	So many examples: Happy Days post Ron Howard; Laverne & Shirley post Cindy Williams; All in the Family post Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers; Chico and the Man post Freddie Prinze; Northern Exposure post Rob Morrow; Love Boat post Lauren Tewes; Dallas post Victoria Principal; Bewitched post Dick York.

06-29-2019, 09:47 PM	#4
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,838	The first one I think of is All in the Family. There was no creative point to having it continue after Mike and Gloria moved away. There was a transitional season, still titled All in the Family, before changing over to Archie Bunker's Place. But the finale for Mike and Gloria was also the perfect finale for the series, and yet... Another similar example is Scrubs. They ended the 8th season thinking it was the end of the show. They gave us a great series finale where J.D. left the hospital, but then the show came back for a 9th season. However, most of the cast was reduced to either recurring, one-time guest spot or not on it at all, while they focused on the newer characters. There was no season 10. Michael J. Fox's last episode of Spin City probably should have just been the two-part series finale. Not only did he leave, but three other cast members did as well, though their absences were not explained the following season.

06-29-2019, 09:49 PM	#5
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,510	Petticoat Junction post Bea Benadaret (also had lost Smiley Burnette, both died).

06-29-2019, 10:07 PM	#6
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,838	I have another one. Gimme a Break should have ended with season five. In fact, the premiere of season six would have made the perfect series finale. It's the one where the girls move out and Nellie moves to New York City. That season feels like a spin-off more than just the next season.

06-30-2019, 10:42 PM	#11
Greenbeans Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 13, 2018 Posts: 197	Bloodline should have been a one-season mini-season.

07-03-2019, 06:41 AM	#13
Tubehead Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 12, 2007 Location: chattanooga.tn Posts: 5,139	i used to watch seventh heaven! i liked the first seaon cause they helped other people! then it got to be more about there family!! ! it last seaon seventh or eight seaon!! i think they should have ended it!! cause then it became liked soap opera!! i didn't liked it once the kids started dated!! i didn't';t liked that they turned mary into troubled preachers kid!! then they made ruth too smart she was only 7 or 10!! she acted to much liked grown up!!