Why didn't Sherwood Schwartz have more success outside of GI & The Brady Bunch - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 01-02-2021, 11:55 PM

If you look at his career with all due respect, he only really had (among those he created) two shows that ran more than one season - The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island. As I said, the other shows that he produced, created, and/or wrote for such as It's About Time, Dusty's Trail, Big John, Little John, Harper Valley PTA, and Together We Stand only lasted less than a single season.

Duster76 · 01-03-2021, 12:52 AM

A good point. Dusty's Trail was really just Gilligan's Island in the old west, he should have just hired Alan Hale to be the wagonmaster. It's About Time was a similar variation, two astronauts stuck in prehistoric times (no phones, no lights, no motor cars not a single luxury). Talk about someone staying in his comfort zone.

Babalu · 01-03-2021, 06:55 PM

Harper Valley PTA lasted 2 seasons, albeit not 2 full seasons.

RetroGuy2000 · 01-03-2021, 07:12 PM

Both GI and BB were kind of silly, slapstick shows. There's an audience for that kind of thing, but as the television industry changed, and as producers began offering more substantial programs with deeper themes, Sherwood's shows began to look cheap and unsophisticated. Viewers began to tune in to more relevant fare. He became a bypassed pioneer: no longer relevant, but still honored for his contributions.

TV Guy · 01-03-2021, 08:47 PM

Great answer, Retro.

What’s funny is that most producers would kill to have the kind of success that Schwartz had, creating two of the most successful series of all time to rerun in syndication

RetroGuy2000 · 01-03-2021, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

Great answer, Retro.

What’s funny is that most producers would kill to have the kind of success that Schwartz had, creating two of the most successful series of all time to rerun in syndication

That's an excellent point, too: how many TV producers can say they had two hits shows that lived on in basically permanent reruns? Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch both hit the jackpot in that sense. Sherwood was justifiably proud of that legacy.

Chocolate Moose · 01-03-2021, 09:27 PM

oops mitake neve rmind

Cbalducc · 01-14-2021, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

That's an excellent point, too: how many TV producers can say they had two hits shows that lived on in basically permanent reruns? Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch both hit the jackpot in that sense. Sherwood was justifiably proud of that legacy.

And neither series was regarded as anything special in its original run.

80s Dude · 01-14-2021, 06:17 PM

Too corny of shows. Sherwood Schwartz was no Norman Lear.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 01-21-2021, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

Great answer, Retro.

What’s funny is that most producers would kill to have the kind of success that Schwartz had, creating two of the most successful series of all time to rerun in syndication

EXACTLY!

99% of producers don't have the success Sherwood did.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 01-21-2021, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Too corny of shows. Sherwood Schwartz was no Norman Lear.

And I bet you if Sherwood was here he would say that doesn't bother him in the least.

JediJones · 01-28-2021, 12:13 AM

I'm not sure that the TGIF-style shows like Full House or Family Matters were any more sophisticated than The Brady Bunch. What's amazing about Gilligan's Island is that almost no other successful live-action comedy series takes place in what is essentially a fantasy setting, a place that is totally unlike any that the audience can visit on a daily basis. It's not in a school, an office, a home, an apartment, a restaurant, a hospital, a police station, etc. A lot of cartoon series are in fantasy settings, but not live-action shows. A lot of live-action shows have fantasy characters in them like aliens, but are still set in everyday familiar locations. Gilligan's Island plays like a live-action cartoon in so many ways. And it's amazing how few live-action shows have ever even tried to do anything like that.

RetroGuy2000 · 01-28-2021, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JediJones

I'm not sure that the TGIF-style shows like Full House or Family Matters were any more sophisticated than The Brady Bunch. What's amazing about Gilligan's Island is that almost no other successful live-action comedy series takes place in what is essentially a fantasy setting, a place that is totally unlike any that the audience can visit on a daily basis. It's not in a school, an office, a home, an apartment, a restaurant, a hospital, a police station, etc. A lot of cartoon series are in fantasy settings, but not live-action shows. A lot of live-action shows have fantasy characters in them like aliens, but are still set in everyday familiar locations. Gilligan's Island plays like a live-action cartoon in so many ways. And it's amazing how few live-action shows have ever even tried to do anything like that.

You raise a good point, JJ (BTW, welcome!). The only live-action shows I can think of that had that same sort of island-style fantasy setting were Land of the Lost, H.R. Pufinstuf, Lost in Space, the various Swiss Family Robinson TV series, and Fantasy Island. It's actually quite rare when you consider the sheer number of live-action TV series over the years.

JediJones · 01-28-2021, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

You raise a good point, JJ (BTW, welcome!). The only live-action shows I can think of that had that same sort of island-style fantasy setting were Land of the Lost, H.R. Pufinstuf, Lost in Space, the various Swiss Family Robinson TV series, and Fantasy Island. It's actually quite rare when you consider the sheer number of live-action TV series over the years.

Yeah, I just kept my statement referring to comedies only (and live-action and successful). There are lots of dramatic shows with sci-fi or fantasy settings, or shows set in the past like Westerns. I'm not sure what H.R. Pufinstuf was, but the Saturday morning series Pee-Wee's Playhouse might qualify as another fantasy-based live-action comedy, although it's a variety show and not a sitcom. The Saturday morning comedy Far Out Space Nuts, a close cousin to Gilligan's, has a sci-fi setting, but it wasn't successful. Variety shows like The Muppets and SNL also did various comedy skits in fantasy settings.

But if you narrow to prime-time live-action comedy and omit variety shows, then it gets tougher to find a successful show that parallels Gilligan's exotic setting. Sherwood's other show It's About Time qualifies but it wasn't successful. I guess there were some Western comedy shows which would qualify (obviously the syndicated Dusty's Trails comes to mind but it also wasn't a success).

You could debate whether Gilligan's Island is just an exotic location or a genuine fantasy setting. Given the unreality of a lot of the situations and things that exist on the island, it at least feels more like a fantasy setting. By that standard, the '60s Batman show could qualify as another successful fantasy or sci-fi-based comedy, but it's debatable whether Batman is a comedy and it's definitely less of a pure comedy than GI.

JediJones · 01-28-2021, 03:12 PM

That's a good example. BBC also did a limited 6-episode Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. I believe it was successful, just limited by the nature of the source material.

01-02-2021, 11:55 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,393	Why didn't Sherwood Schwartz have more success outside of GI & The Brady Bunch If you look at his career with all due respect, he only really had (among those he created) two shows that ran more than one season - The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island. As I said, the other shows that he produced, created, and/or wrote for such as It's About Time, Dusty's Trail, Big John, Little John, Harper Valley PTA, and Together We Stand only lasted less than a single season.

01-03-2021, 06:55 PM	#3
Babalu Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 22, 2014 Posts: 4,779	Harper Valley PTA lasted 2 seasons, albeit not 2 full seasons.
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01-03-2021, 07:12 PM	#4
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	Both GI and BB were kind of silly, slapstick shows. There's an audience for that kind of thing, but as the television industry changed, and as producers began offering more substantial programs with deeper themes, Sherwood's shows began to look cheap and unsophisticated. Viewers began to tune in to more relevant fare. He became a bypassed pioneer: no longer relevant, but still honored for his contributions.
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01-03-2021, 09:27 PM	#7
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,900	oops mitake neve rmind
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01-03-2021, 12:52 AM	#2
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,655	A good point. Dusty's Trail was really just Gilligan's Island in the old west, he should have just hired Alan Hale to be the wagonmaster. It's About Time was a similar variation, two astronauts stuck in prehistoric times (no phones, no lights, no motor cars not a single luxury). Talk about someone staying in his comfort zone.

01-03-2021, 08:47 PM	#5
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Great answer, Retro. What’s funny is that most producers would kill to have the kind of success that Schwartz had, creating two of the most successful series of all time to rerun in syndication

01-14-2021, 06:17 PM	#9
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,818	Too corny of shows. Sherwood Schwartz was no Norman Lear.

01-28-2021, 12:13 AM	#12
JediJones Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 25, 2014 Location: East PA Posts: 36	I'm not sure that the TGIF-style shows like Full House or Family Matters were any more sophisticated than The Brady Bunch. What's amazing about Gilligan's Island is that almost no other successful live-action comedy series takes place in what is essentially a fantasy setting, a place that is totally unlike any that the audience can visit on a daily basis. It's not in a school, an office, a home, an apartment, a restaurant, a hospital, a police station, etc. A lot of cartoon series are in fantasy settings, but not live-action shows. A lot of live-action shows have fantasy characters in them like aliens, but are still set in everyday familiar locations. Gilligan's Island plays like a live-action cartoon in so many ways. And it's amazing how few live-action shows have ever even tried to do anything like that.

01-28-2021, 03:12 PM	#15
JediJones Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 25, 2014 Location: East PA Posts: 36	That's a good example. BBC also did a limited 6-episode Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. I believe it was successful, just limited by the nature of the source material.