What Was the Worst Case of Executives Meddling With a TV Series? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 10-12-2022, 03:12 AM

https://popculturereferences.com/wha...h-a-tv-series/

Quote:

Today, I’m looking for what you think was the the worst case of executives meddling with a TV series.

Pop Culture Theme Time is a feature where I put a question to you to see what you think about a particular theme. I might later revisit the theme for a future Drawing Crazy Patterns or Top Five.

So long as there have been TV shows, there have been TV executives meddling with said TV shows. However. sometimes, the meddling is particularly egregious, so I’m looking for examples of what you think was the WORST case of executive meddling with a TV series. Note that canceling a show doesn’t count!

My pick is Twin Peaks, whose ratings slumped in early Season 2, so the network determined that audiences were mad that the show had not yet solved who murdered Laura Palmer, so David Lynch was forced to resolve the murder, basically the linchpin that the whole series worked around! With the mystery solved, ratings fell even further and the show was canceled. A really bad decision.

That’s my pick. What’s yours?

howilu · 10-12-2022, 09:43 AM

To me, the worst case of Executive Meddling would be ABC moving Mork & Mindy from Thursday to Sunday and getting rid of Mindy's father and grandmother. They also toned down the slapstick comedy from Robin Williams that made the show a hit. The show never recovered when it was returned to Thursdays. A last ditch effort to bring in Williams' idol Jonathan Winters didn't help either.

icecream · 10-12-2022, 10:58 AM

Hazel- firing Don DeFore and Whitney Blake

70s show watcher · 10-12-2022, 01:12 PM

whatever charm and good points that aftermash had werw runed by cbs meddling wit it in season 2

icecream · 10-12-2022, 02:16 PM

Mad About You going from a show about a happily married couple to having Jamie cheat on Paul

10-12-2022, 10:58 AM	#3
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,969	Hazel- firing Don DeFore and Whitney Blake
	__________________ Top 200 TV Shows https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...14#post6225214 Top 150 Movies https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...84#post6175384 Top 1100 Scripted TV Characters https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=493306 Top Rookie TV Shows by Calendar Year https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=365017 Top Movies by Calendar Year https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=473533

10-12-2022, 09:43 AM	#2
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,966	To me, the worst case of Executive Meddling would be ABC moving Mork & Mindy from Thursday to Sunday and getting rid of Mindy's father and grandmother. They also toned down the slapstick comedy from Robin Williams that made the show a hit. The show never recovered when it was returned to Thursdays. A last ditch effort to bring in Williams' idol Jonathan Winters didn't help either.

10-12-2022, 01:12 PM	#4
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,549	whatever charm and good points that aftermash had werw runed by cbs meddling wit it in season 2

10-12-2022, 02:16 PM	#5
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,969	Mad About You going from a show about a happily married couple to having Jamie cheat on Paul