Why do people say that the Mr. Furley years were better than the Roper years - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-03-2023, 08:21 PM

Did the show really get better as it went on?

rusty spike · 04-04-2023, 04:56 PM

Don Knotts was funny.

BestTVever · 04-04-2023, 06:31 PM

The show got worse after 4 years. But Don did a fantastic job. I prefer the Roper years but you cant deny NO ONE could have taken that part and did a better job.

TheLittleFaerie · 04-08-2023, 09:13 AM

To me the mid part of the show was best.... Like right before the Ropers left and right after Furley arrived

Mr. Television · 04-08-2023, 12:37 PM

Both were good. The cast changes made TC a fresh show. And Don Knotts was great as Furley.

TVFactFan · 04-08-2023, 10:37 PM

The show was better during the Furley years but it had nothing to do with him .

Better episodes

BestTVever · 04-09-2023, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

The show was better during the Furley years but it had nothing to do with him .

Better episodes

Wow. Interesting. IMHO the second and third season of TC was some of the best TV ever. It was so good that everything was downhill after season 3. Still really good though.

TVFactFan · 04-09-2023, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BestTVever

Wow. Interesting. IMHO the second and third season of TC was some of the best TV ever. It was so good that everything was downhill after season 3. Still really good though.

I feel the show took after season two. Season 3 and 4 was the best eps along with 7.

BestTVever · 04-10-2023, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I feel the show took after season two. Season 3 and 4 was the best eps along with 7.

Interesting. IMHO Don was a fantastic addition to the show as the new landlord. Its decline had nothing to do with him. Most sitcoms grow stale after season 4 especially when they bring in new characters.
I hated how the characters changed and the scripts only were focused on Jack in the later seasons. None of them needed to be sharing an apartment with hip fashion, restaurant owner, nurse , and store manager. Yet like most sitcoms that started in the 70s that went into the 80s, it got lost in all that 80s glam.

ClarenceAlabama · 04-10-2023, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BestTVever

The show got worse after 4 years. But Don did a fantastic job. I prefer the Roper years but you cant deny NO ONE could have taken that part and did a better job.

I think the only weak parts were a little in season 4, a little in season 7, and the end of season 8.

I agree that no one could have done a better job than Don Knotts. He fit in perfectly.

Duster76 · 04-11-2023, 12:03 AM

To get back to the original question:

Why do people say that the Mr. Furley years were better than the Roper years?

My answer, to each his own. I don't feel that way, Don turned in good work but he didn't break any new ground. Ralph Furley was basically Barney Fife in the sexy seventies. Andy Griffith was certainly not impressed, he stated in an interview he did not like Don's work on the series, he thought he was too over the top. When Don joined Matlock, Andy cautioned him on the need for realistic character portrayal . Don's was the second banana's second banana, he knew how to get his character over without stepping on the toes of the star. He had accomplished this on Steve Allen and The Andy Griffith Show, and it was a critically important skill to have with John Ritter around.

BestTVever · 04-11-2023, 06:33 AM

The reason I prefer Roper was because of Helen. The banter between those two sometimes would have the best laughs. Helen was always on their side and many times was a foil for Stanley. I loved that dynamic. Look how many episodes had Helen or Roper in main themes in the scripts.
Having said that, Don was fantastic. The 1980s ruined many 1970s sitcoms and this was one of them. Keep in mind even though I prefer seasons 1-3 and like seasons 4 and 5, it still was a good sitcom.

BestTVever · 04-11-2023, 06:34 AM

The reason I prefer Roper was because of Helen. The banter between those two sometimes would have the best laughs. Helen was always on their side and many times was a foil for Stanley. I loved that dynamic. Look how many episodes had Helen or Roper in main themes in the scripts.
Having said that, Don was fantastic. The 1980s ruined many 1970s sitcoms and this was one of them. Keep in mind even though I prefer seasons 1-3 and like seasons 4 and 5, it still was a good sitcom.

Chocolate Moose · 04-11-2023, 09:31 AM

Not a Don Knotts fan. MUCH preferred the Ropers!!!

Mace Dolex · 04-11-2023, 11:54 PM

It's a tough choice because I discovered the show in reruns instead of weekly airings and TC was so popular in syndication that more than one station would be airing the show daily so I always caught a mix of both Roper and Furley episodes the advantage is that Don Knotts was on for five seasons therefore had more episodes than the Roper's.

04-03-2023, 08:21 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,992	Why do people say that the Mr. Furley years were better than the Roper years Did the show really get better as it went on?

04-08-2023, 12:37 PM	#5
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Both were good. The cast changes made TC a fresh show. And Don Knotts was great as Furley.
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04-11-2023, 09:31 AM	#14
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,903	Not a Don Knotts fan. MUCH preferred the Ropers!!!
	__________________ How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

04-04-2023, 04:56 PM	#2
rusty spike Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 08, 2015 Location: Southwest Posts: 1,124	Don Knotts was funny.

04-04-2023, 06:31 PM	#3
BestTVever Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2021 Location: Miami Posts: 1,937	The show got worse after 4 years. But Don did a fantastic job. I prefer the Roper years but you cant deny NO ONE could have taken that part and did a better job.

04-08-2023, 09:13 AM	#4
TheLittleFaerie Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2017 Posts: 1,948	To me the mid part of the show was best.... Like right before the Ropers left and right after Furley arrived

04-08-2023, 10:37 PM	#6
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,119	The show was better during the Furley years but it had nothing to do with him . Better episodes

04-11-2023, 12:03 AM	#11
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,656	To get back to the original question: Why do people say that the Mr. Furley years were better than the Roper years? My answer, to each his own. I don't feel that way, Don turned in good work but he didn't break any new ground. Ralph Furley was basically Barney Fife in the sexy seventies. Andy Griffith was certainly not impressed, he stated in an interview he did not like Don's work on the series, he thought he was too over the top. When Don joined Matlock, Andy cautioned him on the need for realistic character portrayal . Don's was the second banana's second banana, he knew how to get his character over without stepping on the toes of the star. He had accomplished this on Steve Allen and The Andy Griffith Show, and it was a critically important skill to have with John Ritter around.

04-11-2023, 06:33 AM	#12
BestTVever Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2021 Location: Miami Posts: 1,937	The reason I prefer Roper was because of Helen. The banter between those two sometimes would have the best laughs. Helen was always on their side and many times was a foil for Stanley. I loved that dynamic. Look how many episodes had Helen or Roper in main themes in the scripts. Having said that, Don was fantastic. The 1980s ruined many 1970s sitcoms and this was one of them. Keep in mind even though I prefer seasons 1-3 and like seasons 4 and 5, it still was a good sitcom.

04-11-2023, 06:34 AM	#13
BestTVever Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2021 Location: Miami Posts: 1,937	The reason I prefer Roper was because of Helen. The banter between those two sometimes would have the best laughs. Helen was always on their side and many times was a foil for Stanley. I loved that dynamic. Look how many episodes had Helen or Roper in main themes in the scripts. Having said that, Don was fantastic. The 1980s ruined many 1970s sitcoms and this was one of them. Keep in mind even though I prefer seasons 1-3 and like seasons 4 and 5, it still was a good sitcom.

04-11-2023, 11:54 PM	#15
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,670	It's a tough choice because I discovered the show in reruns instead of weekly airings and TC was so popular in syndication that more than one station would be airing the show daily so I always caught a mix of both Roper and Furley episodes the advantage is that Don Knotts was on for five seasons therefore had more episodes than the Roper's.