Creator James L Brooks frustration with the cancellation of Taxi in 1982 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TVFactFan · 06-08-2024, 06:04 PM

Few facts pointed out in article

1. The show won an Emmy for best comedy show every year it was on the air

2. Brooks was notified about the cancellation 2 days before the last show aired

3. The cancellation was made after the season ended preventing them from doing a finale episode

opus · 06-08-2024, 06:11 PM

Then NBC picked it up but recancelled it a year later.

TVFactFan · 06-08-2024, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

Then NBC picked it up but recancelled it a year later.

I saw that it finished #53 when ABC cancelled it and renewed Benson that finished #63 lol

opus · 06-08-2024, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I saw that it finished #53 when ABC cancelled it and renewed Benson that finished #63 lol

You got where Taxi finished in its year on NBC?

TVFactFan · 06-08-2024, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

You got where Taxi finished in its year on NBC?

#73 right above Cheers at #74 and Cheers was renewed

Brooks was probably like.......Not again

opus · 06-08-2024, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

#73 right above Cheers at #74 and Cheers was renewed

Brooks was probably like.......Not again

Definitely going in the wrong direction from the previous years #53.

But NBC certainly made the right choice in having faith in Cheers.

Alan Brady's Hair · 06-08-2024, 09:06 PM

Taxi won the best comedy Emmy three of its four ABC seasons.

Brooks and the others who left MTM wanted to do a series based on article about cab drivers. MTM owned the rights to the article, and Grant Tinker gave it to them as a going away present. By the time ABC cancelled the show, Tinker was the head of NBC. Brooks called Tinker for advice, and the next day Tinker called him back and asked Brooks to bring Taxi to NBC.

Adamantium · 06-09-2024, 08:41 AM

It's a shame it wasn't a success on NBC, however, I'm glad they picked it up for a fifth season because I think it was a great season. I'm even fine the show ended when it did. I just wish they had a series finale.

DEH55 · 04-16-2025, 02:51 PM

It sucked that both Taxi and WKRP never got to do a final wrap up show. both great shows that werent really ratings winners.

Alan Brady's Hair · 04-16-2025, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEH55

It sucked that both Taxi and WKRP never got to do a final wrap up show. both great shows that werent really ratings winners.

Both shows were remnants of the MTM sitcom empire of the 1970s. Most of the talent split off and made Taxi, while Hugh Wilson stayed with MTM and made WKRP.. Taxi took Emmy after Emmy while WKRP just took one technical one, but I think WKRP is better remembered today.

cd637299 · 04-16-2025, 10:42 PM

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icecream · 04-16-2025, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Few facts pointed out in article

1. The show won an Emmy for best comedy show every year it was on the air

Brooks' comment about that came while season 4 was still going on. Taxi won the best comedy Emmy for its first three seasons only. Season 4 it lost to Barney Miller and season 5 it lost to Cheers.

icecream · 04-16-2025, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I saw that it finished #53 when ABC cancelled it and renewed Benson that finished #63 lol

Taxi might have been considered too expensive to move to Fridays where Benson was.

Duster76 · 04-17-2025, 11:21 PM

A couple of years ago I wrote this:

"Taxi has a complicated rating history that's for sure. The first two seasons were gold, a top 10 finish in season 1, and a top 15 finish in season 2. A closer examination suggests that much of that success had to do with the lead-in show Three's Company which was the number 2 show in the nation during those first two seasons. Taxi was moved from the 9:30 Tuesday night slot to Wednesday at 9:00pm for season 3. This turned out to be an ill-fated line up for ABC. All the series were returning from the prior season and all (with the exception of Taxi) would be cancelled, they were Eight is Enough, Soap and Vegas. Taxi was moved back to 9:30 but not on Tuesday night but on Thursday night with Barney Miller as the lead show at 9pm. Barney Miller was fading by the time Taxi arrived so the move did little to help the series. Taxi stayed in the same time slot to start season 4, finishing the season at number 53, a similar rating to the lead-in show Barney Miller which was in its final season. Taxi was cancelled and moved to NBC where the rating continued to decline finishing at number 73.

Taxi wasn't a mass appeal show it was just too quirky, in my opinion it was also one of the greatest shows of all time".

Three's Company was a real juggernaut for ABC, it carried Taxi for two years, after that Too Close for Comfort, after that 9 to 5. Once these shows were moved out of the slot behind Three's Company they dropped like rocks.

06-08-2024, 06:04 PM	#1
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,008	Creator James L Brooks frustration with the cancellation of Taxi in 1982 Few facts pointed out in article 1. The show won an Emmy for best comedy show every year it was on the air 2. Brooks was notified about the cancellation 2 days before the last show aired 3. The cancellation was made after the season ended preventing them from doing a finale episode Attached Images

06-08-2024, 06:11 PM	#2
opus VB Forum Superstar Join Date: May 16, 2015 Location: VB Galaxy Posts: 32,239	Then NBC picked it up but recancelled it a year later.

06-08-2024, 09:06 PM	#7
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,823	Taxi won the best comedy Emmy three of its four ABC seasons. Brooks and the others who left MTM wanted to do a series based on article about cab drivers. MTM owned the rights to the article, and Grant Tinker gave it to them as a going away present. By the time ABC cancelled the show, Tinker was the head of NBC. Brooks called Tinker for advice, and the next day Tinker called him back and asked Brooks to bring Taxi to NBC.

06-09-2024, 08:41 AM	#8
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,820	It's a shame it wasn't a success on NBC, however, I'm glad they picked it up for a fifth season because I think it was a great season. I'm even fine the show ended when it did. I just wish they had a series finale.

04-16-2025, 02:51 PM	#9
DEH55 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 19, 2020 Posts: 319	It sucked that both Taxi and WKRP never got to do a final wrap up show. both great shows that werent really ratings winners.

04-16-2025, 10:42 PM	#11
cd637299 cd637299 Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 14, 2022 Location: South Florida Posts: 845	What does a yellow light mean? cd

04-17-2025, 11:21 PM	#14
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,641	A couple of years ago I wrote this: "Taxi has a complicated rating history that's for sure. The first two seasons were gold, a top 10 finish in season 1, and a top 15 finish in season 2. A closer examination suggests that much of that success had to do with the lead-in show Three's Company which was the number 2 show in the nation during those first two seasons. Taxi was moved from the 9:30 Tuesday night slot to Wednesday at 9:00pm for season 3. This turned out to be an ill-fated line up for ABC. All the series were returning from the prior season and all (with the exception of Taxi) would be cancelled, they were Eight is Enough, Soap and Vegas. Taxi was moved back to 9:30 but not on Tuesday night but on Thursday night with Barney Miller as the lead show at 9pm. Barney Miller was fading by the time Taxi arrived so the move did little to help the series. Taxi stayed in the same time slot to start season 4, finishing the season at number 53, a similar rating to the lead-in show Barney Miller which was in its final season. Taxi was cancelled and moved to NBC where the rating continued to decline finishing at number 73. Taxi wasn't a mass appeal show it was just too quirky, in my opinion it was also one of the greatest shows of all time". Three's Company was a real juggernaut for ABC, it carried Taxi for two years, after that Too Close for Comfort, after that 9 to 5. Once these shows were moved out of the slot behind Three's Company they dropped like rocks.