The addition of Sam - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Madness · 02-18-2001, 04:32 AM

Which episodes does everyone prefer. With or without Sam McKinney? Personally, I thought he was a very good addition. Anyone think he wasn't necessary?

[This message has been edited by Madness (edited 02-18-2001).]

ThomasE · 02-20-2001, 11:34 PM

Ah. I thought Sam was a cute kid. He was a good addition. He looked up to Arnold. My favorite Sam episode was when he was kidnapped.

APPLEI · 02-21-2001, 11:40 PM

BY THE TIME SAM JOINED THE CAST OF DIFFERENT STROKES THE SHOW WAS PAST IT'S PRIME AND HEADING DOWNHILL.

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perezd · 02-22-2001, 11:36 AM

sam was cool but it was too late for DS its going a bit down little by little. I think the eps. where they kidnapped sam should have been the final eps. ABC kinda screwed over DS on purpose to boost Webster which never compared to DS.

JohnMcMillin · 02-22-2001, 02:02 PM

I agree about ABC, why did they get the show anyways? DS was still getting reasonable ratings during the 1984-1985 season, yet ABC got the rights instead. And they placed DS up against Dallas, and never gave it any promotion either. Diff'rent Strokes could've ran maybe another season (nobody knew it was on ABC, I used to watch it on NBC when I was little, and had no idea the last season even happened), or at least had a proper farewell episode had ABC treated it better. But still, the show had seen it's peak when Sam came in.

TJ · 02-22-2001, 07:11 PM

I prefer the episodes without Sam, they re-used many of the same ideas - he bedwets, he's kidnapped, he has a party, etc..

but Diff'rent Strokes was always a top rated show with kids so I can see why they made the addition..

ThomasE · 02-22-2001, 10:27 PM

I heard that NBC was canceling the show. It's good that ABC did pick it up. As a kid, it would frustrate me that ABC had pulled the plug for a few weeks then bring it back to a Different night.
----------------------------------
Ellen: You have always wanted to be the center of attention. Honestly Eunice, don't you ever give up?

Eunice: You're just jealous because my husband doesn't run around with other women.

Ellen: 'Course not. Who'd want him?

arnoldtoddfan · 03-05-2006, 02:20 PM

prefered the ones without sam but all were enjoyable

Scoobiedoo30 · 03-10-2006, 03:00 PM

The Addition of Sam was a Great edition of The Series Diff'rent Strokes

GeorgeWBushGOP · 03-13-2006, 02:43 PM

Sam was just there because Arnold was not a cute little preteen anymore.

I basically completely stopped watching this show when they added castmembers.

I never would watch them in syndication either. The show should have ended in 84 IMO~~

88survivor · 03-22-2006, 03:34 PM

Wasn't Drummond's wife played by two different actresses(a.k.a Family Matters and Prince of Bel Air)?

Sam was okay, but he seem to put on that phoney Texas accent he had.

James · 04-03-2006, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88survivor

Wasn't Drummond's wife played by two different actresses(a.k.a Family Matters and Prince of Bel Air)?

Sam was okay, but he seem to put on that phoney Texas accent he had.

Just for the record, Danny Cooksey (who played Sam) hailed from Oklahoma, which is just to the north of the Lone Star State. You can check out his biography at http://imdb.com/name/nm0177528/.

everett552 · 04-03-2006, 04:40 PM

of course, I didn't care for the little squirt myself. Looking like a red net and he had the worst voice in the world.. Man, that little boy use to irk me so. I preferred the episodes with the original cast before Mr. Drummond got married.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madness

Which episodes does everyone prefer. With or without Sam McKinney? Personally, I thought he was a very good addition. Anyone think he wasn't necessary?

[This message has been edited by Madness (edited 02-18-2001).]

megamanj2004 · 04-03-2006, 05:12 PM

Talk about jumping the shark! JtS moment #6!

New Kid in town...Sam!!!

Like Laverne and Shirley, I hold this show to also jump twice in the same time period. Why? B/C:

It jumped when:

- Mr. Drummond got married to Maggie (yes, two actresses played the same role)

- And the addition of Sam, the equivalent of the addition of Olivia on the Cosby Show and why Cobsy JtS'd later on as well!

I couldn't stand Sam, b/c he kept on asking too many stupid questions at the wrong times!

I also couldn't stomach the last two seasons also, b/c:

-ABC screwed DS big time, especially since Webster was also on that network
-And of all three Embassy Television shows (DS, Facts of Life, and Silver Spoons in particular) that updated their themes in their later seasons, DS has the worst-sounding theme update of the three!

Curses to the Sam-era eps.!!!

Brian Damage · 05-08-2006, 09:07 AM

Sam wasn't cute nor funny. He really brought down the show.

02-18-2001, 04:32 AM	#1
Madness I call it the rocket Senior Member Join Date: May 03, 2000 Posts: 2,047	The addition of Sam Which episodes does everyone prefer. With or without Sam McKinney? Personally, I thought he was a very good addition. Anyone think he wasn't necessary? [This message has been edited by Madness (edited 02-18-2001).]

03-10-2006, 03:00 PM	#9
Scoobiedoo30 Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Jun 27, 2002 Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA Posts: 27,654	The addition of Sam The Addition of Sam was a Great edition of The Series Diff'rent Strokes
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04-03-2006, 05:12 PM	#14
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,357	Talk about jumping the shark! JtS moment #6! New Kid in town...Sam!!! Like Laverne and Shirley, I hold this show to also jump twice in the same time period. Why? B/C: It jumped when: - Mr. Drummond got married to Maggie (yes, two actresses played the same role) - And the addition of Sam, the equivalent of the addition of Olivia on the Cosby Show and why Cobsy JtS'd later on as well! I couldn't stand Sam, b/c he kept on asking too many stupid questions at the wrong times! I also couldn't stomach the last two seasons also, b/c: -ABC screwed DS big time, especially since Webster was also on that network -And of all three Embassy Television shows (DS, Facts of Life, and Silver Spoons in particular) that updated their themes in their later seasons, DS has the worst-sounding theme update of the three! Curses to the Sam-era eps.!!!
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05-08-2006, 09:07 AM	#15
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	Sam wasn't cute nor funny. He really brought down the show.
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02-20-2001, 11:34 PM	#2
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	Ah. I thought Sam was a cute kid. He was a good addition. He looked up to Arnold. My favorite Sam episode was when he was kidnapped.

02-21-2001, 11:40 PM	#3
APPLEI Member Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 16, 2000 Location: JACKSON MI. 49203 Posts: 810	BY THE TIME SAM JOINED THE CAST OF DIFFERENT STROKES THE SHOW WAS PAST IT'S PRIME AND HEADING DOWNHILL. ------------------

02-22-2001, 11:36 AM	#4
perezd Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 27, 2000 Location: Bronx, N.Y., U.S.A. Posts: 148	sam was cool but it was too late for DS its going a bit down little by little. I think the eps. where they kidnapped sam should have been the final eps. ABC kinda screwed over DS on purpose to boost Webster which never compared to DS.

02-22-2001, 02:02 PM	#5
JohnMcMillin Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 29, 2000 Location: louisville, ky, USA Posts: 380	I agree about ABC, why did they get the show anyways? DS was still getting reasonable ratings during the 1984-1985 season, yet ABC got the rights instead. And they placed DS up against Dallas, and never gave it any promotion either. Diff'rent Strokes could've ran maybe another season (nobody knew it was on ABC, I used to watch it on NBC when I was little, and had no idea the last season even happened), or at least had a proper farewell episode had ABC treated it better. But still, the show had seen it's peak when Sam came in.

02-22-2001, 07:11 PM	#6
TJ Site Owner Administrator Forum Star Join Date: Feb 03, 2000 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 10,662	I prefer the episodes without Sam, they re-used many of the same ideas - he bedwets, he's kidnapped, he has a party, etc.. but Diff'rent Strokes was always a top rated show with kids so I can see why they made the addition..

02-22-2001, 10:27 PM	#7
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I heard that NBC was canceling the show. It's good that ABC did pick it up. As a kid, it would frustrate me that ABC had pulled the plug for a few weeks then bring it back to a Different night. ---------------------------------- Ellen: You have always wanted to be the center of attention. Honestly Eunice, don't you ever give up? Eunice: You're just jealous because my husband doesn't run around with other women. Ellen: 'Course not. Who'd want him?

03-05-2006, 02:20 PM	#8
arnoldtoddfan Banned Banned!! Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 27, 2005 Posts: 72	prefered the ones without sam but all were enjoyable

03-13-2006, 02:43 PM	#10
GeorgeWBushGOP Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 04, 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 802	Sam was just there because Arnold was not a cute little preteen anymore. I basically completely stopped watching this show when they added castmembers. I never would watch them in syndication either. The show should have ended in 84 IMO~~

03-22-2006, 03:34 PM	#11
88survivor Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 03, 2006 Location: NY Posts: 1,848	Wasn't Drummond's wife played by two different actresses(a.k.a Family Matters and Prince of Bel Air)? Sam was okay, but he seem to put on that phoney Texas accent he had.