"Jump The Cans"

[Sal]

For those of you who love "Jump The Shark", I present to you a new game for sitcom lovers which I call "Jump The Cans". I thought of it a few days ago while reading the Shark website. While I do consider the site to be fun and funny, it occurred to me that trashing your favorite sitcoms trying to find the exact moment when they stop being funny does not do justice to some of those shows, while with others it's well deserved. Now this just might be my opinion alone, but I was thinking wouldn't you feel better talking about when your favorite show was at its best rather than trying to remember when it was at its worst? So that's what I'm asking you to do, using any sitcoms from the 1950s to today. See if you can determine when they were at their peak, their absolute best, and explain why.

You should notice that the name, also like the Shark, comes from a "Happy Days" episode. It's the one where "Fearless Fonzarelli" jumps over---no, not a shark---but 14 garbage cans as a stunt for a TV show. At this point, in the series' 3rd season, Fonziemania was at its highest, propelling the series to the #1 spot in the ratings and solidyfying ABC as the #1 network for the rest of the 1970s. Hence my name, "Jump The Cans". If you disagree, wel, go ahead and tell me. Before you do, let me first 'jump in' with my thoughts about other shows.

Three's Company---When Chrissy was one of the main characters.

My Three Sons---When Chip was dating Polly.

The Monkees---The first season.

Gilligan's Island---The really silly off-beat episodes, like when Gilligan thinks he's Mary Ann and everyone else suffers an identity crisis, or when everyone develops superpowers thanks to eating some strange vegetables.

Bewitched---The Uncle Arthur episodes.

I Dream Of Jeannie---The ones where Jeannie gets locked in a safe and the ones where she can't remember her birthday.

Friends---When Ross and Rachel first started seeing each other, before the relationship got really, really tiresome.

Family Affair---The Christmas episode. Enough said.




OK, now it's your turn.

[James]

Here are mine:

The Andy Griffith Show - Two words: BARNEY FIFE

Growing Pains - when the theme song was sung by none other than B. J. Thomas

Home Improvement - when Randy was around (and not on that project in Costa Rica)

Perfect Strangers - when Larry and Balki worked at the Ritz Discount Store (I personally hated the episodes that centered around the Chicago Chronicle! They should have stayed at the Fat Marsha's burger joint!)

Step By Step - Two words: CODY LAMBERT

The Waltons - when Olivia was present in the Walton house (1972-1979)

The Wonder Years - when Kevin, Paul, and Winnie were at RFK Junior High School (1988-1991). The high school episodes weren't as good IMHO--I can only pick out a handful worth watching today.

[treky]

my picks are: "The Andy Griffith show"-just 3 words- BARNEY FIFE & COLOR-I'm sure that speaks for itself.

"The Beverly Hillbillies"-the very early years
"MASH'-4 words-THE ALAN ALDA SHOW-that also speaks for itself, as does my next one
"Happy Days"-the Fonzie show


"Laverne & Shirley"-when they were in Millwaukee (when they moved, was it really nesecary for half the town to move with them??)

"Bewitched"-before "the great Darrin switch"

[mstewart]

Family Ties - The first three and a half seasons when there were more stories dealing with Steven and Elyse Keaton as a couple and the Keaton's as a family before it turn into the Michael J. Fox sitcom.

One Day At A Time - In the third season when they made Bonnie Franklin look better and got her out of that plain Jane housewife look. Her haircut in the fourth season definitely bought her beauty out.

Coach - When Shelley Fabares straighten her hair for the last season and a half. She definitely, for a woman her age, looked very attractive and younger

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Rhoda and Phyllis years were very good. Those three women together and their different personalities provided the audience with good comedy and the best female bonding TV has witnessed.

All In the Family - The first five seasons, especially seasons three through five, were classic with the four them living together. The eighth season, the final one with Mike and Gloria, was very good. Powerful storylines and powerful performances by the four of them made the show still look fresh as though it was in the early seasons.

The Cosby Show - The first two seasons was very good the potential of a classic sitcom

Three's Company - When Joyce DeWitt got rid of that god awful perm and had the Pat Benatar look and grew her hair out. She was always to me the best looking roommate.

Eight Is Enough - Sandra Sue "Abby" Abbott. Betty Buckley brought a lot to the table and put a lot into the character. Given the tragic circumstances of Diana Hyland's death the show did well by bringing in a new wife for Tom Bradford. The chemistry between Dick Van Patten and Betty Buckley was outstanding in spite of their age difference. Buckley put out some powerful dramatic performances in her role as Abby. Many of her episodes was emotionally grabbing.

Growing Pains - The first season theme song was sung only by B.J. Thomas. He have a powerful voice.

Cheers - The Diane years. The dialogue on the show with Shelley Long, especially in the first two seasons, was clever and full of intellect.

[Sitcomwriter]

Friends-The Early Episodes
Will & Grace-The Early Episodes
Curb Your Enthusiasm-The Early Episodes
Good Morning Miami-Before the whole love triangle started.Sure it was fun but I would have preferred Jake just chasing Dylan the whole series.

[Cactus Jack]

Originally posted by mstewart


The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Rhoda and Phyllis years were very good. Those three women together and their different personalities provided the audience with good comedy and the best female bonding TV has witnessed.

.

I agree, TMTMAS I thought was best during 1970-1974, when all 3 of them were together, I like the last 3 seaosn,s but those were certainly the best MTM episodes

[Kristen]

Originally posted by Istillgotit

I agree, TMTMAS I thought was best during 1970-1974, when all 3 of them were together, I like the last 3 seaosn,s but those were certainly the best MTM episodes

I'll add my agreement to this too. Don't get me wrong, I love all seven seasons of TMTMS, but those first four years were great! I've always wished that Valerie Harper had stayed the whole time instead of going on to the spinoff "Rhoda".

Kristen

[AtlantaBravesFan29]

The Andy Griffith Show--The First 5 Seasons In B & W,all wonderful shows
All In The Family--When Archie,Edith,Mike and Gloria were together are classic
Gilligan's Island--Classic Show,especially the episode with the double Gilligans,etc.
The Beverly Hillbillies--Classic show also,the B & W years and the first 3 years in color qualify as great in my opinion.
Mary Tyler Moore Show--Great show from beginning to end.
Dick Van Dyke Show--Ditto
Happy Days--When Richie, Potsie and Ralph were together for the 7 seasons were classic,after that it became the Fonzie show.
Laverne and Shirley--The Milwaukee Years,the best.

[Chocoholic]

Wings- seasons 2 through 6

NewsRadio- seasons 1 through 4

Taxi- seasons 2 through 5

The Simpsons- Seasons 1 through 9

[LucyFan]

The Lucy Show- All six seasons were great but the first was sear classic. There were so many classic moments within that one season. The chemistry between Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance was still great as like on I Love Lucy and the plots of the episodes were very well-written. It was definitely the highest peak of the entire series.

I Love Lucy- The show was great all the way through. Each season was just plain good. It's difficult to point out the highest peak of this show.

The Brady Bunch- I consider the last season the highest peak of this show because they were much older.

The Wonder Years- Same as TBB.

Laverne & Shirley- Once again, it is hard to identify the highest peak but I must say that the Milaukie years were extremely good as well as the first season of California.

Three's Company- The Chrissy Years were definitely the peak years. After Chrissy left, the show sort of went downhill.

Happy Days- This show was at its highest peak when they had the four boys together: Fonzie, Richie, Potsie, and Ralph. I consider seasons 3 to 7 as the peak years of the show.

Here's Lucy- This is another one that is difficult. All six seasons had some very good episodes as well as so-so episodes. But . . . . if I had to choose, I would say the first three seasons were probably the peak years.

[Sitcomwriter]

Wings-The Casey Years

Newhart-Any episode that deals with Dick's talk show.

The Larry Sanders Show-After Larry got divorced (although "Artie's Gone" is one of the best episodes)