Before Barbara or after? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

mcgwirefan · 07-18-2003, 02:40 PM

I liked the show better before Beverly Garland came on to play Barbara. I know they needed to update it, but I'd rather have seen more of Robbie and Katie. Whadya think?

hawaii five-o · 07-19-2003, 02:26 PM

I like Barbara, but I think the show was best during the black and white years when it featured a house full of guys. That was pretty unique for the 1960's.

tdr · 07-19-2003, 08:24 PM

I still regret that I have never gotten to see many of the B&W's, but I know the first 2 color seasons were much like the B&W years, except it was Uncle Charley and Ernie instead of Bub and Mike. But it was obviously an expected story line for a woman to get interested in Steve, a handsome professional man with a ready-made family if that's also what she wanted. I don't know if fans from the 60's ever thought it would really happen that he would get remarried on the show, but after things had already changed considerably (Katie and the triplets), I guess I too would have thought, "Why not?" The show could not be the same [5 men from grammar school age to social security] anyway, so-- allow to happen what probably would happen; this widower so many women get interested in finally gets interested back and there is nothing to deter it.

But that is not to say, of course, that the show would still be as good; just that time does move forward and people and situations change.

vze3t9q9 · 05-12-2004, 09:18 PM

Well I did prefer before Barbara. But I think it may have been better if Barbara's child was a little older. I felt Steve was more in the grandfather stage by the time he married Barbara. Maybe a girl Ernie's age would have been better. They could have had squabbles about school. Or be a friend to Chips wife.

hawaii five-o · 05-13-2004, 02:04 PM

I agree that Dodie should have been a little older. Plus, she could be a little whiney and annoying at times. I guess they wanted a cute kid so they could get younger viewers, since Ernie was getting older.

TJL · 05-13-2004, 02:20 PM

I watched "My Three Sons" alot in reruns when I was a kid, but for some reason, the post 1965 eps were the only ones I saw. I assume that's because the 1965-72 epsisodes were on CBS, and therefore were syndicated differently.
I probably don't think I have ever seen any of the early episodes with Bill Frawley or Tim Constantine as Mike.

Mr. Television · 06-26-2004, 04:01 PM

The only episodes I saw growing up were the color ones and my cable company didn't have N@N when the black and white shows reran on it so I've seen very few black and white episodes. I prefer the shows before Barbara too.

Skywalker · 02-09-2005, 02:23 AM

Before

Angelique 2 · 09-20-2005, 11:33 PM

Before but that isn't against Beverly who I liked I think the show was just funnier in the early and middle years.BG said she tried to give Barbra more spunk to go along with the changing time but was told a more passive Barbara was wanted ,too bad her way would have made the show better.

Keith62 · 09-22-2005, 03:49 PM

Though I do like Beverly Garland, I would have to say the show was better before Barbara. Even though I don't remember the b&w episodes when the originally aired, I did get to see some of them 12 years ago and became a big fan of those episodes. The first five seasons had to been the best of that series. They need to get them on DVD.

Classicshowsgurl15 · 06-12-2006, 09:38 PM

I like it better when Barbara is on it. I think it is a little better.

texaskdog · 03-21-2024, 11:20 PM

Yeah Steve was 61 and Barbara was 43. I liked her and her character (even if it was better in the B & W days) but Dodie trying to be the cute kid just wasn't. Barbara's constant correction of grammar drove me nuts.

07-18-2003, 02:40 PM	#1
mcgwirefan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 03, 2003 Posts: 458	Before Barbara or after? I liked the show better before Beverly Garland came on to play Barbara. I know they needed to update it, but I'd rather have seen more of Robbie and Katie. Whadya think?
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05-13-2004, 02:20 PM	#6
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	I watched "My Three Sons" alot in reruns when I was a kid, but for some reason, the post 1965 eps were the only ones I saw. I assume that's because the 1965-72 epsisodes were on CBS, and therefore were syndicated differently. I probably don't think I have ever seen any of the early episodes with Bill Frawley or Tim Constantine as Mike.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

06-26-2004, 04:01 PM	#7
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	The only episodes I saw growing up were the color ones and my cable company didn't have N@N when the black and white shows reran on it so I've seen very few black and white episodes. I prefer the shows before Barbara too.
	__________________ Sonny

09-22-2005, 03:49 PM	#10
Keith62 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 07, 2005 Posts: 7	Before Barbara Though I do like Beverly Garland, I would have to say the show was better before Barbara. Even though I don't remember the b&w episodes when the originally aired, I did get to see some of them 12 years ago and became a big fan of those episodes. The first five seasons had to been the best of that series. They need to get them on DVD.

06-12-2006, 09:38 PM	#11
Classicshowsgurl15 Happy Days Senior Member Join Date: Jun 28, 2004 Location: California Posts: 2,088	I like it better when Barbara is on it. I think it is a little better.
	__________________ “All our young lives we search for someone to love, someone who makes us complete. We choose partners and change partners. We dance to a song of heartbreak and hope, all the while wondering if somewhere, somehow, there's someone perfect who might be searching for us.” - The Wonder Years

07-19-2003, 02:26 PM	#2
hawaii five-o Book 'Em, Dano Senior Member Join Date: Jun 27, 2003 Location: At home, eating cereal straight out of the box Posts: 1,406	I like Barbara, but I think the show was best during the black and white years when it featured a house full of guys. That was pretty unique for the 1960's.

07-19-2003, 08:24 PM	#3
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	I still regret that I have never gotten to see many of the B&W's, but I know the first 2 color seasons were much like the B&W years, except it was Uncle Charley and Ernie instead of Bub and Mike. But it was obviously an expected story line for a woman to get interested in Steve, a handsome professional man with a ready-made family if that's also what she wanted. I don't know if fans from the 60's ever thought it would really happen that he would get remarried on the show, but after things had already changed considerably (Katie and the triplets), I guess I too would have thought, "Why not?" The show could not be the same [5 men from grammar school age to social security] anyway, so-- allow to happen what probably would happen; this widower so many women get interested in finally gets interested back and there is nothing to deter it. But that is not to say, of course, that the show would still be as good; just that time does move forward and people and situations change.

05-12-2004, 09:18 PM	#4
vze3t9q9 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 31, 2003 Location: ROCKCOVE Posts: 548	Well I did prefer before Barbara. But I think it may have been better if Barbara's child was a little older. I felt Steve was more in the grandfather stage by the time he married Barbara. Maybe a girl Ernie's age would have been better. They could have had squabbles about school. Or be a friend to Chips wife.

05-13-2004, 02:04 PM	#5
hawaii five-o Book 'Em, Dano Senior Member Join Date: Jun 27, 2003 Location: At home, eating cereal straight out of the box Posts: 1,406	I agree that Dodie should have been a little older. Plus, she could be a little whiney and annoying at times. I guess they wanted a cute kid so they could get younger viewers, since Ernie was getting older.

02-09-2005, 02:23 AM	#8
Skywalker Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2003 Posts: 14,204	Before

09-20-2005, 11:33 PM	#9
Angelique 2 Angeliique 2 Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 15, 2005 Location: California Posts: 93	Before but that isn't against Beverly who I liked I think the show was just funnier in the early and middle years.BG said she tried to give Barbra more spunk to go along with the changing time but was told a more passive Barbara was wanted ,too bad her way would have made the show better.

03-21-2024, 11:20 PM	#12
texaskdog Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 03, 2024 Location: Texas Posts: 18	Yeah Steve was 61 and Barbara was 43. I liked her and her character (even if it was better in the B & W days) but Dodie trying to be the cute kid just wasn't. Barbara's constant correction of grammar drove me nuts.