Is it really true that...

[Chocoholic]

USA netowrk wanted the cast of Wings to get together and do a reunion special a couple of years ago? I remember hearing that rumor, I think it was back in 2001. Either it was just a rumor or they really tried, but the plans fell through or something.

[pilotguy]

Originally posted by Snoopy
USA netowrk wanted the cast of Wings to get together and do a reunion special a couple of years ago? I remember hearing that rumor, I think it was back in 2001. Either it was just a rumor or they really tried, but the plans fell through or something.

I've never heard that, but it's possible....

We've discussed this before, but there two different types of "Reunion" specials for older TV series:

1. The first is where the actors actually revive the series premise. They portray their old characters and pick up the series in the present day with a new story.

2. The second is more of a "documentary" or "inside look"-type special, where the actors do NOT appear as the old characters, but rather as themselves, sitting around and talking about what it was like to do the show, while showing clips from old episodes.

While it may sound tempting to have the first kind of reunion special, those are usually very disappointing (and sometimes they're downright DEPRESSING) to watch. Most of them seem forced, and the quality of writing is almost NEVER as good as what it was with the original series. I guess it's the old saying "You can't go home again".

I think that we would have a MUCH better chance of having the "Wings" cast reunite for the second type of special. Everyone could sit around, have a few laughs and remember funny or interesting "behind-the-scenes" stories....I even think that Thomas Haden Church might show up for THAT type of reunion special!

[Adamantium]

I miss "Wings" being on USA. I like the edits from N@N better, however USA treated the show better. I just wish I was a fan of the show when they played it four times a day. By the time I started watching, it was only an hour every morning and soon after they changed it to just once a day. It was just great to wake up go downstairs to my basement/family room and turn on Wings. My days went better then. Now I don't even watch Wings on N@N (Well except for this week, I'm staying up all night since I'm on vacation).

Now that I remember, sometimes USA would pre-empt Wings for a week to show Tennis. That used to upset me.

Of course if USA as planning a reunion back in 2001 it would have been too soon. Reunions are better if the viewers have to wait a few years.

[wingshock]

Originally posted by pilotguy
2. The second is more of a "documentary" or "inside look"-type special, where the actors do NOT appear as the old characters, but rather as themselves, sitting around and talking about what it was like to do the show, while showing clips from old episodes.

Right - like the recent Andy Griffith show reunion. That was wonderful. I'd love to see that kind also.

Love,

Wing<><

[pilotguy]

Originally posted by wingshock
Right - like the recent Andy Griffith show reunion. That was wonderful. I'd love to see that kind also.

Love,

Wing<><

Actually, "The Andy Griffith Show" had BOTH types of reunions....the last one where the cast members appeared as themselves and reminisced....THAT one was very enjoyable...but several years earlier they had reunited for a made-for-TV movie called "Return to Mayberry" or something like that...and it was PITIFUL!

[phoebe7165]

I, too, would prefer the reunion where the cast sits around and reminisce, and shows clips, just like they did on the MASH reunion. I think they should wait 10 years though and make it a 10-year anniversary show. I have a feeling that NBC won't do anything like that though, unfortunately.

[losthighway]

I remember reading an interview with Crystal Bernard and she pretty much said a reunion would never happen. She said all the cast got along great but that they all felt it was best to leave that alone.

Considering Wings couldn't even get a mention on the NBC 75TH anniversary show I am quite certain NBC would never do it. I would think they are the only network that would have the rights to do a reunion show. Unless they relented to another network or cable channel. But at least Crystal acted like there wasn't much interest from the cast anyway.

[pilotguy]

Originally posted by losthighway
I remember reading an interview with Crystal Bernard and she pretty much said a reunion would never happen. She said all the cast got along great but that they all felt it was best to leave that alone.

Considering Wings couldn't even get a mention on the NBC 75TH anniversary show I am quite certain NBC would never do it. I would think they are the only network that would have the rights to do a reunion show. Unless they relented to another network or cable channel. But at least Crystal acted like there wasn't much interest from the cast anyway.

I realize that NBC probably wouldn't be interested in airing a "Wings" reunion, but the cast's lack of interest is actually quite sad to hear.
Last year the network that was rerunning "Designing Women" (I believe that it was Lifetime, but I'm not sure) had a very nice reunion special with that series' cast doing a "reminiscing"-type show.

Some of you will probably get angry at me for this, but I HAVE to say it....

One of the things that I DON'T like about the "Wings" series is the lack of "team spirit" and "togetherness" that the cast seemed to have once the series ended. True, there were some "mini-reunions" (Steven Weber guesting on Tony Shalhoub's "Stark Raving Mad" and Tim Daly doing a quick cameo shot on "Monk"), but for the most part the various cast members consider their stint on "Wings" to be in the past and don't care to look back or appear together again.

I'm not saying that they should "live in the past" and DWELL on the series, but it WOULD be nice to see them acknowledge the series and occassionally appear together (in OR out of character) like some other series' cast members do ("Happy Days", "Dick Van Dyke", "Andy Griffith", "Mary Tyler Moore", "Carol Burnett", "Bob Newhart", etc.).....

OK, you can all start yelling at me now!

[Adamantium]

Maybe as the years go by, the cast will want to get back together for a reunion. They just want some time. I also heard that the cast of "Seinfeld" don't want to have a reunion for their show.

[pilotguy]

Originally posted by TVAdam
I also heard that the cast of "Seinfeld" don't want to have a reunion for their show.

I don't BLAME them after that TERRIBLE finale!

[Adamantium]

Originally posted by pilotguy
I don't BLAME them after that TERRIBLE finale!

It was bad wasn't it?

At least with Wings, they may not have had a great last season, but it's final episode made up for all that.

[pilotguy]

Originally posted by TVAdam
It was bad wasn't it?

At least with Wings, they may not have had a great last season, but it's final episode made up for all that.

While the series finale of "Wings" had an upbeat and fun tone to it (even with Joe and Helen leaving Nantucket for a year), the finale of "Seinfeld" left me feeling miserable and depressed....

A year in prison? Oh, come ON, now!

[Mariel]

Maybe Tony could have the other cast members guest-star on Monk. Like Monk could go to Nantucket to solve a mystery or something. Hehe.

Yeah, I agree, the Seinfeld finale gave me such a heavy feeling. I hated how they left it at that.

[Chocoholic]

Originally posted by Mariel
Like Monk could go to Nantucket to solve a mystery or something. Hehe.

Good idea! And maybe Tim could bring back that Dr. Kimble character and Monk can help him out while they're on the island. And the other Wings characters can be like, "Who are these people and why do they look exactly like Joe and Antonio?" I wonder if Antonio and Joe and Monk and Kimble would get along.

As for the Seinfeld finale, I actually liked it. I think the gang got exactly what they deserved. Seinfeld is another one of those shows that I don't understand the appeal of. While I do think the writing was great, the characters were not likable at all. I find that TV characters I can't stand often reflect the people I try to avoid in real life. (There are some exceptions, of course. Roy for one. He's funny, but in real life, I'd avoid him at all costs.)

[pilotguy]

Originally posted by Snoopy
[BAs for the Seinfeld finale, I actually liked it. I think the gang got exactly what they deserved. Seinfeld is another one of those shows that I don't understand the appeal of. While I do think the writing was great, the characters were not likable at all. I find that TV characters I can't stand often reflect the people I try to avoid in real life. (There are some exceptions, of course. Roy for one. He's funny, but in real life, I'd avoid him at all costs.) [/B]

Well, that explains why you liked the "Seinfeld" finale....You basically didn't like those characters.

Frankly, I'm hoping for a similar fate for the "Friends" gang in THEIR finale (if that EVER happens).....

Not only do I want to see Ross, Rachel, Monica, etc. end up in prison, but I want to see those whiny crybabies wind up with the worst fate possible....

I want to see them locked in a jail cell and FORCED TO WATCH ENDLESS RERUNS OF THEIR OWN SHOW!!!!!