Why was NBC in the toilet in the late '70s?

[KEVIN_224]

Somebody created a meme stating how Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill) ended up being a better father than Cliff Huxtable and Eric Camden of 7th Heaven. Making the real life reference to Cosby and Stephen Collins, of course!

I remember how CBS was limping around after they lost the rights to the NFL and baseball in the 1990s. Then again, I was OK with them losing baseball, since I always thought NBC's coverage was better anyways. (CBS had baseball from 1990 to 1993.)

[bandit957]

Somebody created a meme stating how Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill) ended up being a better father than Cliff Huxtable and Eric Camden of 7th Heaven. Making the real life reference to Cosby and Stephen Collins, of course!

I remember how CBS was limping around after they lost the rights to the NFL and baseball in the 1990s. Then again, I was OK with them losing baseball, since I always thought NBC's coverage was better anyways. (CBS had baseball from 1990 to 1993.)

I remember about 15 years ago, CBS was obsessed with showing the boring and overrated college basketball "selection Sunday" show each year. They were losing money and viewers hand over foot over this, but they had a contract to show it for years into the future. I don't know if it's expired yet.

I couldn't stand it.

[KEVIN_224]

I seem to recall a season much more recently where NBC was actually fourth for a time, behind even FOX.

[Brandon]

This thread reminds me of an early SNL skit titled 'Jeopardy 2020'.  When given the answer "Baa Baa Black Sheep", Chevy Chase replied "What's the longest running show in television history?"

I didn't know there was even a Jeopardy parody in the 70s.

It was a single skit, not a recurring one.  IIRC, the skit was in either the first or second season of SNL.

They did more skits later, based off celebrity Jeopardy!.  The-rapists, Mr. Connery?

[cwf1701]

I think that was the Cosby Show and a few others that helped it out then.  Just what we needed at the time...someone clean and wholesome that would never cause any trouble for anyone.

And Miami Vice (MTV without the disk jockeys), St. Elsewhere, Hill Street Blues, The A-Team, Cheers, The Golden Girls, and others.

[roadman65]

I remember in the early '80s, CBS had a spin-off of 'The Jeffersons' that lasted something like 3 episodes.

Spin-off of spin-off...

Florence the maid got her own sitcom before 227.  She had Mash's Larry Linville as a supporting actor as Florence got hired as an Executive Housekeeper in a hotel that George had a cleaning contract with.  Larry Linville played the Hotel Manager who was against Florence being hired for the position as it was the owner (played by John Anderson, not from Yes lol, but veteran actor known for many roles and MacGyver's grandfather) who hired her.  The love to hate antics of Marla Gibbs and Larry Linville were not that good as Florence and George, so it never took off.  However Marla Gibbs had a clause in her contract if her show did not make a hit or got cancelled she could reprise her old role on the Jeffersons.

That name of that short-lived sitcom was called Checking In. 
IIRC, a similar situation (not sure of the exact contract clause) happened when Sonny Shroyer (Enos from Dukes of Hazzard) briefly left the show to a spin-off show of his own, called Enos.  The spin-off show was cancelled and he, Shroyer, returned to the parent show as if his departure ever happened.

Smart move as many leave a program to join another that flops, but cannot return as with actor Norman Fell of Three's Company who left to star in the Roper's, but that show failed after one season and the actor could not return to Threes Company as Don Knotts took his place already.

When Polly Holliday left Alice to do her own sitcom Flo; not only was the spin-off show cancelled (due to low ratings) but her replacement on the parent show, Diane Ladd who played Flo in the original movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (she played Belle on the TV show), was ultimately fired roughly a year after joining the cast.  After such happened, Holliday was asked if she was interested in returning to Alice following Ladd's firing but she turned it down.  Saying that once she left the nest, that was it.  The role of the third waitress on Alice ultimately went to Celia Weston, who played Jolene.

Actually Sonny Shroyer was replaced by Rick Hurst and when Shroyer returned they had him and Hurst together for part of a season before they thought two deputies was too much.   That was the year most fans were pissed that the producers replaced the two lead actors with knock offs due to salary demands that the producers would not give into until the Nielsen's showed that people were not watching.  So they gave in and rehired Wopat and Schneider both and fired the new leads.

Ropers both could not return due to budget as Don Knotts was on payroll then and no money to rehire and then what happened if they had two landlords? One would have nothing to do and be a fifth wheel.   Just like Jennilee Harrison as they kept her as supporting actress after they gave the other lead to Pricilla Barnes because the production company found that Harrison had no sex appeal with us men.  Though I thought Jenilee Harrison was more attractive than even Suzanne Somers and Miss Barnes. Harrison was given Chuck Cunningham Syndrome and dropped after a lack of place for her in the show as Third support role.

[bandit957]

Ropers both could not return due to budget as Don Knotts was on payroll then and no money to rehire and then what happened if they had two landlords?

Maybe the Ropers could have used eminent domain.

[roadman65]

Sure have 😂 as Furley sucked. As much as as I liked Don Knotts the Ropers were funnier.  Plus Furley's gay remarks were not as funny as Roper's on Jack.

They should have had Ralph Furley accept the fact he had a coed apartment upstairs.

[PHLBOS]

Actually Sonny Shroyer was replaced by Rick Hurst and when Shroyer returned they had him and Hurst together for part of a season before they thought two deputies was too much.

Yes & no.  Rick Hurst's Cletus was also used for several episodes during the first two seasons prior to Enos' leaving during Season 3.  For the reunion shows in 1997 & 2000; both deputies, Enos & Cletus, were used.

[roadman65]

Yup as two episodes Sonny Shroyer was absent in the first two seasons.  Just like Ben Jones was as well and even had his replacement's name moved into the opening credits as well despite missing two episodes. Ditto for James Best when he missed five episodes in Season 3.  Dick Sergeant (Darrin number two) was credited as well as the bugle player on F Troop ( can't recall his name) during Best's short time off.

[jp the roadgeek]

And then there were the two Lionels on All In the Family/The Jeffersons.  The more well known one was Mike Evans, who played the character all the way from the All in the Family pilot and made the crossover to The Jeffersons for the first season.  After the first season, he left the show to concentrate more on his own show, Good Times (itself a spinoff of a spinoff in the Archieverse).  He was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for 2 seasons.  When Good Times ended its run, the original Lionel returned for a couple more seasons before being written out of the cast.  Meanwhile, George Jefferson was not seen or heard from until the 4th season of AITF, as Norman Lear was holding the part for Sherman Hemsley until his run in a Broadway play ended.  As a fill in, Louise was often accompanied by George's brother Henry.  George was finally introduced in a episode where Henry is thrown a going away party.   

[KeithE4Phx]

Dick Sergeant (Darrin number two) was credited as well as the bugle player on F Troop ( can't recall his name) during Best's short time off.

James Hampton played bugler Pvt. Hannibal Dobbs.  Per IMDB, Hampton appeared on all 65 episodes of F Troop, one of 5 actors who did (the others being Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch, Ken Berry, and Melody Patterson).

You sure about Dick Sargent?  He doesn't show up in IMDB as having acted on F Troop, either under the series' listing or his own.  Sargent was in two episodes of The Dukes of Hazard in 1980, playing Sheriff Grady Byrd in both.  Maybe that's where he replaced Best for a time.

[PHLBOS]

Correction shown in blue & bold emphasis added:

Dick Sargent (Darrin number two) was credited as well as the bugle player on F Troop ( can't recall his name) during Best's short time off.

James Hampton played bugler Pvt. Hannibal Dobbs.  Per IMDB, Hampton appeared on all 65 episodes of F Troop, one of 5 actors who did (the others being Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch, Ken Berry, and Melody Patterson).

You sure about Dick Sargent?  He doesn't show up in IMDB as having acted on F Troop, either under the series' listing or his own.  Sargent was in two episodes of The Dukes of Hazard in 1980, playing Sheriff Grady Byrd in both.  Maybe that's where he replaced Best for a time.

You might want to reread Roadman65's post again.  He never stated that Dick Sargent appeared on F Troop.  The as well as in his earlier post was in reference to Dukes of Hazzard.

[roadman]

This thread reminds me of an early SNL skit titled 'Jeopardy 2020'.  When given the answer "Baa Baa Black Sheep", Chevy Chase replied "What's the longest running show in television history?"

I didn't know there was even a Jeopardy parody in the 70s.

It was a single skit, not a recurring one.  IIRC, the skit was in either the first or second season of SNL.

They did more skits later, based off celebrity Jeopardy!.  The-rapists, Mr. Connery?

Thanks for the correction.  Gave up on SNL a year or two after most of the original cast left.

[roadman65]

I gave up on SNL after the original left and when they roasted the politicians instead of showing the public their stands on the war in Washington and bashing.

The good ole days were Jane Curtain, Chevy Chase, the late John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, and even Garrett Morris.

[jeffandnicole]

I gave up on SNL after the original left and when they roasted the politicians instead of showing the public their stands on the war in Washington and bashing.

The good ole days were Jane Curtain, Chevy Chase, the late John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, and even Garrett Morris.

I wanna say it was the 90's where SNL almost collapsed, especially amid competition from other networks.  SNL survived though, and now it tends to hold a steady audience.  They just deal with the ever-lasting "the show was better in the past" complaints, but it still has a decent following today. 

You gotta wonder how some skits make it thru writing and the Sat evening rehearsal though to actually make it on the air.  If some of the bad skits made it through, you gotta wonder just how worse some of the other skits were that were cut after rehearsal!  The best skits tend to be the soft opening and right after the opening.  After Weekend Update, often times the only other skit worth watching is the very last skit of the night.

[roadman]

I gave up on SNL after the original left and when they roasted the politicians instead of showing the public their stands on the war in Washington and bashing.

The good ole days were Jane Curtin, Chevy Chase, the late John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, and even Garrett Morris.

FIFY.

[bandit957]

I haven't watched 'SNL' in years. Probably the last time I watched it was when they had the guy doing Ronald Reagan who kept saying, "Damn!"

[KEVIN_224]

I believe that was Randy Quaid playing Reagan at the time.

My favorite cast for Saturday Night Live will always be 1986-90. Hartman, Hooks, Lovitz, Carvey, Miller, Nealon, etc.

OK...back into the proverbial toilet bowl and the Peacock now.

[roadman65]

Akaroyd as Jimmy Carter was classic!

[hbelkins]

I gave up on SNL after the original left and when they roasted the politicians instead of showing the public their stands on the war in Washington and bashing.

The good ole days were Jane Curtain, Chevy Chase, the late John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, and even Garrett Morris.

I lasted until the Eddie Murphy era was over. SNL was must-see TV in my latter high school years and well into college, especially when Steve Martin was a semi-permanent guest host.

I still refer to some of the classic skits -- The Coneheads, "Jane, you ignorant slut," Emily Litella's "nevermind," and "Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead!"

[bandit957]

I remember "I'm Gumby, dammit!", "Bizarro World", and the doctor who listed medical conditions with funny names. I was really too young for 'SNL' when those aired, but I happened to overhear the TV from the living room when my parents were watching (even though it was on pretty late).

[bandit957]

I remember a movie on cable when I was about 10 that actually showed a pipe dropping what looked like big piles of POOP on various household objects. I happened to be in the room when it was on, and my parents shut the TV off.

[KEVIN_224]

I remember "I'm Gumby, dammit!", "Bizarro World", and the doctor who listed medical conditions with funny names. I was really too young for 'SNL' when those aired, but I happened to overhear the TV from the living room when my parents were watching (even though it was on pretty late).

The "doctor" was Tim Kazurinsky. He would mention tennis players having "Bjorn Borgasms" or talk about the guy who wrote memorable headlines for the New York Post. That cast also included Gary Kroger, Mary Gross (sister of Michael Gross from "Family Ties") and husband/wife Brad Hall/Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

[Life in Paradise]

I remember a movie on cable when I was about 10 that actually showed a pipe dropping what looked like big piles of POOP on various household objects. I happened to be in the room when it was on, and my parents shut the TV off.

You are referring to "The Groove Tube" and it is a small in movie advertisement for Brown 25 from the Uranus Corporation.  Google that and you will see the clip on You Tube.