Forgotten Sitcoms

[roadman65]

Anyone remember The Ropers?

[bandit957]

Anyone remember The Ropers?

Yes. It was a spinoff of 'Three's Company' around 1979-80.

[english si]

Did anyone see a "one and done" show from this list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_series_canceled_after_one_episode

Taskmaster (in the special mentions category as after cancellation, they did put the whole thing on their on-demand). It's not a sitcom, though it does put people in situations for comedic purposes. Obviously I didn't watch it on The CW as it aired. I watched it via the high seas as a fan of the UK series.

The US version faced the classic issues when transferring UK shows to the US (there's a lot of unaired pilots where they've tried and failed) - cultural differences, poor casting, and meddling with the format.

Removing it from the schedule due to low ratings for the first episode is a bit harsh too - the UK version didn't become popular until a few seasons in, having got there by word of mouth and winning awards. And it only really took off when one of the big networks bought the rights.

[bandit957]

I like some forgotten episodes of some really popular sitcoms.

I remember an episode of 'Three's Company' where Jack started a restaurant and Larry's family showed up and smashed all the dishes.

My favorite 'Brady Bunch' episode was the one where Jan crashed her bike into a portrait because she wasn't wearing her glasses.

I like an episode of 'Home Improvement' where the kids wasted a savings bond by buying a model car that they destroyed.

I also like an episode of 'All In The Family' where Edith gets a mink cape and it gets ruined by spaghetti sauce.

Also, there was the episode of 'The Cosby Show' where Vanessa got drunk and the 'Roseanne' episode where Becky farted.

[bandit957]

Another one I like is an episode of 'The Andy Griffith Show' where a spoiled kid gets his bike impounded.

[roadman65]

I liked the Gomer Pyle pilot on Andy Griffith when Gomer sang the Marine Corps Hymn with a bucket on his head.  The rest of the guys were trying so hard not to laugh.

Of course in that particular episode Sergeant Carter was a bit more abrasive than in the actual series.  When Gomer Pyle USMC aired, the Sarge was toned down a bit from the back door pilot.

[triplemultiplex]

I like an episode of 'Home Improvement' where the kids wasted a savings bond by buying a model car that they destroyed.

I also like an episode of 'All In The Family' where Edith gets a mink cape and it gets ruined by spaghetti sauce.

Ah the sitcom trope of "character pinches and saves to purchase special item; special item gets ruined either that character themselves or another character."  Seems like every show in the history of television with more than two seasons has done that episode.  Usually it's a story about telling the truth and forgiveness.  When The Simpsons first did it, that was the set piece for Santa's Little Helper to go to obedience school.  (Stellar job by Tracy Ulman as the instructor. )

[bandit957]

I like an episode of 'Home Improvement' where the kids wasted a savings bond by buying a model car that they destroyed.

I also like an episode of 'All In The Family' where Edith gets a mink cape and it gets ruined by spaghetti sauce.

Ah the sitcom trope of "character pinches and saves to purchase special item; special item gets ruined either that character themselves or another character."  Seems like every show in the history of television with more than two seasons has done that episode.  Usually it's a story about telling the truth and forgiveness.  When The Simpsons first did it, that was the set piece for Santa's Little Helper to go to obedience school.  (Stellar job by Tracy Ulman as the instructor. )

'The Simpsons' had a hilarious episode where they saved up to buy a rare comic book and it got ruined.

[mgk920]

Wasn't there an episode of the Beverly Hillbillies where (now) Caltrans bought a strip of ROW or a new freeway very near the Clampets' spread?  Also a scene in another episode where the Clampets are driving their loaded truck down a Los Angeles freeway and Granny comments that "At least they're all going the same way!".

Mike

[Route66Fan]

After looking through the r\ObscureMedia subreddit on Reddit, & browsing YouTube, I came across, at least, these 4, mostly forgotten (I say that because somebody obviously remembers\remembered them.), sitcoms:
The Righteous Apples, a high school 1980-82 PBS sitcom\dramedy, starring Joey Camen, Elizabeth "E. G." Daly (The voice of Tommy Pickles on "Rugrats".) & Mykel T. Williamson (Forrest Gump, Law & Order: Organized Crime)

Working Stiffs, a short lived 1979 CBS sitcom, starring Michael Keaton, Jim Belushi (Playing brothers who were janitors.), with recurring guest spots from Paul Reubens.

The Steven Banks Show, a bizarre 1994 PBS sitcom starring writer\comedian\musician Steven Banks, who plays a fictional version of himself. The sitcom was based on his one-man theatrical show titled "Home Entertainment Center". He later became a writer on Nickelodeon shows like "The Adventures of Jimmy Newtron, Boy Genius" & "SpongeBob SquarePants"

And finally, a short-lived sitcom that I actually remember watching.
Meego, a CBS sci-fi sitcom that only aired for 1 month (September-October.) in 1997 on CBS. This was when CBS was experimenting with having their own TGIF lineup (They even picked up Family Matters & Step by Step, for 1 additional season each, after ABC cancelled them. The show starred Bronson Pinchot, as the titular character, Ed Begley Jr. & Michelle Trachtenberg.

Those are the ones that I can think of right now.

[roadman65]

Not a forgotten sitcom but a forgotten episode of a popular sitcom that was reconnected in reruns from the original storyline.

Mork and Mindy, a spin off of Happy Days, was originally intended to be just an episode of Happy Days and no final plans were made until mid season after the first run and before the summer reruns of the season it aired.

The original episode had Mork played by Robin Williams as a dream Richie Cunningham had while fallen asleep on the sofa after being mocked by the gang at Arnold’s for claiming he saw a flying saucer.

In the later season rerun,  the ending was redone to feature Mork talking to Orsin that he played with Richie’s mind to make him think their encounter together was imagined and not really an actual event. This way Mork and Mindy was set in the future of Happy Days past and not an extension of Richies mind.

[abefroman329]

The US version faced the classic issues when transferring UK shows to the US (there's a lot of unaired pilots where they've tried and failed) - cultural differences, poor casting, and meddling with the format.

Dear Lord, where to begin with this:

It is nigh-impossible to Americanize a Britcom that satirizes the English class system (Are You Being Served?, Red Dwarf, Fawlty Towers).  Ricky Gervais all but said that they had to make a lot of changes when making The Office (US) since it's a heck of a lot harder to get rid of a bad employee in the UK than the US for various reasons, and Spaced (US) didn't really work because it's impossible for anyone to live like that in the US (although Simon Pegg has said that you couldn't make Spaced at a different time in history even in the UK).

Oddly enough, I think the list of American shows that were unsuccessfully remade for the UK market is much shorter (That 70s Show, The Golden Girls, something else that's slipped my mind entirely).

[abefroman329]

Remember 'Soap'?

'Soap' was pretty controversial, and I was much too young for it when it first aired. It was on after I went to bed, and I remember the theme music blaring in from the living room.

I wasn't allowed to watch it at first, though I saw it in reruns. A main controversy was t had the first openly gay character and many people were terrified.

I remember reading on a website that there was a sitcom around 1980 that was like 'The Brady Bunch' except the couple was a lesbian couple. But it only lasted 4 episodes or something.

There was an early, short-lived Fox sitcom that was basically an interracial BB, and you can only imagine how horrible the jokes were.  Worst of all, it was the last thing Cleavon Little made before he died.

And then there was Monty, a sitcom about a right-wing talk show host played by Henry Winkler whose family is left-wing.

[triplemultiplex]

'The Simpsons' had a hilarious episode where they saved up to buy a rare comic book and it got ruined.

Ah yes, Three Men and a Comic Book.  Classic.  First episode with the character Comic Book Guy.  Voice based on Hank Azaria's dorm-mate, if I remember correctly.

That means they did the "thing I was saving up for got ruined" sitcom plot twice in the same season.



These days, it seems everything I know about network TV sitcoms comes from commercials during football games.  So many commercials for some show where a lady talks to ghosts.  There's a future forgotten sitcom for sure.

[elsmere241]

There was an early, short-lived Fox sitcom that was basically an interracial BB, and you can only imagine how horrible the jokes were.  Worst of all, it was the last thing Cleavon Little made before he died.

It was called True Colors.  Cleavon Little only played the father in the second season.  He and Nancy Walker (the grandmother) both died right after the show wrapped.

[CtrlAltDel]

Somewhat more easily available but never reaired is The Powers That Be (1992-1993), an uneven political comedy (hilarious at times, offensive at others) including John Forsyth and a young David Hyde Pierce.

Interestingly enough, the whole series has recently been uploaded to You Tube, complete with early '90s commercials. Uneven, I think, just about sums it up, although I would say that Holland Taylor is a high point.

[tmoore952]

Taskmaster (in the special mentions category as after cancellation, they did put the whole thing on their on-demand). It's not a sitcom, though it does put people in situations for comedic purposes. Obviously I didn't watch it on The CW as it aired. I watched it via the high seas as a fan of the UK series.

Very much enjoyed the UK Taskmaster.
Also other UK game shows that would never make it here, they're too cerebral.

I watched more non-sports prime time TV in the two weeks I spent in the UK this year ---- than I ever have in any two week period in the US.

[ZLoth]

Also other UK game shows that would never make it here, they're too cerebral.

I've been catching episodes of Pointless and Countdown on YouTube. Of these two, Pointless would have a better chance of getting adapted provided the right questions are used.

Of course, whats interesting is the prize amounts. "Today's jackpot stands at £2,250!!!"... or in US Dollars, $2,842.14 for Pointless. It's worse for Countdown. I think some of this comes down to the game show rules in the UK.

[tmoore952]

Also other UK game shows that would never make it here, they're too cerebral.

I've been catching episodes of Pointless and Countdown on YouTube. Of these two, Pointless would have a better chance of getting adapted provided the right questions are used.

Of course, whats interesting is the prize amounts. "Today's jackpot stands at £2,250!!!"... or in US Dollars, $2,842.14 for Pointless. It's worse for Countdown. I think some of this comes down to the game show rules in the UK.

The cerebral UK game shows I am thinking of are Puzzling (hosted by Lucy Worsley) and Richard Osman's House of Games (hosted by Richard Osman). I have only seen these while in the UK, but it appears there might be episodes of each online.