Shows That "Collapsed" Right At The End

[Don62]

I know I'm in the minority, but I disagree about the Frank Burns episodes. I much prefered the pompous but multi-dimensional Major Winchester (who actually resembled a human being) to the cartoonish Frank Burns. It also gave the writers a chance to make Houlihan less shrill, and more human and multi-dimensional, because she didn't have the Burns character to play off of anymore.

It's hard to believe the Houlihan character is the same character over the history of the program. Even the Nurse Kelly character was more consistant, stable, and believable.

Houlihan looked like some bleach blonde off the beaches of Southern California. She didn't act at all especially later like any woman of the 1950s.

 

[LKellerIII]

I know I'm in the minority, but I disagree about the Frank Burns episodes. I much prefered the pompous but multi-dimensional Major Winchester (who actually resembled a human being) to the cartoonish Frank Burns. It also gave the writers a chance to make Houlihan less shrill, and more human and multi-dimensional, because she didn't have the Burns character to play off of anymore.

It's hard to believe the Houlihan character is the same character over the history of the program. Even the Nurse Kelly character was more consistant, stable, and believable.

Houlihan looked like some bleach blonde off the beaches of Southern California. She didn't act at all especially later like any woman of the 1950s.

There was a thread about this some time ago. Actually, some women did have bleached blonde hair in the 50s, 40s, and before. Jean Harlow was a good example, and she died in 1937. But Loretta Swit actually looked closer to the era than Alan Alda and Mike Farrell. If you remember, they both wore long hair over their ears for most of the show's run, and BJ had a big mustache. Not only did this look out of place in the early 50s, the Army never would have permitted that kind of dress code violation...even in an out of the way MASH unit. . They looked like time travelers from the 1970s.

I didn't mind the change in Houlihan's personality. I was willing to believe she had grown and matured...especially after the Frank Burns "bad influence" was gone.

 

[dtuba]

Should there be an entirely new thread..."Shows that never should have existed in the First Place"... Would have to give that honor to the awful "AfterMASH".

Agree with posts regarding Northern Exposure... The last season where Joel flipped out, moved to some Indian village, and they brought in Paul Provenza and Teri Polo...then that last episode where Joel sees NYC in that, what was it, dream sequence? WTF? That show clearly deserved a more dignified ending.

 

[nightfly61]

Shows that never should have existed in the 1st place?
T.J Hooker
Tenspeed & Brown Shoe
Sponge Bob
any anime
Flo
Gloria
Love Sidney
The Pac Man cartoon
Joanie Loves Chachi
Halt-I'm a celebrity( I think that's what it was called-lasted like 3 episodes)
Nanny 911
The Geico cavemen show
Fast Times at Ridgemont High the Series
any show that was based on a movie that had different actors portraying the original movie characters :

 

[anotherguyTN]

Shows that never should have existed in the 1st place?...

...any show that was based on a movie that had different actors portraying the original movie characters :

I'd agree in most cases, with the exception of MASH. I actually liked the TV show better than the movie, probably because it was what I saw first.

 

[imhomerjay]

[
I know I'm in the minority, but I disagree about the Frank Burns episodes. I much prefered the pompous but multi-dimensional Major Winchester (who actually resembled a human being) to the cartoonish Frank Burns. It also gave the writers a chance to make Houlihan less shrill, and more human and multi-dimensional, because she didn't have the Burns character to play off of anymore.

I'm totally with you. I point to the episode when Winchester defended the stuttering soldier in what seemed like an out-of-character move. At the end, you learn his beloved sister also stutters. Nothing like that could have worked with Burns--a great character to be sure, but a one-dimensional cartoon.

Ditto the BJ character; Trapper was more of a Hawkeye clone, and BJ's addition gave the writers to create a multi-dimensional foil. That, in turn, let Hawkeye continue to grow and evolve.

Overall, M*A*S*H, IMO, grew better with age and left on top of its game. Just one viewer's take.

 

[therealjm12]

I'm totally with you. I point to the episode when Winchester defended the stuttering soldier in what seemed like an out-of-character move. At the end, you learn his beloved sister also stutters. Nothing like that could have worked with Burns--a great character to be sure, but a one-dimensional cartoon.

I agree,too. In all the nonsense, horror, and destroyed lives, two characters actually grew in the chaos. Radar and Charles. Radar grew up and became a man. Charles found his humility. I would guess their relatives & friends would be taken back when they arrived home. I guess some people do improve in such dire situations. Glad I didn't have to find out for myself.

 

[dustintv]

Dallas is a show that fell apart towards the end. It started with Pam's mysterious disappearance, which was very poorly explained as it was revealed that Pam was dying and they had to recast the role for a couple episodes because Victoria Principal refused to come back. Then we had Sue Ellen filming her stupid tell all film about JR only to never release. Sue Ellen left in 1989 and the show started to focus on dumb stuff like Vanessa Beaumont and her son James with JR, Clayton and Ellie solving Murder She Wrote mysteries and Lucy moving back to Southfolk to do absolutely nothing.

The final season set up some good stuff like April's brutal murder, Michelle becoming bitchy, and McKay, his wife, Cliff, and Liz involvement with the Johnny Dancer murder, but everything was ruined by inconsistant writing and really dumb stories like Barbara Eden coming to play some ex-girlfriend of JR's and just in general major plot holes. Nothing was wrapped up, because we got the idiotic series finale of JR's Wonderful Life. Blah!

 

[Don62]

[
I know I'm in the minority, but I disagree about the Frank Burns episodes. I much prefered the pompous but multi-dimensional Major Winchester (who actually resembled a human being) to the cartoonish Frank Burns. It also gave the writers a chance to make Houlihan less shrill, and more human and multi-dimensional, because she didn't have the Burns character to play off of anymore.

I'm totally with you. I point to the episode when Winchester defended the stuttering soldier in what seemed like an out-of-character move. At the end, you learn his beloved sister also stutters. Nothing like that could have worked with Burns--a great character to be sure, but a one-dimensional cartoon.

Ditto the BJ character; Trapper was more of a Hawkeye clone, and BJ's addition gave the writers to create a multi-dimensional foil. That, in turn, let Hawkeye continue to grow and evolve.

Overall, M*A*S*H, IMO, grew better with age and left on top of its game. Just one viewer's take.

In my opinion, the show didn't necessarily grow funnier or wittier. The first 5 seasons or so had much more spark.

Though Winchester's character was good, and DOS did a commendable job portraying the role, the writers certainly could have "humanized" Frank as much as they had with Hot Lips, who originally was nearly every bit as mean as Frank.

Regarding Trapper, it wasn't Wayne Rogers but his character. The writers could certainly have focused more on Trap, just as they would later with BJ, Klinger and Mulcahy. They could have had more scripts that showed more of Trapprer's character. The character could have grown, like the other characters.

Though Henry Blake had more focus than Trap, the writers certainly didn't focus on him, either, and the show giving more attention to Hawk and Trap, especially Hawk, was one reason McClean Stevenson left.

Actually, I for one would love to have seen a couple of eps. which had all the major players.
In the swamp could have been Hawk/ Trap/ BJ/ Frank/ Winchester, with all of them interacting and Chas. snubbing his nose at Frank's utter lack of surgical skills.

Trap and Beej could have been good buddies, and could have ganged up on Hawk on practical jokes.

Then there's the CO's office, with Potter and Blake. That would have been neat as well.

 

[tlyle]

On MASH, I missed that they removed the Spearchucker Jones role. Having that character from the movie and in the first season offered some more play for the Hawkeye character.

 

[LKellerIII]

Shows that never should have existed in the 1st place?
T.J Hooker...

Beg to differ! Without TJ Hooker, William Shatner wouldn't have had any scenery to chew between those occasional Star Trek movies.

 

[Don62]

On MASH, I missed that they removed the Spearchucker Jones role. Having that character from the movie and in the first season offered some more play for the Hawkeye character.

Yeah, he just disappeared. Never explained why he left. Was just gone.

Kind of like those eps. where Margaret and Frank weren't in it (Adam's Ribs).

The explanation commonly given is that "there were no black surgeons in Korea."

However, someone produced a photo from a Mash in the 1950s. Standing there among the male surgeons was a black surgeon.

 

[nightfly61]

Shows that never should have existed in the 1st place?
T.J Hooker...

Beg to differ! Without TJ Hooker, William Shatner wouldn't have had any scenery to chew between those occasional Star Trek movies.
Can't forget "Visiting Hours" in 1982!

 

[KyDXIn]

On MASH, I missed that they removed the Spearchucker Jones role. Having that character from the movie and in the first season offered some more play for the Hawkeye character.

Yeah, he just disappeared. Never explained why he left. Was just gone.

Kind of like those eps. where Margaret and Frank weren't in it (Adam's Ribs).

The explanation commonly given is that "there were no black surgeons in Korea."

However, someone produced a photo from a Mash in the 1950s. Standing there among the male surgeons was a black surgeon.

Maybe he and Chuck Cunningham became lovers and nothing was ever said again... LOL

 

[bpatrick]

Anybody mention "Fantasy Island"? No matter what
you thought of Herve Villechaize, Christopher Hewett
just wasn't the same. Also, they got into stories where
Mr. Roarke was dealing with the supernatural too much.

And I hated the revival. I always got the sense that
Malcolm McDowell's Mr. Roarke didn't want the people's
fantasies to work out.

 

[Newname]

[
I know I'm in the minority, but I disagree about the Frank Burns episodes. I much prefered the pompous but multi-dimensional Major Winchester (who actually resembled a human being) to the cartoonish Frank Burns. It also gave the writers a chance to make Houlihan less shrill, and more human and multi-dimensional, because she didn't have the Burns character to play off of anymore.

I'm totally with you. I point to the episode when Winchester defended the stuttering soldier in what seemed like an out-of-character move. At the end, you learn his beloved sister also stutters. Nothing like that could have worked with Burns--a great character to be sure, but a one-dimensional cartoon.

Ditto the BJ character; Trapper was more of a Hawkeye clone, and BJ's addition gave the writers to create a multi-dimensional foil. That, in turn, let Hawkeye continue to grow and evolve.

Overall, M*A*S*H, IMO, grew better with age and left on top of its game. Just one viewer's take.

In my opinion, the show didn't necessarily grow funnier or wittier. The first 5 seasons or so had much more spark.

Though Winchester's character was good, and DOS did a commendable job portraying the role, the writers certainly could have "humanized" Frank as much as they had with Hot Lips, who originally was nearly every bit as mean as Frank.

Regarding Trapper, it wasn't Wayne Rogers but his character. The writers could certainly have focused more on Trap, just as they would later with BJ, Klinger and Mulcahy. They could have had more scripts that showed more of Trapprer's character. The character could have grown, like the other characters.

Though Henry Blake had more focus than Trap, the writers certainly didn't focus on him, either, and the show giving more attention to Hawk and Trap, especially Hawk, was one reason McClean Stevenson left.

Actually, I for one would love to have seen a couple of eps. which had all the major players.
In the swamp could have been Hawk/ Trap/ BJ/ Frank/ Winchester, with all of them interacting and Chas. snubbing his nose at Frank's utter lack of surgical skills.

Trap and Beej could have been good buddies, and could have ganged up on Hawk on practical jokes.

Then there's the CO's office, with Potter and Blake. That would have been neat as well.

Sadly, such things happened only in early-80s MAD and CRACKED magazine spoofs of the show...and MAD only put the entire cast on a cover.
CRACKED had a good spoof with the former cast members 'fading' in and out at random during the article,(which was otherwise treated as thought it were a run-of-the mill latter-seasons episode) and the explanation being that, due to 'bad TV reception' in Korea (!), reruns of the old episodes were occasionally 'interrupting' the story!

 

[mediawatch22]

How about The Cosby Show (The one with the Huxtable's)? This show started out with great storylines and then they brought in too many new characters that nobody seemed to fall in love with. By the end of the series there must have been 40 or 50 people running in and out of that house!

Roseanne blew it when they got rich. Nobody wants to see that! One of the worst suck up jobs was when the Conners flew to Walt Disney World which turned out to be a two-episode commercial for Disney. Very weak. Rosanne must have hated doing that because it was so.....sucky!

 

[imhomerjay]

In my opinion, the show didn't necessarily grow funnier or wittier. The first 5 seasons or so had much more spark.

Though Winchester's character was good, and DOS did a commendable job portraying the role, the writers certainly could have "humanized" Frank as much as they had with Hot Lips, who originally was nearly every bit as mean as Frank.

Regarding Trapper, it wasn't Wayne Rogers but his character. The writers could certainly have focused more on Trap, just as they would later with BJ, Klinger and Mulcahy. They could have had more scripts that showed more of Trapprer's character. The character could have grown, like the other characters.

Though Henry Blake had more focus than Trap, the writers certainly didn't focus on him, either, and the show giving more attention to Hawk and Trap, especially Hawk, was one reason McClean Stevenson left.

Actually, I for one would love to have seen a couple of eps. which had all the major players.
In the swamp could have been Hawk/ Trap/ BJ/ Frank/ Winchester, with all of them interacting and Chas. snubbing his nose at Frank's utter lack of surgical skills.

Trap and Beej could have been good buddies, and could have ganged up on Hawk on practical jokes.

Then there's the CO's office, with Potter and Blake. That would have been neat as well.

That's what great about the show--fans can find different things to like. Just to be clear, I know we're talking about characters and not actors, and I thoroughly enjoy the early episodes, I just happen to like the later ones better.

What I think began to give the show a better mix was moving away from three hard-driving womanizers in Hawkeye, BJ and Blake. Hawkeye never bothered me, but honestly--and I know its the way it was--I never warmed to the Trapper and Blake characters, because--accurate or not--I don't happen to find adultery all that comical. BJ on the other hand brough in the family man sensibility of someone who was almost always faithful, and struggled mightily to deal with his one-time lapse. That showed a sense of honor and dignity that I think would have been hard to infuse in Trapper. Yes, Hawkeye was changed to be more 'sensitive,' but he never totally lost the womanizing edge, which made the transformation more genuine.

Ditto Burns. I just don't see a path the writers had for someone who was written as so over-the-top. Larry Linville played him masterfully, but in creating Winchester from scratch, the writers could infuse him with more layers than they had to work with when it came to Burns.

 

[Newname]

How about The Cosby Show (The one with the Huxtable's)? This show started out with great storylines and then they brought in too many new characters that nobody seemed to fall in love with. By the end of the series there must have been 40 or 50 people running in and out of that house!

"Cosby" had a great 4 years, followed by two pretty good seasons. By 1990, the stars were coasting, with Cosby getting less and less air time, as more and more episodes were devoted to 'Cousin Pam' and her buddies. : Then there was Raven-Symone, who was added just so Cosby could play second fiddle to a cute kid(as 'Rudy' had outgrown that part of the job description).
About the only highlight of the show at that point was Junior Walker's 'Motown' take on the theme song.

 

[nightfly61]

On "My Three Sons", even though she was pleasant to look at, after Katie had the kids Uncle Charlie got a little nicer...and that was no fun. Kinda like the later Tom & Jerry.
Speaking of which, didn't they (T & J) start talking in the later "nice" years?