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Shows that were never as good as their first seasons
- Thread starter 71dude
- Start date
I'd add "ER" and "Tour Of Duty".
Smallville (This is the 10th and last season, thank God)
Caprica ( Cancelled this month after just a few episodes)
Lois and Clark
F Troop
Batman
The Greatest American Hero
Caprica ( Cancelled this month after just a few episodes)
Lois and Clark
F Troop
Batman
The Greatest American Hero
Petticoat Junction: Season One and Two. The original Bobbi Jo and Betty Jo were much sexier and more interesting than their replacements and after season two the show moved to Saturday night and started targeting the same audience as Lawrence Welk.
Make Room For Daddy: Also more schmaltzy, less funny after Jean Hagen left.
The Man From Uncle: Became camp after season one.
Wagon Train: Never was the same after Ward Bond died but season one tried to treat episodes as part of a continuing story.
Homicide: Life on the Street (13 episodes filmed as one season but four shown as second mini-season). NBC got rid of some great characters (and actors) in favor of pretty faces. Stories were more real, too.
Make Room For Daddy: Also more schmaltzy, less funny after Jean Hagen left.
The Man From Uncle: Became camp after season one.
Wagon Train: Never was the same after Ward Bond died but season one tried to treat episodes as part of a continuing story.
Homicide: Life on the Street (13 episodes filmed as one season but four shown as second mini-season). NBC got rid of some great characters (and actors) in favor of pretty faces. Stories were more real, too.
MattParker said:
Have to correct you about "Petticoat Junction": it was on Tuesday nights from 1963 to 1967; on Saturdays from 1967 to 1970. But I'll agree it was targeting the Lawrence Welk audience on Saturdays; he was on ABC 8:30-9:30 (ET), "Petticoat Junction" was on CBS 9:30-10 (ET).
No one could match Ward Bond's command presence, and although John McIntire spent nearly five years on "Wagon Train," you're right; it was never as good.
While we're at it, how about Friday Night Videos? The unhosted version was better, but as more households got cable (and thus also had MTV), the need for such a show rapidly dissipated. It was even simulcast over an FM station in Paducah, KY, back in the day, before stereo television became widely available.71dude said:
SheSpies
Twin Peaks
Branded
Twin Peaks
Branded
How about the first two seasons of the George Reeves version
of "Superman"? The stories were more believable (sometimes
mirroring then-current events, like the Kefauver Crime Committee
hearings); Phyllis Coates' Lois Lane was almost modern (2010s
modern) in her desire to be as good as, if not better than, any
male reporter. And they also got into some of Clark Kent/Superman's
personal issues, such as the time his costume was stolen, or when
he got amnesia from tackling a Kryptonite-laden asteroid. After
that, the show tended to slide downhill, becoming more of a comedy
(almost like "Superman III," which may have been lightened up because
of the presence of Richard Pryor).
Another is "The Flintstones," up to the arrival of Pebbles and Bamm Bamm;
those first two seasons were a lot like "The Honeymooners," which was the
intent. That show hit rock bottom (sorry) when the Great Gazoo appeared.
And I'd say "Leave It To Beaver" lost it after about season four. Those last
two years, Jerry Mathers was fat and self-conscious, and Hugh Beaumont
became some sort of all-knowing figure Beaver and Wally couldn't put anything
past. It probably comes as no surprise that Wally figured more heavily in the
sixth (last) season than did Beaver.
of "Superman"? The stories were more believable (sometimes
mirroring then-current events, like the Kefauver Crime Committee
hearings); Phyllis Coates' Lois Lane was almost modern (2010s
modern) in her desire to be as good as, if not better than, any
male reporter. And they also got into some of Clark Kent/Superman's
personal issues, such as the time his costume was stolen, or when
he got amnesia from tackling a Kryptonite-laden asteroid. After
that, the show tended to slide downhill, becoming more of a comedy
(almost like "Superman III," which may have been lightened up because
of the presence of Richard Pryor).
Another is "The Flintstones," up to the arrival of Pebbles and Bamm Bamm;
those first two seasons were a lot like "The Honeymooners," which was the
intent. That show hit rock bottom (sorry) when the Great Gazoo appeared.
And I'd say "Leave It To Beaver" lost it after about season four. Those last
two years, Jerry Mathers was fat and self-conscious, and Hugh Beaumont
became some sort of all-knowing figure Beaver and Wally couldn't put anything
past. It probably comes as no surprise that Wally figured more heavily in the
sixth (last) season than did Beaver.
1
1st of 5
Guest
Max Headroom. It didn't have much of a first season, since it started in Feb or March and ended in May. When it returned in the fall, with additional main characters, it wasn't the same.
bpatrick said:
What happened is that the show's producer decided that Superman was too violent for young children so he ordered the violence toned down; thus instead of beating the hell out of criminals, Superman used judo chops to render the crooks harmless. Also stupid characters were introduced like Professor Pepperwinkle.
The first two B&W seasons of Superman were great! George Reeves was in great shape and Phyllis Coates played a great Lois Lane (in Season One). John Hamilton was still lucid as a fiery Perry White. Jack Larson's Jimmy Olsen actually looked like a young kid.
Unfortunately time caught up with the cast. Coates departed for a starring role in another series that lasted about a year. Noel Neil lacked Coates passion for the role of Lois Lane.
As he grew older, John Hamilton started to forget his lines. To compensate, his scripts would be on Perry White's desk. If you notice real carefully sometimes Hamilton had to look down at the desk in order to keep up with the dialog.
Jack Larson no longer looked like a cub reporter.
The biggest change was George Reeves himself. He started losing his hair and gained weight; perhaps do in part to his drinking. He no longer resembled the Superman of 1951, even though he was just 6 years older then when the series first aired.
As some of you might already know before his death in 1959, Reeves and the cast had signed up to do another series of Superman. But I read that Reeves wanted to return the show to what it was in the first season; more adult-orientated. It would have been interesting to see how the Superman series (1960 version) would have looked like; especially in color.
When "The Adventures of Superman" debuted on television in 1953 it wasn't classified as a children's show; thus resulting in the more adult-oriented action shows.
The show changed to a more children-friendly format when Whitney Ellsworth took over production.
As far as many devoted Superman fans are concerned, Ellsworth took a good action and adventure program and ruined it.
The show changed to a more children-friendly format when Whitney Ellsworth took over production.
As far as many devoted Superman fans are concerned, Ellsworth took a good action and adventure program and ruined it.
The Voice of Reason said:
I have to agree with your observation.
What's ironic is that George Reeves wanted adults to recognize his talents as an actor. Well here we are 50+ years later appreciating him; but we were children when Reeves was Superman. If he only had lived longer.
Whitney Ellsworth not only brought down the Adventures of Superman, he is responsible for DC Comic's lowest point, as well. He was more dangerous than Kryptonite and Luthor, put together.
My understanding is that DC Publications had Whitney
Ellsworth and Bob Maxwell switch jobs after the first-
season episode "The Evil Three" (where two villains
push a wheelchair-bound old lady who's in cahoots with
them down a flight of stairs).
But I have to give Maxwell a pass, to a point:
1. In the early '50s, most women were probably home
when their husbands and kids got home. Also, most
homes had only one set, and--where television was
available--probably not more than one or two channels
outside the biggest markets.
2. The network news came on at 7:30 on CBS, 7:45 on NBC,
and (starting in '53) 7:15 on ABC. That meant a lot of time
to fill between 6 and 7:30, where news usually goes now.
3. In Maxwell's mind's eye, I've always believed, he saw Mom
in the kitchen either preparing dinner or washing dishes, while
Dad and the kids would be in the living room watching Superman
on the night he was on. If that was indeed what Maxwell was
thinking, then it's no wonder he aimed those early episodes at
adults as well as kids. But, obviously in DC's opinion, he overdid it,
doing scenes they didn't feel appropriate for kids.
But I'm not going to be harsh on Maxwell; given that a lot of us old
Superman fans feel his shows (and Whitney Ellsworth's first season,
toned down but still believable as these things go) are the best of
the series, I'd say he did something right.
One point slightly off-topic: I will go to my own grave believing that
George Reeves was the best Clark Kent; his Kent was assertive and
almost didn't need the Superman alter ego; Christopher Reeve was a
great Superman but a buffoon as Kent; I always thought Dean Cain's
Kent was a wimp. Brandon Routh made no impression on me, and I
don't think I've ever watched Tom Welling, whose Kent hasn't reached
adulthood anyway through most of the "Smallville" series. And it's no
accident that Teri Hatcher personally asked Phyllis Coates to play Lois
Lane's mother in one episode of "Lois & Clark"; Ms. Coates' Lois, as I
said in my earlier posting, was almost 2010-modern.
Ellsworth and Bob Maxwell switch jobs after the first-
season episode "The Evil Three" (where two villains
push a wheelchair-bound old lady who's in cahoots with
them down a flight of stairs).
But I have to give Maxwell a pass, to a point:
1. In the early '50s, most women were probably home
when their husbands and kids got home. Also, most
homes had only one set, and--where television was
available--probably not more than one or two channels
outside the biggest markets.
2. The network news came on at 7:30 on CBS, 7:45 on NBC,
and (starting in '53) 7:15 on ABC. That meant a lot of time
to fill between 6 and 7:30, where news usually goes now.
3. In Maxwell's mind's eye, I've always believed, he saw Mom
in the kitchen either preparing dinner or washing dishes, while
Dad and the kids would be in the living room watching Superman
on the night he was on. If that was indeed what Maxwell was
thinking, then it's no wonder he aimed those early episodes at
adults as well as kids. But, obviously in DC's opinion, he overdid it,
doing scenes they didn't feel appropriate for kids.
But I'm not going to be harsh on Maxwell; given that a lot of us old
Superman fans feel his shows (and Whitney Ellsworth's first season,
toned down but still believable as these things go) are the best of
the series, I'd say he did something right.
One point slightly off-topic: I will go to my own grave believing that
George Reeves was the best Clark Kent; his Kent was assertive and
almost didn't need the Superman alter ego; Christopher Reeve was a
great Superman but a buffoon as Kent; I always thought Dean Cain's
Kent was a wimp. Brandon Routh made no impression on me, and I
don't think I've ever watched Tom Welling, whose Kent hasn't reached
adulthood anyway through most of the "Smallville" series. And it's no
accident that Teri Hatcher personally asked Phyllis Coates to play Lois
Lane's mother in one episode of "Lois & Clark"; Ms. Coates' Lois, as I
said in my earlier posting, was almost 2010-modern.
bpatrick: Noel Neil was a fine actress but Phyllis was the better Lois. My favorite version of Superman (and Clark) is Tim Daly in Superman: The Animated Series. Dana Delany is also a great Lois.
I don't know about anywhere else but where I grew up, Superman was on in prime-time (7:30 or later).
I don't know about anywhere else but where I grew up, Superman was on in prime-time (7:30 or later).
I'm sure there were some stations that showed "Superman"
in early primetime (heck, WGN used to show Bugs Bunny at
6:30 Central, which inspired ABC to launch a network "Bugs
Bunny Show" on Tuesday nights from 1960-62) although I
suspect they were in a minority; most of the stations whose
schedules I've seen from the '50s aired it around 6 or 7 PM.
And I won't argue with you about Phyllis Coates vs. Noel Neill;
again, I say that Phyllis Coates' Lois holds up better today.
I might have watched the animated show once, but I've heard
others say that Tim Daly and Dana Delany were indeed quite good
as the voices of Clark/Superman and Lois.
in early primetime (heck, WGN used to show Bugs Bunny at
6:30 Central, which inspired ABC to launch a network "Bugs
Bunny Show" on Tuesday nights from 1960-62) although I
suspect they were in a minority; most of the stations whose
schedules I've seen from the '50s aired it around 6 or 7 PM.
And I won't argue with you about Phyllis Coates vs. Noel Neill;
again, I say that Phyllis Coates' Lois holds up better today.
I might have watched the animated show once, but I've heard
others say that Tim Daly and Dana Delany were indeed quite good
as the voices of Clark/Superman and Lois.
Mary Tyler Moore was never as good once it lost Rhoda. Though they managed a couple of classic episodes without her, such as Chuckles dying.
I think most shows are like that. A few got better after their first seaons.
Oddly Rhoda was one of these, the first two years no one knew what to do with her. Rhoda was funny 'cause she was insecure. The first two seaons she had it together and got married. It got better little by little with each up coming year.
I think most shows are like that. A few got better after their first seaons.
Oddly Rhoda was one of these, the first two years no one knew what to do with her. Rhoda was funny 'cause she was insecure. The first two seaons she had it together and got married. It got better little by little with each up coming year.
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