"Frank's Place" (CBS, 1987) was truly magnificent television...in my opinion, the best series ever produced for the four major networks.
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TV Shows that deserved a second chance before being cancelled.
- Thread starter Mark Giardina
- Start date
Battlestar Galactica (the original 1979 series).
I believe this show was canceled mostly because of the cost for the special effects.
Following a barrage of complaints, ABC did offer "Galactica 1980" which was a god-horrible program which I'm sure ABC designed that way in order to justify canceling the show for good.
I believe this show was canceled mostly because of the cost for the special effects.
Following a barrage of complaints, ABC did offer "Galactica 1980" which was a god-horrible program which I'm sure ABC designed that way in order to justify canceling the show for good.
NBC News Overnight
Our World
(yes, I'm an unrepentant Linda Ellerbee fan of long standing ;D )
Our World
(yes, I'm an unrepentant Linda Ellerbee fan of long standing ;D )
IIRC, "Chicken Soup" was a big hit in New York and most of
the Northeast but didn't fare too well in the rest of the country;
seems the rest of the country perceived Jackie Mason's character
as too Jewish (Mason is Jewish, but anti-Semitism obviously isn't
dead). Despite the fact that it ranked 13th overall, tied with
"Murder, She Wrote," in the 1989-90 season, ABC pulled it after
only a few weeks and reinstalled "Coach" (which finished 18th that
year). Go figure.
Also, according to Brooks and Marsh, the Jewish Defense League wanted
an all-Jewish cast, or at least for Lynn Redgrave's character to convert
from Catholicism to Judaism. ABC must have figured it wasn't worth the
bother (CBS had had similar complaints about "Bridget Loves Bernie" in the
'70s).
the Northeast but didn't fare too well in the rest of the country;
seems the rest of the country perceived Jackie Mason's character
as too Jewish (Mason is Jewish, but anti-Semitism obviously isn't
dead). Despite the fact that it ranked 13th overall, tied with
"Murder, She Wrote," in the 1989-90 season, ABC pulled it after
only a few weeks and reinstalled "Coach" (which finished 18th that
year). Go figure.
Also, according to Brooks and Marsh, the Jewish Defense League wanted
an all-Jewish cast, or at least for Lynn Redgrave's character to convert
from Catholicism to Judaism. ABC must have figured it wasn't worth the
bother (CBS had had similar complaints about "Bridget Loves Bernie" in the
'70s).
I
imhomerjay
Guest
Mark_Giardina said:
It got a second chance after being cancelled, and failed. You don't keep getting more chances. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but the numbers didn't justify keeping it.
bpatrick said:
A) Your statement assumes that they're correct that the rest of the country didn't like Mason because he's Jewish. I don't like Jackie Mason simply because he's flat-out annoying.
B) If the rest of the country doesn't like Mason because he's Jewish, that doesn't necessarily mean they're anti-Semitic. More likely, it's because NYC Jewish culture (and NYC Jews DO have their own culture) is such a minority in the rest of the country that they don't relate. Borscht Belt humor is only funny in the Borscht Belt.
How about "The Green Hornet"? It had the same producer
as "Batman," William Dozier, but he didn't camp it up; also, it
had Bruce Lee (remember the time Batman and Robin faced off
against the Green Hornet and Kato? Bruce Lee should have cut
Burt Ward to ribbons).
"The Time Tunnel" almost got a second chance, but Irwin Allen
nixed it. ABC wanted to move it to Wednesdays at 7:30, directly
opposite "Lost In Space" on CBS; Allen produced both shows and
didn't want to compete against himself. With a commitment to
a (flop) series about Custer, ABC went with it instead.
And my favorite case of a show that should have gotten a second
chance: Peter Falk's "Trials Of O'Brien." I don't know if CBS knew
what to make of a lawyer who dressed sloppily (except in court), was
divorced (unheard-of on 1965 television), and gambled away his alimony
payments playing the horses, but the Eye Network didn't do it any favors
by scheduling it first on Saturdays (against Lawrence Welk and "Get Smart"),
then on Fridays (against "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."). (Besides, I had a
crush on Joanna Barnes, who played O'Brien's ex-wife.
) Surely CBS could
have found a timeslot where the competition wasn't so formidable. It was
well-written, well-acted, and, well, different from most of 1965 primetime.
as "Batman," William Dozier, but he didn't camp it up; also, it
had Bruce Lee (remember the time Batman and Robin faced off
against the Green Hornet and Kato? Bruce Lee should have cut
Burt Ward to ribbons).
"The Time Tunnel" almost got a second chance, but Irwin Allen
nixed it. ABC wanted to move it to Wednesdays at 7:30, directly
opposite "Lost In Space" on CBS; Allen produced both shows and
didn't want to compete against himself. With a commitment to
a (flop) series about Custer, ABC went with it instead.
And my favorite case of a show that should have gotten a second
chance: Peter Falk's "Trials Of O'Brien." I don't know if CBS knew
what to make of a lawyer who dressed sloppily (except in court), was
divorced (unheard-of on 1965 television), and gambled away his alimony
payments playing the horses, but the Eye Network didn't do it any favors
by scheduling it first on Saturdays (against Lawrence Welk and "Get Smart"),
then on Fridays (against "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."). (Besides, I had a
crush on Joanna Barnes, who played O'Brien's ex-wife.
) Surely CBS couldhave found a timeslot where the competition wasn't so formidable. It was
well-written, well-acted, and, well, different from most of 1965 primetime.
Coronet Blue (CBS could easily have recast the lead)
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