What TV shows were you GLAD were cancelled?

[MisterGrey]

Growing up watching All in the Family, I always preferred Archie to Michael. While I got that Archie's views were wrong, he still came across as the more sympathetic character between the two: Archie was caught in a world moving too quick for him and being forced to reexamine his values, while Michael always came across as a condescending know-it-all too caught up in his own sense of self superiority to realize what a jerk he came across as. Maybe part of it was the performance of Carrol O'Connor, but Archie seemed to have depths of humanity that Michael never did.

Obviously I wasn't born when the show premiered, and necessarily came to it from a late 80s-early 90s perspective, so I'm interested on how contemporary audiences, who were probably familiar with their own real-life Michaels and Archies, saw the two characters.

 

[Gregg Axley]

Eight is Enough
Little House on The Prairie
The Waltons
Webster
Family Affair

Thank you for going ahead and listing these, mine were the same so this saved me time.
My wife has 3 of these on DVD (neither one of us ever watched Webster), and I've never opened them.
One of my more famous comments was "there isn't enough wine in this house for me to WANT to watch those programs willingly." BTW I usually keep 2-3 bottles, just as a reference.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Obviously I wasn't born when the show premiered, and necessarily came to it from a late 80s-early 90s perspective, so I'm interested on how contemporary audiences, who were probably familiar with their own real-life Michaels and Archies, saw the two characters.

I watched AITF from its first year to its last, and always felt Archie was one of the most complex, best-developed characters ever seen on television. He was a caricature at the beginning, like all the rest of the cast, but within a very short time he had come to life in a way none of the others on the program ever did. Part of it was O'Connor's performance but part of it was also the fact that he was simply a much more interesting character to write -- with far more depth to be explored.

He was also something of a folk hero to a substantial part of the audience -- there was an elaborate "Archie Bunker for President" campaign in 1972, people went around quoting his catch phrases, and it wasn't all meant to be ironic: a lot of people sincerely liked the guy, even if they disagreed vehemently with his politics. By contrast, nobody I ever knew who watched the show liked the Meathead, not even people who stood to his left politically. They found him an insufferable twit who sponged off the good graces of a man he refused to respect, and it was hard to find anything likable in a character like that.

 

[Touchofevil]

Full House
Perfect Strangers
Both shows went way longer than anything of such a nature should.
Both were proof that Life isn't fair and can be incredibly cruel.

 

[Touchofevil]

I liked Gilligan's Island as a kid, but probably wouldn't enjoy it now, beyond Mary Ann.

I love Seinfeld, but I grew up with it and so much of it has just become inside jokes with family and friends.

And come on, this'll always be funny.

[video=youtube;Z4qmc83EqEM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4qmc83EqEM[/video]

Loved and still love Seinfeld. Still incredibly funny despite having seen each episode many many times.

 

[scottyrocks]

Growing up watching All in the Family, I always preferred Archie to Michael. While I got that Archie's views were wrong, he still came across as the more sympathetic character between the two: Archie was caught in a world moving too quick for him and being forced to reexamine his values, while Michael always came across as a condescending know-it-all too caught up in his own sense of self superiority to realize what a jerk he came across as. Maybe part of it was the performance of Carrol O'Connor, but Archie seemed to have depths of humanity that Michael never did.

Obviously I wasn't born when the show premiered, and necessarily came to it from a late 80s-early 90s perspective, so I'm interested on how contemporary audiences, who were probably familiar with their own real-life Michaels and Archies, saw the two characters.

I watched it in its original run all through my teens. My assessment was very similar to yours. Archie was, on the surface, a hopelessly bigoted 'conservative,' and Mike was a condescending know-it-all liberal. But Archie did learn things over the years, at a rate faster than other characters on the show.

This made the whole situation appear that the more liberal ideas were superior, as that was the way the world was moving. Mike, the young, hip, 'in' liberal, and Archie the old, squared, bigoted conservative.

That TV show might be the catalyst for what we are seeing today, but as I am typing this, although I haven't taken a side here, I see that this might very well go in the wrong direction for FL so I'm gonna leave it be along those lines.

The two characters were diametrically opposed, and that was the entertainment, as well as social commentary goal of the show. It debuted in early 1971, just after the height of the hippie movement, and the show jumped into issues that had never been spoken of on TV with any form with any regularity. AitF did it in a humorous way, and that, the controversial subject matter(s), and the talent of the cast and the writing, were the keys to its success.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I agree with you. He was more the likable guy. I think maybe it's a more relatable thing from a FL-er point-of-view. Looking at many aspects of modern society and either not liking them, or feeling as though they are part of a world that you don't understand, comes more naturally to those who either have lived in the past, or appreciate the past. I disagree with many of Archie's views, but certainly understand how not understanding a more modern world can be frustrating, and even make you angry. It didn't help that he had the spokesperson for 'out with the old, in with the new' living under his roof, for free, and the guy still wouldn't give Archie any respect.

My parents both grew up watching AITF when it was new and both don't like it. It doesn't help that my Grandfather on my dad's side looks, dresses, and frequently acts like Archie Bunker lol

Growing up watching All in the Family, I always preferred Archie to Michael. While I got that Archie's views were wrong, he still came across as the more sympathetic character between the two: Archie was caught in a world moving too quick for him and being forced to reexamine his values, while Michael always came across as a condescending know-it-all too caught up in his own sense of self superiority to realize what a jerk he came across as. Maybe part of it was the performance of Carrol O'Connor, but Archie seemed to have depths of humanity that Michael never did.

Obviously I wasn't born when the show premiered, and necessarily came to it from a late 80s-early 90s perspective, so I'm interested on how contemporary audiences, who were probably familiar with their own real-life Michaels and Archies, saw the two characters.

You hit the nail on the head, there. I've watched all the seasons of AITF and Edith, Michael, and Gloria all don't develop too far from the 1971 season. Archie, however, changes. His attitudes toward people of different races change and he becomes more accepting. While he still possesses his misguided stereotypes, they're no longer in a hateful way, just that he's perhaps misinformed.

Much more about his childhood is revealed, too. He had to drop out of school to support the family, his brother received preferential treatment, and him and his father did not have a good relationship. The more you learn about Archie's past, the more, perhaps, sympathetic you become. It's easier to understand why he's so angry.

I remember one episode specifically, Edith is telling Michael about how Archie is jealous of him. Michael says she's crazy and she explains how Michael can be anything he wants to be, he's going to school, and the world will have so many opportunities to offer him. Archie, on the other hand, had to work hard all his life and I remember her specifically saying that he 'will never be more than what he is today.' That's a hard pill for anybody to swallow, coming to that realization. He did a lot more for Michael than most folks would have, especially for how disrespectful and unappreciative as he was.

I watched AITF from its first year to its last, and always felt Archie was one of the most complex, best-developed characters ever seen on television. He was a caricature at the beginning, like all the rest of the cast, but within a very short time he had come to life in a way none of the others on the program ever did. Part of it was O'Connor's performance but part of it was also the fact that he was simply a much more interesting character to write -- with far more depth to be explored.

He was also something of a folk hero to a substantial part of the audience -- there was an elaborate "Archie Bunker for President" campaign in 1972, people went around quoting his catch phrases, and it wasn't all meant to be ironic: a lot of people sincerely liked the guy, even if they disagreed vehemently with his politics. By contrast, nobody I ever knew who watched the show liked the Meathead, not even people who stood to his left politically. They found him an insufferable twit who sponged off the good graces of a man he refused to respect, and it was hard to find anything likable in a character like that.

The 'These pretzels are making me thirsty' episode was on last night. I could not stop laughing!

Loved and still love Seinfeld. Still incredibly funny despite having seen each episode many many times.

 

[Noirblack]

MASH became unwatchable by the end of its run. It started out well, but it got so preachy. I avoided AfterMASH completely.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Never really could get into MASH. I have a couple friends who are in love with the show. Just loses me.

MASH became unwatchable by the end of its run. It started out well, but it got so preachy. I avoided AfterMASH completely.

 

[Touchofevil]

Saw "These pretzels" myself last night and enjoyed the episode. Not my favorite but it definitely has some worthwhile lines!

 

[AtomicEraTom]

It just cracks me up when George starts ranting and you can hear all the cars honking on the street. He opens the window up and shouts "Shut up! Shut up! These pretzels are making me thirsty!!!!"

Saw "These pretzels" myself last night and enjoyed the episode. Not my favorite but it definitely has some worthwhile lines!

 

[Touchofevil]

It just cracks me up when George starts ranting and you can hear all the cars honking on the street. He opens the window up and shouts "Shut up! Shut up! These pretzels are making me thirsty!!!!"

Do you hear the dialogue in your head before it is verbalized on screen? I do. Not that that's a bad thing.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I've only seen one or two episodes of Seinfeld and didn't particularly like what I did see. However, one of my friends is a big fan of the show as I found out when I made the mistake of calling him one Wednesday night. But what really drives me nuts is that he'll often ascribe something I say or do as being just like one of the characters on Seinfeld, which is especially irritating being that I've hardly ever seen the show. He's also a fan of Big Bang Theory (which he's tried to get me interested in) and likens things I say to the characters on that show as well.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Oh, of course! lol Not that there's anything wrong with that

Do you hear the dialogue in your head before it is verbalized on screen? I do. Not that that's a bad thing.

You should check out both. Big Bang Theory is pretty funny, too.

I have a friend who pretty much is George Costanza. He looks just like him, but with hair. They have the same mannerisms, same sort of mentality, and even had the same car lol

My fellow Seinfeld fans will understand why this is funny. One day, he told me that he had always really liked LeBaron's. I couldn't stop laughing, no matter how hard I tried lol

I've only seen one or two episodes of Seinfeld and didn't particularly like what I did see. However, one of my friends is a big fan of the show as I found out when I made the mistake of calling him one Wednesday night. But what really drives me nuts is that he'll often ascribe something I say or do as being just like one of the characters on Seinfeld, which is especially irritating being that I've hardly ever seen the show. He's also a fan of Big Bang Theory (which he's tried to get me interested in) and likens things I say to the characters on that show as well.

 

[Touchofevil]

I did not like the first season plus of Seinfeld. I thought it was a horrible show. At some point I found myself entertained. But to get back on topic, I was quite happy when Charmed went bye-bye.

 

[Touchofevil]

Oh, of course! lol Not that there's anything wrong with that



You should check out both. Big Bang Theory is pretty funny, too.

I have a friend who pretty much is George Costanza. He looks just like him, but with hair. They have the same mannerisms, same sort of mentality, and even had the same car lol

My fellow Seinfeld fans will understand why this is funny. One day, he told me that he had always really liked LeBaron's. I couldn't stop laughing, no matter how hard I tried lol

Jon Voight!

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Even though my friend is no dummy his cultural references are mainly based on TV characters. Not too long ago we were helping one of my neighbors get his house cleaned up because an appraiser was coming to see it and my neighbor borrowed some of my switchplates for his outlets. His house needs lots of work so we were just trying to pretty it up a little to make a favorable impression on the appraiser. When I commented to my friend that I'd better go and get my switchplates back from "Potemkin House," it went over his head.

 

[scottyrocks]

I love M*A*S*H but it went on too long. Yes, preachy. The men getting longer gray hair. Hotlips looking like a mannequin with bleached blond hair. Enough was enough.

I never got into Seinfeld. Didn't phase me a bit when it was canceled.

 

[BigFitz]

Can't really come up with any, but there are plenty I wish would be cancelled. Like Survivor. Keeping up with Kardashians(who watches this stuff?). Two and a half Men(this is comedy?). Big Bang Theory(again, comedy?). Pawn Stars.

This list could get very long.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Always hated Full House. I LOATHE Bob Saget. HATED "Uncle Joey" so hard and always felt "Uncle Jesse" was overrated (not attractive, either, as he's hyped up to be). And the daughters....CRINGE! DESPISE the Olson twins!!! Sometimes I like to watch reruns just to get myself worked up lol I remember when it premiered and EVERYONE the next day was talking about how great it was. I thought it sucked. Went on for too long.

Add Seinfeld, Growing Pains, and Friends to that list. Never liked Cheers, either, and even though I never watched it I still know it went on for too long.