8 Simple Rules (Post John Ritter)

[haVoc 0]

Next Episode: "Goodbye"

Tuesday, November 4, 8/7c

 

After learning of the unexpected death of Paul, Cate and the kids must each deal with the loss of the beloved patriarch of the Hennessy family in their own way. To help console the family, Cate's parents — who are separated — put aside their marital differences and help the family through their time of need. James Garner and Suzanne Pleshette guest star as Cate's parents, on a special one-hour episode of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.

[Guest TheCrowCall]

I didn't even realize it was on tonight, as I thought it was going to return around Thanksgiving, so thanks very much for posting this. I'm definitely going to be watching and taping the episode tonight, but it's definitely not gonna be the same without John.

 

~ Pac

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

I'll watch but it won't be the same. IMO they should've showed the last 3 John eps and just ended the series. Plus how can you watch without thinking of John.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

I never watched the show before, but I'm intrigued to watch it tonight(nothing else is really on anyways)

[haVoc 0]

Watch it at least for the blonde daughter.

[Youth N Asia 0]

I'll watch it...but Ritter was the reason I watched the show. Without him I doubt I'll watch regularly.

[Tawren 0]

I really doubt they can pull this off in an entertaining way, and what I mean by that is: I doubt they can write a good sitcom with the situation surrounding it.

 

I'll be watching, though.

[WrestlingDeacon 0]

I mark huge for James Garner and Suzanne Pleshette is very underrated. I think they both make for a nice stop gap in helping the series find itself.

[Downhome 0]

This show is going to be very historic, for a sitcom that it.

 

It's going to be very moving, I'm sure.

 

I'm a huge fan of James Garner also, so at least they have him to work with. I think it just might still be a hit.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Kinda sad to see how Ritter's character dies in the opening minutes. It seemed the kids looked awfully chipper in the beginning.

 

This bickering by the grandparents is gonna drive me nuts.

 

I still think they should have brought in Ed O'Neill as Ritter's brother.

[NYU 0]

This whole "semi-comedy" thing isn't working out so well. If you're going to do a sad, poignant episode, stick to that. Don't throw in unfunny bits with the daughter/the kid on the couch and Putty throwing unfunny lines out there. I doubt anybody watching is really in the mood to laugh and, again, these lines aren't funny!! Just honor John, if that's what you intend to do. Save the unfunny comedy for the rest of the episodes.

[Guest El Satanico]

Ed O'neill coming in would've made it harder for the show to find itself post Ritter. Everyone would've just got caught up on the MWC reunion.

 

I think they've handled the farewell episode well. The next few episodes will be important. A sitcom can handle a few "a very special episode", so a few serious episodes doesn't spell doom. When they return to comedy will be their first real test.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Yeah, it's coming off VERY awkward. It's like they want to pay a tribute to John. But they also want to pay a tribute by continuing on and being semi-humorous. But nothing is coming across as funny.

 

Just pick a mood and stick to it . . . they can go back to the original format in later eps.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Ed O'neill coming in would've made it harder for the show to find itself post Ritter. Everyone would've just got caught up on the MWC reunion.

I can understand that, but I think riding off the MWC gravy train will take them farther than 'finding themselves'. The comedy would probably be sharper. Just my 2 cents.

 

And once again, the grandparents are pissing me off.

[Guest El Satanico]

Surburban well off Peg and Al being nice to each other wouldn't be anything like MWC, so we don't know if that would've helped on the comedy aspect.

[NYU 0]

See. That was a nice, sad, poignant, heartwarming part of the episode and a testament to Ritter's actual humor. Unfortunately, it's been the only nice, heartwarming part of the episode so far tonight. The addition of the grandparents, and their constant bickering, is hurting this episode though.

[WrestlingDeacon 0]

I like the concept of life going on and with that little bits of everyday humor. If you've ever gone through such a tramatic death in your life, you know everything just doesn't stop and even the most mundane humore can lighten you up.

 

I too don't like the grandparents' bickering. It feels too tacked on, but I like what Pleshette and Garner are doing outside of that.

[Guest El Satanico]

I haven't seen any problems with the episode. I don't think it needed to be all ultra serious. What's wrong with a few "light hearted moments", it's not like everyone is totally serious when it comes to death.

 

EDIT: Deacon perfectly stated what I was attempting to say about the bits of humor.

[Downhome 0]

I agree with you two so far.

 

I am loving this episode, it reminds me of the times in MY life where I have lost someone close to me.

 

I love James Garner, if they give him the right material he could really shine in the setting of this show.

 

If he is indeed going to move in with the family, he not only will be looking out for the kids just as their mom will be doing, but once his daughter begins to flirt with the concept of dating (I wouldn't look for that to happen anytime soon though), they could deal with his whole looking out for HIS child.

[NYU 0]

Not all of the humor is bad. I liked the conversation between Katey and her two daughters in bed. It was sad, poignant, humorous, and respectful all at the same time. It didn't feel forced. It was the right kind of humor that was a testament to John.

 

But the thing with Putty at the funeral felt like it was written in there just to get some sort of forced, minor laugh. The daughter/kid exchange on the couch too felt forced. And I think some of the bickering between the grandparents was meant to provide a minor, little sense of comic relief - but it's just tons more annoying than anything else.

 

Humor can work in this episode. But in certain doses. In other doses, it's falling right on its face.

[NYU 0]

........beautiful ending.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Nice ending . . . loved everything w/in the immediate family. Everything else was hit or miss at best.

[NYU 0]

Have to agree. The stuff with the immediate family was nice, and I loved the ending with all of them reading his final article. But the rest of the episode, with the grandparents and the funeral guests was just....unnatural. It didn't seem like it belonged with the episode at all. But all in all, I have to say that the situation was handled nicely tonight, and that's all you can ask for.

 

But now ABC has to keep the tears flowing by putting According to Jim right after. How depressed do they want their TV watchers to be tonight?

[WrestlingDeacon 0]

I like Garner and the son talking in the bedroom. That hole bit about working things out in your own way is so very true when you're a teenage boy dealing with death. I've lived through that. And then how Garner keeps fixing every little thing wrong is a subtle way of illustrating him doing the same. I really thought James Garner was very good and do hope he continues on with the show.

[Youth N Asia 0]

None of the jokes worked at all. Without Ritter the show won't last as a comedy. And they can't stress the death out long enough to make it a drama. I think they should cut the show now and let the last episode be a tribute.

 

I almost got misty...I was borderline.

[Guest Choken One]

It was a good show and I actually disagree about the humor parts...I know they weren't the normal standard we came to expect from the show but it seemed more natural, who hasn't been through this and had people make thoughtless jokes trying to lighten the situation? Perfectly Natural.

 

I thought Garner was excellent and I was totally surprised at his character, I expected him to be a more Womazing playboy role but I loved the wise old man direstion instead. The grandmother was flat annoying however.

 

The stuff with the Imm. Family was class and beautiful.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

first time I watched the show, it was alright...I was really only fawning over the blonde and to a lesser extent Kate Sagal. I still think they should end the series now with that being the final episode. I'm sure Sagal is financially set and the kids will get other gigs.

[haVoc 0]

Fast National ratings for Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2003.

 

Running a full hour with more tears than punchlines, ABC's "8 Simple Rules" returned for the first time without star John Ritter and viewers showed up to pay their respects, helping the network control the night.

 

Overall, ABC averaged a 9.6 rating/15 share. CBS was second with an 8.7/14, still well in front of third place NBC's 7.4/12. FOX dipped to a disappointing 4.2/6 and fourth. The WB had a strong evening with a 3.0/5, beating UPN's 2.3/3.

 

ABC also won the night among adults 18-49, earning a 5.8 rating in the coveted demographic. NBC was second for the night with a 5.0 rating, as the other networks finished well back. CBS was a distant third with a 2.9 rating, with FOX's 2.8 close behind. The WB took a 1.6 and beat the 1.2 rating for UPN.

 

The revamped "8 Simple Rules" gave ABC a big win at 8 p.m., earning an impressive 12.8/19 in an episode watched by over 20 million viewers. CBS was in second with "Navy NCIS," which had a respectable 7.9/12 against the tough competition. NBC's "Fear Factor" was third, well in front of the numbers for an encore of "24" on FOX. On The WB, "Gilmore Girls" had a 3.6/5 for the evening, beating the 2.5/4 averaged by UPN comedies "One on One" and "All of Us."

 

ABC clung to the lead at 9 p.m. as "According to Jim" (9.5/14) and "Less than Perfect" (7.4/11) managed to hold onto some of the "8 Simple Rules" momentum. CBS was second with "The Guardian." On NBC, "Fear Factor" (6.9/10) and "Frasier" (6.8/10) remained in third. FOX was fourth as "24" dropped dramatically from last week's premiere, taking only a 5.6/8. "One Tree Hill" on The WB earned its standard 2.5/4, beating the averages for UPN's "Rock Me Baby" and "Girlfriends."

 

CBS moved into first at 10 p.m. with the 9.8/16 for "Judging Amy." NBC was a solid second with the 8.9/15 for "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," which knocked ABC to third with a 7.4/12 for "NYPD Blue."

[gWIL 0]

I missed it, how do they kill off John's character?

[Guest El Satanico]

I missed it, how did they kill off John's character?

Car accident