TV shows that lost their "place in history"

[Guest wrestlingbs]

X-Files is the number one and best at this catagory. The show started off brilliantly for something like 4 or 5 seasons and created a reason to actually stay at home on Friday nights for us pack of nerds that were already home anyway Anyway by the end of the show's run, it was a completely muddled mess of continuity that no one in their right minds could follow as well as the loss of its main star in Mulder. I don't think people even miss it in the least anymore, and thats kind of a shame considering how good it used to be.

Amen. I remember watching the series finale and thinking, "wow this has really gone downhill." I mean, out of the 2 hr. finale 90 minutes was spent recapping the plot!

[CanadianChris 0]

The Cosby Show. A pretty good show, and DOMINATED the ratings for four years straight, but then they introduced that annoying little kid in the fifth or sixth season and it went straight into the crapper. The episode where Cliff, Theo and Elvin "give birth" has to rank as one of the worst half-hours in television history.

[Ripper 0]

I think alot of these shows named aren't and didn't lose their place in history.

 

I mean, really, The COSBY SHOW? MASH? THE SIMPSONS? Nah.

 

Almost everyshow went down hill at some point so you can do that with almost every show. But the ones that were destined for greatness and are now just footnotes in history...

 

The Practice. Its first season was so celebrated that you would think it was going tobe the greatest show of all time. Then...well..then it went on to become one of the more forgettable shows until alot of people would answer "is that show still on?" and didn't even know about the series finally from a few weeks ago.

 

I have to second Aly McBeal...and Boston Public...goddamn David!

 

I would also like to add St. Elsewere. That is a show whose finally took ALOT of edge off of its historical standing. I mean kids today have heard of Mash, and alot of the older shows, but St. Elsewere is pretty much forgotten for a show that would've been historically remembered if not for that ending.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

NewsRadio - quirky little show that really fell off after Hartman's death. And, as a side note, they did an homage to the St. Elsewhere ending in one of their episodes.

[spman 0]

A show I believe was pretty popular and just fizzled out was Alf. I don't remember too much from the time frame, but I remember a cliff hanging ending to the season that ended up finishing the series.

 

ALF was a pretty geeky show, but yeah they had pretty much stretched the gimmick as far it could have gone by the time the series was canned in 1990. The reason for the cliffihanger ending was becuase thyehad no idea the series was going ot get canned, so they filmed that last episode thinking that they would be picked up for a fifth season. Unfortuantly, the show was canned after production of season 4, so the series ended with a cliffhanger. The story was continued to a satisfactory ending in the 1996 made for TV movie Project ALF.

 

I believe the Price Is Right has been on for 32 years now.

 

Well if we're going to include Daytime, then I think Meet the Press is on Season 56.

[teke184 0]

X-Files is the number one and best at this catagory.  The show started off brilliantly for something like 4 or 5 seasons and created a reason to actually stay at home on Friday nights for us pack of nerds that were already home anyway    Anyway by the end of the show's run, it was a completely muddled mess of continuity that no one in their right minds could follow as well as the loss of its main star in Mulder.  I don't think people even miss it in the least anymore, and thats kind of a shame considering how good it used to be.

The X-Files movie is what killed the series.

 

That movie was an unwatchable POS that changed the course of the series. It took stuff that had been built up to for five seasons and threw it down the toilet (OK... you've got bees that can spread smallpox... and now their STING WILL TURN PEOPLE INTO ALIENS? WHATTHEF@CK?!?)

 

Once the series had to absorb some of these changes (losing the traditional Black Ooze aliens to those... things, losing the Well Manicured Man as one of the members of the conspiracy, etc.), it started hurting badly. I couldn't sit through most of the sixth season when this was going on, but started coming back around the seventh season when they pulled their heads out of their asses temporarily. (The episode with magician Ricky Jay as well as the one with the extraordinarily lucky guy were really good)

 

 

Losing David Duchovny to bad movies around the eighth season was the death knell, but the series started the downward spiral years before.

[MrRant 0]

Yeah I remember being a big fan through the first 4 seasons and then the 5th was good... but then the 6th just lost me in the first few episodes and I haven't watched it since.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Family Matters. There was a time when every other word that came out of Urkel's mouth became a national catchphrase, but by the time the show ended things had become truley pathetic (I think the season finale had something to do with Urkel in space. Nuff said).

And dont forget that they had a different actress playing Harriette.

 

X Files was good for the season after the movie, and then it went downhill.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Once Urkel invented his DNA altering machine, Family Matters was doomed.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

X-Files is the number one and best at this catagory. The show started off brilliantly for something like 4 or 5 seasons and created a reason to actually stay at home on Friday nights for us pack of nerds that were already home anyway Anyway by the end of the show's run, it was a completely muddled mess of continuity that no one in their right minds could follow as well as the loss of its main star in Mulder. I don't think people even miss it in the least anymore, and thats kind of a shame considering how good it used to be.

The first six seasons of X-Files make it a legit contender for Best Sci-Fi show ever. AND one of the few Sci-Fi shows to maintain it;s mythos for that long. When you think about it... The X-Files only had one "Big Bad", and that's one hell of an achievement.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

X-Files is the number one and best at this catagory.  The show started off brilliantly for something like 4 or 5 seasons and created a reason to actually stay at home on Friday nights for us pack of nerds that were already home anyway    Anyway by the end of the show's run, it was a completely muddled mess of continuity that no one in their right minds could follow as well as the loss of its main star in Mulder.  I don't think people even miss it in the least anymore, and thats kind of a shame considering how good it used to be.

The X-Files movie is what killed the series.

 

That movie was an unwatchable POS that changed the course of the series. It took stuff that had been built up to for five seasons and threw it down the toilet (OK... you've got bees that can spread smallpox... and now their STING WILL TURN PEOPLE INTO ALIENS? WHATTHEF@CK?!?)

 

Once the series had to absorb some of these changes (losing the traditional Black Ooze aliens to those... things, losing the Well Manicured Man as one of the members of the conspiracy, etc.), it started hurting badly. I couldn't sit through most of the sixth season when this was going on, but started coming back around the seventh season when they pulled their heads out of their asses temporarily. (The episode with magician Ricky Jay as well as the one with the extraordinarily lucky guy were really good)

 

 

Losing David Duchovny to bad movies around the eighth season was the death knell, but the series started the downward spiral years before.

Don't forget the COPS episode and the video-game episode that followed that temporarily made The X-Files a buzz-word at my middle school again, just because those two were so cool.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Season 6 of X-Files had some great episodes, IMO.

-"Dreamland 1 & 2" - 2 parter of Duchovny/Michael McKean switching bodies

-"Triangle"

-"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"

-"Monday" - "Groundhog Day" type episode

-"Arcadia" - trash monster, Mulder & Scully undercover as "Rob & Laura Petrie"

-"The Unnatural"

-"Three of a Kind"

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

I can't help but feel Deep Space Nine and Voyager were disappointments. I have only seen one episode of Classic Trek, Charlie X. But I've read a bunch of novels, seen every single movie(even Final Frontier), and I got into Star Trek after discovering Star Wars and then getting some DS9 novels for dirt cheap. But the first Trek series I actually saw was Next Gen. DS9 and Voyager never captured the feling Next gen had for me. DS9 got close, but then they killed Jadzia and I stopped watching the show soon after they rbought in the new Dax. Voyager just seemed to get lost in its own weirdness and wanting to show off 7 of 9. As for Enterprise, well, I couldn't get into it and they started messing with continuity and just hope they kill that show and let Trek ride off into the sunset if they can't come up with a decent idea. Even Gundam is starting to cool it with the endless sequels.

[Guest Choken One]

Dawson's Creek.

 

The first season was just fantastic and was constroversial as hell...and then it became another Soap Operaish show.

 

The show had GREAT characters but loose plotlines for the next few seasons...and had a good finish but the magic the first season had should have made the show more then being known as the show that kept the teen genre in place POST 90210 PRE The OC.

[Ripper 0]

See, I actually liked Dawsons Creek better as the show went on. I did get pissed that Dawson wouldn't just get over that bitch and move on but hey, the acting, writing, and such all got better. The only thing that got worse was the girl that played Jen. She got scarier and scarier looking until she was all skin, bone and teeth.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

I can't help but feel Deep Space Nine and Voyager were disappointments. I have only seen one episode of Classic Trek, Charlie X. But I've read a bunch of novels, seen every single movie(even Final Frontier), and I got into Star Trek after discovering Star Wars and then getting some DS9 novels for dirt cheap. But the first Trek series I actually saw was Next Gen. DS9 and Voyager never captured the feling Next gen had for me. DS9 got close, but then they killed Jadzia and I stopped watching the show soon after they rbought in the new Dax. Voyager just seemed to get lost in its own weirdness and wanting to show off 7 of 9. As for Enterprise, well, I couldn't get into it and they started messing with continuity and just hope they kill that show and let Trek ride off into the sunset if they can't come up with a decent idea. Even Gundam is starting to cool it with the endless sequels.

DS9 was going for a completely different feel then Trek before it, so it's to it's credit that you never got a "Trek" vibe.

[Guest Cerebus]

Once Urkel invented his DNA altering machine, Family Matters was doomed.

Amen. The Stefan Urkél thing was fun for a throw-away episode, but soon it became the basis of every other episode. On top of that Laura got that awful haircut...

[El Psycho Diablo 0]

I can't help but feel Deep Space Nine and Voyager were disappointments. I have only seen one episode of Classic Trek, Charlie X. But I've read a bunch of novels, seen every single movie(even Final Frontier), and I got into Star Trek after discovering Star Wars and then getting some DS9 novels for dirt cheap. But the first Trek series I actually saw was Next Gen. DS9 and Voyager never captured the feling Next gen had for me. DS9 got close, but then they killed Jadzia and I stopped watching the show soon after they rbought in the new Dax. Voyager just seemed to get lost in its own weirdness and wanting to show off 7 of 9. As for Enterprise, well, I couldn't get into it and they started messing with continuity and just hope they kill that show and let Trek ride off into the sunset if they can't come up with a decent idea. Even Gundam is starting to cool it with the endless sequels.

Actually, the last Gundam "sequel" in the main timeline was 1993's Victory Gundam. Since then, it's all been self-contained Alternate Universe shows.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Well, I think G-Saviour is within the UC timeline, but that was '99. But it also isn't cannon(I HOPE not at least) but the point is made, there were a rediculous amount of sequels to Gundam

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

I can't help but feel Deep Space Nine and Voyager were disappointments. I have only seen one episode of Classic Trek, Charlie X. But I've read a bunch of novels, seen every single movie(even Final Frontier), and I got into Star Trek after discovering Star Wars and then getting some DS9 novels for dirt cheap. But the first Trek series I actually saw was Next Gen. DS9 and Voyager never captured the feling Next gen had for me. DS9 got close, but then they killed Jadzia and I stopped watching the show soon after they rbought in the new Dax. Voyager just seemed to get lost in its own weirdness and wanting to show off 7 of 9. As for Enterprise, well, I couldn't get into it and they started messing with continuity and just hope they kill that show and let Trek ride off into the sunset if they can't come up with a decent idea. Even Gundam is starting to cool it with the endless sequels.

DS9 was going for a completely different feel then Trek before it, so it's to it's credit that you never got a "Trek" vibe.

I'm saying I liked the show up until that point and I think it got killed with Jadzia dying

[Guest NaturalBornThriller4:20]

Family Matters. There was a time when every other word that came out of Urkel's mouth became a national catchphrase, but by the time the show ended things had become truley pathetic (I think the season finale had something to do with Urkel in space. Nuff said).

 

Agreed.

 

But, what really killed it was the move from ABC to CBS, and the damn near ever episode revolving around Urkel, Stephan, and Laura (Especially when they found a way for both Urkel and Stephan to be around). Sad thing is, for a show that was on so long and had such a big fanbase, nobody watched or really knew about the series finale.

[Jericholic82 0]

speaking of boston public, what the hell happeneded to it? did it get canned? It hasn't been on since like february and no mention was made since. that kinda sucks, cuz I was liking this season so far.

 

 

and I agree with family matters. It got bad in 97 when abc canned it and it sucked on cbs with a different harriete and the fact that laura and steve (not stefan) got engaged, they should have saved that for the finale, (laura finally accepts steve as he is) if it had been better Still one of my favorite shows and still watch reruns.

\

How about Boy meets world, started off kinda funny, then they moved to seventh grade and things changed, but still good (and the fact that VADER WAS FRANKIE STACCINOS(sp?) DAD) got lame towards the end, when they went to college and FREAKIN MR FEENEY WENT WITH THEM (UGHH can you imagine your teacher/prinicpal being all stalker like?) that was more contrived then a saved by the bell episode (though I love that show anyway)

 

married... was at its best IMO after Jefferson debuted and it got dumb about 95 when buck died but came back as the new dog, and then they kept shifting the day and timeslot until they canned it and we didnt get a real series finale. but still a landmark show. and how can you not love PSYCHO DAD

 

I disagree with the simpsons, I still enjoy it, though it does get tiresome, because as south park once put it its been on forever of course theyve covered everything. I enjoyed the london ep in particular.

 

Pyscho Dad theme (a few verses from a collection of mwc eps)

 

Who's that riding into the sun? whos that man with the great big gun? whos the man who kills for fun? PYSCHO DAD, PSYCHO DAD, PSYCHO DAD, he's quick with a gun, but he loves his son, killed his wife cuz she weighed a ton. PYSCHO DAD PSYCHO DAD PSYCHO DAD

 

Who's that tall dark stranger there? Who's the man with the icy stare? the one with the scalp of his ex-wife's hair? PYSCHO DAD PYSCHO DAD PYSCHO DAD He's quick with a gun, and his job aint done, killed his wife by 21 PYSCHO DAD PSYCHO DAD PSYCHO DAD

Killed his wife cuz she had a cold, might as well she was getting old

PYSCHO DAD PSYCHO DAD PYSCHO DAD

[MrRant 0]

Married With Children NEVER lost it's place in history. The show never really dropped off as they were smart enough to know Seven wasn't going anywhere and canned him like 5 episodes in. The only thing that went wrong was them never getting a proper finale.

[El Psycho Diablo 0]

Well, I think G-Saviour is within the UC timeline, but that was '99. But it also isn't cannon(I HOPE not at least) but the point is made, there were a rediculous amount of sequels to Gundam

G-Saviour isn't canon, I believe.

 

Really, it dosen't have that many sequels. There are two "direct" sequels in Zeta and Double Zeta Gundam, which happen shortly after the first. Victory Gundam's a ways away from the last series, so it's more of a continuation.

 

For anime, it's got a lot of sequels..but when you put it in American terms (Seasons, with the AU series being spin-offs) it really isn't. o_o

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Well, I think G-Saviour is within the UC timeline, but that was '99. But it also isn't cannon(I HOPE not at least) but the point is made, there were a rediculous amount of sequels to Gundam

G-Saviour isn't canon, I believe.

 

Really, it dosen't have that many sequels. There are two "direct" sequels in Zeta and Double Zeta Gundam, which happen shortly after the first. Victory Gundam's a ways away from the last series, so it's more of a continuation.

 

For anime, it's got a lot of sequels..but when you put it in American terms (Seasons, with the AU series being spin-offs) it really isn't. o_o

War in the Pocket and Stardust Memories and all that are Universal Century, so I think they could count as sequels even if they take place at the same time period

[Guest Retro Rob]

ER is definitely in this territory now.

 

IMO, ER has really made a turnaround. The first five seasons were all tremendous. Seasons 6 - 8 were downright bad. Then once the creative team got used to the new cast of characters things started picking up again. I for one was thrilled with how Season 10 turned out since I was expecting it to be below-average.

[Guest Retro Rob]

As for The X-Files. I truly LOVE that show. I watched it all the way to end, but by the time season eight and nine came around it became much more of a chore. Now I'm going back and buying the box sets of the old seasons. It's so sad how such a great show could end up as such a shitty one.

[AndrewTS 0]

How about Boy meets world, started off kinda funny, then they moved to seventh grade and things changed, but still good (and the fact that VADER WAS FRANKIE STACCINOS(sp?) DAD) got lame towards the end, when they went to college and FREAKIN MR FEENEY WENT WITH THEM (UGHH can you imagine your teacher/prinicpal being all stalker like?) that was more contrived then a saved by the bell episode (though I love that show anyway)

 

Yeah. The show got really boring when they went to college. Well, didn't help that Topanga's actress put on weight. She was really smoking around 16-18.

 

married... was at its best IMO after Jefferson debuted and it got dumb about 95 when buck died but came back as the new dog, and then they kept shifting the day and timeslot until they canned it and we didnt get a real series finale. but still a landmark show. and how can you not love PSYCHO DAD

 

A little touched or so we're told.

 

Killed his wife 'cause she had a cold.

Might as well, she was gettin' ooold.

 

Psy-cho Dad, Psycho Dad, Psycho Dad!

 

He's quick with a gun, and his job ain't done.

Killed his wife by twenty-one, he's Psy-cho Dad!

 

Oh, and I had no idea ER was still on the air. Of course, I didn't know Friends was still on the air until the finale was advertised all over the place, so maybe that's not too alarming.

[Guest wrestlingbs]

DS9 never lost it's place in history simply because it never had one. It was like a spinoff when Next Gen was running, and then Voyager took the top spot after that. It ws buried in a horrible timeslot and hardly ever advertised, which is sad because I think it had some of the best episodes of the entire genre.

 

As for Jadzia dying, that had more to do with Terri calling it quits than anything else. Which is funny, because I think she did the same thing on Becker later on. The series would have been better with her, you're right about that.