Was The Death of Barbara Colby "Phyllis'" Jump The Shark Moment?

[Brian Damage]

I know she only appeared in 3 episodes before her brutal murder, but did her death signify the beginning of the end of the spinoff 'Phyllis?' Was it ever really the same after?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MyBDyee-Rjc/TIh4TM9MpEI/AAAAAAAACl0/JnSmE5-AXBw/s1600/barbara+colby.jpg

[scotsguy]

The character of Julie was certainly a lot more bad tempered than Barbara Colby's version.

The first appearance and the eventual joining of the cast of Judith Lowry,as Mother Dexter really gave the show,someone to put Phyllis in her place,the show wasn't the same after Ms Lowry's death and didn't last long after.

[gttiene]

I think the show would have lasted a lot longer if Barbara Colby wasn't killed. She was good in that character with Phyllis. The format wouldn't have changed in S2 either, most likely. I still believe that since Phyllis was a top 10 show in S1, they should have kept in on the air for a third season to see if it could regain an audience. CBS probably gave up on it because of the deaths of the real life actors and unnecesary format change in S2:crazy:

[McGillicuddy]

Why would you call the death of an actress a "Jump-the-Shark" moment? That doesn't make any sense!

I do agree the loss of Barbara Colby really hurt the show.

[bliss]

Don't know never seen it but would buy the season sets if it was ever released on DVD.

There was a male actor that was murdered with Barbara Colby on that fatal night. I believe he appeared on "Phyllis" too. Too bad the murder was never solved and to this day remains a cold case decades later.

[Vahan]

Not to turn this into a race issue, but it should be noted that the only thing known about the two people who killed her is that they were two black men.

http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/c/BarbaraColby/BarbaraColby.htm

Also, it may have been linked to the murder of a woman named Gloria Witte, as she, too, was killed on the same day.

[Leslie Eckhardt]

I know she only appeared in 3 episodes before her brutal murder, but did her death signify the beginning of the end of the spinoff 'Phyllis?' Was it ever really the same after?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MyBDyee-Rjc/TIh4TM9MpEI/AAAAAAAACl0/JnSmE5-AXBw/s1600/barbara+colby.jpg
The murder of Barbara Colby was certainly tragic and put a pall on the premiere of the show. It was to the producer's credit to run the first three episodes as filmed rather than re-film or insert Liz Torres into Barbara's scenes. I don't think the replacement was fatal to the series however. To me the basic problem with Phyllis was the fact that the writers were basically trying to make a likeable protagonist out of what was basically a funny, sometimes exasperating supporting character. Phyllis as a sympathetic widow trying to start over was just not as funny as Phyllis as Mary Richards' brittle landlady. The shift in format for the second season didn't work any better than the first season and probably put an indifferent audience off even more. Without Judith Lowery and Burt Mustin, the show probably wouldn't have lasted through the second season. They were the best things about Phyllis (aside from a terrific main title sequence and theme song.)

[scotsguy]

Barbara's death was both shocking and horribel and yes it did affect the show but they carried on and I thought season one was really good.

I think it may have been a better idea to have had Liz Torres play a brand new character,instead of taking on the role of Julie but one of Liz's first episodes was meant to be a flashback to Phyllis' first day at the studio,related in a letter to Mary Richards,so they were stuck,I guess.

I just felt there were too many new characters in season2,Harriet and Dan would have been enough without the terminally unfunny,Leonard.

The illness of Jane Rose in season2 made the writers bring back Bess and although I missed Mother Dexter and the show wasn't the same without her,did enjoy the last few episodes of Phyllis as Bess eloped,then was pregnant to Mark.