1983-84 TV season: Bad season for Sitcoms? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TVFactFan · 09-05-2003, 07:16 PM

Thinking about the 1983-84 TV Season, I don't think it was a entertaining season for Sitcoms because

Three's Comany era was ending
Laverne and Shirley already ended
Mork and Mindy already ended
Happy Days era was pretty much over
Barney Miller was already over
Jeffersons was losing it's steam
Cosby Show had not started yet
Flo had already left Alice

So i think the only fresh sitcoms at the time were

Facts of Life
Different Strokes
Family Ties
Cheers
Gimmie a Break-LOL

This season did not looking very interesting. Thoughts?

Brian Damage · 09-05-2003, 07:20 PM

Sitcoms were a dying breed in the 80's that's for sure.

donald snl · 09-05-2003, 07:22 PM

the worst season i can remember.

Mr. Television · 09-05-2003, 07:31 PM

The only new sitcom that was a hit that year was Webster. Aftermash don't count.

*PinkLady* · 09-05-2003, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian Damage
Sitcoms were a dying breed in the 80's that's for sure.

I agree. Only about 3-5 good shows came out of the whole decade.

Mr. Television · 09-05-2003, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by *PinkLady*
I agree. Only about 3-5 good shows came out of the whole decade.

The early 80's were bad but the late 80's were pretty good.

RichFonz · 09-05-2003, 11:02 PM

There is a point here. The 1983-'84 season was poor. It was Happy Days' final season, but it did have a good farewell where Joanie and Chachi marry. Also, Richie did come back for three eps., including the finale. Since L&S was gone in May 1983, I only have HD and about 6 Facts of Life eps. from that year. I did have the Family Ties series, but I gave it to my brother, because I didn't have room for them. Anyway, it got so bad, the Sunday Night Movie was #1 in 1983-'84. The sitcom era did climb back the following year, but for me, I'm more into the classic sitcoms now.

I am Roboto · 09-05-2003, 11:56 PM

Also, the entire AITF era had ended with the cancellation of Archie Bunker's Place.

Dianne3 · 09-08-2003, 12:25 PM

Night time soaps, Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon's Crest etc, were the "in" shows people watched in the early 80's.

Somewhere I had read, and I don't remember where, was that The Cosby Show was credited for reviving interest in sitcoms.

Freakzilla · 09-08-2003, 02:03 PM

Thinking about this season, with all that's been said about all the shows that had ended, were about to end, or losing steam, it seems like we might repeat 83-84 soon. Last season, the only top ten sitcoms were "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond". Most of the really good sitcoms are getting long in the tooth and there haven't been enough good new shows to fill their void.

I think the 83-84 season wasn't completely bad for sitcoms. "Cheers" and "Family Ties" continued to shine. "Newhart" improved with addition of Julia Duffy and the change from videotape to film. There was also the debut of "Night Court" at midseason.

musicradio77 · 09-08-2003, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sitcom Analyzer
Thinking about the 1983-84 TV Season, I don't think it was a entertaining season for Sitcoms because

Three's Comany era was ending
Laverne and Shirley already ended
Mork and Mindy already ended
Happy Days era was pretty much over
Barney Miller was already over
Jeffersons was losing it's steam
Cosby Show had not started yet
Flo had already left Alice

Don't forget, "Full House" didn't started yet until 1987.

JT · 09-08-2003, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BrooklynGuy78
Don't forget, "Full House" didn't started yet until 1987.

But we're talking about the 1983-1984 season, not the late 80s....

Anyways, I completely disagree that "The Cosby Show" was the show that revived interest in sitcoms. "Kate & Allie" premiered in Spring 1984, and was the #8 rated show for the end of the season. Primetime soaps were really really hot in the early-mid 80s. "Dallas" was #1 for I think three seasons in the early 80s, and I know that "Dynasty" was #1 for 1984-1985. NBC was pretty much full of dramas in the early 80s. It, too, had a primetime soap, "Flamingo Road" that lasted two seasons, along with the action shows like "The A-Team," "Riptide," and "Knight Rider." But 1984, imo, was kinda of a changing year. "Cheers" became more popular and was a much bigger hit than it was during 1982-1983 and "Family Ties" started to shine when it got its lead-in "The Cosby Show." The family shows just snowballed from there, eventually killing the action shows, and unfortunatley, the primetime soaps.

dawsongirl · 09-08-2003, 07:08 PM

Yes...because CBS ruined Goodnight, Beantown by putting it on Sundays.

Didin't last over 18 eps in 83.

jamesanthony · 07-28-2016, 01:53 PM

Saying that sitcoms were dying in 83-84 is a false exaggerated claim by NBC to prop themselves and the Cosby Show up as being saviors of the genre. There were 19 sitcoms in that year's Nielsen Top 50 and 4 of them were first season shows: Kate and Allie, Webster, Night Court and AfterMASH.

These were the shows between 32 and 50: Three's Company, Cheers, Family Ties, Benson, Diff'rent Strokes, Silver Spoons, Gimme A Break, Happy Days, Night Court, One Day at a Time and Goodnight Beantown.

Above 30 were kate and Allie, AfterMASH, Love Boat, Jeffersons, Newhart, Facts of Life, Webster and Alice.

Additionally a lot of the hour long shows that were in the top 50 had humourous elements: Scarecrow and Mrs King, A-Team, Simon and Simon.

Aaron Spelling's hits had humor in them or were painted so broadly that they could be watched as satires: TJ Hooker, Dynasty etc. The only real dramas that were big that year were the more serious soaps like Dallas, Knots Landing and Falcon Crest and stuff like Father Murphy and the network movie nights. Hill St Blues and St Elsewhere balanced their heavy drama with a lot of comedy. So the truth is that most of the more popular shows on that season had some element of comedy to them.

Facts of Life
Different Strokes
Family Ties
Cheers
Gimmie a Break-LOL

This season did not looking very interesting. Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

king of comedy · 07-28-2016, 03:19 PM

Horrible year. NBC had so many bad sitcoms in the fall of 83. Anybody remembered Jennifer Slept Here for example?

09-05-2003, 07:31 PM	#4
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	The only new sitcom that was a hit that year was Webster. Aftermash don't count.
	__________________ Sonny

09-05-2003, 11:56 PM	#8
I am Roboto wtfmate Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2003 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,224	1983-84 Also, the entire AITF era had ended with the cancellation of Archie Bunker's Place.
	__________________ Chris.

09-05-2003, 07:16 PM	#1
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,950	1983-84 TV season: Bad season for Sitcoms? Thinking about the 1983-84 TV Season, I don't think it was a entertaining season for Sitcoms because Three's Comany era was ending Laverne and Shirley already ended Mork and Mindy already ended Happy Days era was pretty much over Barney Miller was already over Jeffersons was losing it's steam Cosby Show had not started yet Flo had already left Alice So i think the only fresh sitcoms at the time were Facts of Life Different Strokes Family Ties Cheers Gimmie a Break-LOL This season did not looking very interesting. Thoughts?

09-05-2003, 07:20 PM	#2
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	Sitcoms were a dying breed in the 80's that's for sure.

09-05-2003, 07:22 PM	#3
donald snl Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 06, 2003 Posts: 456	the worst season i can remember.

09-05-2003, 11:02 PM	#7
RichFonz Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 21, 2002 Location: Campbell, California Posts: 337	There is a point here. The 1983-'84 season was poor. It was Happy Days' final season, but it did have a good farewell where Joanie and Chachi marry. Also, Richie did come back for three eps., including the finale. Since L&S was gone in May 1983, I only have HD and about 6 Facts of Life eps. from that year. I did have the Family Ties series, but I gave it to my brother, because I didn't have room for them. Anyway, it got so bad, the Sunday Night Movie was #1 in 1983-'84. The sitcom era did climb back the following year, but for me, I'm more into the classic sitcoms now.

09-08-2003, 12:25 PM	#9
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,056	Night time soaps, Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon's Crest etc, were the "in" shows people watched in the early 80's. Somewhere I had read, and I don't remember where, was that The Cosby Show was credited for reviving interest in sitcoms.

09-08-2003, 02:03 PM	#10
Freakzilla Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 23, 2000 Location: Portage, Michigan, United States Posts: 556	Thinking about this season, with all that's been said about all the shows that had ended, were about to end, or losing steam, it seems like we might repeat 83-84 soon. Last season, the only top ten sitcoms were "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond". Most of the really good sitcoms are getting long in the tooth and there haven't been enough good new shows to fill their void. I think the 83-84 season wasn't completely bad for sitcoms. "Cheers" and "Family Ties" continued to shine. "Newhart" improved with addition of Julia Duffy and the change from videotape to film. There was also the debut of "Night Court" at midseason.

09-08-2003, 07:08 PM	#13
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,128	Yes...because CBS ruined Goodnight, Beantown by putting it on Sundays. Didin't last over 18 eps in 83.

07-28-2016, 01:53 PM	#14
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	Saying that sitcoms were dying in 83-84 is a false exaggerated claim by NBC to prop themselves and the Cosby Show up as being saviors of the genre. There were 19 sitcoms in that year's Nielsen Top 50 and 4 of them were first season shows: Kate and Allie, Webster, Night Court and AfterMASH. These were the shows between 32 and 50: Three's Company, Cheers, Family Ties, Benson, Diff'rent Strokes, Silver Spoons, Gimme A Break, Happy Days, Night Court, One Day at a Time and Goodnight Beantown. Above 30 were kate and Allie, AfterMASH, Love Boat, Jeffersons, Newhart, Facts of Life, Webster and Alice. Additionally a lot of the hour long shows that were in the top 50 had humourous elements: Scarecrow and Mrs King, A-Team, Simon and Simon. Aaron Spelling's hits had humor in them or were painted so broadly that they could be watched as satires: TJ Hooker, Dynasty etc. The only real dramas that were big that year were the more serious soaps like Dallas, Knots Landing and Falcon Crest and stuff like Father Murphy and the network movie nights. Hill St Blues and St Elsewhere balanced their heavy drama with a lot of comedy. So the truth is that most of the more popular shows on that season had some element of comedy to them. Facts of Life Different Strokes Family Ties Cheers Gimmie a Break-LOL This season did not looking very interesting. Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

07-28-2016, 03:19 PM	#15
king of comedy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 31, 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,140	Horrible year. NBC had so many bad sitcoms in the fall of 83. Anybody remembered Jennifer Slept Here for example?