after Cindy Williams left. It didn't seem right that they continued on using the Laverne and Shirley title after that.
The more I study it, the greater the puzzle becomes.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
Agreed. I never understood why the title stayed the same after one of the titular characters left.
shareThat California opening credits was probably done for the season when they left Milwaukee. I don't think Cindy's departure was quite expected at the time it happened and at that point it would have been tough to change the opener. Besides, even though the episodes weren't great, and I am sure they knew they weren't, the whole Laverne & Shirley opening was what drew people to the show.
English MA: Symbolism/my life. Truth vs the world - Boudicca of the Iceni
No, they should have just cancelled the show.
share[deleted]
Well,she left because she was pregnant but i could also guess that having played Shirley for (then0 coming up on 8 years (including Happy Days in 1975),she had to be getting tired of it.
Obviously,Penny Marshall wasn't. She's the only cast member to be in
every episode. (Even just the first few minutes or last feww sometimes.)
Betty Garrett jumped off in 1981,5 years after leaving All In The Family.
I could never fathom why she'd leave a great series like AITF to be on Laverne & Shirley. (I love L & S,but if I was an actor in the 1970s,no way I'd leave a Norman Lear show.
Anyhow,changing the title wouldn't have helped anything.
Check out these ratings -
Season Rank Rating
1975–1976 #3[3] 27.5
1976–1977 #2[4] 30.9
1977–1978 #1[5][6] 31.6
1978–1979 30.5
1979–1980 Not in the Top 30 <--Early warning sign,this is why "California".
1980–1981 #21[7] 20.6 (Tied with Monday Night Football)
1981–1982 #20[8] 19.9
1982–1983 #25[9] 17.8 <-----Pretty much spells DOOM.
Besides,ABC had moved it to Mondays!
(Against the last season of M*A*S*H? LOL!
Love rules & hate's for fools.
(MR.) happipuppi13 *arf,man!*
Betty Garrett jumped off in 1981,5 years after leaving All In The Family.
I could never fathom why she'd leave a great series like AITF to be on Laverne & Shirley. (I love L & S,but if I was an actor in the 1970s,no way I'd leave a Norman Lear show.
Networks are always afraid that a change in title will lead viewers to believe it isn't the same show. Well, of course it wasn't, but they probably felt that the public would think it was Laverne in a different setting (Florida? Arizona?) with a different supporting cast. It DID look foolish, though. The show should have been cancelled in 1981, but that's just my opinion.
shareI just watched all of season 8 and thought, 'hmm, it's OK but not like the earlier shows.'
Then I watched all of season 8 again. On the second time around I found season 8 much funnier.
People generally like what they are use to. Had the show only had Laverne for 7 years...and then Shirley was added in season 8, everyone would hate that they added a new character.
Season 8 has some very funny writing. It's not bad it's just different.
The final season just struck me as "weird", starting with the opening where they had the kids singing that schlemeel, whatever song. I had the biggest WTF moment when I first saw that, but you're right. Had Shirley been added later, everyone would have said "why did they add this bimbo?"
shareNetworks are always afraid that a change in title will lead viewers to believe it isn't the same show
They should have cancelled the show. I just watched the opener, and was
looking for her partner actor. It's stupid and inconsistent with the
title remaining.
Character is revealed by how you treat people with no power.
Penny Marshall insisted that the name stay the same.
shareThat's actually something I din't know
Ryan, I alsways assumed ABC wanted it that way. Thanks.
I think another reason ABC kept it on is (like the other 2 networks) they really didn;t have much to offer in the way of "new" and 'good" sitcoms. Mainly becaue all 3 held on their best sitcoms well into the 1980s.
NBC just held onto Diff'rent Strokes & Facts Of Life , but "did" offer
us 3 really good comedies (between 1982 & 1983) like Cheers,Family Ties and Night Court.
Plus the "should have lasted longer "Buffalo Bill". I did like
their shows "Gimmie A Break!",Silver Spoons and Mama's Family too.)
Go for it or just be a gopher!
(MR.) happipuppi13 🐕 *arf,man!*
I actually liked the opening song and montage after Cindy Williams (Shirley)left better then the first LA opening (Laverne & Shirley still had the best theme song in TV History). Of course, I preferred Milwaukee, and still have avoided any episodes that did not have Cindy.
shareThe last season was atrocious. The entire season was cringeworthy. Seemed like all of the characters started to disappear slowly throughout the season.
sharehttps://www.datalounge.com/thread/8024664
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.datalounge.com/thread/7723360-which-us-tv-show-overstayed-its-welcome-the-longest-&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjB3b2i6sfbAhXLhVQKHYR3C9w4ChAWCAQwAA&client=internal-uds-cse&cx=012934500974320822133:_voyjogdwma&usg=AOvVaw3lxfSbMjOFwsoX-Nb-MN2W
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.datalounge.com/thread/13195849-worst-series-final-episodes&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjB3b2i6sfbAhXLhVQKHYR3C9w4ChAWCBgwCQ&client=internal-uds-cse&cx=012934500974320822133:_voyjogdwma&usg=AOvVaw3FcGSaqcNPv0Iartul8wxs
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.datalounge.com/thread/15775696-laverne-and-shirley-happy-days-after-the-shark-&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwiR0qy-6sfbAhUP3lQKHagaCdAQFggLMAM&client=internal-uds-cse&cx=012934500974320822133:_voyjogdwma&usg=AOvVaw2Hwwt69PAXJI70xvt2LDz4