Did you think Reverend Jim Ignatowski made the show better, worse, or about the same when he was there? I think it was better with him because he was so funny.
He was content to play the likeable space cadet and did not insist on having a cool alter ego to try to make him look better. He was a team player.
The cool alter ego thing ruined Latka's character as well as Steve Urkel in Family Matters. I understand that they got tired of the role but that was like announcing it to the world.
I have just started watching Taxi. I didn't watch it when it was originally on because it was a "grown up" comedy show and I didn't get a lot of it. Now, I'm 44 and am wishing this show had lasted longer than 5 seasons. I'm on season 5 now, and it never seemed to get better or worse, it was just consistently a good show. Each new character that came on always added something. I especially like Reverend Jim. Any time a situation got really heavy or sad, he would try to step in and say something comforting and it always came out wrong because it seemed he misunderstood the whole situation. He was an awesome add to the cast!
Jim is, tgether with Latka, definitely my favourite character. But I have a question about an episode with Jim. On the backside of the dvdbox for season 2, they mention a hilareous episode "Slow Down" with Jim. It should be present in the box. I can not find such title in the box, or on this website. Is this an AKA or so?
I have to mention its in Dutch, I am from Belgium.
Better,because the character/cabbie "john" just wasn't all that funny and too "sraight" to be anything more. Jim gave Taxi a very quirky edge in comedy.
Worse : Seems liek the wirters did "a lot" more scripts for the character than for the already established charatcers.
I think,in a small way,was part of Jeff C's reason for leaving the show,his role really had shrunk by then & he was supposedto be Hirsch's official "co-star". (Jeff also took bad advice from his agent).
About the same : Asoide from the writers writing more for him,once the Jim character is settled in,John had departed & Bobby was out,it was back to pretty much it's original form again.
Ignatowski was brilliant. He definitely made the show better. We had brilliantly written Alex, Tony, Elaine, Bobby and John going about their daily lives and situations while they had Latka, Louie and Jim provide the best comedic relief i've seen on any show.
Last Movies Seen - Children of the Corn - 6 Ninja Dragon - 3.5 Blade: Trinity - 4.5
Absolutely better, but the show felt more like a one-man show rather than an ensemble piece when he was in the spotlight. That's to Christopher Lloyd's credit (and perhaps the rest of the cast's detriment).