I would have said supporting characters who stole the show (or at least provided the comic relief of the show) except that Alan already used that logo theme a few weeks ago.
he easily could have found solo pictures of the happy days/andy griffith stars, so we should probably take it to mean something that they're together...
Considering there's a Time article titled "10 Shows that Overstayed Their Welcome" with a picture of Happy Days on the cover I'll go with that. Though I admit, I don't know if that applies to the Andy Griffith Show or to NCIS.
I was going to go with "Shows That Spun Off Other Shows" but it doesn't work for the Simpsons.
Unless you count the "Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase" episode where they mocked the phenomenon with "Lovematic Grandpa," "wiggum p.i.," and "The Simpson Family Smile-Time Variety Hour."
"I am not sure NCIS would be fair here. Wasn't that just a back door pilot unlike the other three which were true spin offs?"
Depending on your definition of spin off, none of them were really spin-offs since none were new shows featuring recurring characters from an old show. Happy Days was an unsold pilot repurposed for an anthology show and then sold into series, Andy Griffith was one of the first back door pilots in that the episode was almost an episode of The Andy Griffith Show guest starring Danny Thomas (much like NCIS/JAG). And The Simpsons was obviously just a series of short cartoons as part of a sketch comedy show.
Sorry, I got so excited when it clicked into place for me that the trivia started pouring out. My wife keeps telling me not to do that and I may even listen to her one day.
I wasn't being snarky or sarcastic, I meant that. At least about the Andy Griffith Show. I also wasn't aware Happy Days was a pilot, I thought it was just a normal episode of Love, American Style.
They all did have spinoffs as well -- The Critic is just as much a spinoff of The Simpsons as Happy Days is of Love, American Style -- both were backdoor pilots, no?
Adam, "A Star is Burns" (the Simpsons episode with Jay Sherman that I still quote from daily) aired more than a year after "The Critic" debuted on ABC. It was used, I think, to help introduce the show to the Fox audience (and Matt Groening was so mad that it's the only episode of the series that doesn't have his name, or his voice on the DVD commentary), but the show had already been around a while.
I tried (unsuccessfully) to make "characters who love soft drinks" fit.
Abby can barely function without Caf-Pow. King-Size Homer tries to order a Tab with his computer's TAB key. Richie and Fonzie... enjoyed fountain drinks at Arnold's? And... I should catch an episode of the Andy Griffith Show someday.
Anyway, you'd really need Radar O'Reilly in there for that.
They were all #1 shows for their time? But that seems too broad.
ReplyDeleteSupporting characters who stole the show?
ReplyDeleteBreakout characters--originally secondary characters who became the most popular or prominent element of a show.
ReplyDeleteI would have said supporting characters who stole the show (or at least provided the comic relief of the show) except that Alan already used that logo theme a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteCharacters with famous one word catchphrases? (I've got the Fonz and Homer under that...don't know about the other two fitting the bill)
ReplyDeletehe easily could have found solo pictures of the happy days/andy griffith stars, so we should probably take it to mean something that they're together...
ReplyDeleteConsidering there's a Time article titled "10 Shows that Overstayed Their Welcome" with a picture of Happy Days on the cover I'll go with that. Though I admit, I don't know if that applies to the Andy Griffith Show or to NCIS.
ReplyDeleteI was going to go with "Shows That Spun Off Other Shows" but it doesn't work for the Simpsons.
ReplyDeleteHappy Days = Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy
NCIS = LA NCIS
Andy Griffith = Gomer Pyle & Mayberry RFD
Spin-offs that are more well-known than the original?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about Andy Griffith, though.
Close on the spin-off. They all started as part of another show.
ReplyDeleteHappy Days - Love American Style
The Simpons - The Tracy Ullman Show
NCIS - JAG
Andy Griffith - The Danny Thomas Show
I was going to go with "Shows That Spun Off Other Shows" but it doesn't work for the Simpsons.
ReplyDeleteUnless you count the "Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase" episode where they mocked the phenomenon with "Lovematic Grandpa," "wiggum p.i.," and "The Simpson Family Smile-Time Variety Hour."
Damn, Sam Hobart has it. Good one.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous is also right of course that they are more famous than than the show they originated on.
ReplyDeleteThough I admit, I don't know if that applies to the Andy Griffith Show or to NCIS.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen NCIS, but TAGS got almost unwatchable after Don Knotts left.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure NCIS would be fair here. Wasn't that just a back door pilot unlike the other three which were true spin offs?
ReplyDeleteMy guess would have been "400 pounds of fun", if not for the NCIS chick.
ReplyDeleteIs the selection of "King-Size Homer" as opposed to "Original Recipe Homer" relevant to the logo?
"I am not sure NCIS would be fair here. Wasn't that just a back door pilot unlike the other three which were true spin offs?"
ReplyDeleteDepending on your definition of spin off, none of them were really spin-offs since none were new shows featuring recurring characters from an old show. Happy Days was an unsold pilot repurposed for an anthology show and then sold into series, Andy Griffith was one of the first back door pilots in that the episode was almost an episode of The Andy Griffith Show guest starring Danny Thomas (much like NCIS/JAG). And The Simpsons was obviously just a series of short cartoons as part of a sketch comedy show.
Is the selection of "King-Size Homer" as opposed to "Original Recipe Homer" relevant to the logo?
ReplyDeleteOnly in that "King-Size Homer" might well be my favorite episode, and that looking at Homer in his muumuu always makes me smile.
"The fingers you are using to dial are too fat. To obtain a special dialing wand, please mash the keypad with your palm..."
And good on Sam. 33 minutes may, sadly, be the record for longest interval it's taken for someone to figure it out.
ReplyDeleteactors that way older than their characters are supposed to be
ReplyDeleteThanks Sam! I consider myself educated!
ReplyDelete"Thanks Sam! I consider myself educated!"
ReplyDeleteSorry, I got so excited when it clicked into place for me that the trivia started pouring out. My wife keeps telling me not to do that and I may even listen to her one day.
Yay, I provided a bit of a stumper!
ReplyDelete-Mike Willis
I wasn't being snarky or sarcastic, I meant that. At least about the Andy Griffith Show. I also wasn't aware Happy Days was a pilot, I thought it was just a normal episode of Love, American Style.
ReplyDeleteThey all did have spinoffs as well -- The Critic is just as much a spinoff of The Simpsons as Happy Days is of Love, American Style -- both were backdoor pilots, no?
ReplyDeleteAdam, "A Star is Burns" (the Simpsons episode with Jay Sherman that I still quote from daily) aired more than a year after "The Critic" debuted on ABC. It was used, I think, to help introduce the show to the Fox audience (and Matt Groening was so mad that it's the only episode of the series that doesn't have his name, or his voice on the DVD commentary), but the show had already been around a while.
ReplyDeleteFine. As the Fonz would say, I was wrr.... I was wrrr...
ReplyDeleteSo the one two one two business was a red herring.
ReplyDeleteEr 2 1 1 2.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletenow I'm thinking of Clue...2+1+1+2...
ReplyDelete"When I touch it, it gives forth a sound..."
ReplyDeleteWhere's Homer's hat? It completes the outfit, man.
ReplyDelete"Communism was just a red herring"
ReplyDelete"1 + 2 + 1 + 1 is..."
I was going to say repressed homosexuality, but I'm not sure Homer (ironically enough) fits that description.
ReplyDeleteI'll go with breakout characters, but only because others pointed that out. I never would have got that one on my own.
I tried (unsuccessfully) to make "characters who love soft drinks" fit.
ReplyDeleteAbby can barely function without Caf-Pow.
King-Size Homer tries to order a Tab with his computer's TAB key.
Richie and Fonzie... enjoyed fountain drinks at Arnold's?
And... I should catch an episode of the Andy Griffith Show someday.
Anyway, you'd really need Radar O'Reilly in there for that.
Better then the Orginal
ReplyDeleteLaverne & Shirley
The Tracey Ullman Show
JAG
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C