Tank Jobs and Sabotage

[Khan]

I guess the networks and advertisers made the same assumptions about "Matlock" that they had made about "Murder, She Wrote."  In both cases, they assumed the show skewed older in terms of demographics; and in both cases, they were wrong.

Of course, I don't think "Matlock" was as well written or produced as MSW - none of Dean Hargrove's shows were, IMO - but it's possible Andy Griffith had the same kind of broad appeal as Angela Lansbury, even if Ben Matlock wasn't as endearing as J.B. Fletcher.

Edited September 14, 2024 by Khan

[soapfan770]

Agreed neither shows ever produced MSW caliber episodes, but they could still provide fun little easy to solve mysteries. I know my grandparents and at least my dad lol definitely watched it for Andy (not to mention the cantankerous nature of the character was closer to how Griffith was in real life apparently lol). 
 

Similarly later on both my grandmothers were obsessed with watching Diagnosis Murder too and I’m assuming that was because of Van Dyke plus the show got better after dropping Scott Baio

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[kalbir]

Earlier in this thread you brought up Diagnosis: Murder tank job. 1996/97 move to Thursday 9 pm head-to-head w/ Seinfeld but it backfired 1997/98 when Diagnosis: Murder got its first Top 30 finish. Also backfired 1998/99 Thursday 9 pm head-to-head w/ Frasier and another Top 30 finish.

A second tank job 1999/2000 move to Thursday 8 pm head-to-head w/ Friends and that was when Diagnosis: Murder fell out of the Top 30.

Sabotage Fall 2000 move to Thursday 10 pm head-to-head w/ ER. January 2001 move to Thursday 9 pm. February 2001 move to Friday 8 pm where it remained until the final episode May 11, 2001.

[Paul Raven]

I think Matlock did skew older and NBC was fully aware of that.

The whole point of scheduling it against Who's the Boss was to offer an alternative for the viewers who were not interested in WTB, whose demos would have been strong in kids, teens and young women.

Matlock did well with men and older viewers.

Programming 101.

 

[Soapsuds]

How did I miss this thread?

Now I'm curious. I want to watch Danny Pintauro pretending to be Mona/Samantha.

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Edited September 15, 2024 by Soapsuds

[Khan]

"Diagnosis: Murder" did get better after Scott Baio left.  However, even by Dean Hargrove and Fred Silverman's already low standards, I thought DM was an embarrassment to everyone involved, including Dick Van Dyke.

One factor that probably helped was all those endless cast reunions that they did in order to attract more viewers. 

I remember one episode reunited cast members from "Happy Days," "Laverne & Shirley" and other Garry Marshall-produced sitcoms, while another reunited members from the film and TV versions of "M*A*S*H."  And then there was the time GH's Leslie Charleson and Stuart Damon made a cameo in an episode that, I think, centered around famous TV doctors like Quincy, Joe Gannon from "Medical Center" and the like. Ugh, lol.

I just remember hating the whole exercise and thinking, "If y'all would put more time into developing better scripts, and instructing your actors not to act as if they're guest-starring on 'Batman,' and less time on THIS [!@#$%^&*], imagine how decent y'all actually would be!"

 

Edited September 15, 2024 by Khan

[soapfan770]

 

You might be right as that may have been the case because I do remember how hyped up attention the Star Trek themed Halloween episode was given in that same era in the press.

It was definitely sometime in early ‘98 when I was staying at my grandparents for a week when I heard my grandma say “If I don’t catch that new Diagnosis Murder tonight I’m gonna croak!”

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And there I saw her later on sitting glued to the show while grandpa already was half-asleep in his recliner.

I myself only occasionally ever watched it, especially if nothing else was on. My only interest I had in the show really was just watching Van Dyke and Rowell together, otherwise it was just run of mill whodunits that could be mildly amusing. Something for a very lazy Sunday afternoon but unlike MSW it was definitely not appointment TV worthy. 

I agree better scripts so could have helped the show out. In addition to dumping Baio the show really needed to have recast Sloan’s son with an actual actor. Barry Van Dyke’s apple (along with his son Shane’s apple) fell very, very, very far from the tree that gave us Dick and Jerry.

[Soaplovers]

The only reason my mom (in her 30s) and her friends watched DM was due to Van Dyke and Victoria Rowell.  She didn't think the stories were as good..but had attachments to both leads.

Matlock..same thing...she had an attachment to Andy Griffith cause of the Andy Griffith show..and also grew to like his rapport with Nancy Stafford's character and later Brynn's character (cause she was from soaps).

My grandpa always watched DM as well...never missed it on Fridays

[DRW50]

This always annoyed me. Not as much as it did with Lois & Clark, as the stunt casting ruined that show after a decent first season, but it still annoyed me. I actually preferred the first season or two (it helped that I didn't know what a piece of [!@#$%^&*] Scott Baio was), even if it was never a good program. I remember preferring Burke's Law.

[Soapsuds]

@BetterForgotten

Erika Alexander appears on tonight 20/20.