So I've made the West Wing my late-summer weekend binge watch special, and learned tonight Rob Lowe's Sam Seaborn was intended to be the main character of the show before the pilot was filmed and they realized the ensemble was stronger than any single unit. This really struck me because from the very beginning I've been under the impression this was Bradley Whitford's show - sidebar: I also just realized he was the bad guy from Billy Madison - and that he was going to...turn evil or something? I had a weird opinion of this show when I was 10.


That got me thinking about other shows where characters were intended to be the main focus, but ultimately slid into a sort of "separate but equal" role, if not outright replaced by the audience with another character.


The only one that immediately came to mind was Community, which is supposed to be about Jeff's pursuit of a BA but to most ends up an examination of television through the eyes of Abed.


Friday Night Lights and a couple others I thought of after, but they all have main solid rocks that anchor them and the focus of the ensemble shifted around them.


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I forgot his name

Also in a smaller way Avon Barksdale was pushed aside for Stringer Bell

happiness is a mediocre standard for a middle class existence - S. Williams

I don't not like you because you have dumb ideas about the world, I don't like you because you have other people's dumb ideas about the world. - Rjcc

..from reginald veljohnson


*skatin' the rings of saturn*

*GLSC*

..and miles to go before i sleep...

Payton's character from Perfect Strangers was why they had a spinoff in the 1st place....

ABC intended it to b their Cosby Show, but it became something else....

"yes, sometimes my rhymes are sexist, but you lovely bitches and hos should know i'm tryin to correct it"- hiphopopotamus

Reginald VelJohnson, JoMarie Payton, and Telma Hopkins were intended to be the stars, roughly in that order, even though the show was based around a character Payton had previously played on "Perfect Strangers" for two years.

One episode of "Perfect Strangers" - "Crimebusters" - is a back-door pilot for "Family Matters" and establishes the Carl/Harriette dynamic.

i was never a big fan of either show, but i watched more FM than PT...poor thelma hopkins, always supporting cast....she does it well though...

"yes, sometimes my rhymes are sexist, but you lovely bitches and hos should know i'm tryin to correct it"- hiphopopotamus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56-63KbxXzI

suppose to be for Reginald Johnson

happiness is a mediocre standard for a middle class existence - S. Williams

I don't not like you because you have dumb ideas about the world, I don't like you because you have other people's dumb ideas about the world. - Rjcc

trying to make a show based on Reginald VelJohnson's character from "Die Hard".

It was tied into "Perfect Strangers" by making Harriette Winslow the wife.

He initially had some issues with it, but got over it (particularly when they decided to pair him with Urkel as the Hardy to his Laurel).

JoMarie Payton, however, threatened to quit like every other season, holding the producers hostage for more money, and trying in vain to get Jaleel White's part written down. She finally left in 1997 after the show moved to CBS (she'd intended nto to follow the show from ABC to CBS, but they begged her to stay for just a few eps to make the transition easier)

>JoMarie Payton, however, threatened to quit like every other
>season, holding the producers hostage for more money, and
>trying in vain to get Jaleel White's part written down. She
>finally left in 1997 after the show moved to CBS (she'd
>intended nto to follow the show from ABC to CBS, but they
>begged her to stay for just a few eps to make the transition
>easier)

he wouldn't even say her name, just referred to her as "that woman", said how much of a bitch she was to him & that she wouldn't even speak to him on the set.

___________________

Mar-A-Lago delenda est

>Also in a smaller way Avon Barksdale was pushed aside for
>Stringer Bell

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who was the show suppose to be for?

happiness is a mediocre standard for a middle class existence - S. Williams

I don't not like you because you have dumb ideas about the world, I don't like you because you have other people's dumb ideas about the world. - Rjcc

...but with nerds LOL....we still don't know alot about penny..

"yes, sometimes my rhymes are sexist, but you lovely bitches and hos should know i'm tryin to correct it"- hiphopopotamus

With Sheldon as the wacky roommate.

Now it's way more about Sheldon with Leonard as the voice-of-reason roommate.

My movies: http://russellhainline.com
My movie reviews: https://letterboxd.com/RussellHFilm/
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the show became aggravating to watch. Sheldon got on my nerves.

But in later seasons they gave Sheldon more story to work with to make his quirks a plus

happiness is a mediocre standard for a middle class existence - S. Williams

I don't not like you because you have dumb ideas about the world, I don't like you because you have other people's dumb ideas about the world. - Rjcc

At least it seemed to me back in 1990 or whatever.


Now it's all Homer.


http://twitter.com/collazo

Michael Keaton was supposed to star in the pilot as Jack, and then die in the same episode. Kate was supposed to be the leader of that group.

-Sig-

“Why didn’t you do this in your own god damn country?"

-All Stah's view on undocumented immigrants wanting to be treated like human beings.

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http://getouttheroom.podomatic.com
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"You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do!" - Olin Miller

they said that during the run of the show and after...

JJ and company said as much that Jack was going to dite in the pilot.

But, JJ and the network saw the chemistry between Fox and everyone else and he stayed...

though Kate as the leader of the group would have been interesting.

Get Out the Room
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/get-out-the-room/id525657893

Some of y'all need this in your life: http://www.psychology.com

The "Our Gang" (aka "Little Rascals") comedies:
Allen Hoskins and Matthew Beard, as Farina and Stymie, stole nearly episode right out from under the noses of the white kids. Allen Hoskins in fact commanded the largest salary of any of the kids while he was in the group.

Later in the 1930s, of course, Carl Switzer as Alfalfa pulled what could later be referred to as the Henry Winkler/Jaleel White move, as the show became about him, even though George "Spanky" McFarland was getting star billing. This led to a great deal of fighting between Switzer's and McFarland's fathers, and McFarland was actually pulled off the series for a time in mid-1938 when ti became obvious that Alfalfa was the now the main character. MGM went casting for a replacement for a "Spanky" type character...and ended up rehiring McFarland.

"The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis":
More like "The Many Loves of Maynard G. Krebs". "Dobie GIllis" almost lost Bob Denver to the US Army when he was drafted during Season 1; he flunked his physical and returned to the show, becoming the epicenter of the comedic aspects (with Dwayne Hickman's Dobie Gillis becoming his straight man) by the end of Season 2. Unfortunately, Denver apparently wasn't paid well at all on the show compared to Hickman (he was fourth billed and paid $250 as a Fox contract player).

"Happy Days":
Just the fact that ABC tried - hard -to get Paramount to rename this show "Fonzie's Happy Days" should indicate what went down. Henry Winkler "EEEYYYY'd" and jukebox-punched his way into America's heart, to the point where they apparently forgot who or what a Ron Howard was (Howard exited the series several years before it was cancelled)

"Valerie/The Hogan Family":
Well, this one was by design. Miller-Boyett Productions fired Valerie Harper off of her own sitcom and killed her character off, bringing in Sandy Duncan as the auntie of Valerie's kids. Incidentally, one pf the reasons Harper brought the dispute against Miller-Boyett that led to her termination was because she felt the show was focusing too much on Jason Bateman, who played her teenage son.

"Josie and the Pussycats":
Oddly, the character with her name in the title had the least number of lines out of everybody in this Saturday morning cartoon. Sherri Alberoni as the nasty Alexandra, Casey Kasem as her brother Alex, and Jackie Joseph as dumb-blonde Melody carried the series.

"Imitation of Life" (1959)
This is ostensibly a Lana Turner movie, but even director Douglas Sirk knew who his real stars were: Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner as Lana Turner's golden-hearted Black maid and her rebellious and self-hating lightskinned daughter. Both Moore ans Kohner were nominated - rightfully - for Academy Awards for their performances.

and richie in happy days

that's all i got off top
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rosemary's babydaddy
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That one was like "The Hogan Family", though: by necessity after Lisa Bonet got pregnant and was pulled off ADW (following her being pulled off "The Cosby SHow" when her and Bill couldn't get along any more)

A hero is only as great as his greatest foes.

-Sig-

“Why didn’t you do this in your own god damn country?"

-All Stah's view on undocumented immigrants wanting to be treated like human beings.

Or Schumacher's shiddy scripts?

It was originally supposed to be Adrien Brody's movie, but Spike fell in love with John Leguizamo and turned the camera to him.

Supposed to be the story of a couple of ex-hippies trying to raise a family, but then...Michael J. Fox happened.

I learned alot

Stay strong

Lexx

iamlexx.com
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aim: lexx3001

...the female lead, or at least featured prominently throughout the series. The figured out after the first season that her character wasn't especially necessary/interesting and just stopped using the character.

-----------------

www.albumism.com

Checkin' Our Style, Return To Zero:

https://www.mixcloud.com/returntozero/

That used to be Josh Lyman's girlfriend? Yea, I caught myself around episode 11 or 12 of Season 2 wondering "whatever happened to that girl?" I dug her zest but I can see where they're coming from, since I think it must have taken me 15 or 16 episodes to realize her role was substantially downgraded. I don't remember her having an impact on any of the stuff in the latter third of season 1 either.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." © Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

"Saved by the Bell originated as an NBC pilot entitled Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was inspired by NBC president Brandon Tartikoff's childhood teachers. When NBC decided not to pick up the series, the Disney Channel agreed to air the series for one season. The original intention was for teacher Miss Bliss, played by Hayley Mills, to be the main character. The characters Zack Morris, Samuel "Screech" Powers, Lisa Turtle, and Mr Richard Belding all originated on this series; other main characters, including classmates Nikki Coleman (Heather Hopper), Mikey Gonzalez (Max Battimo), and maintenance supervisor Mylo Williams (T. K. Carter), were discontinued when the show changed direction. Jaleel White, Brian Austin Green, and Jonathan Brandis all had roles in the pilot episode.
When the show was dropped by Disney after 13 episodes, the rights were acquired by NBC, which decided to revamp the series as Saved by the Bell (Executive Producer Peter Engel originally wanted the show to be called When the Bell Rings, but Tartikoff convinced him to go with the title Saved by the Bell.)"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saved_by_the_bell#Good_Morning.2C_Miss_Bliss

Avy: Tyrion disrespects King Joffrey yet again

"If your life consists of NO drankin, NO drugs, NO loose booty, NO fatty foods, NO additives, NO preservatives, AND no waings.......then what the fuck you wanna live so long for, boring ass n****?" - Tay

-Sig-

“Why didn’t you do this in your own god damn country?"

-All Stah's view on undocumented immigrants wanting to be treated like human beings.

happiness is a mediocre standard for a middle class existence - S. Williams

I don't not like you because you have dumb ideas about the world, I don't like you because you have other people's dumb ideas about the world. - Rjcc

"yes, sometimes my rhymes are sexist, but you lovely bitches and hos should know i'm tryin to correct it"- hiphopopotamus

________________
@mpmakesmusic

they underestimated tina fey's starpower and overestimated tracy morgan's so they shifted attention away from his hijinx and the threat he posed to former TGS star jenna to liz and jack's relationship

Maude spin-off starring Eshter Rolle & John Amos. Jimmie Walker as JJ becomes the star.

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HEY KIDS, (BUY MY) COMICS!! https://www.mythworldemedia.com/store

Originally titled "One Life to Viv", the show was about a college professor who takes her troubled nephew into her home to raise alongside her children.

But then Will Smith happened.

Probably what Janet Hubert tells people lol...

OLTV

"yes, sometimes my rhymes are sexist, but you lovely bitches and hos should know i'm tryin to correct it"- hiphopopotamus