Why Did It Last Only 1 Year! - That's My Mama (1974) Discussion

[–] Truman-11 18 years ago

It wasn't *that* big a hit. It got its butt kicked in the ratings by "Little House on the Prairie" on NBC and the "Tony Orlando and Dawn" variety show on CBS.

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[–] chesterrodney 18 years ago

"That's My Mama" lasted two full seasons on ABC. From 1974 to 1976. It was cancelled in 1976. It was a hit in black households, which is why ABC renewed it for one more season. But due to over all low ratings, ABC cancelled it after it's second season ended in 1976.

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[–] susieq-2 18 years ago

It shows two seans. But only 39 episodes were shot. And the above says 1974 - 1975. Is that a misprint?

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[–] chesterrodney 18 years ago

"That's My Mama" ran for two seasons on ABC. That's why they have DVD's saying Season 1 and another one saying season 2. Where I was wrong is that the show did not stay on ABC for the full second season. It was cancelled in December 1975. It first came on in September 1974 and ran a full 1st season on ABC. Then during it's second season it was cancelled in December 1975, running only half a season on ABC. It was cancelled due to poor ratings.

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[–] raysond 13 years ago

To: Chester Rodney

The sitcom "That's My Mama" lasted two seasons on ABC-TV from September 4,1974 until December 24,1975,producing 39 episodes. The show didn't make it into a full second season. It was cancelled in December of 1975. Season 1 of "That's My Mama" had 26 episodes while Season 2 had 13 episodes. Reason? This show was rated one of the least watched by the Nielsens since the show was scheduled opposite
NBC's "Little House on the Prairie",and the CBS musical-variety series "The Tony Orlando and Dawn" show which clobbered it in the ratings.
Then,during its second season,the final episode of "That's My Mama" aired on Christmas Eve(December 24,1975),running only half a season.

FYI:
Only actors Clifton Davis,Theresa Merritt,and Ted Lange stayed on throughout the show's short-lived run.

Actor Teddy Wilson didn't come on board until the third episode of the series,replacing actor Ed Bernard(who was in the first two episodes). Wilson would star in Episodes 3 thru 39,for the remainder of the series.

Actress Lynde Moody was on for 22 episodes(Episodes 1 thru 22) for half of the first season. Moody left midway during the first half of the season.

Her replacement? Actress Joan Pringle was on for 18 episodes (Episodes 22 thru 39)in which came during the mid-point of the series.

Season 1: (1974-1975)
Season 2: (1975-1976)-show was off the air by Christmas Eve of 1975.

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[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] womenofbocc 9 years ago

Raysond, actually Teddy Wilson was in the first episode. He played a shady lawyer whose client (which turned out to be his wife/baby mama) tried to pin her pregnancy on Clifton. The client was played by actress Judy Pace.

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[–] rycki1138 18 years ago

The First season was 26 episodes, but the second season was only 13 episodes. It got cancelled mid season during the second season.

It's not a misprint, the first season ran from Sept. 24, 1974 to March 26, 1975. The second season ran from Sept 10, 1975 to December 17, 1975.

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[–] apfortony 14 years ago

If I remember correctly, Mama was cancelled by ABC to make room for the Bionic Woman midway through it's second season. But it was revived in the 80's as That's My Mama Now.

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[–] BenjieMl 16 years ago

Because its fans capitalize every word of a sentence and use exclamation points when they should use question marks.

I'm not really here.

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[–] TexasGreek 16 years ago

>> Because its fans capitalize every word of a sentence and use exclamation points when they should use question marks.
<<

LOL
I just pictured those characters in my head doing exactly that and it made me laugh.

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[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

That one hit home.

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[–] suferia 16 years ago

I remember watching this show very well. The first season was very funny, especially Ted Lange. But the second season was just a pale shadow of the first. Never could figure out why! All that spirit and zest was gone from day one of season two. Went from being a scream to really rotten!

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[–] raysond 13 years ago

Suferia,

Good comment. Within its first season,"That's My Mama" became one of ABC's biggest hit about midway from September of 1974 thru January of 1975.

1. The show was on Wednesday nights opposite NBC's "Little House on the Prairie"
and CBS' musical-comedy-variety series "Tony Orlando and Dawn",that killed it in the ratings.

2. Only 39 episodes of this series were produced.

3. The changing of the actresses: Actress Lynne Moody was seen in episodes 1 thru 20. she left midway during production with no explaination. Why did she leave the series midway within the first season? Other opportunities?
Was it over a contract dispute? Had a bad connection with Clifton Davis?

Her replacement? Actress Joan Pringle who came on board for episodes 21 thru 39.
Only Joan Pringle remained with the show until its final episode on December 24, 1975.

4. Only Clifton Davis, Ted Lange and Theresa Merritt remained throughout the show's entire run.

5. Actor Theodore Wilson was in episodes 3 thru 39. Actor Bernard Harris was in episodes 1 thru 3 only(and was in the pilot episode).

6. The final episode of "That's My Mama" aired on December 24, 1975 (Christmas Eve)

The reason why "That's My Mama went from being a HUGE hit within its first season to a downhill disaster from the first episode of season two was just that: In all 6 reasons. "That's My Mama" was one of those short-lived black sitcoms from the mid-1970's that didn't even make the cut,while the others black sitcoms that were all over the place during the 1970's ran more than six years on the air,with CBS'"The Jeffersons" being the longest-running of them all...lasting more than 11 seasons on the air.

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[–] raysond 13 years ago

Good Question:

Why did "That's My Mama" lasted one season on ABC, while other black sitcoms of the 1970's stayed on the air for more than six seasons?

"That's My Mama" was a HUGE hit in the 1970's...the sitcom that launched Clifton Davis' career as well as Ted Lange's.

ABC had another successful black sitcom called "What's Happening!" that lasted four seasons from 1976 until 1980. This was the show that launched the careers of Ernest Thomas, Fred Berry, and Haywood Nelson.

Who remembers another successful but LOST black sitcom called "Barefoot In The Park",that was based on a Neil Simon play and starred Sobey Mitchell that didn't last no more than three months on the air that was produced by Garry Marshall and it was on ABC in the fall of 1970. This was a series that had a full black cast.

***But the longest running black sitcom came from CBS.
"The Jeffersons" was the most successful of all of the Norman Lear produced shows that lasted more than 11 seasons on the air from 1975 until 1986.

"Good Times" lasted six seasons (1974-1979)-was on CBS.
"Sanford and Son" lasted five seasons (1972-1977)-that was on NBC.

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[–] MaGuFu_Day 13 years ago

ABC had another successful black sitcom called "What's Happening!" that lasted four seasons from 1976 until 1980. This was the show that launched the careers of Ernest Thomas, Fred Berry, and Haywood Nelson.

You're exaggerating the length of these shows. What's Happening only lasted 3 seasons and The Jeffersons ended in 1985. And the only one who has a ongoing long-term acting career from What's Happening is Ernest Thomas.

Now as for That's My Momma, it's a shame UPN or The WB wasn't around then. One of the two would have picked it up after it's cancellation.

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[–] prettyD2368 12 years ago

Why was it cancelled? Simple Season Two! Lynne Moody was fired as Tracy and replaced by Joan Pringle(who was not a comedic actress), Wildcat and Josh were let go from their roles(they were funny, so why drop them?), Earl becomes a barber(No need for this), Mama becomes too nice(They should have just kept her as the nice but condescending person she was), and a really annoying new theme song. They destroyed this show in season 2.

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[–] shred-com 12 years ago

I haven't seen season 2 yet but I own the first season and love it.
Too bad it couldn't get another couple seasons.

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[–] corinnacarpenter 11 years ago

I really enjoy this show but Junior's "Ooooh..wheee!" got a little annoying at times.

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[–] Peterkoss90 12 years ago

We watched it but wasn't a ratings hit you watch it now it is so 1970's. Kind of funny.

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[–] corinnacarpenter 12 years ago

Anything that is so 1970's is right up my alley.

(I was born in '76)

I have a crush on Vic Morrow. :)

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[–] corinnacarpenter 11 years ago

That's why I like it so much! I love the 70's. (Except I was born in '76 so I obviously don't remember a damn thing).

I like the shows,the movies,the music and some of the clothes.

I'm a Vic Morrow Chick! He's my love!

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[–] !!!deleted!!! (64897046) 8 years ago

The show had a good cast. Clifton Davis always came off as very likeable, Earle and Junior were also funny and Leonard was a great stiff (especially when dancing). It lost steam in the second season when Earle became a barber too (though his "Earle Special" was funny...afro, light trim, with a thunder part and off the ears!)

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