Who's the Boss: Why the Spin-Offs Failed
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- Опубликовано: 7 авг 2022
- Who's the Boss is coming back on Amazon FreeVee. Did you know the hit sitcom had three attempted spin-offs? And one that launched stars like Halle Berry and Leah Remini? Learn all about the Who's the Boss spin-offs on the latest episode of the Atomic Abe series Behind the Backdoor Pilot.
Narrated by Kevin Maher
Written by Nick Nadel
edited by Frank Reynolds
produced by Kevin Maher and Nick Nadel for Atomic Abe Productions
Executive Producer: Tim Finn
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I find it a tad ironic that the only episode in this list that didn't include Alyssa Milano was the one that took place in San Francisco and was called "Charmed Life".
@davincent98 which forshadows her in the WB/CW tv series "Charmed. "🤗🙄📺👍
We need a Charmed reboot with the original cast
I thought of Charmed too I'm watching the series now. But just the last few episodes of the series that always gets me
🤯🤯🤯🤯
Charmed had been written in 80s
These failed Pilots are a gem to watch. Can't wait for more funny tv fails. Huge fan of The Nanny.
This show tried this and another spin off I think with a character from Sam's old neighborhood
I am too but WHY is that? It is a silly show with all the "gags" that we hate in failed sitcoms. Yet for some reason they made it work on The Nanny. ❤❤
It seemed that the 80s and 90s were looking for that next big hit of a sitcom. There were so many back door pilots. Family ties that I can remember. So there are more to cover 🙂
Fortunately Fran found HER role. The Nanny was hilarious. My elderly aunt and uncle turned me on to The Nanny. I discovered it late in life in syndication.
same!
How Dan Akroyd pull Donna Dixon is one of the greatest mysteries in Hollywood 😆 😂
Is it? I mean, he was a top earner in Hollywood around that time.
I think timing played a role. Donna's fiance was away when Dan was available AND Dan has/had an inexplicable charm that was quite appealing. And women love funny guys. We do😍
Have you read the gossip about Ackroyd in bed? Not hard to imagine why he dated such pretty ladies.
@@cjmiller6741 Not every celebrity marriage is modern whoremongering. It IS possible to find a nan attractive who doesn't look like 1980s Tom Cruise. Normies do it all the time.
Although they're divorced, both Donna Dixon and Dan Aykroyd were remained
together as excellent parents, great
friends and powerful business partners.
I would have loved to watch all these spin-offs. What a golden era of TV!
It was a magical time!
Omg! That whole olive green look on Fran...😍😍😍😍
I used to see Leah Remini on television pretty often in the 80's. Had no idea she'd one day co-star on my favorite sitcom, ever (King of Queens). The potential seems endless for these actors.
I love Leah Remini on saved by the bell.
She was Carla's daughter on Cheers that got married in the bar 😏
@@derekwilliams1660 me too!!!
Well it'd be pretty impressive if you DID know in the 80s she'd one day costar in King of Queens.
She was definitely everywhere in the 80s lol
I still think Facts Of Life holds the record for the most failed spinoffs at six. The first involved Tootie's interracial aunt and uncle with conflicting careers. The second involved the four boys at Stone Military Academy (they tried this with two episodes, and the boys were simply male versions of the Eastland girls). The third involved Jo's widowed uncle with his two sons and one daughter. The fourth involved Blair and Jo enrolled as students at Langley College. The fifth involved Natalie moving in with a bunch of zany roommates in Manhattan while pursuing her writing career. (Just think, if this spinoff had worked, there would never have been a Friends). The sixth involved Blair buying out an about to be closed Eastland while becoming its headmistress and allowing boys to enroll in the school.
I don't remember the one with Tootsie's interracial aunt and uncle. The rest I do remember.
The Langly College episodes were not backdoor pilots. The first was to situate Jo, Tootsie and Nat above Edna's Edibles because Jo's housing fell through. There was another episode where Blair was hazing a fraternity, but decided to live with the girls. Langley college was as important to the story as Eastland. Another was when Nat was taking and advanced college course. But these weren't intended to be a spin-off. The Finally of The Facts of Life was proposed to Lisa Welchel as a spin-off, but she declided. But the story was a natural conclusion to end the series, so the filmed it. In that episode, Seth Green and Juliette Lewis can be scene in the two-part finally.
@@selenaphillips6971 it was revealed in a later season, that the aunt and uncle divorced.
I second that the college years at Langley were not a back door pilot it was actually a part of the show they did a lot of episodes of the girls at college I believe even and Natalie eventually went to Langley. I love the sorority episodes I do remember the episodes about her aunt and uncle. I watched all those on me TV. Only true backdoor pilot was the one with the aunt and uncle. Make sense finale did not continue the story after 9 years I wanted to do it and I think it would have been the end would have only lasted a year. I think Natalie in New York was just a natural conclusion of what was next. The facts of life is my fave show but I can't wait for who's the Boss reboot super excited!
@@alyciamariecomic I hope they don't pull a "One Day At a Time." That remake was awful.
I was a tween then and LOVED Living Dolls. Leah Remini was tween goals. ♥️♥️♥️
YES!!! They should have had Shannen Doherty as another model. Love them both!
@@1Channel1 That actually would've been a great idea, sometimes when shows like these fail in their first season it's usually a missing ingredient like a miscast as Shannen would've been perfect in this, but we might not get BH 90210 which came out the season after Living Dolls.
@@retrowarehouse2554 Didn't Shannen last only 1 season in that? I think Models would have been a much better fit for her. As I recall, she disliked playing the good daughter anyway. I've always wanted to see what Leah and Shannen could have done together. Either playing rivals or BFFs, they would have been great!
@@retrowarehouse2554 In fact, I lamented that alyssa milano wasn't the one let go in Charmed and Leah Remini should have replaced her. Imagine that! 🤩
@@1Channel1 Shannen was actually on BH, 90210 for around 4-5 seasons as she was definitely a major part in growing that show's popularity during the first few seasons. She became a bit of a bad girl in real-life which was one of the many reasons why she ended up leaving the show after the first few seasons. I think Shannen was definitely more interested in a bad girl role which fit her character better. Shannen likely would've been a better fit for Living Dolls especially next to Leah. They could've been like Blair & Jo on The Facts of Life where they were kind of frenemies on there. The best shows have character development and if they could've grown into a friendship that would've been great.
It's very possible that Shannen could've helped save the show, but outside of the cast not getting along with each other, the timeslot killed the show too. Sometimes, I wonder if ABC was the best fit for it at that time. Probably should've been on Saturday mornings on NBC with Saved By the Bell or even FOX. This show in the right situation would've been mad popular overtime like Saved By the Bell or The Facts of Life definitely a missed opportunity on many fronts.
I worked at Kmart in 1991 and I remember the store was advertising CBS shows and a flyer for Princesses was hanging in the aisle when you first walked in.
After CBS pulled Princesses off the schedule and moved to USA Network with revised this version under the supervision of John Landis and his company, St. Clare Entertainment for Polygram Television with new cast and crew members. And of course, no more laughing tracks. Now it lasted longer for a total of 25 successful seasons from 1991 until 2016.
I hope things work out for the careers of those Halle and Fran ladies.
Ain’t gonna ever happen ! 😂😂😂😂😂
🤣🤣🤣 nope both were failures in real life.
@@glennarcher986 All the people before you were just joking :-)
🤣🤣
@@glennarcher986 the joke about them being failures clearly went over your head. Doh!
The Nanny wasn't a failure. It had 6 seasons. 6 seasons of pure laughter. And Fran Drescher is still hot!!!!
Not the nanny 🙄🙄
@@rjb1216 Online troll alert is now in effect!
I've met Fran at my job. She still looks beautiful & she is nice
I remember being obsessed with the theme song for "Living Dolls"! Tiny me held my tape recorder up to the TV speaker so I could listen to it over and over later!
Speaking of "The Nanny"...there was a backdoor pilot from "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" (the Melissa Hart series) with Charles Shaughnessy as the headmaster of a school for witches & warlocks.
fascinating if true, and well structured anyway - if false.
@@void-were-prohibitive I can’t find it on RUclips but I do remember watching it when it 1st aired. Maybe it will turn up on the reruns on Pluto or another streaming service.
Charles Shaughnessy as the headmaster of a magic school in a 90s show would have interestingly changed my prepuberty's fantasies.
Nice idea.
With these networks having their own streaming services, I don’t know why they wouldn’t put these short lived or unaired shows up. Some had big stars and they could get lots of news space when they’re added.
Because they’d have to pay residuals...
Fran Drescher can also be seen in 'Saturday Night Fever' briefly dancing with a young Vincent Vega lookalike.
"Are you as good in bed as you are on the dance floor?" her character asks Tony Manero.
Her line was - "Do you F..k as good as you dance"
Fran Drescher was a supporting player of the Wes Craven TV movie, Summer of Fear," starring Linda Blair.
I also loved her as Robin Williams girlfriend in "Cadillac Man".
I can't get enough of this sort of thing. As long as you keep making them, I'll keep watching them.
Here here 👏
Yeah they are gems
Same, TV history is my jam, especially when it's so charismatically presented
I've always been a fan of Judith Light, she's such a great actress. She was also great in her recurring role as Judge Elizabeth Donnelly on Law & Order: SVU.
Can't stand her!!! She ruins every show. She can't act. She only got where she is due to NEPOTISM!!! FACT!
Can't stand her. WHO did she Harvey Weinstein to get to the top with a face like that?!
It was so cool to see her among the cast of The Menu
@@13blackcatzzz She was OVER the TOP on One Life to Live in the early 1980s .
Let's not forget Light in the Dynasty reboot... she was a great villain...
Who's the Boss was a lot of fun. Fran Drescher was awesome and funny in The Nanny. You can even see her shine in this "Charmed Lives" episode, she wouldn't be out of place starring next to Lucille Ball in an I Love Lucy episode.
I've thought she was the closest thing we got to a modern a lucy. Also ravens best friend in that's so Raven, I can't remember her name rn, but she gave me I love Lucy vibes
HOW ABOUT NO!!! fran drescher sux azz! That girl from Will & Grace looks like Lucille Ball. drescher is a COPYCAT & a wannabe!
i believe fran drescher herself said she took a lot of inspiration from Lucy for jokes and stuff! the resemblance is clear as day
RIP Katherine 🙏
You forgot checking in, the Jeffersons spinoff. The premise was Florence (Marla Gibbs) leaves working for the Jeffersons and becomes the manager/owner of a hotel in New York.
This spinoff lasted, literally, four episodes.
@@tjames9698 I know, however the very rare pilot did make it on to DVD not to long ago! Along with the Jeffersons complete tv series box set!
I miss the 80s. TV, music and movies were all so much better back then. More videos like this please 🙏
Yes 👍
Me too ! The nostalgia 😩
MY GOD! SOO much trivia I never knew.. FUN!
I learned a lot in this :) Didnt know that alyssa milano was a singer, that there was a german version of "whos the boss", and what a backdoor pilot is! Thank you.
I loved Who's the boss as a kid. I do vaguely remember Living Dolls too.
I supported the recast for "Living Dolls". The blonde (not the actress' fault) was a copy of Blair Warner, and Vivica was too strong a presence for a supporting TV character.
It's a shame, really, that the production focused on being a knock-off Facts of Life. Had they made it a show about fashion models doing fashion-y things, rather than the interpersonal relationships of teen girls living in a house together who occasionally have model gigs off-screen, it might have been more exciting.
Ok because I can't understand why they took Vivica off she is very talented AND BEAUTIFUL since that was the MAIN reason.
The model industry in the 1990s was toxic AF. No way they could attempt to sugar coat that industry.
I loved this and didn't for a second think it mirrored Facts of Life in any way. But I was just a kid, then.
@@conchobar Still is. Many would say it always was. If anything, we'd have had nothing but episodes about the casting couch, drugs, avoiding photogs shooting inappropriate photos and of course, eating disorders.
I used to love Models Inc. but it was a terrible show
I didn't know Matt LeBlanc was in Married With Children or the spinoff!
I do remember watching the backdoor pilot of Living Dolls. Leah Remini was great in it.
God I love these videos! 80’s and 90’s tv was such garbage but it’s hard not to get nostalgic. It really was a simpler time.
Wow! This brought back SO MANY MEMORIES. I have to say that I enjoyed the immensely. I can't wait to see what other gems you have for me.
This was DENSE.
I love how you have the had the Community reference. That's where my brain went.
I love these Backdoor vids! Thanks and great work as always!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks so much. We've got more coming....
Wahr odd Spinoffs, look up ALF: The Animated Series with was a spinoff and pre-sequel to ALF with led to a different spin-off ALF Tails. The Animated Series was where they took stories that ALF said in his sitcom and made them eps of The Animated Series. ALF Tails was they took characters from The Animated Series and made them do fairytales. ALF: The Animated Series lasted two seasons and ALF Tails lasted only one.
@@atomicabe YAY! 🎉🎉🎉
here's the thing about Fran Drescher - she's had a much longer career than you reported. She was in the classic 70s movie, "Saturday Night Fever" and later she had a minor role in "Ragtime".
she had consistent work as well, her credits are across the board and acting in every years of the 80s and 90s making her a prolific actress
She was in Weird Al’s movie “UHF” too, as I recall?
@@queenannsrevenge100 she was the station’s secretary/ wannabe reporter…
Love this channel. This is all so fascinating. I hope they churn out more backdoor pilot episodes more frequently
Thanks for upload - enjoyed this.
I can’t believe this video just keeps going! I really consider myself a tv encyclopedia, but I guess these don’t count as actual TV shows, just individual episodes that were quickly forgotten.
I recently binged Who's the Boss and remember these backdoor pilots quite well. They're so jarring, you can't help but remember them. Thanks!
gentlemen, you are master craftsmen at delivering this content. i lived through this and never knew about these pilots. thank you and very well done.
TV history is one of my favourite things, thank you for making this, I enjoyed it immensely! Well presented, too, I'd listen to you narrate an audiobook any day of the week
This is so nostalgic ☺️🤗. I thoroughly enjoyed this video. 💜
2:10 Katherine Helmond actually made a appearance in a season four episode of The Upper Hand called Tunnel of Love playing Madame Alexandra.
The show could have explained it like Alyssa Milano’s character Sam had a dream that she went to New York to interview models, and it actually happened in the real Living Dolls spin-off. Or maybe she had a premonition and became clairvoyant like Phoebe Halliwell.
This by far is one of my favorite videos! Amazing job!
Thanks for watching! Glad you liked it.
These are excellent!
Great video!
Looks like some of your biggest videos are about Black shows. I suggest making some more of those. The Cosby show had some failed backdoor pilots. I remember the John Ritter one vividly. Sanford and Son had a few also.
Sanford and Son had two: Grady and Sanford Arm; Then there was reboot of Sanford without Lemont, Donna, and Esther.
love these videos
Yes! So glad I subbed. Been waiting for another spinoff episode!
I'm glad too. More spinoff videos coming soon.
@@atomicabe the darkness of Punky Brewster was my favorite, and the female narrator had perfect comedic timing and delivery. Would love it if another style video came out that highlighted some of the other unnoticed or unquestioned oddness of sitcoms.
These are so good! Thanks
Wow, I actually remember all these backdoor pilots, but I loved Who's the Boss so I guess that's not too big a surprise. I keep getting Living Dolls and Models Inc.confused. And there were a lot of failed shows set in hotels in the late 70s and early 80s: Checking In (the spin off of The Jeffersons), and 2 American remakes of Fawlty Towers, one called Snavely with Betty White and the other called Amanda's By the Sea starring Bea Arthur. I also remember a show in a hotel with Dan Fielding from Night Court. I've never seen Fawlty Towers but I hear it's a classic. Great episode, I haven't thought about these spin offs since they aired!
The John Laroquette one was titled PAYNE and it was also a FAWLTY TOWERS adaptation. Thanks for watching!
suddenly all the disjointed puzzle pieces of my childhood have come together with this new information.
The Mona spinoff in a hotel setting reminds me The Bob Newhart Show where he ran an inn.
Sometime during the 80's there was also a hotel based spin off series from The Jeffersons staring Marla Gibbs' called Checking In. Her character Florence was the manager of a hotel. It died a quick death. Producers really had a mad love for hotels. There was a successful movie based drama series on ABC called Hotel.
And Marla Gibbs character Florence Johnston, had a boss that she disagreed with. And he was played by Larry Linville (Frank Burns) from M.A.S.H.
@@catherineerwin8269 Shirley from What's Happening also had a failed spinoff titled One In A Million as a taxi driver. 🙄🤗📺🚗
Not a Spin Off but The Jamie Foxx show was set in a hotel. The Hotel setting would appear to be fertile ground for plot possibilities with guests checking in and out. I get it.
@@proceedwithcaution1846 This is the comment I was looking for. Jamie's show lasted four seasons on the WB network. It still plays in reruns today.
8:44 the “Fran”-dela Effect was right there!
These are pretty much tv history! Love it
You deserve an Emmy for the "Nandela effect" line
Last year I listened to an interview with Halle Berry talking about the Living Dolls show. She said that even though it was a great opportunity, she was really the Token Black girl. Sort've the one who just reacted to what the other white characters were saying or just the one stating stuff for the story like "c'mon guys, we gotta get to this place on time" or whatever. It's ironic that the one who didn't really get to do anything became the biggest name out of the cast. Same with Vivica A. Fox
Surprised Who's the Boss hasn't hit streaming. I've seen 2 seasons were on crackle but not the full series.
It's on freee which use to be imbd
Facts of Life had several backdoor pilots as well. One about Tootie's aunt and uncle who were an interracial couple, another one about Jo's cousins, another about the boy's academy, another about Natalie and her new roommates who were similar to the Friends gang, and the final episode was a back door pilot for Blair running Eastland
I remember watching Living Dolls. I think I liked it at the time but I remember TV Guide calling them out on the eating disorder jokes and yeah I remember there were too many of them. Also considering that it was not too long after Karen Carpenter's death and eating disorders were far from unheard of looking back they were very much below the belt and inappropriate.
I'd love to see that covered.
Nice video, thanks.
great review
"How much cocaine do you have for breakfast?".
A classic 80's question.
I remember watching 'Living Dolls' once. Just once and only once. Never knew the show was related to 'Who's the Boss?' I remember the Halle Berry character as being absolutely stunning! That would be all that I could tell you about Living Dolls. Vivica Fox is very beautiful as well and could have done well in the role as the token Black girl but I do remember the 80s very well.
I remember watching Living Dolls, too. I thought so many of these pop up shows were interesting.
Living dolls is on youtube
"Token"??? aren't you charming!
Wow what shit back handed last comment.
This video popped up in my recommendations today... I'm really glad that it did... because... even though I've only seen this one video so far... I will be binging your videos until I can't keep my eyes open anymore... actually you know what? Who needs sleep? So unnecessary😂!
Anyway...hello from your new subscriber¡ 👋
hello! thanks for the great feedback. Very glad to hear the videos are to your liking.
Altough I did know the show was setting up for spinoffs back then, but as a teenager growing up in the eighties and nineties I do remember the episode Living dolls. Watching Who’s the boss? was primarily for Alyssa Milano and got to meet her at German Comic Con last year with a photo op. ❤ I can’t wait for the sequel of the show.
Wow! That was VERY informative. I remember Michael
Learned replaced the late Jeanne Cooper on “The Young and the Restless” as Genoa City’s alcoholic socialite Mrs. Chancellor and longtime fans were outraged. They hated the switch, even tho it was temporary.
I don't remember Michael Learned being in anything except The Walton's as the wholesome, unpretentious, steadfast Olivia Walton.
@@proceedwithcaution1846 Well, you are now.
That workout video whoa!!
Thanks for the video. It was very informative. Fran was also in the movie UHF with Weird Al Yankovic
As was Michael Richards, Kramer from Seinfeld.
"She's a certified platinum recording artist...
...in Japan."
LoLoLoLoLoL
As a kid I simply could not believe Who's The Boss was ever going to end.
There was actually another one. Mona was supposed to get her own show with her brother and the hotel. They thought James CoCo would've been able to fulfill the role of a biological relative on the show in her absence, but he passed away. Katherine Hellmond discusses it in one of those interviews.
i watched all these shows growing up!
Wow never knew about all these spinoff show. To see see Halle Berry and Vivica Fox and Don Cheadle on sitcoms amazing 👏
I think they're doing television movies and mini-series of the week, I believe.
I loved Living Dolls! Wish that it would have lasted longer. I remember the Donna Dixon and Fran Drescher episode, but I never knew that it was supposed to be a spinoff. I vaguely remember Mona's episode.
1:09 ".....backdoor pilots" 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I'll just see myself out now 🏃🏾♂️💨
"Dan Aykroyd pimp comedy" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 That is the perfect description for Dr. Detroit, one if my fav movies from the 80s.
Charmed Life was almost the Sam & Cat of it's day!😂
Donna Dixon and Dan Ackroyd are still married.
Sadly, they're divorced. Now they're becoming best friends, greatest parents, wonderful filmmakers/business partners and
loving collaborators which anybody could ever have.
TRIVIA: FRAN DRESCHER’S FIRST ROLE WAS WITH LINDA BLAIR -YUP THAT HEAD TURNING GIRL- IN A MADE FOR TV HORROR SUMMER OF FEAR IN THE 1970S 🔥🔥🔥
I did have Teen Steam and I remember being SO excited for Living Dolls, tho I don’t remember much about watching it
I love having only vague memories of sitcoms because learning about offbeat stuff like this makes my day. Leah Remini and Vivica A Fox in one show? Sign me up!
I don’t know any of these people but this was amazing to watch. Found my new mealtime show.
Hollywood Knights reunion
I loved this show.
I remembered these pilot episodes. Living Dolls was not surprise it didn't last.
I may not be an avid "Who's The Boss?" aficionado, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching this highly entertaining video detailing the stories of both the aborted "Charmed Lives" and "Mona" spinoffs, as well as learning the sad but still intriguing truth behind the history of the spinoff that ultimately did come to fruition in the autumn of 1989, the short-lived "Living Dolls." Thanks for sharing, and keep up the good work.
Tony Danza starred in "The Hollywood Knights" in 1980 with Fran Drescher.. It's kind of an American Graffiti rip-off but it's not too bad
I remember Living Dolls it’s a trip that Halle Berry replaced Vivica A Fox and I thought Leah Remini was adorable!!
Donna Dixon is bestie's with Fran Drescher in real life! I love Fran and I love The Nanny ❤
Nostalgia at its finest
They should have made a Bobbi Flekman series called Hostess with the Mostess.
"Life's a Ditch" is interesting since it reboots the backdoor pilot and actually a better one because it adds some backstory and context to the characters instead of casually mentioned connections in the original. Melissa Willis is 1980s babe perfection though. Charmed Lives seems like it could have worked as a series, at least it would have charming leads.
Great video. 😎😎😎😎
I loved Living Dolls! I was so sad when they took it off the air
The crazy thing for me about Who’s the Boss is I remember every person by their real name and character name but I cannot remember one single episode that stood out.
I found it hilarious that we delve into that one episode of Community to discuss Who's The Boss. Ahbed is right, Angela was the boss
Apparently ‘Charmed Lives’ aired in the UK between seasons 1&2 of ‘The Nanny’ when there was a contractual delay for Season 2. Although I don’t remember this.
Fran was nice on the nanny. Prince was even trying to holla and asked her for a date.
I remember the other pilot episodes of Princesses etc., living dolls is where I remember Leah Remini from--it's the first time I remember seeing her on television.
The character of Charlie played by Leah Remini seemed to at first be like how "Jo" was on the Facts of Life when she started in 1980. Tough girl from a NYC borough living with a bunch of three other girls that are very different from her, ohh and yes, one of the girls is black. Sound familiar? Facts of Life also had a bunch of backdoor pilots :)
Tony Danza and Fran Drescher appeared in the same movie, The Hollywood Knights
The Facts of Life had several.