TV show trivia... Running thread...

Denise.

And the answer to what do Good Times, Emergency and CSI New York have in common is...






They are all spinoffs of spinoffs Good Times from Maude from All in the Family. Emergency from Adam 12 from Dragnet and CSI NY from Miami from Vegas.

 

What was the name of the diner where Uncle Junior and his crew hung out?

 

Not just any snooty stage actress - it was Sylvia Sidney.

 

Interesting, don't you think? Most family sitcoms of the era added a child in later years, usually but not always a baby who then aged six years in one to become the cute youngest child that the previous youngest child had once been - think Andrew on "Family Ties," Chrissy on "Growing Pains," Nicky on "Fresh Prince," Sam on "Diff'rent Strokes."

"The Cosby Show," meanwhile, added a new eldest daughter who had been away at college.

But, at the bottom of it all, it was still a sitcom of the era - so, years later, enter cute newcomer Olivia, aka the replacement Rudy, played by Raven Symone.

 

My guess is that Cosby wanted 5 kids to match his real life family but the network didn't want so many people. Once it had the insane positive buzz, he could call the shots.

 

The reverse of the 70s where they took children away. See "Happy Days" and Richie and Joanie's older brother Chuck.

 

Ah, yes, the Chuck Cunningham Syndrome.

Although it had existed prior to that, and existed afteward. See Mike Douglas, the oldest of Fred MacMurray's three/four sons. Also see the younger sister on "Family Matters" who disappeared from the show, with the actress later turning to porn.

Here's a picture of the four sons of "My Three Sons." After Tim Considine married Meredith MacRae's character and moved away, I don't believe his character was ever mentioned again.



Just like Adam Cartwright was never mentioned again after he finally manned up and moved out of the basement of the Ponderosa at age 35 or however old he was.