TV Show Mash-Up

[WordWolf]

You had me at Danielle Spencer.

What's Happening

I don't know how. You are correct, however.

[WordWolf]

This 70s show was not a spinoff, but it later spawned an 80s sequel with much the same cast.

It was supposedly based loosely on a movie most people never heard of, but that was a

drama and this show was a comedy. The movie was set in Chicago, the show was set in

Watts. It seemed to do better in syndication than in its original run, and networks

liked to air it as a bridge between children and regular programming in the late

afternoon. Both series each lasted 3 seasons.

"What's Happening!" and "What's Happening Now!"

Eric Monte wrote "Cooley High", but there was no interest in that as a drama.

So, he then wrote the comedy with some of the same concepts and a different city.

As a syndicated property, it actually did very well in daytime slots for a number of years.

Out of the primary cast, they all shared either their first or their last name with their

character (except for actress Danielle Spencer.)

Ernest Thomas played Roger Thomas, Fred Berry played Freddy "Rerun" Stubbs,

Heywood Nelson played Dwayne Nelson, Mabel King played Mabel Thomas,

Shirley Hemphill played Shirley Wilson. Danielle Spencer played Dee Thomas.

(In fairness, we don't know if "Dee" was a nickname for "Danielle", which would

mean she wasn't the exception.)

The original series ended when 2 of the main three actors went on strike for a pay-raise,

and the producers elected to cancel the show rather than give them raises.

One of them did it again in the sequel- insisting he was the reason fans tuned in and

quit when the producers refused to give him more money than the rest of the cast.

So his character suddenly just vanished without discussion nor explanation.

Fred Berry-twice- demanded more money from the series, once from each series.

The first time, Ernest Thomas joined him, and we ended up with a single episode walkout,

where Dwayne took center stage. When they persisted later, the producers ended the show.

The second time, Berry just walked out alone when he was rebuffed.

Since then, it's been aired on both BET and TV Land in the US.

For those who needed another clue, that narrowed down the show suspects. BET will only

run shows with a predominantly black cast.

[Raf]

The pilot for this series was based on a novel that was actually a sequel. The series itself played a little fast and loose with subsequent novels in the series. For example, the central characters pretty much stayed in the title location throughout the series, but in the books, they moved many times.

One other bit of trivia: The person who wrote the theme music for this series also wrote the well known prototypical burlesque theme music known as "The Stripper."

[Raf]

One of the supporting characters went blind from a clunk on the head. He later regained his sight after another clunk on the head. This didn't happen in the source novels, because this character didn't exist at all in the source novels.

[hiway29]

Little House on the Prairie. Mary wasn't so lucky as to get her sight back,. I never read the books but I'm assuming her blindness may have one of the few things that actually happened.

Since I know that's the answer, I'll throw out a new one. This was a late night soap opera, which was a spoof on soap operas. The star was just as dysfunctional in real life as the character she played.

[GeorgeStGeorge]

There are two possibilities. I don't think it's "Soap," but rather

"Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman."

George

[hiway29]

you got it, George. I just read where Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, lasted like 325 episodes. Then morphed into Fernwood Tonight, a mock talk show. That concept had, as they say, legs.

[Raf]

You were, of course, correct about Little House. The pilot was actually based on Little House on the Prairie, a sequel to Little House in the Big Woods. The series was loosely based on the third book in the series, On the Banks of Plum Creek.

Mary did go blind in real life. She also never married, so her blind husband never recovered his sight. :)

[GeorgeStGeorge]

This show was picked up by CBS after having poor ratings on NBC. It became a big success afterwards.

Unused footage from movies like Top Gun (1986), Flight of the Intruder (1991), Clear and Present Danger (1994) and The Hunt for Red October (1990) was used in this TV series.

George

[WordWolf]

Ok, the show had to be from the last 2 decades, because they can't use footage that hasn't been shot yet.

"JAG"?

[GeorgeStGeorge]

Ok, the show had to be from the last 2 decades, because they can't use footage that hasn't been shot yet.

"JAG"?

Got it in one.

The main reason for the show's success:

George

[WordWolf]

"Years ago, Bill taught me this fantastic [wet-on-wet] technique, and I feel as though he gave me a precious gift, and I'd like to share that gift with you."

"So from all of us here, I'd like to wish you happy painting, and God bless, my friend."

[WordWolf]

"Years ago, Bill taught me this fantastic technique, and I feel as though he gave me a precious gift, and I'd like to share that gift with you."

"So from all of us here, I'd like to wish you happy painting, and God bless, my friend."

This is the show that featured "happy little trees."

Edited October 22, 2014 by WordWolf

[GeorgeStGeorge]

No idea. (Yet.)

George

[Raf]

I can see it. But I don't know what the show was called and can't remember the main dude's name.

[WordWolf]

"Years ago, Bill taught me this fantastic technique, and I feel as though he gave me a precious gift, and I'd like to share that gift with you."

"So from all of us here, I'd like to wish you happy painting, and God bless, my friend."

This is the PBS show that featured "happy little trees."

(My last try-I added the network.)

[Raf]

I definitely have the right show in mind, but I don't suppose "that show with the guy with the hair who taught viewers how to paint" is sufficient

[WordWolf]

I definitely have the right show in mind, but I don't suppose "that show with the guy with the hair who taught viewers how to paint" is sufficient

You're definitely thinking of "the Joy of Painting", so I'll take that as the answer.

[Raf]

Hooray?

[Raf]

This ABC series was a spinoff of another ABC series, but ABC decided not to renew it for its third season. NBC picked it up for a third season, however. The parent series continued to air on ABC, the spinoff aired on NBC. It was the first time in TV history that supporting actors in one series on one network played the same characters at the same time in another series on a different network. Again, I'm looking for the spinoff series.

Edited October 24, 2014 by Raf

[GeorgeStGeorge]

It was the first time in TV history that supporting actors in one series on one network played the same characters at the same time in another series on a different network.

Has that happened, since?

George

[Raf]

I'm not sure it has happened regularly, but it has happened since.

Example, the characters of Ally McBeal (Fox) showed up on The Practice (ABC) and vice versa.

And Det. Munch has been on Homicide, Law n Order, The Wire, The X-Files and The Simpsons, I think.

But in terms of two regular supporting characters, no, I'm not sure it has happened since.

[GeorgeStGeorge]

This ABC series was a spinoff of another ABC series, but ABC decided not to renew it for its third season. NBC picked it up for a third season, however. The parent series continued to air on ABC, the spinoff aired on NBC. It was the first time in TV history that supporting actors in one series on one network played the same characters at the same time in another series on a different network. Again, I'm looking for the spinoff series.

Need more clues, Raf!

George

[Raf]

Okaaaay....

The spinoff series was recently rebooted on TV with a series of the same name. It did not succeed.

[GeorgeStGeorge]

"Melrose Place"?

George