# The Cousin Oliver Effect (spoilers possible) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 5, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783 "2005-08-05T21:02:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/21 "2005-08-05T23:08:04Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Chachi on **Happy Days**. In a perfect world, Chachi and Wesly Crusher would be forced to fight to the death. The winner would be executed, Tet Offensive style. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/22 "2005-08-05T23:20:08Z")
Actually, Chachi was added to the cast of Happy Days in the spring of 1977 which would have been the third season. Scott Baio more or less stayed as a regular until the end in 1984. The real downturn for that show was in 1980 after Ron Howard left the show and the characters of Jenny Piccalo (Cathy Silver) and Cousin Roger (Ted McGinley) were added. It really went in the crapper in 1982 with niece K.C. Cunningham (Crystal Bernard)joining the cast. The same season saw the arrival of Linda Purl playing Fonzie’s love interest with Heather O’Rourke as her daughter. Anybody remember Melvin Belvin and all the other idiot high school kids added in the last two seasons? 'Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meaty_Beaty_Big_and_Bouncy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/23 "2005-08-05T23:20:36Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > In fact, I liked the cast as it was before Jerry Orbach died (RIP Detective Brisco). Who did they replace him with on the show? Asking out of curiosity, as I watch it in reruns. [Dennis Farina](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001199/) ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/24 "2005-08-05T23:27:44Z")
There was a bad sitcom on in the '80’s that starred the older male star of SOAP(gray/silver hair in a modified ducktail). He lived in Florida with 2 daughters–I think he was a doctor. I don’t remember the premise of the show, but in the second or third season (it didn’t last much longer than that), they brought in Kristy McNichols as the youngest daughter who just happened to have been travelling the world for the past few years. For some reason, this one show sticks in my head. Kristy comes back and the other two daughters (they are grown, but either live with or live close by the Dad) go thru their obligatory sibling rivalry schtick. They want to show Kristy how sophisticated Miamian’s can be, so they go to a karoake bar. Older sis is being condescending to K about Japanese etc. Turns out K speaks fluent Japanese… It gets worse. No wonder I can’t remember the name of this series! My brain is attempting to heal itself. Anyone know the name of this show? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/25 "2005-08-05T23:32:20Z")
Empty Nest ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/26 "2005-08-05T23:34:42Z")
Thank you. But the show does demonstrate the OP’s premise. Sorry for the hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/27 "2005-08-05T23:38:36Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Picard’s son He wasn’t actually Picard’s son; a Ferengi with a grudge against Picard genetically engineered the son of one of Picard’s former flings to make it seem they were related. However, Picard’s clone from Nemesis, the film that heralded the end of the Next Gen movies, deserves honorable mention. > [@eleanorigby](#): > > Anyone know the name of this show? [Empty Nest](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094455/combined?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxsbT01MDB8dHQ9MXxmYj11fHBuPTF8cT1lbXB0eSBuZXN0fGh0bWw9MXxubT0x;fc=1;ft=21), starring Richard Mulligan as the dad and Kristy McNichol and Dinah Manoff as the original daughters. Kristy IIRC had a nervous breakdown and left the show, and Lisa Reiffel was brought in as the previously unknown third daughter. Looks like she only lasted one season but the show went on another season after that. The family lived next door the the Golden Girls but I’m not sure if it was technically a spin-off, although Mulligan appeared on Golden Girls a few times. Sophia joined the cast of Empty Nest in the last season. Not sure if that was before, during or after the Golden Girls spin-off, Golden Palace. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/28 "2005-08-05T23:40:51Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Worf’s stepparents Wouldn’t they have been his adoptive parents? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/29 "2005-08-05T23:49:40Z")
**Otto** --thank you! That is very clear. (I swear I am one step away from doddering around, confuzzled and mumbling…). Come to think of it, the youngest wasn’t Kristy. But speaking of Kristy, did they ever cousin Oliver 8 is enough or Family? Didn’t the Walton’s add someone in the end? Oh–Family Ties–Andrew, the youngest son that Alex P Keaton prayed for. Death knell for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/30 "2005-08-05T23:50:11Z")
I remember when Heather Locklear joined the cast of Spin City, the entertainment media mentioned that she was getting a lot of money because she could revive any show she was added to. I know she was added to Melrose Place but can’t remember anything else she was in. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/31 "2005-08-05T23:51:44Z")
Sorry, I just noticed that the OP was restricted to the addition of relatives of existing characters and I don’t believe that Heather Locklear played anyone’s relative, but I thought her reputation of improving shows was interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/32 "2005-08-05T23:51:47Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Oh–Family Ties–Andrew, the youngest son that Alex P Keaton prayed for. Death knell for sure. After kneecapping Family Ties, Brian Bonsall would go on to crotch punch Star Trek: TNG as Worf’s son. ---
**Author:** ![Amok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Amok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amok)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/33 "2005-08-05T23:58:43Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > No, Rudy was one of the original Huxtable kids – it was Olivia (played by the actress then known as Raven-Symoné, but billed as Raven in more recent work) who was Denise’s daughter and thus Cliff and Clair’s granddaughter. Yep. There was an added relative on the Cosby show though: Sondra, the oldest daughter. She didn’t appear till the second season, with the explanation that she had been away at college. > [@Otto](#): > > The family lived next door the the Golden Girls but I’m not sure if it was technically a spin-off, although Mulligan appeared on Golden Girls a few times. Sophia joined the cast of Empty Nest in the last season. Not sure if that was before, during or after the Golden Girls spin-off, Golden Palace. Yeah, Mulligan guest starred on Golden Girls a few times, and the various Girls made some appearences on Empty Nest, but I don’t think Mulligan appeared on Golden Girls until after Empty Nest was already on the air. I think they were just two unrelated shows that happened to be produced by the same production company (Touchstone), so they tied them together in the hopes that Golden Girls’ popularity would rub off. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/34 "2005-08-06T00:21:03Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > But speaking of Kristy, did they ever cousin Oliver 8 is enough or Family? Dunno about _Family_. _Eight is Enough_ added Betty Buckley to the cast as Abby after the mother, Diana Hyland, died after the first season. But she was a replacement, not a relative and didn’t kill the show so she doesn’t count. None other than Ralph Macchio was added to the cast for the last season, but I don’t remember what his relationship was to the family; if he wasn’t a relative he doesn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/35 "2005-08-06T00:25:04Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > I know she was added to Melrose Place but can’t remember anything else she was in. She was on T.J. Hooker and Dynasty, simultaneously. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/36 "2005-08-06T00:26:57Z")
_The Cosby Show_ also added [Erika Alexander](http://imdb.com/name/nm0004697/) as Pam, a cousin from a lower class branch of the family who came to live with Cliff and Claire in the 1990 season. (I’m guessing her purpose was to appeal to the blue collar fans of the show as the Huxtables were easily a million-dollar-per-year gross income family.) Evidently Pam got hooked on the pipe and wound up dead at a party in Queens as she disappeared after a few episodes and was never seen again. She never made it to the opening credits so to this day she probably hasn’t danced with Bill (though maybe he at least drugged and groped her boobs). ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/37 "2005-08-06T04:15:39Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > [Empty Nest](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094455/combined?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxsbT01MDB8dHQ9MXxmYj11fHBuPTF8cT1lbXB0eSBuZXN0fGh0bWw9MXxubT0x;fc=1;ft=21), starring Richard Mulligan as the dad and Kristy McNichol and Dinah Manoff as the original daughters. Kristy IIRC had a nervous breakdown and left the show, and Lisa Reiffel was brought in as the previously unknown third daughter. Looks like she only lasted one season but the show went on another season after that. Actually, they did mention the existence of the third daughter long before she appeared on the scene. I remember being impressed that such a lightweight show had the foresight to plan ahead by creating this safety valve, a character who could be called in for a ratings boost if needed. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/38 "2005-08-06T04:58:11Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > No, Rudy was one of the original Huxtable kids – it was Olivia (played by the actress then known as Raven-Symoné, but billed as Raven in more recent work) who was Denise’s daughter and thus Cliff and Clair’s granddaughter. Actually, Olivia wasn’t even Denise’s daughter- she was Denise’s stepdaughter: her husband’s daughter from his previous marriage. And for some reason she got left with her stepgrandparents. > [@](#): > > Yep. There was an added relative on the Cosby show though: Sondra, the oldest daughter. She didn’t appear till the second season, with the explanation that she had been away at college. According to IMDb, Sondra first appeared in the 10th episode, first season. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/39 "2005-08-06T05:05:07Z")
Didn’t Leo DiCaprio get added to something when he was still an unknown? Full House or Family Ties or something? I think he got adopted or something. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783/40 "2005-08-06T05:08:31Z")
> [@Loopus](#): > > Actually, Olivia wasn’t even Denise’s daughter- she was Denise’s stepdaughter: her husband’s daughter from his previous marriage. And for some reason she got left with her stepgrandparents. Lisa Bonet did rejoin the show at the same time Raven joined. Olivia’s father was military so he was away on assignment for long periods of time, so Denise and Olivia moved back in with the Huxtables. I quit watching the show long before the last season so I don’t know why Olivia was on the show for a season after Denise left again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cousin-oliver-effect-spoilers-possible/315783.md?page=3)