# TV Binge Watch (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [October 4, 2022, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711 "2022-10-04T16:51:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 238
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4741 "2024-05-03T15:44:41Z")
Hey, you’re right. Good catch. **Three (or more) generations on TV** 1. Bob Elliott (_Bob and Ray_); Chris Elliott (_Schitt’s Creek_); Abbey Elliott (_SNL; The Bear_) 2. Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (_The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet_), Ricky Nelson (their son, who was also in that show), Ricky’s daughter Tracy Nelson (_Square Pegs_) 3. Peter Maivia (WWWF/WWF), Rocky Johnson (WWF), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (WWF/WWE), Simone “Ava” Johnson (NXT, WWE) ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4742 "2024-05-03T15:49:21Z")
**Three (or more) generations on TV** 1. Bob Elliott (_Bob and Ray_); Chris Elliott (_Schitt’s Creek_); Abbey Elliott (_SNL; The Bear_) 2. Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (_The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet_), Ricky Nelson (their son, who was also in that show), Ricky’s daughter Tracy Nelson (_Square Pegs_) 3. Peter Maivia (WWWF/WWF), Rocky Johnson (WWF), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (WWF/WWE), Simone “Ava” Johnson (NXT, WWE) [/quote] 4. Henry Fonda (_Soldier’s Girl_ TV movie - he was nominated for a Golden Globe), Jane Fonda (_Grace & Frankie_), Troy Garity (_Boss_, _Ballers_, and also in _Soldier’s Girl_) ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4743 "2024-05-03T16:54:09Z")
**Three (or more) generations on TV** 1. Bob Elliott (_Bob and Ray_); Chris Elliott (_Schitt’s Creek_); Abbey Elliott (_SNL; The Bear_) 2. Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (_The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet_), Ricky Nelson (their son, who was also in that show), Ricky’s daughter Tracy Nelson (_Square Pegs_) 3. Peter Maivia (WWWF/WWF), Rocky Johnson (WWF), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (WWF/WWE), Simone “Ava” Johnson (NXT, WWE) [/quote] 4. Henry Fonda (_Soldier’s Girl_ TV movie - he was nominated for a Golden Globe), Jane Fonda (_Grace & Frankie_), Troy Garity (_Boss_, _Ballers_, and also in _Soldier’s Girl_) 5. Jack Cassidy (numerous TV appearances, including _Columbo_ and _Love, American Style_); David Cassidy (_The Partridge Family_); Katie Cassidy (_Arrow_) ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4744 "2024-05-03T19:19:59Z")
**Three (or more) generations on TV** 1. Bob Elliott (_Bob and Ray_); Chris Elliott (_Schitt’s Creek_); Abbey Elliott (_SNL; The Bear_) 2. Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (_The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet_), Ricky Nelson (their son, who was also in that show), Ricky’s daughter Tracy Nelson (_Square Pegs_) 3. Peter Maivia (WWWF/WWF), Rocky Johnson (WWF), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (WWF/WWE), Simone “Ava” Johnson (NXT, WWE) [/quote] 4. Henry Fonda (_Soldier’s Girl_ TV movie - he was nominated for a Golden Globe), Jane Fonda (_Grace & Frankie_), Troy Garity (_Boss_, _Ballers_, and also in _Soldier’s Girl_) 5. Jack Cassidy (numerous TV appearances, including _Columbo_ and _Love, American Style_); David Cassidy (_The Partridge Family_); Katie Cassidy (_Arrow_) 6. Tex Ritter (numerous appearances on various musical and variety shows); John Ritter (_Three’s Company_); Jason Ritter (_Joan of Arcadia_) ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4745 "2024-05-03T21:45:56Z")
**Three (or more) generations on TV** 1. Bob Elliott (_Bob and Ray_); Chris Elliott (_Schitt’s Creek_); Abbey Elliott (_SNL; The Bear_) 2. Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (_The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet_), Ricky Nelson (their son, who was also in that show), Ricky’s daughter Tracy Nelson (_Square Pegs_) 3. Peter Maivia (WWWF/WWF), Rocky Johnson (WWF), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (WWF/WWE), Simone “Ava” Johnson (NXT, WWE) [/quote] 4. Henry Fonda (_Soldier’s Girl_ TV movie - he was nominated for a Golden Globe), Jane Fonda (_Grace & Frankie_), Troy Garity (_Boss_, _Ballers_, and also in _Soldier’s Girl_) 5. Jack Cassidy (numerous TV appearances, including _Columbo_ and _Love, American Style_); David Cassidy (_The Partridge Family_); Katie Cassidy (_Arrow_) 6. Tex Ritter (numerous appearances on various musical and variety shows); John Ritter (_Three’s Company_); Jason Ritter (_Joan of Arcadia_) 7. Bing Russell (Deputy Clem Foster on _Bonanza_), Kurt Russell (_Elvis_ made-for-TV movie), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent on _The Falcon and the Winter Soldier_) ---
**Author:** ![Skunkdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Skunkdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skunkdog)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4746 "2024-05-03T22:25:43Z")
**Three (or more) generations on TV** 1. Bob Elliott (_Bob and Ray_); Chris Elliott (_Schitt’s Creek_); Abbey Elliott (_SNL; The Bear_) 2. Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (_The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet_), Ricky Nelson (their son, who was also in that show), Ricky’s daughter Tracy Nelson (_Square Pegs_) 3. Peter Maivia (WWWF/WWF), Rocky Johnson (WWF), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (WWF/WWE), Simone “Ava” Johnson (NXT, WWE) [/quote] 4. Henry Fonda (_Soldier’s Girl_ TV movie - he was nominated for a Golden Globe), Jane Fonda (_Grace & Frankie_), Troy Garity (_Boss_, _Ballers_, and also in _Soldier’s Girl_) 5. Jack Cassidy (numerous TV appearances, including _Columbo_ and _Love, American Style_); David Cassidy (_The Partridge Family_); Katie Cassidy (_Arrow_) 6. Tex Ritter (numerous appearances on various musical and variety shows); John Ritter (_Three’s Company_); Jason Ritter (_Joan of Arcadia_) 7. Bing Russell (Deputy Clem Foster on _Bonanza_), Kurt Russell (_Elvis_ made-for-TV movie), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent on _The Falcon and the Winter Soldier_) 8. Rance Howard (_Gentle Ben_); Ron Howard (_Happy Days_ and _The Andy Griffith Show_); Bryce Dallas Howard (_Black Mirror_) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4747 "2024-05-03T22:52:36Z")
**Three (or more) generations on TV** 1. Bob Elliott (_Bob and Ray_); Chris Elliott (_Schitt’s Creek_); Abbey Elliott (_SNL; The Bear_) 2. Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (_The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet_), Ricky Nelson (their son, who was also in that show), Ricky’s daughter Tracy Nelson (_Square Pegs_) 3. Peter Maivia (WWWF/WWF), Rocky Johnson (WWF), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (WWF/WWE), Simone “Ava” Johnson (NXT, WWE) [/quote] 4. Henry Fonda (_Soldier’s Girl_ TV movie - he was nominated for a Golden Globe), Jane Fonda (_Grace & Frankie_), Troy Garity (_Boss_, _Ballers_, and also in _Soldier’s Girl_) 5. Jack Cassidy (numerous TV appearances, including _Columbo_ and _Love, American Style_); David Cassidy (_The Partridge Family_); Katie Cassidy (_Arrow_) 6. Tex Ritter (numerous appearances on various musical and variety shows); John Ritter (_Three’s Company_); Jason Ritter (_Joan of Arcadia_) 7. Bing Russell (Deputy Clem Foster on _Bonanza_), Kurt Russell (_Elvis_ made-for-TV movie), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent on _The Falcon and the Winter Soldier_) 8. Rance Howard (_Gentle Ben_); Ron Howard (_Happy Days_ and _The Andy Griffith Show_); Bryce Dallas Howard (_Black Mirror_) 9. Bing Crosby (_The Bing Crosby Show_); Dennis Crosby (_The Ed Sullivan Show_); Denise Crosby (_Star Trek: The Next Generation_) Thanks to @Prof.Pepperwinkle (#7) for reminding me! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4748 "2024-05-04T01:06:35Z")
**Three (or more) generations on TV** 1. Bob Elliott (_Bob and Ray_); Chris Elliott (_Schitt’s Creek_); Abbey Elliott (_SNL; The Bear_) 2. Ozzie and Harriet Nelson (_The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet_), Ricky Nelson (their son, who was also in that show), Ricky’s daughter Tracy Nelson (_Square Pegs_) 3. Peter Maivia (WWWF/WWF), Rocky Johnson (WWF), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (WWF/WWE), Simone “Ava” Johnson (NXT, WWE) 4. Henry Fonda (_Soldier’s Girl_ TV movie - he was nominated for a Golden Globe), Jane Fonda (_Grace & Frankie_), Troy Garity (_Boss_, _Ballers_, and also in _Soldier’s Girl_) 5. Jack Cassidy (numerous TV appearances, including _Columbo_ and _Love, American Style_); David Cassidy (_The Partridge Family_); Katie Cassidy (_Arrow_) 6. Tex Ritter (numerous appearances on various musical and variety shows); John Ritter (_Three’s Company_); Jason Ritter (_Joan of Arcadia_) 7. Bing Russell (Deputy Clem Foster on _Bonanza_), Kurt Russell (_Elvis_ made-for-TV movie), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent on _The Falcon and the Winter Soldier_) 8. Rance Howard (_Gentle Ben_); Ron Howard (_Happy Days_ and _The Andy Griffith Show_); Bryce Dallas Howard (_Black Mirror_) 9. Bing Crosby (_The Bing Crosby Show_); Dennis Crosby (_The Ed Sullivan Show_); Denise Crosby (_Star Trek: The Next Generation_) 10. Lloyd Bridges (_Sea Hunt_), Beau Bridges (_My Name is Earl_), Jordan Bridges (_Rizzoli & Isles_) Pass. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4749 "2024-05-04T03:14:51Z")
NEXT: **Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4750 "2024-05-04T16:48:38Z")
**Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ 2. Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) is written out of the script of _Two and a Half Men_. His disappearance is explained as (a) being pushed in front of a train and dying; (b) kidnapped by his ex (Rose) and held in a pit; (c) killed by a grand piano dropped on him from a helicopter. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4751 "2024-05-04T19:54:40Z")
**Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ 2. Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) is written out of the script of _Two and a Half Men_. His disappearance is explained as (a) being pushed in front of a train and dying; (b) kidnapped by his ex (Rose) and held in a pit; (c) killed by a grand piano dropped on him from a helicopter. 3. Colleen Dewhurst, who had played Marilla Cuthbert in Kevin Sullivan’s _Anne of Green Gables_, died in 1991. She had been reprising the role in the spinoff series _Road to Avonlea_, so they needed to do an episode where Marilla would die. In order to achieve this, they used actress Patricia Hamilton as a body double and recycled footage of Dewhurst from _Anne of Green Gables_ and _Road to Avonlea_, and Dewhurst’s death scene as Hepzibah in Sullivan’s _Lantern Hill_. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4752 "2024-05-04T20:06:51Z")
**Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ 2. Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) is written out of the script of _Two and a Half Men_. His disappearance is explained as (a) being pushed in front of a train and dying; (b) kidnapped by his ex (Rose) and held in a pit; (c) killed by a grand piano dropped on him from a helicopter. 3. Colleen Dewhurst, who had played Marilla Cuthbert in Kevin Sullivan’s _Anne of Green Gables_, died in 1991. She had been reprising the role in the spinoff series _Road to Avonlea_, so they needed to do an episode where Marilla would die. In order to achieve this, they used actress Patricia Hamilton as a body double and recycled footage of Dewhurst from _Anne of Green Gables_ and _Road to Avonlea_, and Dewhurst’s death scene as Hepzibah in Sullivan’s _Lantern Hill_. 4. The “reality” show _Big Brother_ sequesters contestants in a house and disallows any outside information. When 9/11/01 happened very near the end of S2 filming, the producers felt an exception had to be made so they informed the remaining players and gave them limited access to newspapers. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4753 "2024-05-04T20:14:14Z")
**Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ 2. Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) is written out of the script of _Two and a Half Men_. His disappearance is explained as (a) being pushed in front of a train and dying; (b) kidnapped by his ex (Rose) and held in a pit; (c) killed by a grand piano dropped on him from a helicopter. 3. Colleen Dewhurst, who had played Marilla Cuthbert in Kevin Sullivan’s _Anne of Green Gables_, died in 1991. She had been reprising the role in the spinoff series _Road to Avonlea_, so they needed to do an episode where Marilla would die. In order to achieve this, they used actress Patricia Hamilton as a body double and recycled footage of Dewhurst from _Anne of Green Gables_ and _Road to Avonlea_, and Dewhurst’s death scene as Hepzibah in Sullivan’s _Lantern Hill_. 4. The “reality” show _Big Brother_ sequesters contestants in a house and disallows any outside information. When 9/11/01 happened very near the end of S2 filming, the producers felt an exception had to be made so they informed the remaining players and gave them limited access to newspapers. 5. John Francis Daley played Dr. Sweets on _Bones_. He got an opportunity to direct a movie, and asked for time off. Instead the producers had him abruptly killed off, and had the Jeffersonian team do a full autopsy/dissection on his body. At the end we saw his skeleton. No comin’ back from that. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4754 "2024-05-04T20:41:53Z")
**Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ 2. Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) is written out of the script of _Two and a Half Men_. His disappearance is explained as (a) being pushed in front of a train and dying; (b) kidnapped by his ex (Rose) and held in a pit; (c) killed by a grand piano dropped on him from a helicopter. 3. Colleen Dewhurst, who had played Marilla Cuthbert in Kevin Sullivan’s _Anne of Green Gables_, died in 1991. She had been reprising the role in the spinoff series _Road to Avonlea_, so they needed to do an episode where Marilla would die. In order to achieve this, they used actress Patricia Hamilton as a body double and recycled footage of Dewhurst from _Anne of Green Gables_ and _Road to Avonlea_, and Dewhurst’s death scene as Hepzibah in Sullivan’s _Lantern Hill_. 4. The “reality” show _Big Brother_ sequesters contestants in a house and disallows any outside information. When 9/11/01 happened very near the end of S2 filming, the producers felt an exception had to be made so they informed the remaining players and gave them limited access to newspapers. 5. John Francis Daley played Dr. Sweets on _Bones_. He got an opportunity to direct a movie, and asked for time off. Instead the producers had him abruptly killed off, and had the Jeffersonian team do a full autopsy/dissection on his body. At the end we saw his skeleton. No comin’ back from that. 6. Gillian Anderson’s pregnancy led to an _X-Files_ storyline in which her character, FBI Special Agent Dr. Dana Scully, was kidnapped by aliens and subjected to experiments while unconscious, including the injection of air into her abdomen - giving them an excuse to show her large baby bump. ---
**Author:** ![Skunkdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Skunkdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skunkdog)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4755 "2024-05-04T21:44:54Z")
**Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ 2. Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) is written out of the script of _Two and a Half Men_. His disappearance is explained as (a) being pushed in front of a train and dying; (b) kidnapped by his ex (Rose) and held in a pit; (c) killed by a grand piano dropped on him from a helicopter. 3. Colleen Dewhurst, who had played Marilla Cuthbert in Kevin Sullivan’s _Anne of Green Gables_, died in 1991. She had been reprising the role in the spinoff series _Road to Avonlea_, so they needed to do an episode where Marilla would die. In order to achieve this, they used actress Patricia Hamilton as a body double and recycled footage of Dewhurst from _Anne of Green Gables_ and _Road to Avonlea_, and Dewhurst’s death scene as Hepzibah in Sullivan’s _Lantern Hill_. 4. The “reality” show _Big Brother_ sequesters contestants in a house and disallows any outside information. When 9/11/01 happened very near the end of S2 filming, the producers felt an exception had to be made so they informed the remaining players and gave them limited access to newspapers. 5. John Francis Daley played Dr. Sweets on _Bones_. He got an opportunity to direct a movie, and asked for time off. Instead the producers had him abruptly killed off, and had the Jeffersonian team do a full autopsy/dissection on his body. At the end we saw his skeleton. No comin’ back from that. 6. Gillian Anderson’s pregnancy led to an _X-Files_ storyline in which her character, FBI Special Agent Dr. Dana Scully, was kidnapped by aliens and subjected to experiments while unconscious, including the injection of air into her abdomen - giving them an excuse to show her large baby bump. 7. The character Coach Ernie Pantusso had to be killed off on _Cheers_ after the real-life death of actor Nicholas Colasanto. After a short period, he was replaced by co-bartender Woody Boyd, played by Woody Harrelson. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4756 "2024-05-05T10:54:43Z")
**Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ 2. Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) is written out of the script of _Two and a Half Men_. His disappearance is explained as (a) being pushed in front of a train and dying; (b) kidnapped by his ex (Rose) and held in a pit; (c) killed by a grand piano dropped on him from a helicopter. 3. Colleen Dewhurst, who had played Marilla Cuthbert in Kevin Sullivan’s _Anne of Green Gables_, died in 1991. She had been reprising the role in the spinoff series _Road to Avonlea_, so they needed to do an episode where Marilla would die. In order to achieve this, they used actress Patricia Hamilton as a body double and recycled footage of Dewhurst from _Anne of Green Gables_ and _Road to Avonlea_, and Dewhurst’s death scene as Hepzibah in Sullivan’s _Lantern Hill_. 4. The “reality” show _Big Brother_ sequesters contestants in a house and disallows any outside information. When 9/11/01 happened very near the end of S2 filming, the producers felt an exception had to be made so they informed the remaining players and gave them limited access to newspapers. 5. John Francis Daley played Dr. Sweets on _Bones_. He got an opportunity to direct a movie, and asked for time off. Instead the producers had him abruptly killed off, and had the Jeffersonian team do a full autopsy/dissection on his body. At the end we saw his skeleton. No comin’ back from that. 6. Gillian Anderson’s pregnancy led to an _X-Files_ storyline in which her character, FBI Special Agent Dr. Dana Scully, was kidnapped by aliens and subjected to experiments while unconscious, including the injection of air into her abdomen - giving them an excuse to show her large baby bump. 7. The character Coach Ernie Pantusso had to be killed off on _Cheers_ after the real-life death of actor Nicholas Colasanto. After a short period, he was replaced by co-bartender Woody Boyd, played by Woody Harrelson. 8. In the 1970s and 1980s, _Sesame Street_ characters Maria and David (Sonia Manzano and Northern Calloway) were good friends, and were suggested to be developing a romantic interest in each other. Then Calloway started acting up in real life, committing crimes, and behaving eratically and acting inappropriately toward others involved with the show. For this reason, “Maria” was given a different love interest, Luis (Emilio Delgado), marrying him in 1988, and “David” left the show in 1989. The character was said to have gone to take care of his grandmother on the farm; Northern Calloway himself died in 1990. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4757 "2024-05-05T15:27:34Z")
**Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ 2. Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) is written out of the script of _Two and a Half Men_. His disappearance is explained as (a) being pushed in front of a train and dying; (b) kidnapped by his ex (Rose) and held in a pit; (c) killed by a grand piano dropped on him from a helicopter. 3. Colleen Dewhurst, who had played Marilla Cuthbert in Kevin Sullivan’s _Anne of Green Gables_, died in 1991. She had been reprising the role in the spinoff series _Road to Avonlea_, so they needed to do an episode where Marilla would die. In order to achieve this, they used actress Patricia Hamilton as a body double and recycled footage of Dewhurst from _Anne of Green Gables_ and _Road to Avonlea_, and Dewhurst’s death scene as Hepzibah in Sullivan’s _Lantern Hill_. 4. The “reality” show _Big Brother_ sequesters contestants in a house and disallows any outside information. When 9/11/01 happened very near the end of S2 filming, the producers felt an exception had to be made so they informed the remaining players and gave them limited access to newspapers. 5. John Francis Daley played Dr. Sweets on _Bones_. He got an opportunity to direct a movie, and asked for time off. Instead the producers had him abruptly killed off, and had the Jeffersonian team do a full autopsy/dissection on his body. At the end we saw his skeleton. No comin’ back from that. 6. Gillian Anderson’s pregnancy led to an _X-Files_ storyline in which her character, FBI Special Agent Dr. Dana Scully, was kidnapped by aliens and subjected to experiments while unconscious, including the injection of air into her abdomen - giving them an excuse to show her large baby bump. 7. The character Coach Ernie Pantusso had to be killed off on _Cheers_ after the real-life death of actor Nicholas Colasanto. After a short period, he was replaced by co-bartender Woody Boyd, played by Woody Harrelson. 8. In the 1970s and 1980s, _Sesame Street_ characters Maria and David (Sonia Manzano and Northern Calloway) were good friends, and were suggested to be developing a romantic interest in each other. Then Calloway started acting up in real life, committing crimes, and behaving eratically and acting inappropriately toward others involved with the show. For this reason, “Maria” was given a different love interest, Luis (Emilio Delgado), marrying him in 1988, and “David” left the show in 1989. The character was said to have gone to take care of his grandmother on the farm; Northern Calloway himself died in 1990. 9. During filming of the _Friends_ episode “The One Where No One’s Ready,” Matt Leblanc dislocated his shoulder and subsequently had to wear a sling on his arm for a few weeks. To explain the sling, the next episode featured a brief cold open with Joey injuring himself jumping on his bed. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2024, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4758 "2024-05-06T00:07:12Z")
> [@](#): > > **Real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Lucy Lawless’ real-life pregnancy bizarrely written into _Xena: Warrior Princess_ 2. Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) is written out of the script of _Two and a Half Men_. His disappearance is explained as (a) being pushed in front of a train and dying; (b) kidnapped by his ex (Rose) and held in a pit; (c) killed by a grand piano dropped on him from a helicopter. 3. Colleen Dewhurst, who had played Marilla Cuthbert in Kevin Sullivan’s _Anne of Green Gables_, died in 1991. She had been reprising the role in the spinoff series _Road to Avonlea_, so they needed to do an episode where Marilla would die. In order to achieve this, they used actress Patricia Hamilton as a body double and recycled footage of Dewhurst from _Anne of Green Gables_ and _Road to Avonlea_, and Dewhurst’s death scene as Hepzibah in Sullivan’s _Lantern Hill_. 4. The “reality” show _Big Brother_ sequesters contestants in a house and disallows any outside information. When 9/11/01 happened very near the end of S2 filming, the producers felt an exception had to be made so they informed the remaining players and gave them limited access to newspapers. 5. John Francis Daley played Dr. Sweets on _Bones_. He got an opportunity to direct a movie, and asked for time off. Instead the producers had him abruptly killed off, and had the Jeffersonian team do a full autopsy/dissection on his body. At the end we saw his skeleton. No comin’ back from that. 6. Gillian Anderson’s pregnancy led to an _X-Files_ storyline in which her character, FBI Special Agent Dr. Dana Scully, was kidnapped by aliens and subjected to experiments while unconscious, including the injection of air into her abdomen - giving them an excuse to show her large baby bump. 7. The character Coach Ernie Pantusso had to be killed off on _Cheers_ after the real-life death of actor Nicholas Colasanto. After a short period, he was replaced by co-bartender Woody Boyd, played by Woody Harrelson. 8. In the 1970s and 1980s, _Sesame Street_ characters Maria and David (Sonia Manzano and Northern Calloway) were good friends, and were suggested to be developing a romantic interest in each other. Then Calloway started acting up in real life, committing crimes, and behaving eratically and acting inappropriately toward others involved with the show. For this reason, “Maria” was given a different love interest, Luis (Emilio Delgado), marrying him in 1988, and “David” left the show in 1989. The character was said to have gone to take care of his grandmother on the farm; Northern Calloway himself died in 1990. 9. During filming of the _Friends_ episode “The One Where No One’s Ready,” Matt Leblanc dislocated his shoulder and subsequently had to wear a sling on his arm for a few weeks. To explain the sling, the next episode featured a brief cold open with Joey injuring himself jumping on his bed. 10. Kept hoping someone else would do this-- since no one else did, I will, then **pass** : Isaac Hayes abruptly quits _South Park_ after it insults Scientology, despite it’s having insulted pretty much every other religion as well. So the show kills off Hayes’ character Chef, using an obviously cobbled-together voice-track, which is a very funny joke, because the show has previously cobbled together voice tracks that were perfectly convincing. PASS ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2024, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4759 "2024-05-06T15:27:06Z")
**More real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Michael O’Hare played Commander Sinclair for the first season of _Babylon 5_ but was replaced for season 2. Though he made a few appearances after, the reason for his removal was never explained until his death in 2012. _Babylon 5_ creator J. Michael Stracznski revealed that O’Hare had severe mental illness, including paranoid delusions and hallucinations, that worsened during filming the show and that he promised to keep the secret until O’Hare’s death. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2024, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711/4760 "2024-05-06T17:11:47Z")
**More real-life circumstances written into shows-- the more bizarre the better** 1. Michael O’Hare played Commander Sinclair for the first season of _Babylon 5_ but was replaced for season 2. Though he made a few appearances after, the reason for his removal was never explained until his death in 2012. _Babylon 5_ creator J. Michael Stracznski revealed that O’Hare had severe mental illness, including paranoid delusions and hallucinations, that worsened during filming the show and that he promised to keep the secret until O’Hare’s death. 2. Gregory Sierra was hired for the main cast of _Miami Vice_ where he played Lieutenant Lou Rodriguez, but he asked to be written out of the series after four episodes, not wanting to reside in Miami where the show was being filmed. He was subsequently replaced by Edward James Olmos and his character, Lieutenant Martin Castillo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711.md?page=237) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-binge-watch-part-2/972711.md?page=239)