# TV shows that changed the most between their first & last episodes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 21, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004 "2009-09-21T21:53:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/81 "2009-09-28T21:49:00Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It _might_ have been funny back when Og the Caveman first used it. That reminds me – “Its About Time” started with the premise that two astronauts had gone back in time and were living amongst the cave people. That wasn’t quite a ratings bonanza, so it the middle of the season they got in their spaceship and brought the cave person friends to live in modern times. Which didn’t help them survive to a second season. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/82 "2009-09-28T21:55:28Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Well, you could, every time someone uses the word, try and tell them there is no such word.😉 > > (I don’t really like that word either, for the record) _Meme_ is a word, though, no less than the repugnant _irregardless_ and its dastardly cousin _flammable_. I prefer my current policy of glaring at the users of such monstrosities in feckless rage and muttering to myself that, when I was a youngun, we didn’t put up with such nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/83 "2009-09-28T22:07:54Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Does _The Daily Show_ count as a series? Because it’s changed a lot with different hosts. Shoot, go watch the first episode with John Stewart. Beside Stewart’s hair (which has grayed significantly in the last ten years) the show is a lot campier and a LOT more irreverent. There are jokes on there that wouldn’t fly today, now that it’s got a much bigger audience. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/84 "2009-09-29T01:01:01Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I prefer my current policy of glaring at the users of such monstrosities in feckless rage and muttering to myself that, when I was a youngun, we didn’t put up with such nonsense. You shouldn’t make flammable statements like that. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/85 "2009-09-29T15:38:46Z")
“Meme” was coined in 1976 by Richard Dawkins in the book “The Selfish Gene”. 33 years should be enough to consider it a real word. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/86 "2009-09-29T16:28:33Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Many characters changed. For instance, on _Andy Griffith_, in the beginning Andy Taylor while always basically honest, was not above doing a bit of a “sneak turn,” if it suited his purpose. By the time it went color, Sheriff Taylor was 100% by the book never do anything wrong ever. > [@TBG](#): > > Yeah, like when they made a big deal about him never using a gun, to the point that some big film producers flew him out to Hollywood to film his life story or something like that. Yeah, I’m pretty sure he did use guns in some of the earlier eps. I don’t know if he ever fired them, but he had them. I’m not so sure about that. True, Andy kept guns in the office and he certainly wasn’t above letting Barney carry one (even if Barney had to keep the bullet in his pocket). But I don’t think he ever actually carried one himself. I remember a [season two episode](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0512465/plotsummary)where he foiled some bank robbers. When they pointed out that they had guns and he didn’t he said something like “It’s true I don’t carry a gun, but my deputies do,” and pointed outside to where Floyd (and maybe Barney) were holding long guns, wating. There was a third season episode that again had Andy explicitly refusing to carry a gun. The movie plot didn’t show up until season six. Although this [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Taylor_(The_Andy_Griffith_Show))article says that Andy fired a gun to disable a getaway car at least once during the color years of the show. Other references say he “seldom” or “rarely” carried a gun. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/87 "2009-09-29T20:08:13Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I don’t know what you’re talking about. Buffy ended at the end of Season FIVE. Oh no you don’t… Spuffy is one of the highlights of my entire freakin’ LIFE, not just TV! (James Marsters so deserved an Emmy. I haven’t noticed it much in the bits and pieces I’ve seen him do elsewhere, but he absolutely nailed every single imaginable nuance of Spike, and, in concert with Wheden, created one of the great tragicomic characters of all time. I feel this so strongly…I think I’ll start a thread about it.) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/88 "2009-09-29T23:41:43Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I’m not so sure about that. True, Andy kept guns in the office and he certainly wasn’t above letting Barney carry one (even if Barney had to keep the bullet in his pocket). But I don’t think he ever actually carried one himself. I remember a [season two episode](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0512465/plotsummary)where he foiled some bank robbers. When they pointed out that they had guns and he didn’t he said something like “It’s true I don’t carry a gun, but my deputies do,” and pointed outside to where Floyd (and maybe Barney) were holding long guns, wating. There was a third season episode that again had Andy explicitly refusing to carry a gun. The movie plot didn’t show up until season six. > > Although this [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Taylor_(The_Andy_Griffith_Show))article says that Andy fired a gun to disable a getaway car at least once during the color years of the show. Other references say he “seldom” or “rarely” carried a gun. A few months ago I caught a couple of episodes of TAGS - in one, some bank robbers pretended to be tv producers who wanted to make a program called “Sheriff without a Gun.” (Season 5, Episode 23). A few months later Episode 7 of Season 6 featured a movie crew who wanted to make a movie called “Sheriff without a Gun” This time it was legit - but in both episodes Gavin MacLeod was one of the guest stars (a fake tv producer in one, and a real movie producer in the other) ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/89 "2009-09-30T01:05:46Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I’m not so sure about that. True, Andy kept guns in the office and he certainly wasn’t above letting Barney carry one (even if Barney had to keep the bullet in his pocket). But I don’t think he ever actually carried one himself. Andy definitely fired a gun at least once. I don’t remember the exact episode, but two old guys were feuding, and he set them up to fight in a duel. He checked their shotguns making sure neither was loaded, then counted off 10 paces. On pace 9, Andy fired a pistol into the air and both guys ran off. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/90 "2009-09-30T01:22:57Z")
> [@breezman](#): > > Andy definitely fired a gun at least once. I don’t remember the exact episode, but two old guys were feuding, and he set them up to fight in a duel. He checked their shotguns making sure neither was loaded, then counted off 10 paces. On pace 9, Andy fired a pistol into the air and both guys ran off. “A Feud is a Feud.” Season 1, episode 9. Andy also took a date to watch him shooting crows once. I’d argue the original _Battlestar Gallactica_, a desperate race across the galaxy with the ragtag remnants of all known civilization, morphing into the silly misadventures of _Gallactica 1980_ makes the list very near the top. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/91 "2009-09-30T01:30:57Z")
**Blackadder** changed significantly between the first and subsequent series. In the first series Blackadder is the stupid one and Baldrick the schemer, whereas in series 2-4 their characteristics are reversed. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/92 "2009-09-30T01:50:00Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I’m not so sure about that. True, Andy kept guns in the office and he certainly wasn’t above letting Barney carry one (even if Barney had to keep the bullet in his pocket). But I don’t think he ever actually carried one himself. I remember a [season two episode](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0512465/plotsummary)where he foiled some bank robbers. When they pointed out that they had guns and he didn’t he said something like “It’s true I don’t carry a gun, but my deputies do,” and pointed outside to where Floyd (and maybe Barney) were holding long guns, wating. . I remember him carrying a lever-action rifle once, to nab some robbers. I think the Town drunk and Barney were helping him. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/93 "2009-09-30T01:58:14Z")
The moment the original M_A_S\*H ended was when Radar walked into the OR and announced that Colonel Blake had been killed. The show was never the same again. It was still good from time to time, but it was a very different show. The biggest character change was probably with Radar O’Reilly. In the first seasons, Radar was a wisecracking, savvy operator with an attitude - the same character he played in the movie. In later seasons, he was a whiny Grape Nehi-drinking man-child with a Teddy Bear. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/94 "2009-09-30T02:54:20Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > The X-Files changed so much. It was a creepy sci fi show whose two leads had epic chemistry as FBI agents investigating the paranormal from opposing view points. There was a mythology that was fascinating, mysterious, and engaging. By the end, the two amazing leads were replaced by dime store Indians, the myth arc was ludicrous and nonsensical, and the show was unwatchable. The show went from one of the best on TV ever to a pile of utter crap. It was very sad. That’s what I came to post, but you said it better than I would have. Well done. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/95 "2009-10-01T19:02:09Z")
> [@Mahna\_Mahna](#): > > I’d say Roseanna qualifies, since the show was barely recognizeable by the time the last season rolled around. > > Tho it doesn’t quite fit the OP, since the very last episode pretty much cancels out all of the stupid, unbelieveable nonsense. Why would you spoil that line, and not go ahead and spoil how it was different. I seriously don’t know how it ended. Didn’t they win a lottery or something? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/96 "2009-10-01T19:15:38Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > _Meme_ is a word, though, no less than the repugnant _irregardless_ and its dastardly cousin _flammable_. And Buffy Season 6 and 7 are existing TV shows, no less than the repugnant season 7 of Smallville or season 1 of The Cleveland Show. Acting like Buffy S6-7 don’t exist (or Highlander 2 or Star Trek 5 or whatever else you people pretend doesn’t exist) is no less silly than pretending the word “meme” doesn’t exist. > [@bup](#): > > I’d argue the original Battlestar Gallactica, a desperate race across the galaxy with the ragtag remnants of all known civilization, morphing into the silly misadventures of Gallactica 1980 makes the list very near the top. If a spinoff/sequel like that counts, then you’re getting into a sticky territory where you have to count Joey being a big change from Friends. > [@DrDeth](#): > > I remember [Sheriff Andy] carrying a lever-action rifle once, to nab some robbers. I think the Town drunk and Barney were helping him. That’s the one that sticks most in my mind too, and why I brought the issue up in the first place. **Enright3** , Roseanne ended with the revelation that the entire series (or at least a huge chunk of it) was actually just a story written by the “real” Roseanne Conner. In her real world, Dan was dead, Darlene was with Mark, Becky was with David, Jackie was gay, and they never won the lottery. I don’t remember if there was any big reveal regarding DJ. Some people erroneously think this episode just cancels out the last, horrible season, but the girls being with the other guys means that anything since the first appearance of Mark is “fiction”. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/97 "2009-10-01T20:04:01Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > **Enright3** , Roseanne ended with the revelation that the entire series (or at least a huge chunk of it) was actually just a story written by the “real” Roseanne Conner. In her real world, Dan was dead, Darlene was with Mark, Becky was with David, Jackie was gay, and they never won the lottery. I don’t remember if there was any big reveal regarding DJ. Some people erroneously think this episode just cancels out the last, horrible season, but the girls being with the other guys means that anything since the first appearance of Mark is “fiction”. I think Roseanne specifically tells you when the show split, although it doesn’t quite match the show’s timeline as far as the quasi-retconning goes. IIRC,she says that she started writing after Dan died, to cope with his death, but then she implies she’s been writing in her little “office” since Dan and the kids set it up for her in the basement in a much earlier episode. So it may be that according to that cannon, she’s been writing for a long, long time and it only got stupid after Dan died and she tried to create a “perfect” world.I may be misremembering the details though. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/98 "2009-10-01T20:38:30Z")
Dan died during the course of the show? Jesus, did I quit watching that train wreck just in time. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/99 "2009-10-01T21:35:46Z")
If I’m remembering correctly, late in the second to the last season Dan had a heart attack and nearly died. I think the premise in the final episode was that he had actually died, and that everything after that, including the lottery win, was the fictional family history. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004/100 "2009-10-01T22:11:24Z")
Right you are: > [@Wikipedia](#): > > Most surreal of all is the season’s final episode, in which Roseanne reveals that the events in most of the series were all the pages of her writings. The reality is Dan’s heart attack had killed him, the Conner family had not won the lottery, Becky had married David instead of Mark, Darlene had married Mark instead of David, and Jackie is gay instead of Roseanne’s mother being gay. > > The show is a story written by Roseanne Conner about her life as working class matriarch. To cope with life, Roseanne twists major elements of her life for the story, which the audience doesn’t find out until the final moments of the series. Judging by the synopses at Wikipedia, I quit watching somewhere during season 6, I think. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-changed-the-most-between-their-first-last-episodes/511004.md?page=6)