Charles in Charge: Why the Spin-Offs Failed
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- čas přidán 15. 04. 2023
- Scott Baio was in charge of our days and our nights on Charles in Charge. He was also in charge of directing three backdoor pilot episodes that tried to launch Charles in Charge spin-offs. And they all have something in common. Find out why these three spin-offs are "identical" on Behind the Backdoor Pilot: Charles in Charge.
Watch more episodes of Behind the Backdoor Pilot: • Behind the Backdoor Pilot
Narrated by Kevin Maher
Written and Edited by Mike Schuster
Produced by Kevin Maher and Nick Nadel
Executive Produced by Tim Finn
Thumbnail by Colton Ogburn ( / coltonogburn )
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If a sitcom episode suddenly introduces a wacky cast of characters who will never be seen or mentioned again, then it's likely a purposed pilot for a new show.
Definitely! As Jeff Foxworthy says, "If you introduce brand new characters no one has seen before, you just might be a backdoor pilot!"
This is a fun thread lol let alone shows you the life cycles if sitcoms fade after 5 years when they make syndication.
@@atomicabe well true sitcoms can introduce characters not seen before but doesn't mean they will get their own show..for Example on Happy Days MRS C's nephew Roger and MR C's Niece "K C" had never been mentioned before yet later in the series after Richie and Ralph left...both Rogers and K. C. were introduced but never given their own series. so not all new characters are given their own series.
@@atomicabe Ellen Travolta is John Travolta's sister and portrayed Scott Baios mother on both Happy Days and Charles In Charge. 🤗👍🙋📺
So true!!
Another weird concept to this show was when it went from network to syndication. The original family moves out and a new one moves in WITH CHARLES STILL THERE!!!
Imagine buying or renting a place to stay then being told there is a man in the basement. He comes with the home.
see also: PARASITE (2019)
The second family also needed a caretaker for the children. They offered Charles the job based on the first family's recommendations.
Small correction : Charles and Buddy arrived back from vacation to discover that the Powells were moving in and the Pembrokes were leaving during the premiere episode of the 2nd season. Charles would later move down into
the basement during season 4.
@@kobrakitsch877 Hadn't The Pembrokes' left already?
@@kjk7611Stan the father, Lila the daughter and Douglas the older brother had already left. But Jill the mother and Jason the youngest son wanted to say a proper farewell to Charles and Buddy.
Jill Pembroke was played by guest Lisa Donovan and not series regular Julie Cobb.
Michael Pearlman reprised his role as Jason Pembroke one last time during his heartfelt goodbye scene with Scott Baio.
Thank you for mentioning buddy’s precipitous mental decline during the run of the series. He went from being Charles’ smarmy sidekick to a character who should have 24/7 in home care.
Sadly that is a reality for many many of us, regardless of age. Mental illness is real
@@slasherdope8065 Why did Buddy aka Willie Aims go blonde?
@@SuperMarioBrosIII He was playing Buddy's cousin who acts the exact same way as Buddy.
Life actually imitated art in this instance. Willie Ames, Buddy, actually spiraled downward into a drug habit. After Bible Man, Ames became broke & homeless. At 1 point, sleeping on benches. Eventually, he turned himself around, getting gainful employment & a new, stable life. Thanks to years of rehab programs.
@@kjk7611 True, Willie Aims was also on VH1's The Surreal Real. 😉📺🙏📼
Gosh I miss sitcom television.
It was an amazing time
Now I have the Charles in Charge theme song stuck in my head. Thanks Atomic Abe.
Ha ha! We've had it stuck in our heads for decades.
@@atomicabe lol same here actually
Mee too!
Was funny when Amy sang the theme over the tannoy in superstore then in Spanish 😄😄😄
watching the carwash section, my eyes were on that Castlevania arcade machine every time it was on screen...
Same here.
By far one of THE BEST behind the scenes sitcom Docs I’ve seen on CZcams! Keep up the GREAT work! 👏👏
Thanks for checking out the premiere everyone! Enjoy the episode!
I would have totally watched and enjoyed Almost Family. It feels like something I would watched when I was a kid.
I have fond memories of Charles in Charge. I distinctly remember it came on in the afternoons in the summer as reruns because I can remember in the summer on Vacation Bible School days, watching the reruns in the afternoon (after getting cleaned up) or reading Sweet Valley Twins books in my room before going to VBS.
Sitcom idea.
Characters are stuck in a failed backdoor pilot, still having ongoing sitcom hijinks, everyone is aware they are in a failed pilot and are trapped, and aware that they aren't actually being broadcast or watched (even though in reality we are), and there is this kinda limbo where all failed pilots exist like this.
I love this. Would definitely watch.
Sounds like a very intriguing concept.
But I get the weird feeling that I may have seen this before on The Twilight Zone or even Night Gallery.
The former anthology series presented the episode "5 Characters In Search Of An Exit". Perfectly describes your unusual scenario.
The closest anyone has created to your sitcom idea might be the Nick At Night family sitcom "HI, HONEY. I'M HOME":
A young TV fan living in 1990s suburbia discovers that his favorite 1950s television family has moved next door as part of the Sitcom Relocation Program when reruns of their classic show are pulled from syndication. He and his mother help their neighbors cope with and adjust to their new modern environment.
Shout out to the arcade cabinet of Castlevania in the "Almost Family" carwash
I never thought much of these shows during the time.
Looking back is oddly comforting.
And entertaining!
Thanks for putting in the work!
The Mona hotel set is the same set used for the Tipton hotel in Zack & Cody
"It's like talking to lava." I gotta remember to use that one the next time I wanna make no sense.
Damn, I totally forgot that finale until you showed that.
I had such a crush on Scott Baio! I watched this show, along with Facts of Life religiously!
What a great video! The "countdown to regret" was hilarious haha!
Buddy's best line ever was "just because your parents aren't married doesn't mean you can't put out a fire'
Rewatching that episode it blew my mind that the illiterate kid was Paul Walker!
Oh, and I also enjoyed the very next joke which was Charles asking Buddy to leave so he could talk with Paul Walker, and Buddy jokes that he always has to leave when the subject turns to S-E-X.
I remember watching these in syndication with the flu in college and knowing they were spin offs. They helped soothe the pain.
Man charles is charge was such a great show
great insight and excellent research. thxs
To be fair: in the last show, the dad did give good advice. He even warned that some of their friends may not stay friends if they chose a certain path. It was honest and not heavy handed or fake.
Dick Gautier was also the original Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie AND played Robin Hood in the short lived Mel Brooks "sitcom" When Things Were Rotten
I've been watching a lot of stuff with him recently, specifically the one episode (on CZcams) of "Here We Go Again" (1973), and a number of his appearances on game shows like Password Plus, Match Game, and Celebrity Bowling; very likeable guy. Seems to be great with the contestants.
He's a great actor with so much range. And so many iconic voiceover roles.
Dick Gautier also played Batman in an early 1970s television PSA about equal pay. Yvonne Craig and Burt Ward reprised their roles as Batgirl and Robin from the 1960s TV series. Adam West was at the time, trying to distance himself from the Batman role, hence why he didn't appear in the ad.
Better Call Saul Goes to Hawaii is the spinoff we never knew we needed!
I remember this show mostly because I identified with Sarah, one of the sisters because I like her was shy, literary, and felt like I was in my popular sister's shadows.
Did you turn out to be a babe like her?
Mostly people have described me as cute.
I loved “Charles in Charge” as a kid in the late eighties, but haven’t thought about it since, so I didn’t know about any of these spin-offs. Thanks.
I the only to thing remember about that was after it like Scott Biao getting into it with a porn star and the dude who played Buddy running off that Drill Instructor from Celebrity Fit Club😂.
Same here. I don't think we missed out either, given the formulaic conveyor belt of these types of sitcoms.
I loved those first run syndication shows. “Small Wonders” and “She’s the Sheriff” or “It’s a Living” I loved them all.
I had to stop the video at 28 mins to say this is a fantastic video. the edits and the commentary makes me remember my childhood. thank you
Glad YT recommended this! Subbed.
Nicole Eggert was drop-dead gorgeous
Drop dead are the key words.
And of course FAKE ME TOO.
Would gert her eggs.
@@kobrakitsch877 true sir but that doesn’t affect her physical looks
@@A_CZcams_Commenter
Her eggs have all dried up by now.
@@Daniel_Capital
After her Splash diving fiasco, 3 court bankruptcy declarations, and eating all the ice cream of her failed business, Nicole gained weight and lost her good looks. That's why she became a very angry woman who falsely accused Scott because she felt that his wife Renee "stole" her happily ever after.
I liked the first family in Charles In Charge more than the second family.
21:50 This accent may very well clear the age old mystery of 70s show's Fez country of origin. Romania ... who would have thought?
It's weird that Jack Bannon would be in any of this stuff. He's a really underrated character actor. He was great on Lou Grant.
So he wanted to work with his wife not hard to understand
Right onnn 🤘🏼😎
1988, 89, and 1990. I would watch the show on WGN here in Chicago on Saturday Afternoons...Generation Xers 1965-1982 remember this show.
Bubby was my boy on the show. straight up harmless NUTT/LOL
Fun Fact: Jeff Bennet was also in Friday the 13th part 7 (1988) with Susan Jennifer Sullivan. Their characters had multiple scenes together as a fake love interest.
Bob Lob Law is the best! Oughta make a spin-off of it!
For some reason seeing "The Carwash" almost seems to mirror elements of "Welcome Back Kotter," which might have influenced why it wasn't picked up. The premise seems likely to have been lucky if it got even a half-season order with the basic idea, but it's one of those "we'll never know what we missed out on" concepts
Willie Aames is also the leader of the party we know as Dungeon and Dragons from the Saturday morning cartoons, too.
Scott Baio directed 37 episodes of
the 126 episodes of Charles In Charge.
that dig at the end was uncalled for. charles in charge was great. can't believe you never mentioned the movie Zapped!
just stumbled across some of your videos… they are so great, keep up the good work. SUBBED
Great vid! Thank for the info.
I think Facts Of Life holds the record for the most failed spinoff attempts at six: Tootie's mixed race aunt and uncle, the boys at Stone Military Academy, Jo's widowed uncle and his three kids, Blair and Jo making a go of it at Langley College (the producers decided to keep all the FOL characters united even after Blair and Jo graduated from Eastland), Natalie living with a bunch of zany roommates in Manhattan (just think, had that succeeded, there would have been no Friends), and finally, Blair becoming the headmistress of Eastland.
Wonderful comment and great suggestion. Does Atomic Abe Productions have a video on the multiple backdoor spinoffs from
THE FACTS OF LIFE ??
We definitely need to see that.
@@chazarcola7639 Not that I know of, but that would definitely be a good thing to produce. Had the producers decided to split the cast up after Blair and Jo graduated from Eastland, I believe that would have been the end for both shows!
What happened to Blair’s cousin Jerry? 😂 he needed his own spin-off.
@@tobysgamingworld1550 Geri, and it was a girl not guy.. duh!
@@piscesempress1978 you’re right, and she had half a chromosome!!! You’re so correct. Thank you for reminded me that it was a FEMALE window licker. This is why the internet is so awesome. Making new friends. Blair and her pudding headed cousin Geri.
the original MACGYVER had a backdoor pilot in last season, focusing on the Coltons a family of black bounty hunters , episode called "The Coltons"
Fans forget spin offs, sequels, reboots etc from movies and television is nothing new.
Good details and well-produced. Nice!
This was brilliant
Great video btw!
Thanks for watching! Glad you liked it.
Charles in charge ruled. The Show was hysterical
Scott Baio received 2 Emmy nominations for
the drama specials Stoned and All The Kids Do It plus 3 Best Lead Actor film festival awards for
the independent movie The Bread, My Sweet.
You should do some "Welcome Back, Kotter" failed spinoffs. Pat Morita had a spinoff show called "Mr. T & Tina" and there was a backdoor pilot centering on Horshack and his family during Season 2. The two episodes were "Whatever Happend to Little Arnold and "There Goes Number 5"
Great insight into the Kotter universe.
Wow, I had no idea that Welcome Back, Kotter had those spinoff attempts! Was this when John Travolta was about to bolt so as to pursue his movie career?
@@nassauguy48 Before he blew up on 'Saturday Night Fever"
wait. I might have to rewind but Ellen Travolta also played an Aunt of Charles in an episode where she wanted to take Nicole Eggert with her to Paris. Aunt Vanessa. So Lillian is a triplet. Unless Vanessa was a dream i had.
whoa! What a find.
Good observations. Ellen Travolta portrayed madcap rich socialite Aunt Vanessa in at least two episodes : "Everybody Loves Vanessa" and "All That Chaz". But her persona first appeared in "Dutiful Dreamer" wherein she was just an exaggerated version of Lillian in Charles's bizarre dream.
They shouldve produced Tackelberry Knows Best and Serpentor in Charge.
It seems as all backdoor pilots are based around some workplace.
Scott Bayo was the 80s Keanu Reeves; I'm referring to adoration. His name was everywhere and people gushed over him.
I always compared Scott
more to Zac Efron.
Before Keanu Reeves and Alex Winters
in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure",
there was Scott Baio and Willie Aames
in "Zapped".
Scott Bayo is a douche and Keanu Reeves is a respectable human being who cares about others.
@@mrshiftd Enjoy your chemo.
God always gives cancer to trolls who act like a cancer by spreading hatred against innocent people on the internet.
Would have been nice if you took the time to spell his name correctly.
Unexpected Dom DeMillo appearance!
Willie Aames, the Edsel of sitcom comedy relief guys
I had never seen the ending before, that is some crazy stuff.
I remember this show loved sout bao
Such great a great job!! I’ve always been fascinated with back door pilots . I would love to hear your take on the “Too Close for Comfort” back door pilots. They had at least three or four of them themselves
I recently watched two campy episodes of Too Close in the final season where Pat Carroll was the owner of The Marin Bugler…it was pretty stinky. Lol.
Michael Manaseri is a pretty prolific indie filmmaker today. His movie A Mosquito Man is an interesting send-up of Spider-Man and superhero movies.
Good job on the video.
Thanks!
I still watch this show. For me it just makes me feel good. I wish it was easier to get the last three seasons though.
CHRISTMAS RECOMMENDATIONS :
1. Home For The Holidays ( season 1 )
Charles, Buddy, Gwendolyn and The Pembrokes with guest star Rue McClanahan.
2. Yule Laugh ( season 3 )
Charles, Buddy, Lillian and The Powells
trapped in a cabin during a snow storm.
Absolutely fascinating. I love your videos
Thanks! Glad you like our videos.
I'm very impressed with this video Aunt Sally you're absolutely fucking brilliant
I'm stuck on the premise that a character's professor asks one of his students to temp as an assistant manager in a hotel. Hard to imagine why this show didn't last in prime time.
Love what you do!!!! 😊
the car wash one looked best lol
I can’t tell if you were being sarcastic about Lou Grant which was actually a relatively successful spin off. I love that it’s the incredibly rare spin-off to send a character from a sitcom into a (sort of) drama.
see also: TRAPPER JOHN, M.D. -- they changed location, they changed time period, they changed genre and they changed format (from a 30-minute sitcom to an hour-long drama.) And we are fans of LOU GRANT (from both shows.) Ed Asner had held the record for longest run as one character until Belzer's Munch beat it.
@@atomicabe Kelsey Grammar played the same character for 20 years so he definitely beats Ed Asner
@@justmeiniowa Kelsey Grammer is coming back with a Frasier reboot.
LOU GRANT was a very successful spin-off & very serious.
@@atomicabe And changed actors (TRAPPER JOHN, M.D.).
Wow this was so good. Thanks
"how do make spin-off of established characters without having to write them out of the current show? bullseye, identical twins"
I remember seeing this show "Charles in Charge" but man it was a kinda funny show lol.
It would have been funny if in the final scene Charles would have waken up next to Erin Moran. Similar to Newhart 😂😂😂
Genius idea. ❤❤
I'm really impressed with your video. Super well done! I love '80s TV and used to watch Charles in Charge but don't remember those spinoff attempts. It's so strange to me how Willie Aames went from teen heartthrob in Eight is Enough, totally cool character to a complete idiot. I didn't remember just how ridiculous it got in later years. And Dudley... yikes! Fun video. I look forward to exploring your channel.
Backdoor pilot oh man
Charles on "Charles in Charge" was my first boyhood crush.
nice to see actor Dick Gautier who was the voice of Serpentor : Know that I am the one you seek. I am the one Born to rule, destined to conquer
Let those who fear me, follow me Let those who oppose me, die For I am Serpentor, and this I command!"
Was that the same café that was use in Happy Days as well as Save by the Bell?
No but there are definite similarities.
The Yesterday Cafe was introduced during season 4 after Lillian sold her pizza making restaurant and bought an old diner which she transformed into The Yesterday Cafe.
The TORKLESONS was my favorite show... William Schallert is a treasure...
Chachi's in charge
I loved the Pembroke family & especially Lila. Took me a while to get used to the Powell family, especially Jamie, she rubbed me the wrong way. But I had forgotten about the backdoor pilot.
Sarah was dry as hell.
@@taintedlife2618 I don't disagree, but I couldn't stand Jamie in the beginning. I actually loved Mr. Powell & Buddy's dynamic, the best characters in the continuation of the show. In my opinion, at least.
I can't believe anything backdoor related that including Nicole Eggert was a failure LOL
She was pretty when i was a kid. Had no idea Baio was banging her
20:00 Here I am STILL waiting for the Facts of Life backdoor pilot videos.
Coming soon!
@@atomicabe can’t wait 😁
It wasnt Charles fault since he was not in charge
Charles In Charge being canceled after one season and re-aring with a semi different cast is very reminiscent of Good Morning Miss Bliss/Saved By The Bell.
No mention of Jennifer Runyon/Gwendolyn Pierce?!
Oh, that was hilarious, and Willie Aames is great.
thank you
Another interesting spinoff attempt was the ORIGINAL Empty Nest starring Rita Moreno in a Golden Girls episode. She portrayed a doctor's wife whose only child, a daughter, is away at college, and is feeling ignored by her husband due to his devotion to his medical career. It was never picked up by the network, paving the way for the actual Empty Nest starring Richard Mulligan as a widowed doctor with two daughters to premier at a later date. Of course, The Golden Palace starring three of the four Golden Girls was a one season disaster.
The French language also is not Mom’s strong point; because _poulet_ is chicken, not fish.
Hmm -- makes me wonder if that's some kind of a play on the Tuna fish brand "Chicken of the Sea".
So what is poultry?
I remember this stuff!😅 now I know why I forgot until this video!✌🏻
Great video! Something wrong with IMdb: the actor Jeff Bennett (Mitchell) was also in Friday the 13th Part VII as Eddie. Melissa and Eddie in same pilot. Ha
I think the last one would have been a good show.
ALMOST FAMILY was the most promising.
I can’t believe I watched this whole thing. This doc was better than anything that show ever did. Lol
Willie Aames. Beautiful man, funny, lovable
Now I subscribed!
I used to watch Charles in Charge but didn't know there was a spin-off
I don't remember any of these spin offs & I'm glad I don't
People say the same thing about you.
Same here, only I wish I had seen them.
Nicole Eggert was amazing!
FAKE ME TOO.