Bridget Loves Bernie - One of the 1-Season Greats (1 Viewer)

[Michael Alden]

I loved this show and I'm thrilled it's coming to DVD. I bought 16mm prints on 20 episodes about 1983 or so, with several in black and white. For those unfamiliar with the show, it probably holds the distinction of being the highest rated show ever cancelled. It finished #5 for the year in the ratings but CBS (Chicken Broadcasting System) axed it because they were getting heat from religious groups, especially Jewish ones, who thought it made interfaith marriage seem too appealing. Hey, what Jewish guy wouldn't want to be married to a rich, blonde, gorgeous Catholic girl like Meredith Baxter? And that was the problem. So as has been CBS's way over the years (Smothers Brothers, Ronald Reagan movie), rather than battle the pressure, they caved in and cancelled the show, using some lame excuse. But for anyone who's never seen it, it is a really good show which should have had a nice run and died way before it's time.

 

[Charles Ellis]

It's coming out on DVD? Where did you hear this? Give us a link!

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I remember this one. Wow. Now, THIS is really an obscure show. It really makes me wonder why so many more popular programs are still not out.

 

[Ollie]

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/20...tv-legend.html

You'll have to scroll down, it's in the second to the last paragraph along with the announcement of the DVD debut of the 70's drama, Family.

 

[Will Krupp]

Wow...I remember this from when I was a little kid. It was part of CBS' awesome Saturday night line-up, smack dab between ALL IN THE FAMILY and MARY TYLER MOORE. I can only recall one plot line (something about a painting with another painting underneath it) but I know we watched every Saturday (I WAS only five.) It'll be worth checking out again.

 

[David Von Pein]

Exactly. With Bob Newhart and Carol Burnett coming on after that.

Here's something fun I found re. that 1972-1973 TV season......

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache...s&ct=clnk&cd=4

During the week of February 22, 1973, here's what the 3 major networks were airing (it's no wonder CBS whipped some butt here ):

CBS:
All In The Family
Bridget Loves Bernie
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Bob Newhart Show
The Carol Burnett Show


NBC:
Emergency
NBC Saturday Night At The Movies


ABC:
Here We Go Again
A Touch Of Grace
Julie Andrews Show
Jigsaw

Via the above-linked article, it's also interesting to note that Bridget Loves Bernie, as thread-starter Michael Alden aptly pointed out above, did very well in the ratings. In the 02/22/1973 example provided above, we can see that the ratings for "BLB" (a 26.1 that week) beat out shows like MTM, Hawaii Five-O, Flip Wilson, Medical Center, The Wonderful World Of Disney, Here's Lucy, Gunsmoke, Adam-12, and The Partridge Family. Not half-bad.

It's also interesting to note that Ozzie Nelson directed several of the "Bridget" episodes.....

http://www.tv.com/bridget-loves-bern...ode_guide.html

 

[Elena S]

Wow, am I excited!!!

 

[JohnMor]

I am VERY excited about seeing this again after all these years. I really hope it holds up. And of course, it's great that it's coming out at all.

 

[Craig S]

Not to disparage BLB in the least (I enjoyed the show), but I think even "My Mother The Car" would have done well sandwiched between 2 of the 3 best (and most popular) sitcoms of the 70s (the other member of the 70s Holy Trinity besides AitF and MTM being, of course, "M*A*S*H" - also a CBS show but on Monday nights in 1973).

 

[David Von Pein]

LOL. LOL.

You said a mouthful there, Craig. Very good point indeed. I imagine even the series "Watching Grass Grow In Silence" would have also done fairly well in that CBS timeslot.

 

[Michael Alden]

Well, not really. In the 1974 fall schedule, CBS put Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers in that time slot and it didn't make it past January.

 

[Charles Ellis]

I remember that show, and never got into it- didn't he play a cellist? Whatever happened to Paul Sand, anyway?

 

[Ethan Riley]

Who?

Hmm...BLB and Family are both coming out. Both starred Meredith Baxter-Birney...could Family Ties be far behind?

 

[Charles Ellis]

Ask Paramount about that one!

 

[peggy]

I loved this show and it was probably my introduction to having a show you loved cancelled. To this day I can still remember my heartbreak when they took it off the air.

Glad to hear it might be coming out on dvd, I will definitely get this one.

 

[David Von Pein]

Paul Sand played "Robert C. Brand" (the IRS man) in the S.1 ep. of MTM. He even participated in an audio commentary on the DVD for that episode ("1040 Or Fight"). It's one of the best eps. of that season (IMO).

 

[Ethan Riley]

Uh...it was cancelled? How dare they...!

 

[Michael Alden]

First Man from UNCLE, now this. Great. Now can someone please announce The Fugitive and then yank that so my summer can be complete

 

[Elena S]

Well, looks like it's been de-announced now. Damn Sony ba$tards.

 

[Tory]

I was going to buy this but not Family.