[Dyre Straits]

LOS ANGELES - ABC Television said Tuesday it will continue the sitcom that showcased the late John Ritter, showing his television family coping with the death of Ritter's character on "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter."

ABC executives said the show will premier next Tuesday as planned and that the network will air the three episodes Ritter filmed before his death.

After that, the show will go into repeats while writers retool the sitcom and production starts. No date was given for when the show will return to the air.

Ritter died last Thursday of an undetected heart problem. He was 54.

"We are going to stick with it," Susan Lyne, president of ABC Entertainment, said in a conference call with reporters.

Each of the first three episodes already shot will start with a special introduction, featuring the cast members. The next new show will deal with the death of Ritter's character, Paul Hennessy.

"Future episodes will take viewers into the Hennessy household as they experience the loss of a father and construct a new life together," said Lloyd Braun, chairman of the ABC Entertainment Television Group. "We will play out the situation as real life."

Executives said they considered a number of options, including canceling the show, but decided to continue the series.


I wonder how the people of DH feel about ABC's decision to continue this series....under these circumstances.

[WildChild]

I think its aight to show the already filmed shows ....but as long as they acknowledge in remembrance of him after the 3rd show is finished

[brc64]

Lemme get this straight? They took John Ritter's death, and they're going to use it for writing material in order to keep the sitcom going? That's just disturbing..

- Me

[Crash Override]

Originally posted by brc64
Lemme get this straight? They took John Ritter's death, and they're going to use it for writing material in order to keep the sitcom going? That's just disturbing..

- Me

actually the focus of the show will shift to how the family copes and how they will have to learn to function without him

[Vampyromaniac]

Originally posted by Crash Override
actually the focus of the show will shift to how the family copes and how they will have to learn to function without him

doesn't sound like much comedy -.-

[Crash Override]

Originally posted by Vampyromaniac
doesn't sound like much comedy -.-

it will still have elements of humor in it just like everyday life

take for instance Buffy.


Some dark scary things in that show (including the episode 'Ted' featuring John Ritter ) but always undercut with some humor to not make it a total downer

[BiGBrOwNPimpsta]

yea i was like wtf

i think airing last 3 shows are ok. but not making a new one coping with his death

[brc64]

Originally posted by Crash Override
actually the focus of the show will shift to how the family copes and how they will have to learn to function without him

I understand that, but that's not the point I was trying to make. Let me put it a more blunt way... ABC intends to profit off of John Ritter's death. That may not be their ultimate goal, but it's the end result.

I don't have a problem with them airing the last 3 episodes he made.. that's fine. I wouldn't even have a problem with them replacing the lead character with a different actor (though I doubt they could pull that off very well).. but by using his death as an excuse for writing material.. that's just wrong.

I don't expect you to agree with me.. different people have different opinions (as shown by this poll), but I personally don't like ABC's handling of the matter. Then again, I never watched the sitcom in the first place, and I'm sure as hell not going to watch it now, so I guess it really doesn't matter what I think.

- Me

[Crash Override]

Originally posted by brc64
I understand that, but that's not the point I was trying to make. Let me put it a more blunt way... ABC intends to profit off of John Ritter's death. That may not be their ultimate goal, but it's the end result.

I don't have a problem with them airing the last 3 episodes he made.. that's fine. I wouldn't even have a problem with them replacing the lead character with a different actor (though I doubt they could pull that off very well).. but by using his death as an excuse for writing material.. that's just wrong.

I don't expect you to agree with me.. different people have different opinions (as shown by this poll), but I personally don't like ABC's handling of the matter. Then again, I never watched the sitcom in the first place, and I'm sure as hell not going to watch it now, so I guess it really doesn't matter what I think.

- Me

Actually I have never seen it either but here is how I look at it.

Does it cheapen the show more by just replacing him and moving on acting like nothing happened, or by acknowledging mortality and how to deal with that mortality?

I respect the decision of them using this unfortunate occurance to explore that issue.

It's not a new idea though, this has happened before where an actor has died and they had to make a decision. Also the dont intend to profit off of his death. They intend to run the show, which is what they were already doing in the first place. Now if he had died before the first episode was shot and in the can I would agree with you. However, since they invested the money into the season already they may as well play it out.

[toddsmack2k]

I dont think they should make anymore shows without him. It to me would be alright to show the ones that were already made with him and with a remembrance of him like wildchild said. Other than that I see it as just another attempt at making money. I am sure they will try it and I think the show will not be on much longer as he was the core of the show, the main comedic influence to me and I think it will be cancelled shortly after due to poor ratings.