Today, we look at how a sitcom about a time-traveler trying to avoid going to hell by mentoring his younger self became a sitcom about three dudes just chilling in California.
This is “Gonna Make a Change,” a feature where I spotlight shows that underwent major revamps during their runs to avoid cancellation. Note that I mean MAJOR revamps, not, like, M*A*S*H getting more serious as it went on or Cheers becoming more of an ensemble comedy once Shelley Long left.
One of the interesting things in retrospect is to look at the TV season after a famous show went off the air, to see where the various cast members end up. In the case of Hill Street Blues, Kiel Martin was a long-time standout as the lecherous Detective J.D. LaRue (who was just good enough of a guy to truly WANT to try to be better), and when the show ended, his follow-up series was called Second Chance and it was…quite interesting.
Original Concept: Second Chance saw Martin play Charles Russell, who dies in the year 2011 (there was a whole bit back in 2011 about the fact that the episode also showed the death of Muammar Gaddafi and he actually DID die in 2011) and is a rare person who is stuck between being sent to Hell and being sent to Heaven, so he is allowed to back to 1987 where he will try to lead his 15-year-old self, Chazz Russell (Matthew Perry), to lead a better life and get into Heaven this time.
Revamped Concept: The show flopped, but obviously, everyone agreed that Matthew Perry was a clear star in the making, so the show then retooled, dropping the supernatural angle entirely, and now it was just about Chazz and his two buddies, Booch and Eugene. The shoe was now called Boys Will Be Boys…
Did it get the show more than one last season?: No, it did not. It did at least finish out a full first season, though!
A number of folks suggested Gimme a Break! for this feature. Okay, that’s it for this installment of “Gonna Make a Change,” please send in suggestions for other good revamps to my e-mail address of brian@poprefs.com!
I watched because it was a time-travel show and there wasn’t as much specfic on the air in those days. I had no interest in a teen comedy. I’m guessing I wasn’t alone.
Honestly, if Chazz was such a borderline case between getting into Heaven and going to Hell, wouldn’t changing just ONE thing about his life do the trick? That’d be enough to tip the scales, yeah?
The loop of moving, surviving, and upgrading keeps players coming back. e3460f06.
This is a fantastic dive into the drastic revamps shows undergo! It’s always fascinating to see how a series can veer so far from its original concept, especially when supernatural elements are involved. “Second Chance” sounds like a prime example of a show trying to find its footing after a really unique premise. I’m really looking forward to reading more about Matthew Perry’s supernatural time-traveling show and how it transformed into just a “dudes hanging out” sitcom – it just goes to show how adaptable TV can be. Sometimes, a change of direction, even a drastic one, is exactly what’s needed to keep things fresh, much like how staying on top of financial planning needs a reliable ba ii plus calculator. Great analysis, Brian!
This is a fascinating dive into the drastic revamp of “Second Chance”! I remember hearing bits about Matthew Perry’s show having a wild original concept, but the time-traveling, avoiding-hell angle sounds absolutely bonkers. It’s always so interesting to see how shows morph and adapt to stay alive, and this is a prime example of a really dramatic shift. Thanks for highlighting these “major revamps” – it’s a great series concept and makes you wonder what other hidden gems of transformation are out there. I’m always looking for content that makes me rethink how TV shows are made, and this definitely delivered. Looking forward to more insights from Block Poster Maker!
This is such a fascinating deep dive! I love these “what could have been” stories in TV history, especially when the original concept sounds so wild. Matthew Perry time-traveling to avoid hell by mentoring his younger self is definitely a pitch that would make me do a double-take. It’s wild to think how drastically a show can pivot from such an ambitious premise to just “dudes hanging out.” It really highlights the pressures of network TV and trying to find an audience. Thanks for shining a spotlight on *Second Chance* and giving us this behind-the-scenes look at its evolution, or rather, its complete transformation. It makes you wonder how different things would have been if they stuck to the original vision. Sometimes, you need a good way to figure out how much space a concept takes up, much like a square feet calculator helps with physical dimensions. Great read!
This is such a fascinating deep dive into TV show revamps! It’s wild how drastically concepts can shift, and the Matthew Perry example you highlighted is a perfect illustration. Going from supernatural time-travel to just “dudes hanging out” is quite the pivot! It makes you wonder how many other shows started with such ambitious premises only to be dialed back for broader appeal or network pressure. Your “Gonna Make a Change” feature sounds like a treasure trove for TV enthusiasts. I also appreciate you clarifying what constitutes a “major” revamp – it helps distinguish truly transformative changes. It’s always interesting to look at these behind-the-scenes decisions, much like how an AI Image to Line Converter can transform an image, these production changes completely transform a show’s identity. I’m eager to read more of these spotlights!
This is such a fascinating deep dive into TV show revamps, Brian! It’s incredible how a concept like “supernatural time-traveling Matthew Perry avoiding hell” could morph into “just dudes hanging out.” The mention of Kiel Martin’s *Second Chance* and its original premise about being stuck between worlds really highlights the drastic shifts shows sometimes undergo. It makes you wonder what other wild original concepts got watered down before making it to air. I’ve always found those “what if” scenarios intriguing, especially when you think about how different a show could have been. It’s also interesting to consider how these shifts might look if they were visualized with an Al Cartoon Video Generator. Great stuff, as always!
This is a fascinating look into the drastic changes shows undergo! I vaguely remember *Second Chance*, but had no idea about its original supernatural premise. It’s wild to think how a show about a time-traveling Matthew Perry (or in this case, Kiel Martin mentoring his younger self to avoid hell) could morph into just a “dudes hanging out” sitcom. These “Gonna Make a Change” features are always a gem, highlighting those behind-the-scenes decisions that completely reshape a series. It really makes you wonder what other forgotten shows had equally bizarre concept shifts – maybe I’ll even try to Image Splitter some old promotional posters to compare the early ideas! Great read!
This is such a fascinating deep dive into TV show revamps! It’s wild to think how drastically a concept can change, especially from “supernatural time-traveler trying to avoid hell” to just “dudes hanging out.” I appreciate how you distinguish between major and minor changes too, as it really highlights the level of transformation in shows like *Second Chance*. It makes me wonder what other original concepts are out there that got completely re-imagined – it’s a goldmine for anyone interested in creative evolution, much like how you can transform images with a Merge Image tool. Great read, Brian!
This is such a fascinating deep dive into TV show revamps! It’s wild to think how drastically a concept like “supernatural time-traveling Matthew Perry avoiding hell” could morph into “dudes hanging out.” Brian, your ability to unearth these forgotten gems and trace their evolution is brilliant. I especially appreciate the context of what cast members did post-big shows like *Hill Street Blues*. It really makes you wonder about the behind-the-scenes struggles and creative pivots that happen to keep a show alive. Thanks for another insightful read!
This is such a fascinating look back at how shows evolve! I remember hearing about the concept for Matthew Perry’s show and being intrigued by the time-traveling, supernatural angle. It’s wild to think it ended up as just “dudes hanging out” – a classic TV transformation story, really. Brian, your “Gonna Make a Change” feature always unearths the most interesting behind-the-scenes shifts. It makes me wonder about all the other initial concepts that never saw the light of day. This reminds me that even the biggest plans can pivot, and sometimes the unexpected turns lead to something great. Maybe we all need a little help visualizing how different paths can lead to different outcomes, kind of like how a good Savings Calculator can help you see the long-term impact of small changes.