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McLean Stevenson was way too excited about his flop show that followed M*A*S*H
You'd think he was starring in The Godfather.
The sophomore slump is a real thing, and not just in music. Sure, tons of bands fail to live up to the lofty standards of their debut. But the phenomenon extends into other mediums as well. How many promising young filmmakers disappoint when they get a bigger budget for their follow-up picture? Better still, how many sequels don't come close to matching the excitement of their predecessor?
As it turns out, the sophomore slump can also hit TV stars pretty badly. Stevenson went from a relatively unknown actor to a globally recognized hot commodity with M*A*S*H.
The wartime dramedy was so hugely popular that Stevenson began to believe he was bigger than the series. While the writers centered co-star Alan Alda as the show's protagonist (and deliverer of the best lines), Stevenson's jealousy sent him seeking greener pastures elsewhere.
That "elsewhere" came in the form of The McLean Stevenson Show, which is one of the most notoriously unsuccessful shows in sitcom history. While it wasn't his first attempt to capitalize on his M*A*S*H fame, it suffered the same fate as his earlier variety show.
The McLean Stevenson Show produced seven full episodes before NBC executives forced them to stop and start over. The powers that be intended for a different supporting actor to prop up the flimsy show, and hoped the replacement would distract from the thin plot and cheap writing.
None of this stopped Stevenson from taking to the press as if he had the network's next great golden goose.
"We think we'll be one of the first shows really designed for the whole family," he told The Wichita Eagle in 1976.
The self-praise grows the further one is willing to dive into the interview.
"The thing that's different about our show, I think, is that people are going to like our people. Even though the son may be a pain to me, I still love him. You always love your children, but you don't have to like them. That's the level of reality we're working on."
Stevenson wasn't content to just commend himself, he also took time to put down a CBS competitor.
"Sure, Phyllis has a Grandma, but to me, she is a caricature. Our Grandma is a real character, trying to deal with the problems of old age with dignity and a sense of humor.
"I had lots of other chances for different roles," said Stevenson, "and I turned them down." No word, though, on how Stevenson's accountant reacted to those decisions.
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