and found it boring every single time. The only entertainment value I ever got out of it was from Karen Valentine, especially at the opening credits when the bus doors close on her. She had comedy potential right there and should've had her own show. I still think that after all these years.
The more I study it, the greater the puzzle becomes.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
I liked the show as a kid. I probably wouldn't like it now but I did then. I watch the opening titles sequence for season one now and am amazed at how laid back and unhurried it is. Nowadays that lazy minute of airtime would be packed with promos.
Actually she did star in a short-lived sitcom after Room 222 wrapped up; she worked in Washington, DC as part of a political action group. It was a mid-season replacement on ABC in January, 1975 and lasted only 13 episodes:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072525/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_39
I think that the problem is this show clearly wasn't a sitcom-y comedy aimed at kids. In fact, to me, the weakest elements are the Karen Valentine/schtick attempts. The opening credits in seasons 3 & 4 (probably 5) are totally cringe-worthy as Karen Valentine drops the books with the serious actors looking on -- it's like a parody straight out of SNL.
shareFriday nights on ABC... THIS was our "Must-See TV" when we were growing up:
(grew up in Chicago, so the times are Central)
The Bunch at 7
The Partridges at 7:30
Room 222 at 8
Odd Couple at 8:30
Love American Style at 9
I think that line up may have actually led to its cancellation. All of the others were traditional half hour comedies (was Love American Style 30 or 60 minutes?). Room 222, while having a humor, was more drama than comedy. By 1974 the half hour shows were looked at strictly as comedies. People tuning in were turning it off because it wasn't funny like the Brady's, the Partridges or Oscar and Felix. Not saying that is wrong... looking back and now watching it again for the first time since 1974 (on Aspire), I actually think 222 was the best of all of those four shows, but that is not what the viewing audience was looking for in its half hour Friday nights of "light" half hour shows. But in 1974 it was too serious (and therefore boring) for my 9 year old brain that wanted to see the Brady or Partridge kids, but yet it didn't capture the older audience who did not want to watch a show about a high school. Great show, but by its final season with changing television audiences it was in the wrong place at the wrong time
====
My first IMDB comment in 1 and 1/2 years... Fell off the wagon.
I watched the first episode on Youtube and I wonder if the depiction of American high school at that time was very accurate. If it is, we have really regressed. As for the show, I liked it. Interesting to see a black man as the lead, and the actor is very good. A shame we have gone from that to Snoop Dogg.
shareI liked it as a kid. I grew up in a White environment and I could tell Room 222 was trying to integrate Blacks into our consciousness and I appreciated it. I thought Valentine was pretty but her character didn't ring true, and the two other leads were very appealing while the actor who played the Principal had that TV character quality that livened things up a bit. Even though I consumed as much dumb TV as anyone (Beverly Hillbillies, Gilligan, the Partridge Bunch) I enjoyed getting exposed to things that had an air of maturity to it. like Room 222.
share