8 Simple Rules: A Sitcom about Grief 

One of the more remarkable staples of US sitcom rerun blocks from the mid 2000s seems to have faded from people's memories. So I'm going to remind you about it now.

Omg that slight zoom in on Katy Segal when she's getting the news, sitcoms don't move the camera like that, it's subtle but God does it help the scene feel off kilter and like something devastating has happened

This isn't the only show that affected by Ritter's death I remember. He was a guest star in Season 1 of Scrubs where he played the main character JD's father. He came back for a cameo/flashback in Season 2 and was planned to come back again for Season 3 but died so they wrote it in the show.

To me, John Ritter will always be the voice of Clifford the Big Red Dog from the PBS Kids cartoon.

I never heard of this show, but I lost my dad in an accident back in 2004, and the scene where the mother answers the phone isn't too dissimilar to when the police arrived at our house to tell us about it. The kids bantering is similar to what I was going through before they arrived, though I'm an only child so it was more me chilling at home. Even the final phone call with my dad wasn't too dissimilar as I was watching a random show when he called and I kind of just brushed him off because I knew I'd see him that evening. I might check it out and watch season 1, as well as the episodes you recommended from season 2.

8 Simple Rules' lead actor, John Ritter, was also famous at the time of the show as the voice of Clifford in the original US English dub of the cartoon Clifford The Big Red Dog.

I remember when Ritter died. He was such an underrated actor.

i`m in the UK and remember this been on ABC1 all the time. It was a very underrated show IMO. Also it was when i first came across Kaley Cuoco. I have started rewatching on Disney plus and still stands up well.

Growing up nobody else knew this show and it was my favourite. They put it on Disney plus recently (only 2 seasons not 3?) and I began rewatching after years. Very nostalgic for me… I can’t believe my fav RU-vidr is doing a video on it haha

i remember watching this show on tv as a kid before i really understood what death was. the dad passing away and being absent for the remainder of the show was my first real experience with grief and loss and it stuck with me for a long time. looking back on it now after having lost a parent it hits even harder

2 stubagful videos in a fortnight? Spoiling us stuart

I don't remember it being on E4, but it was on the shortlived ABC1 channel all the time, in between Scrubs repeats. It was extremely weird that it continued after the dad died.

I can’t watch the past the episodes where Paul dies. I wasn’t teenager when my parents died, but I wasn’t far out of my teenage years (22 and 24) it didn’t help that my mum had a stroke when I was 18 (so the peak time I was watching).

in 2010 this show was just playing reruns on tv, I was 16 at the time and had never seen or heard of the show, I began watching it from episode 1 and had no idea he dies, boy was I hit hard when the morning came, I tuned in to watch like I had been everyday and I was hit with that episode.... I actually felt grief myself, I was in denial that they killed him off and I was crying and basically sad the whole week, I later looked into it and found out he really died and I was even more upset... the effectiveness of the show and the goodbye episode gives you a taste of what it's like for people who really go through something like that

The idea for Bojack Horseman's "Birthday Dad" is based on the show "This Is Us". Especially the first few episodes of that show. Possibly even just the first episode.

I've started watching it since they added it to Disney+. I've quite enjoyed it so far, mainly for John Ritter. I always enjoy John Ritter in anything I've seen him in. I did know that he passed away while this show was going.

Going through a long period of grief myself, I really liked Go On: discovered it during lockdown and it was really helpful to see a group of people get together to share their grief... and some decent jokes thrown in from time to time. The show wasn't great, but I would have liked to see what a second season would have brought. Never heard of 8 Simple Rules, so I might watch those few episodes.

This is still one of my favorite shows. One of the post goodbye episodes I go back to once a year because it was still funny to me. I remember when goodbye aired and then loosing my dad it hits a bit different. Thanks for covering it.

I remember watching this show on channel 4 ~2006 shortly after an uncle of mine passed away. It still hits me like a ton of bricks. A show that deals with death and loss in such a mature and genuine way is to its credit.

Loved this show. I'd watch with my sister. Was familiar with John Ritter in Flight of Dragons along with Harry Morgan from MASH and of course James Earl Jones. A lot to thank that animated film for. Paul wanting to go to the Cabin by the Lake when they had the contest then him stopping because of how Kerry was upset was very sweet.

Reminds me of grandads death in only fools and horses. Joh Sullivan had the knack of being able to make you laugh one minute then get emotional just like that

There was an episode of Suddenly Suzan where a character was missing. I wasn’t a regular viewer but it was a weird episode with pieces to camera. Turns out the actor had gone on a bender then hung himself. The episode plays like a normal episode mostly but everything is off. Definitely a notable show.

It does amaze me at how versatile sitcoms can be. I always find it strange, but in a good way, whenever I find ones that can make me cry and laugh at the same time. Certainly not a requirement for a good sitcom of course, but I enjoy it whenever I do find ones that can do that.

Great video. Great insights.

I love this show, a childhood favourite of mine. I'm still saddened by Ritters death, seemed like such a nice man. I must admit though, I preferred the show with James Garner and David Spade. I rewatch this show regularly lol, it's comforting for me. I hate that it only got 3 seasons

Ah, I was waiting for this one.

I haven't seen this sitcom, but the episodes you review sound really interesting. Good call.

I remember watching this show during John Ritter's run, but I couldn't bring myself to keep going after he died, aside from "Goodbye". It just felt...wrong.

One of my all time favourite shows

Really well made, subbed

It had to have been weird watching it out of order. John Ritter dying was a national tragedy and it happened right before the season started. He was a legend. The ratings at the beginning of season 2 were higher, because a lot of people wanted to see how they dealt with it since they announced they would continue with the show. I don't know how the cast and crew were able to do it. I'm glad they did. The ratings in season 1 had already been around where they ended up in the second half of season 2. When it moved from Tuesday to Friday nights (the not so revived TGIF) the ratings were better than the other TGIF shows. I think it was cancelled because disputes with the showrunner, John's death making syndication hard, and the end of TGIF as a programming block. Ultimately 8 Simple Rules couldn't save TGIF.

I never seen or heard of this show. The closet I have seen to something like this is the Monk season 7 premiere where Monk griefs over the sudden death of his psychiatrist because the actor passed away before season 7. I hate that Quiet on a Set killed my interest to watch any sitcoms or Nickelodeon shows. The Monk season 8 premiere has become painfully relatable.

another banger

Agree with you but I was wondering if you'd ever watched Malcolm in the Middle and you never thought about doing a episodes as it does funny about the same era I don't know if you ever watched it might be a night just an idea thank you

Since you are not from the States CBS was know as the old people network NBC was for young people and ABC was considered for families since it aired on ABC I could see them wanting their own Everybody Loves Raymond but wanted a more involvement with the kids.

I always get this mixed up with 13 Reasons Why

14:19 Why would that be in an article about sports?

I'm surprised the clip from Family Guy where they mention this didn't make an appearance. There was a perfect moment for it too. Oh well.

They killed off the main character and didn't pull an eastenders bringing them back 30 years later?

I watched the pilot recently, and I was kind of surprised how curmudgeonly and genuinely threatening Ritter's character was. They dropped that aspect REALLY quickly and he became the sort of standard put-upon dad, which was a good choice given it's not like the show was trying to SAY anything significant about daughters or rules.

I always felt bad thinking the show got better with Ritter dying, the shift in tone was really good for it...

Hmm, an interesting take. I'm a bit older than you, and was lucky enough to have access to the Disney Channel via Sky Digital from 1999 to 2005, so I saw every episode of the first few seasons either on its first UK airing, or at least on a repeat showing within a week or so. I was online at home by then too, so I read about The Three's Company reference from Americans on a lot of message boards and then about Ritter's passing in the showbiz news. I therefore understood the reason for the tonal shift after Paul had to be written out, but it just wasn't as funny after that so I wasn't that bothered following the programme as soon as new episodes went out by that point. One of the most memorable gags from those first two series, in the episode 'Every Picture Tells a Story', is essentially transphobic ("you're not half the man wife number three turned out to be!") so it probably wouldn't fly nowadays, but the timing of it was superb.

"Mad TV" called them out for exploiting the death.

I remember the series airing, I think in the 2000s, on ProSieben, a German cable channel.… And a Dankeschön for the good video, but can we get something more British next time...