What Might've Been: Fitz & Bones (1981)

NBC was starving for a hit series that wasn't Little House on The Prairie or Diff'rent Strokes in the fall of 1981. Putting the Smothers Brothers in a drama was one thing, but not having them play brothers? Trouble.

Fitz & Bones barely lasted a month, a rare at the time dud from producer Glen A. Larsen for the network, which had cancelled Buck Rogers in The 25th Century after 2 seasons. Larsen, of course, would deliver his last hit under the Universal umbrella, Knight Rider, the very next year before moving his tack to 20th Century Fox.

Dick Smothers played an investigative reporter for a television station. Tom Smothers was Bones Howard, a videographer. Missing was the sibling rivalry that was a vital part of their stage act. The series also marked the return of Roger C. Carmel (ex-The Mothers-in-Law) to television, after he'd been reduced to doing commercials in the 70's (i.e. Marathon candy bars).

Here's the intro. Mind the video quality.



I never saw the show. The parents weren't interested. No rating.