The New Temperatures Rising Show

This short-lived hospital sitcom set in Washington, DC lasted only two seasons but had three distinct versions during that time. The only constant throughout the show's run was Cleavon Little. After one season featuring Little, James Whitmore as an older doc, and several nurses and staffers, the show was reconfigured into "The New Temperatures Rising" with Paul Lynde, Alice Ghostley and Sudie Bond brought in as the family who owned the hospital and were primarily concerned with cutting costs. After a few months with them, the show was put on hiatus, only to return a few months later in a third version with more new cast members (plus Nancy Fox from the original cast) but without Lynde, Ghostley and Bond. Needless to say, a third season was not forthcoming. In all three versions, the laugh count was about average for this type of show (that is to say, too low). TV never has really managed to produce a top quality, long-running hospital sitcom; we'll have to see if "Scrubs" stands the test of time.