The ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules . . . For Dating My Teenage Daughter starred John Ritter as sportswriter Paul Hennessy – a protective father who often embarrasses his children.
His wife, Cate (Katey Sagal), works as a nurse at the kids’ school.
Eldest daughter Bridget (Kaley Cuoco) is a beautiful, ditzy blonde preoccupied with her looks, teenage boys, and little else.
Disgruntled middle child Kerry (Amy Davidson) is smart but typically negative and sarcastic. She is also a passionate activist who cares about animal rights.
Youngest child Rory (Martin Spanjers) is his father’s favourite and often takes pleasure in tattling on his sisters.
The series had enjoyed a successful first season, and filming had begun on the second when tragedy struck.
Star John Ritter was rushed to the hospital on 11 September 2003 after collapsing on the set. He died later that day, aged 54, of an aortic dissection, an undetected problem with his heart.
Shocked by grief, the network also faced the dilemma of how to continue with a show based on Ritter.
The season was due to begin in less than two weeks, and there were already three episodes of the new series in the can. Or should they consign it to history?
Ultimately, ABC decided to press forward with the show, airing the three complete episodes before going on hiatus to revamp itself.
They promised that Ritter’s character, Paul Hennessy, would not be recast and that the show would deal with the loss of its father in a true-to-life fashion – daring stuff for an 8.00 pm family timeslot.
When the series returned, the title had been shortened to 8 Simple Rules, and the first post-Ritter episode was presented without a laugh track.
The show centred on a family who had just lost their patriarch, while veteran James Garner joined the cast as Cate’s father, Jim, and David Spade joined to play her nephew, CJ.
It was an unprecedented and ambitious transition, but audiences liked it, and it continued into a third season.
Ritter received a posthumous Emmy nomination for his role and, according to his widow, the actress Amy Yasbeck, he would have approved of the ‘show must go on’ philosophy. “John believed in this show and its message that a strong family can get through anything,” she said in a statement. “I know John would want his friends to be able to continue doing what they love.”
And the ratings helped.
Paul Hennessy
John Ritter Cate Hennessy
Katey Sagal Bridget Hennessy
Kaley Cuoco Kerry Hennessy
Amy Davidson Rory Hennessy
Martin Spanjers Jim Egan
James Garner C.J. Barnes
David Spade Kyle
Billy Aaron Brown
Disgruntled middle child Kerry (Amy Davidson) is smart but typically negative and sarcastic. She is also a passionate activist who cares about animal rights.
The season was due to begin in less than two weeks, and there were already three episodes of the new series in the can. Or should they consign it to history?
The show centred on a family who had just lost their patriarch, while veteran James Garner joined the cast as Cate’s father, Jim, and David Spade joined to play her nephew, CJ.
