Breakfast Time

Besides never missing an episode, our family was a the visiting family on one of the last Friday episodes in 1996 before the disastrous reformatting the did for Fox as "Fox After Breakfast." it was the episode where Bob Barker, as one of the guests, played "Hard Hat Price Is Right" with highway contractors outside. It was not something that Barker had been told about in advance. All folks associated with the show were sincerely genuine and kind. See Bergeron's autobiography for more insights into this show and its failed successor.

This was the most unique morning show ever, which is why it failed as soon as the Fox brass got their paws on it and mainstreamed it. By far the most interesting interviews I've ever seen. The laid back atmosphere let people just hang out and talk. Guests you wouldn't care about anywhere else became the rivetting. People like Dom DeLuise and the Captain and Tenille who couldn't buy their way onto other shows lifted this one past all others.

Tom Bergeron's the only person from the show to have any mainstream success, but I can't even look at him anymore knowing he's capable of being genuinely funny instead of reading prepared quips on Hollywood Squares and AFV.

It was lighting in a jar and we'll likely never see anything like it as long as TV execs get involved.

I am so glad someone else remembers this show, and as fondly as I do! Whenever I see Tom Bergeron, I think of this fun and refreshing morning show, and wish it could be resurrected. It remained in my mind and drove me to search IMDb until I found the listing to remind me of the original title and just when it ran. I can't believe it has been 10 years! The uniquely 3 dimensional set, Tom B's free and easy nature, and the Friday Dance around the loft at the end of the show by whomsoever happened to be there that day, are all vivid memories. I would kill for tape of it, especially the premiere show. I was so sorry to see it go. I hope someone tries something like this again, someday, though I think it would not be the same without Tom Bergeron's particular brand of whimsy and humor.

Agree with all the great comments about this great show "Breakfast Time" - NOT fox breakfast or fox after breakfast or whatever they called it when it left FX. Fox definitely killed the golden goose. And I totally agree that Bergeron sold out - and threw Laurie under the bus to get there. No wonder that he ended up doing Bob Saget's old job. You reap what you sow. I'll never forget that sad day when Laurie said goodbye in such a classy way - you should have taken notes Tom - and you too Murdoch! It's no wonder that we are bombarded with the crappy writing on network shows and reality shows - nobody in the industry is capable of creating such a gem as "Breakfast Time" anymore. Rest in Peace - you were truly one of a kind.

but the form insists I grade it.

it seems as if I might have seen promos for it, but I can't remember whether we had FX in Salem Mass between 1994 and 2001 (on any of the 3 analog cable companies we went thru) it's sad that Josh wrote about it so long ago, cause if he was here now so, what on earth am I doing on its IMDb page if I never saw it? Tom Bergeron (who I remember from People Are Talking) wrote about it (and Josh's comment) in his book. (and of course Donny Osmond is on DWTS this "season" so between fast forwarding to search for Donny (Monday nights are too crowded) I get bits of Bergeron. It seemed like a good idea to get his book (from the library) and find out what happened between PaT and now.