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* OutOfGenreExperience: The show was a situation comedy, but written as a drama, with drama writers, for the episodes dealing with Paul's death.
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Based on a popular W. Bruce Cameron column, '''''8 Simple Rules''''' is your basic DomCom where Paul and Cate Hennessy (played by [[ThreesCompany John Ritter]] and [[MarriedWithChildren Katey]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Sagal]]) attempt to ride herd on the burgeoning love life of their teenage daughters, bookish Kerry (Amy Davidson) and promiscuous Bridget (Kaley Cuoco). Rounding out the family is son Rory (Martin Spanjers), who is Paul's only other source of testosterone, and thus they bond often.
to:
Based on a popular W. Bruce Cameron column, '''''8 Simple Rules''''' is your basic DomCom where Paul and Cate Hennessy (played by [[ThreesCompany [[Creator/JohnRitter John Ritter]] and [[MarriedWithChildren Katey]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Sagal]]) attempt to ride herd on the burgeoning love life of their teenage daughters, bookish Kerry (Amy Davidson) and promiscuous Bridget (Kaley Cuoco). Rounding out the family is son Rory (Martin Spanjers), who is Paul's only other source of testosterone, and thus they bond often.
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The series lasted from September, 2002 to April, 2005. A total of 76 episodes in 3 seasons.
to:
The series lasted aired on Creator/{{ABC}} from September, September 2002 to April, 2005. A April,2005, a total of 76 episodes in 3 seasons.
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* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: Rory has tried repeatedly to get his own monkey. [[spoiler: Every time he succeeds he is forced to give it back.]]
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* OhCrap: "'''You know!'''" Shouted by Kyle to Paul after a long, awkward silence before fleeing the house. Justified since Paul knows that [[spoiler: Kyle cheated on Bridget with Kerry]].
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* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: Paul is one of the walking definitions of this trope. A lot of episodes shown he's fully aware of this trope and invokes it to have fun with the girls. Cate herself is not immune from this trope either - especially when she teaches Sex Ed in Bridget's class.
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* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Rory's class make fun of him for Paul coming into the school wearing slippers. At the end of the episode Rory dumps a box of slippers on Paul's bed - saying kids have been stuffing them in his locker. Paul gets interested in one sheepskin pair.
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** When Cate is teaching Sex Ed in Bridget's class, she assures her daughter she won't be embarrassed. Cut to the class where Cate finishes off saying "and that is how Bridget was born".
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* MadonnaWhoreComplex: Initially in season 1. Bookish conservative Kerry is contrasted with outgoing flirty Bridget. It keeps subverting the trope however as [[spoiler: Kerry is the first to lose her virginity, by cheating on her boyfriend too]]. One episode actually has Kerry remark that Paul expects her to be "some old spinster like [[Literature/GreatExpectations Miss Havisham]]" - and she acts like a Whore to annoy him.
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* NotSoAboveItAll: Kerry speaks about how shallow modelling is when an agent comes around to see Bridget. However the agent says her red hair is fabulous and suggests she try it too - reducing Kerry to a bashful pile of giggles. TheStinger has her acting out the commercial Bridget auditioned for in her room.
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* ClosetKey: Rory is this for his date. He goes to great lengths to make her fall for him, but fails. However, even ''she'' thinks it should have worked, and thus concludes that she must not be into guys at all.
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* MistakenForGay: Both Kerry and her prom date are straight, assume the other to be gay, and are only going to the prom together to support gay rights.
to:
* MistakenForGay: Both Kerry and her female prom date are straight, assume the other to be gay, and are only going to the prom together to support gay rights.
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* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Invoked by Bridget, when Rory tells a boy that she can't come to the phone because she's in the bathroom.
to:
* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Invoked by Bridget, when Bridget uses this trope as her social image. When a boy calls for her and Rory tells a boy that him she can't come to the phone because she's in the bathroom.bathroom, she flips out.
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Based on a popular W. Bruce Cameron column, ''Eight Simple Rules'' is your basic DomCom where Paul and Cate Hennessy (played by [[ThreesCompany John Ritter]] and [[MarriedWithChildren Katey]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Sagal]]) attempt to ride herd on the burgeoning love life of their teenage daughters, bookish Kerry (Amy Davidson) and promiscuous Bridget (Kaley Cuoco). Rounding out the family is son Rory (Martin Spanjers), who is Paul's only other source of testosterone, and thus they bond often.
to:
Based on a popular W. Bruce Cameron column, ''Eight '''''8 Simple Rules'' Rules''''' is your basic DomCom where Paul and Cate Hennessy (played by [[ThreesCompany John Ritter]] and [[MarriedWithChildren Katey]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Sagal]]) attempt to ride herd on the burgeoning love life of their teenage daughters, bookish Kerry (Amy Davidson) and promiscuous Bridget (Kaley Cuoco). Rounding out the family is son Rory (Martin Spanjers), who is Paul's only other source of testosterone, and thus they bond often.
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!!Tropes:
to:
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** Kyle cheating on Bridget with Kerry
** Kerry losing her virginity to a guy who says he'll call her but doesn't get her number
** A 30-something guy hits on Bridget at the gym
** A guy who asks Bridget and Kerry out on separate dates
** Rory kissing a random girl to practice for his girlfriend
** C.J. going gaga over a woman with big busts while dating another woman
** Kerry losing her virginity to a guy who says he'll call her but doesn't get her number
** A 30-something guy hits on Bridget at the gym
** A guy who asks Bridget and Kerry out on separate dates
** Rory kissing a random girl to practice for his girlfriend
** C.J. going gaga over a woman with big busts while dating another woman
to:
** Kyle cheating on Bridget with Kerry
Kerry.
** [[spoiler: Kerry losing her virginity to a guy who says he'll call her but doesn't get hernumber
number.]]
** A 30-something guy who hits on Bridget at thegym
gym.
** A guy who asks Bridget and Kerry out on separatedates
dates.
** Rory kissing a random girl to practice for hisgirlfriend
girlfriend.
** C.J. going gaga over a woman withbig busts large breasts while dating another womanwoman.
** [[spoiler: Kerry losing her virginity to a guy who says he'll call her but doesn't get her
** A 30-something guy who hits on Bridget at the
** A guy who asks Bridget and Kerry out on separate
** Rory kissing a random girl to practice for his
** C.J. going gaga over a woman with
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** It comes up again when he tells her in a phone conversation to "break a leg" and may be a RunningGag.
** It comes up again when he tells her in a phone conversation to "break a leg". May be a RunningGag.
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** Bridget, Kerry, the asian math teacher
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* TakeOurWordForIt: Kerry's painting is so brave and controversial, that even Paul can't look at it. We don't get to see it. Also, the video where Paul breaks Bridget's nose while playing tennis, we don't get to see that moment neither, but the entire family turns away in disgust when they see it.
to:
* TakeOurWordForIt: Kerry's painting is so brave and controversial, that even Paul can't look at it. We don't get to see it. Also, There's also the video where Paul breaks Bridget's nose while playing tennis, tennis - we don't get to see that moment neither, either, but it makes the entire family turns turn away in disgust when they see it.disgust.
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* WellDoneDadGuy: Paul Hennessey
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* WellDoneDadGuy: Paul Hennesseygenuinely valued the opinions of his children and wanted to make them proud.
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** Bridget, Kerry, the asian math teacher
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* LawfulStupid: Kerry in "Ditch Day" where she is adamant to going to school and study during ditch day, even when the TEACHERS don't want to be teaching that day.
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** Although a laugh track WAS later added to that episode in syndicated airings.
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** Although a laugh track WAS later added to that episode in syndicated airings. It was kept out of the DVD release, though.
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* CouchGag: Rory's way to taunt the supposed girls' date changed between title sequences in season 1.
to:
* CouchGag: Rory's way to taunt the supposed girls' date changed between title sequences in season 1.1 and during the episodes of season 2 before Paul passed away.
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* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Invoked by Bridget, when Rory tells a boy that she can't come to the phone because she's in the bathroom.
-->'''Bridget:''' Oh my God! No one can know I use the bathroom! My life is ruined! Damage control, I have to do damage control! ''(picks up the phone and starts dialing)''\\
'''Paul:''' No calls, Bridget! Put the phone down! I've got a very important announcement for the whole family.\\
'''Bridget:''' Dad, priorities here, okay? If I don't get on this phone in the next ten minutes, people are going to think I ''actually use the '''bathroom!'''''
-->'''Bridget:''' Oh my God! No one can know I use the bathroom! My life is ruined! Damage control, I have to do damage control! ''(picks up the phone and starts dialing)''\\
'''Paul:''' No calls, Bridget! Put the phone down! I've got a very important announcement for the whole family.\\
'''Bridget:''' Dad, priorities here, okay? If I don't get on this phone in the next ten minutes, people are going to think I ''actually use the '''bathroom!'''''
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* ILied: Cate to Bridget after she snaps a photo of her and Bridget complains "You promised no more embarrassing moments."
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** "Twenty or fewer is called a kick-back! ... Yes, it is! ... Yes, it is!"
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* TheTag: While the episodes with John Ritter had tags, the post-Ritter ones did not. In post-Ritter episodes, the ClosingCredits would start in the middle of the final scene.
to:
* SwearJar: Parodied - Rory has to put a dollar in a jar each time he mentions his desire to have a pet monkey.
* TheTag: While most (though not all) of the episodes with John Ritter had tags, the post-Ritter ones did not. In post-Ritter episodes, the ClosingCredits would start in the middle of the final scene.
* TheTag: While most (though not all) of the episodes with John Ritter had tags, the post-Ritter ones did not. In post-Ritter episodes, the ClosingCredits would start in the middle of the final scene.
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* PassThePopcorn: Rory comes in during a middle of a dispute between Bridget and Kerry over Kyle, munching from a bowl of popcorn.
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* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Bridget writes her feelings towards Mr. Hennessey on a piece of paper as "I hate you." She then says that the original draft was two words.
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**It comes up again when he tells her in a phone conversation to "break a leg" and may be a RunningGag.
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** In fact, this is something of a running gag with Rory throughout the series.
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* ThePunishmentIsTheCrime: In "Bridget's New Job," Bridget tried to get her parents to agree with this when, after getting a job at a clothing store, she racked up a huge bill for clothes, then paid it off with the emergency credit card given to her by her parents. It didn't work - she was still made to do work around the house to pay off the debt.
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* ArgumentOfContradictions: Paul having a phone conversation with Bridget. We only get to hear Paul's side:
-->'''Paul''': "Dob" means "date of birth." Yes, it does. ... Yes, it does. ... Yes, it does.
-->'''Paul''': "Dob" means "date of birth." Yes, it does. ... Yes, it does. ... Yes, it does.
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* GetOut: Paul to Rory after he finds him hiding in Kerry's closet in the pilot. And later, as Kerry needles Bridget after she lied about going to the library. "Kerry! Out!"
to:
* GetOut: Paul to Rory after he finds him hiding in Kerry's closet in the pilot. And later, as Kerry needles Bridget after she lied about going to the library. "Kerry! Out!"Out!" [[RunningGag And a third time]] after Rory comes up Paul mocking his sisters - "Dad? Do you think I'm pretty?" "'''''Get out!'''''"
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Changed line(s) 46 (click to see context) from:
* GetOut: Paul to Rory after he finds him hiding in Kerry's closet in the pilot.
to:
* GetOut: Paul to Rory after he finds him hiding in Kerry's closet in the pilot. And later, as Kerry needles Bridget after she lied about going to the library. "Kerry! Out!"
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* GetOut: Paul to Rory after he finds him hiding in Kerry's closet in the pilot.
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* RetCon: Cate's parents were still married in season 1 with them both visiting for Thanksgiving and the family staying at their condo in Florida. When Paul died they were suddenly retconned into being divorced for years so Jim could move in with Cate.
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Repair, don\'t respond.
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* CerebusSyndrome: After Ritter died, the entire show pretty much became "Let's Mourn John Ritter for 30 Minutes Each Week."
** Not really, the show really only did that in a few episodes while largely doing it's own thing.
** Not really, the show really only did that in a few episodes while largely doing it's own thing.
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[[quoteright:275:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Eight_Simple_Rules_334.jpg]]
Based on a popular W. Bruce Cameron column, ''Eight Simple Rules'' is your basic DomCom where Paul and Cate Hennessy (played by [[ThreesCompany John Ritter]] and [[MarriedWithChildren Katey]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Sagal]]) attempt to ride herd on the burgeoning love life of their teenage daughters, bookish Kerry (Amy Davidson) and promiscuous Bridget (Kaley Cuoco). Rounding out the family is son Rory (Martin Spanjers), who is Paul's only other source of testosterone, and thus they bond often.
The premise was good and it worked well... until the show was [[RealitySubtext derailed]] by the death of John Ritter. The resultant ReTool brought in Cate's cantankerous father Jim (James Garner) and slacker nephew C.J. (David Spade). Because of Ritter's death, the show's name was changed from the quirky ''Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter'' to simply ''Eight Simple Rules''. The rating also took a plunge shortly after episodes dealing with [[RealLifeWritesThePlot Paul's death]] and it was cancelled within two years.
The series lasted from September, 2002 to April, 2005. A total of 76 episodes in 3 seasons.
----
!!Tropes:
* ActorAllusion: Paul in the ''Series/ThreesCompany'' dream sequences (though he was Mr.Roper).
* AesopAmnesia: During the first season, Cate tells Paul not to get his hopes up about the idea of being seen as popular in their daughters' eyes. However, sometime after Ritter's passing, she tries to appear to be "with it" in front of them herself.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Damian. He even has a guitar leitmotif when he appears in a scene. Bridget assumes that everyone can hear it, but it's just in her head.
* AllMenArePerverts: A ton of examples:
** Kyle cheating on Bridget with Kerry
** Kerry losing her virginity to a guy who says he'll call her but doesn't get her number
** A 30-something guy hits on Bridget at the gym
** A guy who asks Bridget and Kerry out on separate dates
** Rory kissing a random girl to practice for his girlfriend
** C.J. going gaga over a woman with big busts while dating another woman
* AscendedExtra: Cate and Rory were really just there in the first season but became more developed characters after Paul's death.
** Which is sort of sad, because a big subplot of the first season is that Rory is Paul's other source of testosterone in the house.
* BasedOnAnAdviceBook: The first season, at least.
* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Bridget (Blonde), Rory (Brunette) and Kerry (Redhead)
* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Bridget and Kerry.
* ButIWouldReallyEnjoyIt (TropeNamer)
* TheCastShowoff: Katey Sagal got to show her singing talent twice in the show. Kaley Cuoco, a former tennis player, got to play tennis twice on the show as well.
* CaughtWithYourPantsDown: Rory. ''Twice''.
* CerebusSyndrome: After Ritter died, the entire show pretty much became "Let's Mourn John Ritter for 30 Minutes Each Week."
** Not really, the show really only did that in a few episodes while largely doing it's own thing.
* CharacterDevelopment: Kerry started out as a cynical and depressed teenager but eventually grew to be nicer and more confident.
* TheCharacterDiedWithHim: Paul Hennessy, played by John Ritter.
* CharacterExaggeration: {{Inverted}}. In the book, the older daughter was much ditzier and more materialistic, the younger daughter was an {{emo}} {{goth}}, and the son was a total {{cloudcuckoolander}}. The show toned this down a ''lot''.
* CouchGag: Rory's way to taunt the supposed girls' date changed between title sequences in season 1.
* CurseCutShort: During Season 1.
-->'''Rory''': Santa can kiss my--
-->'''Paul''': Rory!
* DawsonCasting[=/=]PlayingGertrude: the older daughter was played by Kaley Cuoco, b. 1985; the younger daughter was played by Amy Davidson, b. 1979.
** TeensAreShort: Justification for why Amy plays the younger daughter rather than the older.
* DeadpanSnarker: Kerry.
* TheDitz: Bridget.
* DumbBlonde: Bridget. And Kyle.
* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Bridget of course. She gets voted Class President, is able to make men do anything she wants and even is still loved when she has to walk around with a facial mask on. Everyone loves her so much that when she announces herself on the intercom, a faint standing ovation is heard.
* FallenPrincess: Bridget, after Kyle breaks up with her.
* FreakyFriday: Cate and Bridget, Jim and CJ, Rory and..... his hamster, and a jealous, left out Kerry.
* FullNameUltimatum: Rory gets this treatment more than once.
* GilliganCut: An episode contains Kerry thinking of working at some food joint at the mall irksome... followed by her doing what she hated thinking about in the next scene.
* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry
* GroinAttack: When Cate mentioned a school coach who tried to impress her despite her lack of interest, Jim [[LampshadeHanging offered this advice]]: "Have you considered kicking him in the grapes?"
* HappilyMarried: Paul and Cate, before Ritter's death obviously.
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: Grandpa Jim in the first Thanksgiving episode (pre-Ritter-death).
* HiddenDepths: Bridget, Rory and CJ all showed these after Paul died.
* {{Homage}}: One ep pre-Ritter-death contains a dream sequence that mimics ''ThreesCompany'' with the kids in the main roles.
** And Paul in the role of the landlord. He noticed something odd about the situation.
** Kyle's older brother's bachelor pad even resembles the set.
* {{Irony}}
* IWantYouToMeetAnOldFriendOfMine: Ed O'Neill (Al Bundy) plays one of Cate's old flames.
* [[spoiler:{{Jerkass}}: The guy Kerry lost her virginity to. She's been trying to call him back, but he doesn't answer. She asked C.J. to drive her to him. But when C.J. parked just outside the house, Kerry cries and wants to go home.]]
* LaughTrack: Used in every episode, except for the one where Paul dies.
** Although a laugh track WAS later added to that episode in syndicated airings.
* MarshmallowHell: Rory with his aunt.
* MiddleChildSyndrome: Kerry
* MistakenForGay: Both Kerry and her prom date are straight, assume the other to be gay, and are only going to the prom together to support gay rights.
** At one point, Jim thought Principal Gibb was hitting on Rory.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: C.J. ruined Jim's chance of being together with his wife.
* NoBisexuals: During the gay episode, Kerry and her prom date are immediately assumed to be lesbians, and Rory's date [[SuddenlySexuality discovers]] that she's not attracted to men at all.
* NoIndoorVoice: [[spoiler:"Kerry is not a virgin!?"]]
* NoodleIncident: The water bottle scene.
** The reason C.J. goes by C.J. is implied to be the result of some illegal activity.
* OneSideOfTheStory: Standard shoplifting mix-up.
* OverprotectiveDad: The whole premise, at first.
* PartingWordsRegret: The last thing Bridget said to her father before he died was "I hate you."
* PutOnABus: The majority of the supporting characters were written out after John Ritter's death, since they were largely characters that only shared scenes with Ritter's character.
** Several did made a few appearances.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Fans still argue if the show [[JumpingTheShark jumped the shark]] or [[GrowingTheBeard grew the beard]] after John Ritter's untimely demise. On one hand, the main premise was gone. On the other hand, the characters gained a lot more depth.
** Also Kaley Cuoco injured her leg during filming of the 3rd season and her injury was subsequently written into several episodes.
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: "Dorky" Donny Doyle, a clean-cut Naval Academy student that Bridget dates shortly. They didn't last long together.
* TheTag: While the episodes with John Ritter had tags, the post-Ritter ones did not. In post-Ritter episodes, the ClosingCredits would start in the middle of the final scene.
* TakeOurWordForIt: Kerry's painting is so brave and controversial, that even Paul can't look at it. We don't get to see it. Also, the video where Paul breaks Bridget's nose while playing tennis, we don't get to see that moment neither, but the entire family turns away in disgust when they see it.
* TemptingFate: When Jim manages to get his driver's license despite not studying the materials properly and acts smug in front of Cate, the following exchange takes place:
-->'''Jim''': Try to wipe it off.
-->'''Cate''': (beat) C.J.'s moving back in the basement with you.
-->'''Jim''': You're bluffing.
-->(Cue C.J. walking into the room)
* TwerpSweating
* TheUnfairSex: Averted: [[spoiler: Kerry cheats on Kyle while in France]] mostly out of lust, and is clearly portrayed as being the faulty party of the two.
** Although after its broadcast over the school intercom that she's had sex, he [[spoiler: (Kyle)]] remarks he can't be ''too'' mad at her for cheating on him, since everyone thinks ''he'' was the one she lost her virginity to.
* WillTheyOrWontThey: Post-Ritter, between Cate and Principal Gibb.
----
Based on a popular W. Bruce Cameron column, ''Eight Simple Rules'' is your basic DomCom where Paul and Cate Hennessy (played by [[ThreesCompany John Ritter]] and [[MarriedWithChildren Katey]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Sagal]]) attempt to ride herd on the burgeoning love life of their teenage daughters, bookish Kerry (Amy Davidson) and promiscuous Bridget (Kaley Cuoco). Rounding out the family is son Rory (Martin Spanjers), who is Paul's only other source of testosterone, and thus they bond often.
The premise was good and it worked well... until the show was [[RealitySubtext derailed]] by the death of John Ritter. The resultant ReTool brought in Cate's cantankerous father Jim (James Garner) and slacker nephew C.J. (David Spade). Because of Ritter's death, the show's name was changed from the quirky ''Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter'' to simply ''Eight Simple Rules''. The rating also took a plunge shortly after episodes dealing with [[RealLifeWritesThePlot Paul's death]] and it was cancelled within two years.
The series lasted from September, 2002 to April, 2005. A total of 76 episodes in 3 seasons.
----
!!Tropes:
* ActorAllusion: Paul in the ''Series/ThreesCompany'' dream sequences (though he was Mr.Roper).
* AesopAmnesia: During the first season, Cate tells Paul not to get his hopes up about the idea of being seen as popular in their daughters' eyes. However, sometime after Ritter's passing, she tries to appear to be "with it" in front of them herself.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Damian. He even has a guitar leitmotif when he appears in a scene. Bridget assumes that everyone can hear it, but it's just in her head.
* AllMenArePerverts: A ton of examples:
** Kyle cheating on Bridget with Kerry
** Kerry losing her virginity to a guy who says he'll call her but doesn't get her number
** A 30-something guy hits on Bridget at the gym
** A guy who asks Bridget and Kerry out on separate dates
** Rory kissing a random girl to practice for his girlfriend
** C.J. going gaga over a woman with big busts while dating another woman
* AscendedExtra: Cate and Rory were really just there in the first season but became more developed characters after Paul's death.
** Which is sort of sad, because a big subplot of the first season is that Rory is Paul's other source of testosterone in the house.
* BasedOnAnAdviceBook: The first season, at least.
* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Bridget (Blonde), Rory (Brunette) and Kerry (Redhead)
* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Bridget and Kerry.
* ButIWouldReallyEnjoyIt (TropeNamer)
* TheCastShowoff: Katey Sagal got to show her singing talent twice in the show. Kaley Cuoco, a former tennis player, got to play tennis twice on the show as well.
* CaughtWithYourPantsDown: Rory. ''Twice''.
* CerebusSyndrome: After Ritter died, the entire show pretty much became "Let's Mourn John Ritter for 30 Minutes Each Week."
** Not really, the show really only did that in a few episodes while largely doing it's own thing.
* CharacterDevelopment: Kerry started out as a cynical and depressed teenager but eventually grew to be nicer and more confident.
* TheCharacterDiedWithHim: Paul Hennessy, played by John Ritter.
* CharacterExaggeration: {{Inverted}}. In the book, the older daughter was much ditzier and more materialistic, the younger daughter was an {{emo}} {{goth}}, and the son was a total {{cloudcuckoolander}}. The show toned this down a ''lot''.
* CouchGag: Rory's way to taunt the supposed girls' date changed between title sequences in season 1.
* CurseCutShort: During Season 1.
-->'''Rory''': Santa can kiss my--
-->'''Paul''': Rory!
* DawsonCasting[=/=]PlayingGertrude: the older daughter was played by Kaley Cuoco, b. 1985; the younger daughter was played by Amy Davidson, b. 1979.
** TeensAreShort: Justification for why Amy plays the younger daughter rather than the older.
* DeadpanSnarker: Kerry.
* TheDitz: Bridget.
* DumbBlonde: Bridget. And Kyle.
* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Bridget of course. She gets voted Class President, is able to make men do anything she wants and even is still loved when she has to walk around with a facial mask on. Everyone loves her so much that when she announces herself on the intercom, a faint standing ovation is heard.
* FallenPrincess: Bridget, after Kyle breaks up with her.
* FreakyFriday: Cate and Bridget, Jim and CJ, Rory and..... his hamster, and a jealous, left out Kerry.
* FullNameUltimatum: Rory gets this treatment more than once.
* GilliganCut: An episode contains Kerry thinking of working at some food joint at the mall irksome... followed by her doing what she hated thinking about in the next scene.
* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry
* GroinAttack: When Cate mentioned a school coach who tried to impress her despite her lack of interest, Jim [[LampshadeHanging offered this advice]]: "Have you considered kicking him in the grapes?"
* HappilyMarried: Paul and Cate, before Ritter's death obviously.
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: Grandpa Jim in the first Thanksgiving episode (pre-Ritter-death).
* HiddenDepths: Bridget, Rory and CJ all showed these after Paul died.
* {{Homage}}: One ep pre-Ritter-death contains a dream sequence that mimics ''ThreesCompany'' with the kids in the main roles.
** And Paul in the role of the landlord. He noticed something odd about the situation.
** Kyle's older brother's bachelor pad even resembles the set.
* {{Irony}}
* IWantYouToMeetAnOldFriendOfMine: Ed O'Neill (Al Bundy) plays one of Cate's old flames.
* [[spoiler:{{Jerkass}}: The guy Kerry lost her virginity to. She's been trying to call him back, but he doesn't answer. She asked C.J. to drive her to him. But when C.J. parked just outside the house, Kerry cries and wants to go home.]]
* LaughTrack: Used in every episode, except for the one where Paul dies.
** Although a laugh track WAS later added to that episode in syndicated airings.
* MarshmallowHell: Rory with his aunt.
* MiddleChildSyndrome: Kerry
* MistakenForGay: Both Kerry and her prom date are straight, assume the other to be gay, and are only going to the prom together to support gay rights.
** At one point, Jim thought Principal Gibb was hitting on Rory.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: C.J. ruined Jim's chance of being together with his wife.
* NoBisexuals: During the gay episode, Kerry and her prom date are immediately assumed to be lesbians, and Rory's date [[SuddenlySexuality discovers]] that she's not attracted to men at all.
* NoIndoorVoice: [[spoiler:"Kerry is not a virgin!?"]]
* NoodleIncident: The water bottle scene.
** The reason C.J. goes by C.J. is implied to be the result of some illegal activity.
* OneSideOfTheStory: Standard shoplifting mix-up.
* OverprotectiveDad: The whole premise, at first.
* PartingWordsRegret: The last thing Bridget said to her father before he died was "I hate you."
* PutOnABus: The majority of the supporting characters were written out after John Ritter's death, since they were largely characters that only shared scenes with Ritter's character.
** Several did made a few appearances.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Fans still argue if the show [[JumpingTheShark jumped the shark]] or [[GrowingTheBeard grew the beard]] after John Ritter's untimely demise. On one hand, the main premise was gone. On the other hand, the characters gained a lot more depth.
** Also Kaley Cuoco injured her leg during filming of the 3rd season and her injury was subsequently written into several episodes.
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: "Dorky" Donny Doyle, a clean-cut Naval Academy student that Bridget dates shortly. They didn't last long together.
* TheTag: While the episodes with John Ritter had tags, the post-Ritter ones did not. In post-Ritter episodes, the ClosingCredits would start in the middle of the final scene.
* TakeOurWordForIt: Kerry's painting is so brave and controversial, that even Paul can't look at it. We don't get to see it. Also, the video where Paul breaks Bridget's nose while playing tennis, we don't get to see that moment neither, but the entire family turns away in disgust when they see it.
* TemptingFate: When Jim manages to get his driver's license despite not studying the materials properly and acts smug in front of Cate, the following exchange takes place:
-->'''Jim''': Try to wipe it off.
-->'''Cate''': (beat) C.J.'s moving back in the basement with you.
-->'''Jim''': You're bluffing.
-->(Cue C.J. walking into the room)
* TwerpSweating
* TheUnfairSex: Averted: [[spoiler: Kerry cheats on Kyle while in France]] mostly out of lust, and is clearly portrayed as being the faulty party of the two.
** Although after its broadcast over the school intercom that she's had sex, he [[spoiler: (Kyle)]] remarks he can't be ''too'' mad at her for cheating on him, since everyone thinks ''he'' was the one she lost her virginity to.
* WillTheyOrWontThey: Post-Ritter, between Cate and Principal Gibb.
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