East Side Dave’s Top 5 Times Sitcoms Brought In A Kid To Boost Ratings! (With VIDEO)

5.) Andy from Family Ties

Now, while Family Ties was a near-perfect show in many regards...one character that people failed to connect with was the youngest kid Jennifer.   Everyone talked about Michael J. Fox and Justine Bateman and, let's be honest, Tina Yothers got very little attention.  So, in order to re-establish that cute kid character, Mr. and Mrs. Keaton had little baby Andy!   And ratings were had by all!

4.) Another Andy...this one from Facts Of Life

Why did they add THIS Andy to Fact Of Life?   Actor Mackenzie Astin was brought in to this all girls school from some reason and just started hanging out there and with Mrs. Garrett.   Strange.  #RATINGS?

3.) Luke (Leonardo DiCaprio!) in Growing Pains

As crazy as it sounds to some folks, before Leonardo DiCaprio became one of the biggest stars in the history of Hollywood, he was the new kid on Growing Pains...playing Luke Brower...a teenager who the Seaver family brought in to help!

2.) Sam from Diff'rent Strokes

I'm just gonna be honest here.   I never could stand Sam on Diff'rent Strokes.   Clearly an attempt to take the great Gary Coleman's cuteness for himself!   Hey, Sam!   Arnold Drummond is the cute kid of Diff'rent Strokes!   You should get evicted!

1.) Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch

Let's be honest.   Cousin Oliver is the O.G. of the new kid replacing the old school.   He's the prototype.   The king of the new cute sitcom kid.   We bow to Cousin Oliver.   We hail him as our Sitcom Lord.   If there was no Cousin Oliver...there would be no us.   No air.   No sea.   The birds would not sing...they would cry.   For, Cousin Oliver is the light of the World!   The Beacon of TV Truth!   The petter of Tiger the Dog!   The boy who most resembles John Denver!   God bless you Cousin Oliver...wherever you are!   Planet Earth thanks you for your service!