Victims of Themselves

Re Carla Hall’s story on the demise of shows featuring strong women characters (“For Women in Sitcoms, It’s the Next Generation,” May 18):

She might want to consider the possibility that--while “Murphy Brown” simply reached the end of its natural life span--”Roseanne,” “Grace Under Fire” and “Cybill” were less the victims of changing attitudes than of their own changing content.

Over the course of their shows’ runs, the stars of all three assumed virtually total creative control--firing (or causing to quit) not only the original writer/creators, but their successors and their successors’ successors. All aspects of the shows--from story lines to casting to editing--became subject to the dictates of the star.

Perhaps the quality of these shows suffered as a result. Perhaps the viewers noticed.

Just a thought.

LEE ARONSOHN

Former co-executive producer, “Cybill”; former producer, “Grace Under Fire”; former executive story editor, “Murphy Brown”; former viewer, “Roseanne”

Encino