It times like this that I remember that Earl Elmer (Hartman's actual real name) actually had VERY little to do with the show itself. The original idea was his sure, but seasons one and two were written and heavily influenced by Steve Marmel who was fired prior to season three, he was actually responsible for a lot of the parts of the show people seem to love so much. Earl (Hartman) didn't come back as a driving creative force in the shows writing until season three and by that time it already had a significant fanbase and he probably assumed that this fanbase was loyal to him because he was the shows original creator. This might explain why Earl (Hartman) seems to have such a disconnect with what He Thinks Fans Like about the show and what Fans Actually Like, but it's also not true because we as fans are loyal to the show and the characters (provided they are represented in a manner which is consistent in content and character growth) not some guy who doesn't know what the show is about anymore beyond 'a kid has ghost powers lolz' which is basically what Earl (Hartman) has become.
On a related note: I would give So Much to see what season three would have looked like if Steve Marmel had maintained creative control.