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Post by The Mad Plumber on Apr 28, 2009 16:49:28 GMT -5
I might almost argue that the only difference in all of television's sitcoms is the title. Still, this can be an exercise to see if there are sitcoms that excel and differentiate themselves from the others.
The Best
I would probably say that Seinfeld is the best example of a stand-up comedian vehicle, whose redeeming value is being a satire instead of a family show. The show's four main characters were themselves dishonest and self-serving individuals, and it was equally as acceptable if they came out on the bottom as to if they came out on top. The show was even complete with the titular character having a Blofeldian nemesis.
In light of Bea Arthur's recent passing, I guess I'll acknowledge All in the Family as being a great sitcom highly engrossed in politics. I admire the lack of political-correctness from the show's main character, with one of my favorite lines being, "God bless America, you dumb Pollack." All in the Family would have several spin-offs, the most notable being Maude and The Jeffersons.
The Worst
There's a panel by Gary Larson that lampoons a writing session for Bewitched where one writer suggests, "Hey! How's this? Endora puts some kind of a curse on Darren, and no one can figure out what the heck is happening until Samantha catches on!" I think that panel pretty much summarizes my opinion of that show.
The Brady Bunch gets much derision from me for not only being a sunny, cheery dramatization of the life of a problem-free white family, but also suggested that stepfamilies are successful integrations and are based on the parents' interests for the children.
I would be quite ashamed whenever I caught my father watching Yes, Dear in leiu of anything else, a sitcom that seems to lack a situation. From my limited perspective of the show, every episode would involve the pussy-whipped husband getting goaded by his buddies into doing something of beer commercial machoness, but being easily defeated by his stoic wife.
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Torgo
Moderator Emeritus
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Post by Torgo on Apr 28, 2009 22:15:33 GMT -5
Titus is the last great sitcom I can name, personally. I really don't watch much comedy on television anymore, except Stewart, Colbert, and My Name is Earl. The television show I love the most that includes a laugh track is Get Smart.
Worst? Meh. Sitcoms may be generic, but I've never all out bashed them like many do. I hated Malcolm in the Middle with a passion though. That 80's Show (note I said 80's not 70's. Yes there was a That 80's Show) sucked pretty hard too.
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Post by angilasman on Apr 29, 2009 11:28:59 GMT -5
I like Bewitched.
...oh, and Red Dwarf, Faulty Towers, and The Young Ones are the best sitcoms (The Brits do it better).
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Post by Mod City on Apr 29, 2009 11:43:57 GMT -5
Of the best, I'd say NewsRadio and The Office (U.S.) are about as good as it gets. NewsRadio was a little more traditional despite its often surreal brand of humor and The Office lacked a laugh track (thank god), but they're both excellent.
As for the worst, I could go on and on, but right now Two And A Half Men has to be about where it bottoms out. I guess I'm just one of those people who doesn't find kids that age funny in the slightest. I like Charlie Sheen, but god, how much simple, sex-based humor can you fit into one show? How that thing gets Emmy nominations is beyond me.
And I didn't know there was a That 80s Show. I didn't like That 70s Show, so this news just makes me cringe.
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Post by Captain Hygiene on Apr 29, 2009 11:59:18 GMT -5
I like Bewitched. ...oh, and Red Dwarf, Faulty Towers, and The Young Ones are the best sitcoms (The Brits do it better). If Fawlty Towers counts, it wins.
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Post by crowschmo on Apr 29, 2009 12:09:11 GMT -5
I agree that "Yes, Dear" has absolutely no business existing, and why it was picked up for SYNDICATION let alone lasted a few years in first run is a mystery I will never fathom.
Yes, most sitcoms are cookie cutter copies of each other, with few making themselves noticeable.
Some I liked: (and some I still like, 'cause they're still on):
All in the Family, M*A*S*H, Soap, WKRP in Cinncinnati, Bosom Buddies, Seinfeld, News Radio, Third Rock from the Sun, The Monkees. More modern ones: The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Three and a Half Men (occasionally, that one is hit or miss - same jokes every week).
I liked Malcolm in the Middle, but I've seen every episode so many times now I can no longer watch it. I also liked the first few seasons of That 70's Show. The last few seasons they just ran out of things and got really horrible. (They didn't have to make Kelso THAT stupid - OKAY, we GET it!!!) Can't watch the eps I liked any more either, for the same reason, they just play them to death 24 hours a day.
When I was younger there were a few I liked that wouldn't hold up on subsequent viewings today: Mr. Ed, Green Acres, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeanie, The Partridge Family (though I might watch that were it on, just for a goof, along with Leave it to Beaver).
There are some dramedies I like today, not really sitcoms, but they have funny moments along with serious ones: Chuck, Ugly Betty, Bones. And one from the past: Northern Exposure.
There are some I watched when I was younger that I now think are INCREDIBLY stupid and I can't figure out why I watched them, other than, I was a kid with an immature sense of humor, and well, they were what was on: Three's Company, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy. Ick.
A couple shows I liked but were kind of preachy: Family Ties (mostly just for Alex- Michael J. Fox has great comedic timing and was really funny, the other characters were just there for him to play off of, in my opinion), Growing Pains, (just for the kids getting in trouble, though by today's standards it wasn't that serious; the parents were a bit annoying). I'm sure I'm missing alot, I can't think of every sitcom I've ever seen right now.
Ones I absolutely hated and couldn't get into: Everybody Loves Raymond (not ME, folks!), King of Queens, According to Jim, the aformentioned Yes, Dear, and I'm sure there's many more. (There's another one kind of like Yes, Dear, with a family, but can't think of it right now). Oh, the over-hyped Arrested Development (didn't have a funny moment in it). Rules of Engagement.
There are some that were just so incredibly dull that I can't think of the title or the premise, they just faded away. Thank God.
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Post by mummifiedstalin on Apr 29, 2009 12:12:54 GMT -5
Does Arrested Development count? (I just saw that crowschmo hated it. Too bad.)
And Britain actually produced a number of good ones, in addition to the Office and Fawlty Towers. Good Neighbors was really smart, I thought. Red Dwarf technically counts as a sitcom, too, I suppose.
I never liked Friends, myself.
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Post by crowschmo on Apr 29, 2009 12:18:39 GMT -5
Does Arrested Development count? (I just saw that crowschmo hated it. Too bad.) That's another comedy is subjective thing. Some people thought it was one of the most brilliant things out there, and I just couldn't get into it. Different strokes. (Oh, I hated that one, too). ;D
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Post by Weirdo Writer on Apr 29, 2009 13:10:55 GMT -5
I wouldn't go so far as to say that I hated Arrested Development, but I just couldn't get into it. Mainly because its quirkiness struck me as being forced rather than organic.
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Post by crowschmo on May 3, 2009 18:56:53 GMT -5
I forgot a couple others I liked: Cheers, Frasier, Married With Children.
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Post by BilLumberg on May 3, 2009 19:15:43 GMT -5
Arrested Development has always been loved or hated. It is one of my favorites. Lines from that show just seem to pop into my head on a daily basis.
"You have to get rid of the seaward"
"I'll leave when I'm good and ready"
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Post by Satchmo on May 3, 2009 23:44:35 GMT -5
There's a British show called My Family that always keeps me in stitches (the guy who plays the eldest son, Nick, is brilliant). Also, The Simpsons is the best situation comedy.
The worst? That would be Family Guy. Not is it completely ripped off from The Simpsons, it's badly ripped-off. It's offensive, revolting, and not remotely funny. At all.
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Post by giofav on May 4, 2009 9:29:11 GMT -5
I hardly watch sitcoms these days, but the last i saw was Arrested Development, and wow, that show was great. So funny and clever, no wonder it got canceled after only 3 seasons. Also, i bought the Newsradio DVDs some years ago, and it became a favorite of mine. Phil Hartman was definitely taken from us a million times too soon....
As for a bad sitcom... probably anything on TV right now, except for The Simpsons and maybe The Office.
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Post by The Mad Plumber on May 4, 2009 12:37:14 GMT -5
Family Guy is a very polarizing show; people either love it or hate it. My opinion of it is that it's a hit-and-miss show, and when the show misses, it REALLY misses. They really take a joke that's not funny or logical and drag it out too long.
I'll always have a place in my heart for Family Ties and M*A*S*H, though I haven't seen Family Ties in many years. It should be noted that both of these shows skate a thin line between comedy and drama. The significance of M*A*S*H in my life is that, like the character Max Klinger and his player Jamie Farr, I am also a native of Toledo, Ohio; that's why I believed we watched so much of that show.
I think Cheers can be notable for being a sitcom whose main setting was a commercial institution, as was Taxi and Are You Being Served?
Two and a Half Men, King of Queens, Yes, Dear, Rules of Engagement, and How I Met Your Mother are, in my opinion, examples of shows that time will forget ... I hope. I could be wrong; in fact, the odds say I am wrong since I often don't side with popularity.
Married ... With Children was one I wanted to mention, but it was with footnotes that I would mention it because I felt the show made a drastic jump of the shark. The same could be said of Roseanne.
Speaking of shows that time would forget, I am reminded of celebrity and comedian vehicles in my lifetime that have fallen into the cracks of obscurity. These include vehicles for Jeff Foxworthy, Margaret Cho, George Carlin, and George Foreman.
I am tempted to say that the 80s have produced more timeless sitcoms than the 90s. Perhaps somebody can tell me wrong, but most of the sitcoms that I would define as being "classics" would have been products of the 70s and 80s.
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Post by Blue Raja on May 4, 2009 14:47:44 GMT -5
I never could get into many sitcoms - but for some reason, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has always managed to make me laugh. If a rerun is on and I'm not doing anything else, I'll always stop to watch it. I'll never understand why, but a Will Smith "Uncle-Phil-Fat-Joke" never gets old to me. ;D And TV'sGrady, thank you for expressing your views on Arrested Development - because that is EXACTLY why I can't get into The Office like so many others, and for so long I just couldn't put my finger on the reason! Now I have a reason I can TELL PEOPLE! ;D (Yes, I have just implied that Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is funnier than The Office. Please be kind. )
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