SitComs Old and New.

[dANdeLION]

M*A*S*H
Moonlighting
Cheers
Barney Miller
Police Squad
Scrubs
Frasier
Seinfeld

[Cail]

Thanks Luci, I forgot the MTM Show. Ted Baxter was one of the funniest characters ever created.

[lucimay]

Thanks Luci, I forgot the MTM Show. Ted Baxter was one of the funniest characters ever created.

no doubt about it!!!

Good night and good news!

[taraswizard]

JMHO, but I see a major difference between Sitcoms like MTM, MASH, All in the Family, Dick Van Dyke Show, etc. and the newer breed of sitcom Seinfeild, Roseanne, Everybody loves Raymond, Home Improvement, How I met Your Mother, etc. The writers for these series write bunches of jokes and then very losely, if at all, fit a story around these jokes. Cound this be because many of these series have a stand-up comedian as their main character, and in some ways the series is based on the routines of the comedian.

I hesistated to even send this message. Go get fire proof suit.

[danlo]

The Addams Family (the sit-com) was beyond cool, what every dysfunctional family should aspire to be, moonbathing, Venusflytaps and thorn-pruning, duels, trainwrecks, doll beheadings, human-powered energy, french romance and relaxing on the rack (or on your head). Lurch, Fester, Wednesday, Itt>they rule! Grandma's tea! Ah it's just like being home! ...just watching Jon Astin can teach you a lot about basic acting.

I was so into it that I could never get into the Munsters--even though get this (it's going to make NO sense what so ever): one of my first fav sitcoms ever came the air before both called Car 54, Where Are You? which had Herman (Fred Gywnne) and Grandpa (Al Molina?) in two of the 3 lead roles.

I hope Fist put My Favorite Martian up there (if not he's going to be kicking himself for a week)-talk about another great actor: Ray Walston, my god--man's awesome. I don't know if I've ever really got into sit-coms after Northern Exposure, which I wouldn't really consider a sit-com: a bit more complex than that.

[Fist and Faith]

JMHO, but I see a major difference between Sitcoms like MTM, MASH, All in the Family, Dick Van Dyke Show, etc. and the newer breed of sitcom Seinfeild, Roseanne, Everybody loves Raymond, Home Improvement, How I met Your Mother, etc. The writers for these series write bunches of jokes and then very losely, if at all, fit a story around these jokes. Cound this be because many of these series have a stand-up comedian as their main character, and in some ways the series is based on the routines of the comedian.

I hesistated to even send this message. Go get fire proof suit.

No suit needed, I generally agree. But I strongly disagree in the case of Seinfeld. I'm sometimes astounded when I think about one episode or other, and remember all the different aspects of it. Like the Soup Nazi. That episode also contained "schmoopy" and the armoire. What an amazing amount of ground they covered in that episode, all interlocking perfectly!

I hope Fist put My Favorite Martian up there (if not he's going to be kicking himself for a week)-talk about another great actor: Ray Walston, my god--man's awesome.

Ray Walston is, indeed, one of the greats. I loved him in Picket Fences too, as well as movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and From the Hip. However, after remembering MFM fondly for many years, I actually saw an episode or two several years ago, and couldn't believe how stupid it was! Sometimes memories are better than the real thing. I don't think I'll watch an episode of My Mother the Car if I get the chance, just in case.

[Cail]

I don't like most of the current crop of sitcoms. I thought Everybody Loves Raymond was the stupidest thing I'd ever seen.

That being said, it's been like that since the '70s, at least. Go back and watch an episode of Three's Company or even MTM and they're just as bad. WKRP has stood up relatively well, as has (oddly enough) Hogan's Heroes. But Mork & Mindy is nearly unwatchable now.

That said, I still love Ted Baxter. I could watch Ted Knight fold socks and I'd laugh.

[dlbpharmd]

I never liked MTM at all. I couldn't get past how irritating Mary could be.

[drew]

I could never get into Seinfeld...I mean it was funny, but I never worshiped it like many other did.

I find that (to me anyways) the best SitComs, were the NON-family ones. WKRP, MASH Night Court; all had the same thing in common...no kids!!

Especially nowadays, all the family sitcoms have the same jokes..even the same basic family set up:
Dad--Bumbling idiot, always screwing up;
Mom--Super-mom. Hot (too hot for Dad) professional, and bitchy.
Kids--at least One of them has to be a genious; one has to be dumb

Lots of jokes about how Dad never stops for directions, and how Mom always saves the day. And the Smart kid has to learn a lesson from the dumb kid.

[Fist and Faith]

drew, I can't think of a reason you wouldn't make it big in the business. You seem to have an extremely good handle on the situation.

Except, of course, for Seinfeld, which doesn't fall into any of those categories. Some comedian once complained about sitcoms, saying they're supposed to make you laugh, not teach you something. "You know? I want to sit back and just laugh! Instead, I get, 'Tonight, a very special Blossom.' You never once heard, 'Tonight, a very special 'Seinfeld.'"

[Cail]

Seinfeld had some very funny moments, but I didn't find the show to be funny overall. I'd go as far as to say that it didn't hold up well either. I've watched a few reruns recently and haven't laughed a bit.

[dANdeLION]

I find that (to me anyways) the best SitComs, were the NON-family ones. WKRP, MASH Night Court; all had the same thing in common...no kids!!

Heh, now that you mention it, none of my favs had kids, either.

[danlo]

I know! It's like the friggin' Flintstones-once Pebbles and Bam Bam showed up the whole thing went out the window, then the parents said, "but they're sooo cute" and we said "you watch it then, we're out of here!"

[lucimay]

I know! It's like the friggin' Flintstones-once Pebbles and Bam Bam showed up the whole thing went out the window, then the parents said, "oh they're sooo cute" and we said "you watch it then, we're out of here!"

hahahaha!!! it's TRUE. pebbles and bam bam ruined the flintstones.


but judy and elroy DIDN'T ruin The Jetsons.

[Cail]

Cute Kid Syndrome has ruined many a show (and movie).

[Fist and Faith]

The tactic I really hate is not getting the leading lady and man together for years! Crap writers who can only create sexual tension, thinking that's worth watching. (And I guess they're right, since shows like that sometimes go on forever. ) Maybe they haven't had happy relationships, so don't know how to write one? drew disagrees, but I thought Mad About You was great, and Dharma and Greg and Home Improvement were also good. None of them showed fairy-tale perfect relationships, but, rather, "normal" ones (though D&G may have stretched things) that were good.

[Cail]

Those shows annoyed me to no end Fist. Once the initial gimmick wore off (usually by the end of the first season), it was the same old same old.

[dlbpharmd]

The tactic I really hate is not getting the leading lady and man together for years! Crap writers who can only create sexual tension, thinking that's worth watching. (And I guess they're right, since shows like that sometimes go on forever. ) Maybe they haven't had happy relationships, so don't know how to write one? drew disagrees, but I thought Mad About You was great, and Dharma and Greg and Home Improvement were also good. None of them showed fairy-tale perfect relationships, but, rather, "normal" ones (though D&G may have stretched things) that were good.

OT from sitcoms - but that's what I've been screaming about Smallville and JAG. Clark won't hook up with Lana? Harm won't hook up with that hot Marine colonel chick? Give me a break!

[Cail]

The problem is that when they do finally hook up, the shows usually get worse. Mad About You went right in the toilet when the kid came along. Moonlighting lost it's edge when Dave and Maddie finally did the horizontal bop.

[danlo]

Or that the wife is incredibly hot, the husband's a lovable superinflated alpha dolt who craps on the kids, but it's the fat brother in-law and his "I'll never get a job, I'll never get laid." whiney sister that ruin the whole thing.

Or that the wife has a damm good booty, the husband's a lovable superinflated alpha dolt who craps on the kids, but while the older kids are so freaking stupid they're lovable, the youngest and her little "Webster wannabe" friend are so intolerably smart you just want to crush them into little marbles!

Or that the wife is incredibly hot, the husband's a lovable superinflated alpha dolt who craps on the kids-*insert: Rodney, The George Lopez Show, The Bernie Mac Show, Malcomb in the Middle, the Simpsons, etc.. *

( Ok, I apologize, Malcomb in the Middle and The Simpsons are way too cool for that list... ) )

Spoiler

"that hot Marine colonel chick"- OMG she IS incredibly hot isn't she!!!!?