What is/was Good on TV?

[Huckleberry]

Besides the first season, half of the last season, and the "Final Episode Disaster," Seinfeld was the funniest sitcom ever created. I feel sorry for those who don't enjoy it.

I think what bothers me about it is that nobody has any feelings. Everything is supposed to be funny, but I don't see how people would ever react that way. The theme for every episode is that they find themselves in some mundane life situation and blow it all out of proportion. It's just humor for humor's sake, like situational slapstick where they bonk each other on the head with one-liners. The only thing funny about it is its absurdity, and that got old after a few episodes. It really is a show about nothing. It doesn't do it for me.

Action sci fi is supposed to be coming back to network TV with the ABC series V. It is a spin off from an 80's series of the same name.

http://abc.go.com/fallpreview/index?pn=v&partner=rm&cid=rm+google+v+abc_v

I'll definitely be checking this one out.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Here you go Cyrus; an entire episode, and in living color!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qd2eeNuaQU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qd2eeNuaQU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B-QlwzEah0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbBN4O0L8q4&feature=related

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I've really been enjoying West Wing. I was suprised by the number of familiar faces that make cameos in the series. John de Lancie and John Larroquette are two of my favourite actors. Oh and of course Edward James Olmos is great too. Most of the others I know I have seen but don't know their names and often can't pin down what I have seen them in such as the deaf actress that plays Joey. Now that I look her name is apparently Marlee Matlin. She's gorgeous. So is Lisa Edelstein. :swoon:

 

[Chi Meson]

I think what bothers me about it is that nobody has any feelings. Everything is supposed to be funny, but I don't see how people would ever react that way. The theme for every episode is that they find themselves in some mundane life situation and blow it all out of proportion. It's just humor for humor's sake, like situational slapstick where they bonk each other on the head with one-liners. The only thing funny about it is its absurdity, and that got old after a few episodes. It really is a show about nothing. It doesn't do it for me.

Fine.

But I disagree completely with your analysis.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I tend to disagree about Seinfeld as well. He is great at observational humor. While I do understand the point about slapstick, I think the show was more intelligent than that. It was at least as much social commentary as it was situational slapstick.

Glad to hear you are enjoying WW, SA. Dee Dee Myers, former WH Press Secretary, was one of the consultants for the show. She made the comment that we have never really gotten to see what life at the WH is like as we do with WW. Apparently the staff and writers put great effort into making the show as authentic as possible.

I like the play to the power of the Oval Office that they make as well. I have heard this referenced by people ranging from comedians to Senators: One cannot walk into the Oval Office without being a bit overwhelmed.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I tend to disagree about Seinfeld as well. He is great at observational humor. While I do understand the point about slapstick, I think the show was more intelligent than that. It was at least as much social commentary as it was situational slapstick.

Glad to hear you are enjoying WW, SA. Dee Dee Myers, former WH Press Secretary, was one of the consultants for the show. She made the comment that we have never really gotten to see what life at the WH is like as we do with WW. Apparently the staff and writers put great effort into making the show as authentic as possible.

I like the play to the power of the Oval Office that they make as well. I have heard this referenced by people ranging from comedians to Senators: One cannot walk into the Oval Office without being a bit overwhelmed.

I've enjoyed some Seinfeld. I found that alot of it seemed rather lame or redundant eventually. That's usually how I wind up feeling about sitcoms though. I get bored of them. 3rd Rock was probably my favourite sitcom and I got bored of it too.

I like that West Wing highlights the continual struggle between doing what is right and what is politically savvy and the ethical dilemmas they find themselves in due to this. The idea that doing what is right may hurt your ability to actually accomplish what is right is an ethical tragedy that makes a good dramatic plot. A nice twist on the usual 'doing what is right with ill effect' plot.
So far I'd say that Toby Ziegler and Josh's secretary Donna are my favourite characters. Ainsley Hayes, the conservative columnist and lawyer that gets hired in second season, is pretty fun too. She hasn't had a very big role so I'm guessing she'll probably not be sticking around long.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Have you seen the episode where Ainsley meets Bartlet?

The relationship between Ziegler and Bartlet is probably one of the best in the series - often the heart of ethical dilemmas and moral paradoxes. Donna is great as well and they continue to run with her character... I do think the show loses a bit in the last two seasons, but all in all I thought it was excellent from start to finish.

Oh yes, I never saw 3rd Rock until recently, but I do like it. It is the only sitcom that I would be caught watching. Lithgow never disappoints.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Have you seen the episode where Ainsley meets Bartlet?

The relationship between Ziegler and Bartlet is probably one of the best in the series - often the heart of ethical dilemmas and moral paradoxes. Donna is great as well and they continue to run with her character... I do think the show loses a bit in the last two seasons, but all in all I thought it was excellent from start to finish.

Oh yes, I never saw 3rd Rock until recently, but I do like it. It is the only sitcom that I would be caught watching. Lithgow never disappoints.

"You know, a lot of people assumed you were hired because you were a blond, Republican sex kitten. They were obviously wrong." Seeing her dancing around in a bathrobe was actually a bit suprising.

Lithgow is definitely one of my favourite actors. And I just remembered that I still haven't seen the Don Quixote movie.

 

[Moonbear]

I've enjoyed some Seinfeld. I found that alot of it seemed rather lame or redundant eventually. That's usually how I wind up feeling about sitcoms though. I get bored of them. 3rd Rock was probably my favourite sitcom and I got bored of it too.

Only once in a rare episode did I find Seinfeld funny (I've unfortunately been subjected to far more episodes than I would normally watch of a how I don't like because so many other people I know did like the show). Mostly, I felt the same way Huck did about it, that it was just something lame blown out of proportion for the sake of very forced humor. If they had done just a few minutes on a particular joke and moved on to another topic, I'd have probably enjoyed it, but the joke would keep on going way past the point of being funny and well into annoying, and then into the territory of being like that person who just doesn't know when to shut up and move on who everyone eventually just wants to slug to make them shut up.

 

[lisab]

Only once in a rare episode did I find Seinfeld funny (I've unfortunately been subjected to far more episodes than I would normally watch of a how I don't like because so many other people I know did like the show). Mostly, I felt the same way Huck did about it, that it was just something lame blown out of proportion for the sake of very forced humor. If they had done just a few minutes on a particular joke and moved on to another topic, I'd have probably enjoyed it, but the joke would keep on going way past the point of being funny and well into annoying, and then into the territory of being like that person who just doesn't know when to shut up and move on who everyone eventually just wants to slug to make them shut up.

Yeah, I tend to agree. When Seinfeld was funny, it could be really, really funny. But I could go a long time between those moments.

I always got a lot of laughs from The Muppets . Goofy humor, just for the sake of goofy humor, with a dash of sophistication...just a dash, though, not enough to spoil it.

 

[gravenewworld]

Breaking Bad is easily one of the best shows on TV. Mad Men is also. AMC has very very good programs.

 

[Huckleberry]

Yeah, I tend to agree. When Seinfeld was funny, it could be really, really funny. But I could go a long time between those moments.

I always got a lot of laughs from The Muppets . Goofy humor, just for the sake of goofy humor, with a dash of sophistication...just a dash, though, not enough to spoil it.

I liked The Muppet Show also. Yeah, it is humor for humor's sake, but it is light-hearted and friendly. They do their skit and move onto something fresh. The characters are endearing and have personality. The use of muppet actors provokes my imagination. I don't think the show would be nearly as interesting without them. It probably also didn't hurt that I was a child when I watched most of the episodes, not that it subtracts from the quality of the show at all, but it did make a large impression at an early age. It is sometimes silly, but in a fun and carefree kind of way that is appealing to me. I think I would enjoy it as much now as I did then.

I also liked Benny Hill and Monty Python. British humor in general is good. I have yet to watch The Office or Keeping Up Appearances, but they sound like something I might also enjoy. I'll get around to them eventually.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

The best show I remember was about an Indian. There wasn't much action, but the image was clear. There were numbers and crosshairs, but that's all I remember. TV certainly has gone downhill since then.

 

[turbo]

The best show I remember was about an Indian. There wasn't much action, but the image was clear. There were numbers and crosshairs, but that's all I remember. TV certainly has gone downhill since then.

That one was VERY popular. They used to play it all night long up here. The theme song was a bit bland, but eventually, you got used to it.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Speak of the devil...

We recently reported that super-producer Robert Evans is teaming up with British network ITV to bring the seventies cult classic UFO to the big screen. Gerry Anderson, the show's creator, has now commented on the news with surprising optimism...

http://io9.com/5280982/ufo-creator-gerry-anderson-reacts-to-movie-remake