# Anyone else think the upcoming Robin Williams/SMG series is doomed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924 "2013-08-23T00:28:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/21 "2013-08-23T16:30:26Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > That’s just not fair. > > SMG was not the best actor on Buffy. But there were times when she not only delivered , but she hit it out of the ball park. Actually, to be fair, I agree. The episodes where she lost her virginity and Angel turned evil, and the one where her mother died, both showed a lot of acting ability. My daughter was referring more to her post-Buffy career, though. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/22 "2013-08-23T16:49:20Z")
Maybe they can convince Williams to start using cocaine again? But even post-drugs, Williams is alright as long as they don’t let him ad-lib too much. It’ll probably suck for the reasons almost all new sitcoms suck, but I don’t think its any more doomed then any other new comedy projects. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/23 "2013-08-23T16:56:48Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > Maybe, but SMG is supposed to be the “straight man” in this comedy act. Straight man is the harder role from an actor’s perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/24 "2013-08-23T17:05:53Z")
Based on the ads, yes, it looks really terrible. It’s amazing that Robin Williams is still trying to make heartwarming comedy happen for him. That hasn’t worked in ages. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/25 "2013-08-23T17:18:05Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > “Mork & Buffy”? As long as Williams doesn’t call Gellar “little pooter.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/26 "2013-08-23T17:20:53Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Based on the ads, yes, it looks really terrible. It’s amazing that Robin Williams is still trying to make heartwarming comedy happen for him. That hasn’t worked in ages. Maybe he should put on that _Patch Adams_ clown nose? 'Cuz that helped with that movie 😉 Yeah, not holding out much hope. If the writing isn’t _amazing_, and instead the show relies on either if their shticks at all, the flames will burn high. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/27 "2013-08-23T18:07:37Z")
Am I the only one who sees Williams as the weak link in this very short chain? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/28 "2013-08-23T18:14:24Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > That’s just not fair. > > SMG was not the best actor on Buffy. But there were times when she not only delivered , but she hit it out of the ball park. Agreed. Part of Geller’s problem is that the _character_ of Buffy because rather harsh and unsympathetic in the last couple of seasons - deliberately so, and for sound reasons of plot and characterization. Sunnydale is a bad place, being the Slayer is profoundly dangerous and frightening, and there isn’t any sort of exit in sight - Buffy is slated to keep fighting until she dies. Most likely in fear and pain, most likely in the company of people she cares about. If anything, the not-right-ness of Buffy’s characters is under-sold - while I’m sure we’re all sick of reboots, I imagine a post-Afghanistan/Iraq _Buffy_ would do very different things with the character. (Actually, I’d kind of like to see that - the Scoobies broken _much_ harder and faster in their unwinnable fight against an undead insurgency). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/29 "2013-08-25T01:48:31Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > “Mork & Buffy”? I don’t know about the new series (I have serious doubts) but I would TOTALLY watch this. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2013, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/30 "2013-08-25T02:02:16Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Didn’t need to see the trailer, totally agreed. He should go serious, he’s better that way. No, he’s not. He’s cloying, maudlin, and thoroughly unsubtle. He’s had some good funny roles and some good dramatic roles in his life, so he’s got some talent, but they were mostly films at least 15 years ago. Yes, the trailer looks awful, and SMG has never proven to be anything more than a one-trick stake-holding pretty pony. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/31 "2013-08-25T05:17:41Z")
I watched\* Ringer.\* I’m not asking for your pity. It was amusingly insane. Really, SMG _can_ act. I had no idea this was a “comedy” from the tiny bit I saw of it, which amounted to, “Oh no, Robin Williams…is that Sarah?” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/32 "2013-08-25T19:29:20Z")
Ooh, am I ever excited! I’m totally hoping he’ll hit us with some of his classic “gay hairdresser” shtick, with an unexpected segue into his “stern black man” and a quip about “Mr. Happy” to top it all off! That would be so awesome … in Hell. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/33 "2013-08-25T20:46:18Z")
That title is just terrible. Should’ve made a funny title to play off of something like --I don’t know… I Roberts? Ad Men? Anything! It’s like they titled it This is a Funny Show Please Watch. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/34 "2013-08-27T00:51:04Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Actually, to be fair, I agree. The episodes where she lost her virginity and Angel turned evil, and the one where her mother died, both showed a lot of acting ability. My daughter was referring more to her post-Buffy career, though. …her greatest bit of acting was when she was Faith in Buffy’s body pretending to be Buffy but bits of Faith kept “leaking though.” She absolutely nailed it. Eliza Dushku (who I love as an actress) wasn’t quite as believable. But watching SMG: as Bricker says, it was out of the ballpark. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/35 "2013-08-27T15:48:55Z")
_Mom_ has a chance, but the rest look like hopeless duds. Even the Michael J. Fox show. The jokes about Parkinson’s disease are going to wear thin pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/36 "2013-08-27T15:51:33Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > (movie trailer voiceover) IN A WORLD…Where Two Broke Girls… gets another season… **ANYTHING is possible**!(/movie trailer voiceover) My wife & I watch Two Broke Girls, but I’ve got to admit it’s pretty cringeworthy. It’s basically a half-hour of vagina jokes, and if our son comes downstairs for whatever reason you can be sure the TV gets muted. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/37 "2013-08-28T20:15:42Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > My wife & I watch Two Broke Girls, but I’ve got to admit it’s pretty cringeworthy. It’s basically a half-hour of vagina jokes, and if our son comes downstairs for whatever reason you can be sure the TV gets muted. I watch it occasionally too, or at least it’s on while I do other things. My biggest beef with 2BGs is the Polish woman character played by Jennifer Coolidge. IMHO, the most obnoxious, annoying character on a sitcom in ages, particularly when paired with the Russian (?) cook character. Whenever she comes on or seems likely to come on the TV gets muted or the channel switched. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/38 "2013-08-28T21:05:06Z")
I haven’t really watched sitcoms in ages. I’ve seen some episodes of Whitney, which I kinda liked, but never really committed to the show. I got burned out on sitcoms after Friends and somewhere everything started to devolve to the same jokes, no matter what show. It was always “let’s pretend these characters are interacting about one thing but it sounds like they’re talking about sex/being gay”. Everything stopped being original. This show has Robin Williams playing a constant riffing obnoxious ad man. And it’s helmed by David E. Kelley. Doom city. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/39 "2013-08-28T21:10:34Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > \*\*All \*\*the new comedies I’ve seen ads for so far are going to die swift deaths. This one (The Crazy Ones), Dads, Mom, Welcome to the Family… Sean Saves the World… ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924/40 "2013-08-28T21:12:41Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I haven’t really watched sitcoms in ages. I’ve seen some episodes of Whitney, which I kinda liked, but never really committed to the show. I got burned out on sitcoms after Friends and somewhere everything started to devolve to the same jokes, no matter what show. It was always “let’s pretend these characters are interacting about one thing but it sounds like they’re talking about sex/being gay”. Everything stopped being original. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the trend towards “let’s pretend these characters are interacting about one thing but it sounds like they’re talking about sex/being gay” didn’t begin in the _90s_. Try two decades earlier at a minimum. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-think-the-upcoming-robin-williams-smg-series-is-doomed/666924.md?page=3)