Right, it’s funny, but comedy isn’t central.
The comedy is pretty central to TL. So is the drama. It doesn’t have to be dark to be drama. That’s why it’s often labeled as a comedy-drama. I’m not making that up. It’s labeled as a comedy-drama on wiki (yes I know). It’s tagged as both comedy and workplace drama on IMDB (and not tagged as a sitcom). There are enough debates on places like Reddit to show that opinions vary and there isn’t one right answer.
The other example I keep going back to is Shrinking, also by Bill Lawrence and partly written by Bret Goldstein. IMHO it is much funnier than Ted Lasso. It is also much more dramatic. Is that a sitcom? The comedy is pretty important. But so is the drama. I consider them both comedy-dramas. I love both shows but to be honest I would have to give the edge to Shrinking.
Better Off Ted was great for the two seasons it was on.
Remind me; what is TL?
I’m assuming Ted Lasso.
Wait, was that a whoosh?
Another that makes me laugh a hell of a lot but again I’m not sure it qualifies as a sitcom:
Futurama
In the last episode, I guess they felt they could stop being coy about it and reveal what everyone already knew — the DNC asks Leslie to run for governor of Indiana.
Actually the presence of the security people wearing earpieces (suggesting Secret Service) implied that either Leslie or Ben was POTUS.
She definitely becomes Governor. The next step is deliberately left vague but is implied to be President.
Another vote for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
I loved this show. Unfortunately, the finale ruined the whole show for me. I understand they had to show the kids’ scenes in the second season while they were still younger looking, but I wish they had shot several versions of it.
I think that the show was fun until the ending and that’s okay.
You shouldn’t have stopped because you left out, “Married With Children” and “The Cosby Show”.
“Corner Gas” is all that needs to be listed.
Wrong century.
AH!! LOL
Name: Jasmine
Category: Reads with Understanding
Grade: D (needs improvement)
Extras - a Ricky Gervais series about, well, movie extras, with guest stars acting totally out of character. Seeing Ian McKellen explaining how “acting” works, and seeing Kate Winslet having fun are worth the price of admission.
I agree with “Fleabag”.
I’m on my second time through for Corner Gas. I put it 2nd for best of the century.
And I will add the Animated Corner Gas. I’m in the middle of it. I don’t usually watch animated shows but I made an exception for this one.
Parks and Rec is also the closest I’ve ever seen a show get to showing my actual job. I don’t work for the government, I work for a nonprofit, but at that level of government there’s a very similar dynamic, and Leslie Knope’s color-tabbed 3-ring grant binders and irrational idealism seem pretty spot-on for my profession. I lack her social skills, but a lot of my colleagues are just as savvy at dealing with “the community.”
+1 for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
I was raised by a mother with untreated Borderline Personality Disorder. It didn’t go well. The show was (in my view) accurate in its depiction of mental illness, nuanced, hilarious, thoughtful, musically innovative, fully committed to deep characterization, and in the end it was kind of healing for me to see the way it all worked out. Compassion isn’t all you need to recover from a serious mental illness, but it’s at least the starting point.
I loved Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, but it feels like sui generis, one of a kind, an hour-long musical dramedy.