# My Name is Earl - 11/15/05 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2005, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297 "2005-11-16T12:16:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/41 "2005-11-16T18:40:59Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > As fo Earl not being upset with Darnell sleeping with Joy, he married her during a drunken binge when she was six months pregnant. I honestly don’t think he cared. Yeah, they covered this in the pilot. Not only was Earl drunk when they hooked up, but they strongly implied that Joy trapped him into it because she was pregnant. Also, he made some comments in the scene after the second kid was born (Darnell’s kid) which hinted that he stayed with her for the good of the kids. Lastly, they clearly stated that Earl really liked Crabman as a friend long before he found out about him and Joy. Of course it’s all pretty thin, but it’s enough for a goofy sitcom, however that’s basically why Earl isn’t pissed at Crabman for the whole thing. The fact that they are buddies after all that is a big part of their comedy anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/42 "2005-11-16T18:43:16Z")
> [@cbawlmer](#): > > Does anybody else still watch _The Office_ after Earl? I know it gets mentioned sometimes in these threads, but not much. It’s a completely different kind of show, but it’s also very funny. I like both, too. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/43 "2005-11-16T18:47:59Z")
> [@gytalf2000](#): > > Has it ever been explained why Earl is not angry with Darnell for sleeping with Joy? He just seems to accept it in an easygoing way that, while amusing, is inexplicable – I mean, shouldn’t there be at least some animosity? I think it fits in with Earl’s attitude in general. Bad things happened to him (like his wife cheating on him) because he was a bad person at the time. In his mind, he deserved it, so he takes it all in stride now. Plus, it’s Joys’ fault more than Crab Man’s. She’s a vixen (whatever that is). ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/44 "2005-11-16T18:51:25Z")
I LOVE the Office, mostly for the little details of the character interactions. But I agree that it’s a lousy pair with Earl. They really don’t have anything in common except that they’re both quality comedies. I also agree that Arrested Development would have been the ideal mate. And not just because they’re both fake documentaries (although they never acknowledge the cameras in AD), because they both have the “laughing because it’s not you, crying because it is” vibe at times, and often subtle character-based humor. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/45 "2005-11-16T18:55:29Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > I liked how they had Twinkies and Ding-Dongs at an interracial wedding. I didn’t notice until they did the “shoving cake in each others’ face” scene. I forget who was holding which, but one had a Twinkie and one had a Ding-Dong. Darnel shoved the Ding-Dong in Joy’s face (how many opportunities does a gal have to type that sentence on a non-porn site?!) and Joy a Twinkie in Darnel’s. Which I only remember because I wondered if the chocolate would stain her dress and require more Bedazzled to cover it up for the next bride. I am a dork. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/46 "2005-11-16T19:19:44Z")
I’m still watching _The Office_. I like it. I usually tape these two and watch them both the next day, (gotta watch _TAR_!) but since the music awards were on last night I watched them live, so to speak. I sit and each lunch and laugh myself silly. One of these days I’m going to choke on something and literally die laughing. :eek: I liked how Jim and Pam faked out Dwight into thinking it was Friday when it was really just Thursday. ---
**Author:** ![sj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@sj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sj2)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/47 "2005-11-16T19:27:08Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > I am glad you like it, but my wife and I cannot stand it. The humor is predictable and the actors bland and boring. Just another sitcom to me. > > Jim I think they do not belong together on a 1 hour block. Earl leaves you laughing at silly things and happy at the end. The Office has an uncomfortable humor which makes you cringe at times. If they were scattered on different nights, I think folks would like The Office more…Besides Joey and Will&Grace, are these not the only 2 comedies on NBC? I’ll take either over Freddie, According to Jim or whatever else ABC thinks is comedy… ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/48 "2005-11-16T19:31:02Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > I liked how Jim and Pam faked out Dwight into thinking it was Friday when it was really just Thursday. That was awesome. Who hasn’t worked with a Dwight or a Michael? Or, if you’re very unlucky, both at the same time? I should probably start a thread for the show, but I’m afraid there would only be three or four of us in there. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/49 "2005-11-16T19:34:03Z")
- Has anyone ever noticed that a show about a bunch of hicks features a main character with the last name Hickey? - Good episode. A little different in tone from the rest. A little more depth to the characters. Not a bad thing, but I hope they keep Joy as an antagonist. While I think it is smart to move her role in the series away from trying to steal Earl’s money, I don’t want too much sympathy for her. - In two of the last three episodes, they have made the audience sympathetic to her. That’s enough for a while. I like her as a vixen. - Last week, someone said that they saw “Slept With Crab Man’s Fiancee” on the list on the NBC website. Interesting that it is a later addition. - CATALINA! She hasn’t “done much for me” until last night. Nice moves. - I can’t wait until next week’s episode with Earl’s dad. I like Beau Bridges. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/50 "2005-11-16T19:34:36Z")
> [@whole bean](#): > > and the people he shoo’ed away, “See, I tole you we should got us a clown” An interesting (not really) tidbit- The parents in the family were/are staying at the same motel as Earl (or more likely, those extras just happened to be used again) . They are seen in the episode where Earl gets two packages of powdered donuts from the vending machine. He turns to them and says “Cleaaaan living.” I am a big booster for The Office. It is an entirely different kind of comedy than Earl but both are great. The Office usually makes me laugh out loud multiple times. The characters are fascinating in their mundanity (is that a word? Should I have used banality?) and the performances are excellent. It’s the truest to reality sitcom there’s ever been. … I must say however that I barely laughed at last night’s episode. As usual Dwight didn’ let me down. It felt weird that in an episode so focused on “office romance” as a topic that Jim and Pam had only one scene together. Especially after things have gotten progressively uncomfortable at times between them. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/51 "2005-11-16T19:41:18Z")
> [@cbawlmer](#): > > Who hasn’t worked with a Dwight or a Michael? I worked with both of them. Pity me. 😉 Back to Earl. Yes, I loved the bit about how they had to have a rehearsal ‘lunch’ because several members of the wedding party had court-mandated curfews. > [@](#): > > Originaly posted by **middleman** : > > - In two of the last three episodes, they have made the audience sympathetic to her. That’s enough for a while. I like her as a vixen. Vixen? Isn’t that one of Santa’s reindeers? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/52 "2005-11-16T20:00:33Z")
As much as I enjoy My Name Is Earl, I have an even better time watching The Office. It’s a different kind of humor, which I tend to prefer, although I appreciate both shows very much. I only wish NBC could pick up Arrested Development and schedule a night with Earl (probably the broadest appeal), Scrubs, Arrested Development, and The Office from 8 to 10. That would truly be “Must-See TV.” ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/53 "2005-11-16T20:23:01Z")
**Big Bad Voodoo Lou** , I find your ideas intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. I’ve never seen _Scrubs_, but if it ever airs again I’ll probably try to catch it. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/54 "2005-11-16T20:33:36Z")
> [@cbawlmer](#): > > **Big Bad Voodoo Lou** , I find your ideas intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. > > I’ve never seen _Scrubs_, but if it ever airs again I’ll probably try to catch it. _Scrubs_ is the best thing on television. Better than AD, better than Earl. Scrubs is just utterly brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/55 "2005-11-16T20:34:43Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > _Scrubs_ is the best thing on television. Better than AD, better than Earl. Scrubs is just utterly brilliant. And the first two seasons are finally available on DVD, and well worth some rentals! ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/56 "2005-11-16T20:39:17Z")
A vixen is a female fox, and an ill-tempered, shrewish woman. I think the word has overtones of a sexy bitchy woman, maybe with fox-like crafty feminine wiles. Like Joy. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/57 "2005-11-16T21:30:25Z")
> [@cbawlmer](#): > > **Big Bad Voodoo Lou** , I find your ideas intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. Sign me up, too, please! > [@](#): > > I’ve never seen _Scrubs_, but if it ever airs again I’ll probably try to catch it. You should try to see the first two seasons on DVD. Flat-out hilarious. And just what so all these great shows have in common? They’re all single camera sitcoms, not filmed in front of studio audiences. I think that makes for a better quality show. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/58 "2005-11-16T21:53:04Z")
> [@cbawlmer](#): > > Does anybody else still watch _The Office_ after Earl? I know it gets mentioned sometimes in these threads, but not much. It’s a completely different kind of show, but it’s also very funny. Both shows are funny, but The Office is funnier. I especially like the Halloween episode, with Dwight in the Sith Lord costume, talking to the paper mache head on Michael’s shoulder. And Michael’s completely inept way of firing someone and his oblivious response to being asked if he’d ever gone hunting. (“I just wounded the deer. I had to finish it off with a shovel. Took an hour.”) ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/59 "2005-11-16T22:05:05Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > Both shows are funny, but The Office is funnier. I especially like the Halloween episode, with Dwight in the Sith Lord costume, talking to the paper mache head on Michael’s shoulder. And Michael’s completely inept way of firing someone and his oblivious response to being asked if he’d ever gone hunting. (“I just wounded the deer. I had to finish it off with a shovel. Took an hour.”) Couldn’t agree more. I am a fan of _Earl_, clearly, but _the Office_ is far superior for so many reasons. \*Earl \* at times is ham-handed. Not that it’s supposed to subtle, but the delivery is off or the joke goes to far, like the “never been worn more than eight times” wedding dress. See, three would have been funnny. Eight? Too much. Maybe it’s me being a southerner and all (as has been mentioned in past _Earl_ threads, the south/rednecks seem to be the target of ridicule in _Earl_), but I feel like some of the Earl jokes are a little tired/easy. Don’t get me wrong – funny show, but it can’t touch _the Office_. The pairing though is probably not the best. But what do I know, I like[d] _the Simpsons_, I do not like _Futurama_. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297/60 "2005-11-16T22:07:33Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Ideally they’d be able to pair _The Office_ with _Arrested Development_, which for many obvious reasons will never happen, but that combo would probably saved both shows. What about \*the Office \* needs saving? Do you know something about this that I don’t? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-11-15-05/331297.md?page=4)