# My Name is Earl - Premire **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 21, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635 "2005-09-21T01:21:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/41 "2005-09-21T16:06:40Z")
> [@wnorthr](#): > > Am I wrong? Do we actually support tv by passively watching. Not that I know of. Eventually, I imagine the Nielsen Family idea will be done with and they’ll work out some way to actually find out who’s watching what instead of this guesstimating strategy. But it may be “supporting” him and the show in a moral sense. The only thing he can do is watch or not watch, right? Meanwhile I’m watching. It makes no sense to start boycotting Scientology _now_. I may not see any more of Tom Cruise’s movies, but I almost never saw those anyway. ---
**Author:** ![FlightlessBird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cdc98d/32.png) [@FlightlessBird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlightlessBird)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/42 "2005-09-21T16:06:53Z")
I dug the show! It was crass humor, but still very funny. I hope it finds a voice to continue. I don’t care what religion someone is. It’s prejudicial if you use that as the only basis for not trying something. (‘I don’t think it is funny’ is fine) Don’t be controlled by generalisms. \ ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/43 "2005-09-21T16:46:05Z")
When I first saw the promos for this show I was :rolleyes: Then, I kept hearing that it got rave reviews, so I figured, hey, I’ll give it a shot. It’s only 30 minutes, and if I don’t like it, at least I checked it out. Ivylad, who _hates_ sitcoms, was rolling on the floor. “Muscles don’t buy Mad Dog” had him choking on his ice cream. A pleasant surprise. Funny, well-written, self-deprecting. I will watch it again. I do hope they didn’t leave the cash in the El Camino, however, new remote lock device notwithstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/44 "2005-09-21T17:46:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Whenever feasible, I try not to support in any way or by any means Scientology or any other cult I have strong feeling about. Watching this show would aid and abet Jason Lee being employed. It can be skipped with impunity, so I will. Personal decision that is in no way binding on anybody else. Just commented about. Shows silenus can’t watch: My Name Is Earl Cheers Dharma & Greg JAG The King of Queens Malcolm in the Middle Muppet Babies The Simpsons South Park That 70’s Show The Waltons Welcome Back, Kotter ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/45 "2005-09-21T17:48:35Z")
I just caught it and I thought it was great. Had alot of “Trailer Park Boys” feeling to it. I’m really happy to have something as good a TPB on American TV. Hurrah! ---
**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:** [September 21, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/46 "2005-09-21T17:56:22Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > I thought it was funny. > The black-baby gag was funny. It seems like an old joke, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen it from the delivery-room point of view before. The scene when Earl and Kenny were kids was funny. It is an old joke but a classic. In the delivery room, it was done on Nip/Tuck but not as a joke but as a heartbreaking character turn for one of the leads. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/47 "2005-09-21T17:57:44Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > I’ve always figured anyone who’s a scientologist is too dumb to be held accountable for being a scientologist. Words to live by. Pssst–Who from The Simpsons is a Scientologist? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/48 "2005-09-21T18:27:02Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I kept waiting for the Rubber band man theme song to play every time he entered the scene. Thanks, I knew he looked familiar, but I couldn’t figure it out. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. I thought the premise looked stupid from the previews, but I kept hearing that it was incredibly funny, and kept reading good reviews, so I gave it a chance. It very funny - but I didn’t know that Jason Lee was a Scientologist. Now I won’t be able to watch it without rolling my eyes just a little bit. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/49 "2005-09-21T18:29:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Who from The Simpsons is a Scientologist? Nancy Cartwright, who does the voice of Bart ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/50 "2005-09-21T18:34:51Z")
> [@wnorthr](#): > > Strictly speaking, unless you’re a Neilson family, watching the show wouldn’t do anything, would it? You might actually want to watch and take note of the sponsors so as to avoid their products. That seems to me to be the only way to do what you want to do. > Am I wrong? Do we actually support tv by passively watching. Yeah, I think we do. We watch, we talk about it, maybe convince others to watch, create good buzz. People involved get attention, awards, critical praise, more work. Assuming viewers have this power, avoiding Earl because Lee is a scientologist hurts everyone involved – the other actors, writers, everyone whose name we see in the credits. It gives Scientology influence it doesn’t deserve. Back to the show itself, I was worried about them using the glove box as a bank. I wondered about an old beater like that having a remote lock. Specially installed, huh? Cool. 🙂 Why don’t they move out of that motel? What’s he going to do with the 100K anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/51 "2005-09-21T18:46:34Z")
> [@](#): > > I just caught it and I thought it was great. Had alot of “Trailer Park Boys” feeling to it. I’m really happy to have something as good a TPB on American TV. > > Hurrah! Glad to see another fan of TPB… good to see another Ricky on the show, but he has his shirt on. = P ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/52 "2005-09-21T19:38:38Z")
> [@Squee](#): > > Glad to see another fan of TPB… good to see another Ricky on the show, but he has his shirt on. = P Huh…you mean Randy? He’s the one w/o the shirt. I didn’t even think of the gay character angle when comparing this to Trailer Park Boys. Another similarity. Neat! When more shows have aired, maybe we’ll have to do a “My Name is Earl / Trailer Park Boys” comparison thread. hehe So far this show has a complete lack of weed compared to TPB. Americans are so stuffy 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/53 "2005-09-21T19:43:56Z")
Nah, it would only be comparable if they had a “Mr Lehey” type character… = ) ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/54 "2005-09-21T21:21:39Z")
It did not disappoint. I loved it. My wife, who is more discriminating, also loved it. I agreed that the “you helped me Earl” scene was a bit much, but Jason Lee sitting there smiling was gold. FYI- The show’s a hit. It was the #1 program in its time slot and I think the #1 show of the whole night. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/55 "2005-09-21T21:38:56Z")
Correction: It was the #2 show of the night. It followed only NBC’s L&O:SVU. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/56 "2005-09-21T21:49:18Z")
They both beat _House_? ☹ Taped _House,_ taped _Earl_ on the crappy VCR sos I could hardly hear it, and watched _Nova_ live because **Wife** wants to go to the Scablands :rolleyes: . Then **Wife** wanted to watch _Earl_ TWICE. Looks like 8:00 Tuesdays will be extra crowded with TV this year. And you people wonder why I’m fat. Okay, "wonder’ might be the wrong word. “Had a pretty good idea already,” is probably closer. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/57 "2005-09-21T23:14:14Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > and watched _Nova_ live because **Wife** wants to go to the Scablands :rolleyes: . [geological hijack] Are you going? Isn’t Nova great? We used to drive through (near) the Scablands on our way to Moses Lake to fish, and I always wondered about the Potholes. I thought they were manmade, cattle ponds or something. Fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![sleeepy2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@sleeepy2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeepy2)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/58 "2005-09-24T18:40:36Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > Shows silenus can’t watch: > > My Name Is Earl > Cheers > Dharma & Greg > JAG > The King of Queens > Malcolm in the Middle > Muppet Babies > The Simpsons > South Park > That 70’s Show > The Waltons > Welcome Back, Kotter I’m afraid to ask, but, who on _Malcolm_? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/59 "2005-09-24T19:45:00Z")
> [@sleeepy2](#): > > I’m afraid to ask, but, who on _Malcolm_? I think both Masterson brothers are pod people. I know the 70s Show Masterson is. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635/60 "2005-09-24T20:48:00Z")
I liked it. A lot. So I’m giving it two episodes before FOX cancels it. Finally! A crime show that doesn’t focus on forensics and gadgets. Everything they did to catch the killer made sense. I liked everything about it. Low key acting, male-female characters that aren’t hot for each other or hating each other at first meeting, a reasonable supervisor, no illogical manufactured conflict, the San Francisco scenery, and those flying jellyfish were hella cool. I’m looking forward to next week. The previews show Hale already with a new partner, so I’m wondering if they’ll wrap up whatever’s going on with this week’s partner stalking him. Anyone else watch it? Like it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-premire/322635.md?page=4)