This is a response I typed up for the Whitney thread but decided it wasn’t exactly on topic. Not the Whitney is dead thread, the Whitney, I’m giving up on you thread.
New Girl-- Like. Even though Zooey’s who-will-love-me-I’m-too-quirky bit is stupid. What’s the archetype? Manic Pixie Girl? Still, I find it very funny in spite of Zooey’s character.
The Big Bang Theory-- Not that funny, but I’ll watch. The humor consists of mentioning something science-y and. . . that’s it. Here’s a typical TBBT joke
Sheldon: Look a cat.
Penny: Is it O.K.?
Sheldon: We can’t be sure, its name is Shrodinger. canned laughter
Penny: It plays piano for Lucy? canned laughter
Sheldon: Obviously you are retarded. canned laughter
Are You There, Chelsea?-- Meh. I cannot stand Laura Prepon as a blond. She looks like a skull growing skull hair. She’s far, far too white for it. It is so distracting, in fact, that I hardly notice this show is nothing but sex jokes. Plus it has a stupid name that I can’t remember.
Whitney- Like a lot. I seem to be in the minority here.
Two Broke Girls- Not funny at all, dislike intensely.
Happy Endings-- Like. Wish Wayans Jr. had stayed with New Girl though. The guy they replaced him with isn’t anywhere near as funny. Happy Endings coulda hired Wayans Sr.
How I Met Your Mother-- Came to this show very, very, VERY late. Just in the past couple of months, in fact. Watched the entire first season on Hulu I liked it so much. But I haven’t watched any new ones. How long can they keep this premise going and still be funny?
Now you! What sitcoms have you watched and what is your opinion on them?
I have to disagree with you about Big Bang Theory. Its not really about jokes. Its the characters that make it funny. Most if not all of the show would not be funny at all on paper. I can not imagine the show without Jim Parsons. He takes a character which could work at best as a wacky neighbor and makes it the focus. He is brilliant in the role.
The only other sitcoms I watch are:
Community, the last part of the last half season was uneven. The first two seasons were great.
Modern Family: consistently funny and well acted.
How I Met Your Mother: blew through the first several seasons back to back while I was in Iraq. Uneven sometimes but when its funny its hilarious.
Whenever I catch it I watch Happy Endings and Its Always Sunny. I like both but for some reason I don’t actively seek them out. I can’t even remember when they are on.
ETA: Add Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock to shows that I usually enjoy when I catch them but don’t actively seek out.
Since dropping “The Office” with this season, I’m down to three live-action sitcoms; “30 Rock”, “Modern Family” and “Raising Hope”. If animation counts, add “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy”.
I like… Mike and Molly, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother. I tried Whitney, Two Broke Girls and New Girl and found them intensely unfunny. I watched about 5 minutes of Chelsea yesterday and I didn’t find it funny either, but I haven’t really given it a shot.
I do understand that the characters are what make the show. They are the reason I will stop to watch if I happen to run across it while flipping channels. But they don’t make me laugh much because, well, they’re not that funny.
I hated the first season of “How I Met Your Mother” but started liking it afterwards.
I like “The New Girl.” I’m a fan of Zooey Deschanel (she wants my body). But yeah, it’s the “Manic Pixie Girl” archetype. What I like about the show is Schmit. He’s my favorite character.
I actually don’t watch much tv. It’s mostly laziness. The only show I watch regularly is Archer. I buy every episode on Friday and watch on my Kindle. I really don’t mind paying $.99 per episode. I want them to have my money so they’ll keep making more.
I agree with everything the OP says … except the things about New Girl, The Big Bang Theory, Are You There Chelsea, Whitney, Two Broke Girls and Happy Endings because *How I Met Your Mother *is the only one I’ve ever seen.
Like Biggirl, I came to *HIMYM *late – like last year. I’ve burned through the first four or five seasons via re-runs, season discs and Netflix, and I’ve been DVRing (but never watching - eh, it’s what I do) this season’s episodes. It’s pretty much the only thing on network (besides sports) I ever pay attention to. I think it’s genius.
Actually, I have seen bits and pieces of The Big Bang Theory from time to time, but I’m not familiar with what the hell’s going on (bunch of science nerds, one of whom dates an extremely hot chick is all I can muster) … and, sadly, I have the same opinion as the OP – not all that funny.
ETA: And to agree with **Loach **-- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is hilarious.
The only sitcom I watch regularly these days is Big Bang Theory, which I came to late: didn’t start watching till it moved to Thursday night.
I understand why some people dislike it – but all sitcoms are based on stereotypes, and I find these particular stereotypes not the same exact ones as every other sitcom out there. I usually laugh out loud a couple of times every show, and that’s all I ask from 23 minutes of comedy.
How I Met Your Mother New Girl Raising Hope Whitney The Laura Prepon As Chelsea Handler Show Modern Family 30 Rock Parks & Rec (current favorite of this bunch) The Office Eastbound & Down (starting up again this Sunday, along with…) Life’s Too Short
Chelsea is on a short leash, Whitney is still slowly growing on me, I followed it from Thursday to Wednesday where it fits in better. I did not like the new hairdo on Ms. Cummings in last week’s episode though. *New Girl *was a pleasant surprise for me, though I could do without Schmidt being the primary non-Zooey character. I can’t recommend Raising Hope highly enough, especially for those who were fans of and miss My Name is Earl.
Hiatus shows: Always Sunny in Philadelphia Community
I can’t watch Always Sunny. . … I hate those people-- HATE. I know that’s part of the joke. In fact, that IS the joke, that they are all hateful people. There was on episode where the girl repeatedly spit into someone else’s mouth. That’s not funny, that’s disgusting. Like, make me puke disgusting.
Gotta admit, I did laugh when they home invaded a Mexican couple to makeover their house. Why have I seen so many episodes of a show I hate? Because my daughter-- my gentle, low-key, wouldn’t-hurt-a-fly, soft spoken, sweet, how-did-that-girl-come-out-of-my-body daughter absolutely loves it. So I guess there is a little of me in her.
I honestly can’t watch any sitcom with a laugh track/studio audience. It’s not just the laughter, either - it’s the hacky writing that seems to go hand in hand with the shows that use it.
My favorite sitcom (if you can call it that) is Louie. The others I watch are It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Community, Parks & Rec, Modern Family, Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock. I still watch The Office out of habit, but I honestly wouldn’t care if it was canceled tomorrow.
The Middle - like it.
Suburgatory - OK.
Modern Family - like it a lot.
Raising Hope - like it a lot.
Two and a Half Men - like it.
Mike and Molly - like it a lot.
2 Broke Girls - like it (sue me, but I think some of the lines are great…)
Episodes (with Matt Leblanc) - like it a lot.
Nurse Jackie - like it a lot.
You know, I couldn’t get into Community. I’ve heard nothing but great things but I watched the entire first disc of season 1 and wasn’t that impressed.
For all the whining they do about being such geeks and not being able to get women and what not, the one (Leonard) does pretty damn good for himself. I wish I was that geeky and bad with women.
I’ve never understood that criticism of any sitcom. If you want realism stay far away from any sitcom.
Well Leonard is the most normal of the bunch. But in my opinion Howard is dating the hotter girl, but she is a geeky phd so I guess its not supposed to be that strange. Melissa Rauch hmmmmmmmmmmmm
I don’t watch many sitcoms, but for those I’ve sampled.
The Middle – probably the best family sitcom out there. Raising Hope – started out OK, but it’s been treading water for ages. New Girl – amusing, but I can take it or leave it. Community – comic brilliance Suburgatory – Strangely offputting, mostly because the suburbia is caught in a time warp and stuck in the 60s. It makes no comic sense. Parks and Recreation – Meh Thirty Rock – Tries too hard to be wackier than wacky, without stopping to be funny in between. Two and a Half Men – Was tired with Charlie Sheen. Is now even worse. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Plenty of peaks and valleys, but the peaks are still predominating. Whitney – breaks new ground in mediocrity.
The only shows I make a point to see these days are The Middle and Community.
New Girl - Like it a lot. I thought Jess’ quirky character was going to get on my nerves, but I actually like her.
Happy Endings - Like it a lot.
The Middle - Like it okay. Don’t usually bother to watch it.
Suburgatory - OK. Don’t go out of my way for it.
Modern Family - Like it a lot.
Raising Hope - Like it a lot. This is very much My Name is Earl II.
How I Met Your Mother - Like it a lot.
Two and a Half Men - I was turned off of it, but it sounds like I’ll have to give it a chance again with Ashton Kutcher’s haircut.
Mike and Molly - Like it.
2 Broke Girls - Makes me laugh occasionally.
Big Bang Theory - Liked it a lot. Less enthusiastic about this season.
Are You There, Chelsea? - Haven’t seen it.
Forgot some:
Whitney - Meh. Don’t hate it.
Community - Like it whenever I catch it.
Parks and Receation - Meh.
30 Rock - Love it.
