# The New Sitcom of Old Elaine
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [March 14, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267 "2006-03-14T03:02:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/21 "2006-03-15T01:53:13Z")
Didn’t work for me, dawg. Julie was overworking that mojo like a paramedic resuscitating Jessica Alba.
She was trying way too hard and it came across as forced. I think she’s getting by on Seinfeld rep, but the writing better improve or she’s toast.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2006, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/22 "2006-03-15T03:34:54Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#):
>
> I only saw the last part of the second episode (I forget why I ended up on that channel.)
>
> Anyway, I can’t speak to its objective, overall quality – but what I saw was painfully mediocre, and made much _more_ unbearable by the inclusion of the over-the-top laugh track.
>
> I can forgive a stale old joke. I can’t get past a stale old joke with a fake laugh track implying that the joke is unbelievably funny that a studio audience somewhere suffered multiple hernias and was compelled to crap in their collective pants from mirth.
>
> OMG, she’s humiliating herself in front of the other parents by being conspicuous about her rejection! She actually said, “But you did me!”
>
> HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HO! HO! HO!
>
> _pisses self and has aneurysm_
>
> If they weren’t hitting me over the head with the laughtrack to convince me that I was looking at something hilarious, I might have cracked a grin, instead of just being annoyed.
Good thing you didn’t watch the pilot from the beginning. It opens with her lying in bed supposedly asleep. She opens her eyes. The laugh track starts.
They were putting laughs behind her opening her eyes. They needed to tell you that it was a comic awakening. That she was _going_ to do something funny, even though all she had actually done was open her eyes.
She then calls herself to leave a message on her answering machine. More laughter.
A minute later when the program starts she listens to a, get this, _second_ message she has left herself. Then the device is never mentioned again.
Yes, I agree that they were trying so hard that they broke a rib. Which isn’t all that funny.
Poor Christine. She’s beautiful, successful, well-to-do, has a great relationship with her ex, has a great kid, has a great house, and she’s a mess. Can’t we all relate to that?
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### Author:  [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2006, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/23 "2006-03-15T11:55:31Z")
I had to watch it - I like JLD, and my name’s Christine.
Upon watching, I realized the only network comedies I’ve been watching for a looong time are _Scrubs, The Office, Arrested Development_, and cartoons - none of which has a laugh track. So I had a similar reaction to **Larry Mudd** , only more intense. It was like being bludgeoned repeatedly. I agree, it killed any decent jokes, and painfully underlined the unfunny stuff.
Actually, I didn’t watch the whole pilot - we have it on TiVo, and I stopped it last night to watch _Scrubs_, which appropriately included the episode where J.D. imagines he’s in a sitcom, and they have a laughtrack, etc.
I’ll probably watch it through episode 3, due to the info here. Worst case scenario, I have a new gardening book I can read while I slog through that much.
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### Author:  [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/24 "2006-04-18T14:25:23Z")
Saw parts of the first couple eps, and decided I didn’t need to watch any more. Admittedly never a big fan of JLD or Elaine.
Happened to be vegged on the couch last evening when this show came on - figured, **"How bad can it be?"**
Had to leave the room when she was at the restaurant.
I can probably imagine a character more stupid and obnoxious, but I don’t think I care to.
The only redeeming line was when the fellow diner rather pointedly said, **"We aren’t talking to you."**
Resonated with my inner monologue of **"Shut up and die you ignorant bitch!"**
I hope the lack of action in this thread reflects a lack of audience for this show.
PLEASE do not tell me this thing is a ratings success!
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### Author:  [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/25 "2006-04-18T14:37:02Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#):
>
> …
> PLEASE do not tell me this thing is a ratings success!
It’s sandwiched between Two and a Half Men and CSI Crooked Head Guy. Its a ratings success in time slot only. Left on its own against it doesn’t have a chance. Its a shame because Julie LD may be capable playing something other than a pathetic neurotic but that seems to be all that we ever see of her on the TV.
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### Author:  [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/26 "2006-04-18T14:38:16Z")
Ignore _against._ It wandered into the sentence when I wasn’t looking
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### Author:  [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/27 "2006-04-18T14:53:46Z")
Okay: I have not seen it yet myself, and I’m perfectly willing to believe the Dope consensus that it’s horribly forced/trite/fill in your couldn’t-be-less-impressed-type adjective here, \*but. \* Four words for anyone ready to consign it to oblivion: **First Season Of Seinfeld**
That is all. 😃
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/28 "2006-04-18T14:58:38Z")
Some of the scenes with the brother make me laugh. But so far I’m not too impressed.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/29 "2006-04-18T15:01:47Z")
> [@Mal Adroit](#):
>
> Okay: I have not seen it yet myself, and I’m perfectly willing to believe the Dope consensus that it’s horribly forced/trite/fill in your couldn’t-be-less-impressed-type adjective here, \*but. \* Four words for anyone ready to consign it to oblivion: **First Season Of Seinfeld**
>
> That is all. 😃
IF it had the giant talent of Larry David behind it, then _maybe._
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### Author:  [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/30 "2006-04-18T15:06:37Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> IF it had the giant talent of Larry David behind it, then _maybe._
That’s kinda what I mean, though. Even Larry David was turning out cutesy, marginally funny situations and dialogue early on.
Do you remember how \*hard \* they would drum into our heads that Kramer was “the kook”? Talk about forced!
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### Author:  [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/31 "2006-04-18T15:18:09Z")
I’ve only seen one episode (the one where Christine tried to integrate her kid’s school). I agree that it would be 1000% better without the laugh track. It would also be about 100% _less_ funny without Wanda Sykes. Of course that woman could read from my company’s website privacy policy and it would crack me up.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/32 "2006-04-18T15:18:55Z")
I stopped watching when I realized that I could see the entire script in my head merely from reading the tv schedule capsule description.
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### Author:  [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/33 "2006-04-18T18:25:05Z")
Tom Shales, the Washington Post’s TV critic, really praised this show. I wonder what he saw in it.
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### Author:  [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/34 "2006-04-19T03:55:03Z")
I so much want to like Miss Julia, but can’t figgure this kinda effort. Loved her in Seinfeld, but it ain’t going too good now.
Watched the latest cause of JLD, who I so much wish for the best, and, tuned in to the show in question because the actor who plays Ex-hubby was a college peer I remember back in the day. I had to cut it off because it was so awful. Depressing on so many levels.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-sitcom-of-old-elaine/348267/35 "2006-04-22T22:13:54Z")
OK, I just got around to watching last week’s (4-17) episode. It was painfully bad and I don’t even think JLD is enjoying herself. She looks like she is miserable. I couldn’t finish it.
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