the thing that was wrong with **ELR ** was Debra was always anry/yelling/TO’d at Raymond, Marie was ALWAYS meddling. There was no depth to either character
I always use 8:30p-9:00p Sundays to check my email - but I’m back at the TV in time for Family Guy
**Just Shoot Me ** had some clevedr writing - not a lot of it, granted, but there were some very good episodes. Besides, Enrico Colantoni was in it (and I had NO idea that that was him in **Galaxy Quest ** until just now - but I digress)
I agree. I think Wings was very funny right up until Lowell, played by Thomas Haden Church, left. There was a great chemistry between all of the characters. Also, Tony Shalhoub, who played Antonio, was consistently funny. All in all, Wings was a great show. My DVR records it every time it is on.
The Single Guy had a very strong supporting cast (Ming Na…hmmm…) but their lead guy (Silverman?) had all the wit, charm, and charisma of an alsatian dog after a head swap operation*.
-Joe
*nope, don’t actually know what that means, really
I’m going to have to nominate Hope and Gloria, which ran very briefly in 1995 or so on NBC Thursdays, between Mad About you and Seinfeld. The atrocious thing was that at the time, the only show I really like on Thursdays was Friends (still in its first season and still funny), yet I needed something to do until 9:30, so I watched it all.
I definitely nominate both Yes, Dear and Still Standing for the *hitcoms list, and what’s more, I think they should have been cancelled instead of Joan of Arcadia! The former (YD) was sandwiched between King of Queens and Everybody Loves Raymond; the latter I don’t know much about other than that it royally blows (IMHO). Any show with know-it-all kids and especially where the parents seem to have a blase attitude towards rearing their children is usually awful - I don’t want straight reality, mind you, but I don’t want to see some bizarro fantasy either. GAH.
Actually, that was one of my Questions for Discussion originally. The short answer is, I’m easily distracted but hate missing even a minute of “Lost.” This week, I tried putting “Freddie” on mute while I read an article instead, and missed a couple minutes at the beginning. Foiled! “ER” had kind of the same dynamic, where important things could happen in the opening minutes.
That’s a good point, Hello Again. I watch more crap for the same reason.
I have got to get a Tivo or its equivalent.
Don’t get me started on Everyone Loves Raymond.
It was funny for 4 maybe 5 episodes. Then it became the same thing over, and over, and over. Ray and Deb are having some streotypical middleage, white, middleclass type of petty argument. Then Frank comes over and says something rude about his wife. Then she says something snarky about Deborah’s cooking, or cleaning, or raising the kids. Then Robert appears and is jealous cause Ray gets all the attention. Is there any episode where this wasn’t the case?
You know, I’ve heard many people claim this, but I’ve yet to see any evidence of it. Just another show with cliched sitcom characters going through hackneyed sitcom plots.
none that I saw. I’m so glad I’m not the only one with this interpretation
Okay, I’m just gonna cut to the chase. Easily 75% of the comedies on TV today are considered a Shitcoms in our household. I like Charlie Sheen’s show, I like The King of Queens and I like The Simpsons. And we love Malcolm. But with the exception of Charlie Sheen, we only watch these in re-runs (occasionally K of K).
They simply don’t make me laugh. Nell Carter sucked. The Nanny sucked. Raymond sucked. There is no hilarity. No gut-busting, knee-slapping comedy. Full House sucked. They ALL FUCKING SUCK.
And don’t even get me started on black comedies. By black I mean African American. I think they’re degrading stereotypes for the most part. In all fairness, I’ve hated this format for so long that I haven’t actually looked at one lately. If I’m wrong, I hope someone will chime in and correct me. Good Times??? Yes, I know they were groundbreaking in that they addressed issues concerning the black community back in the 70s. But then fercrissakes make it a drama. Because they weren’t funny.
Phew! That felt good.
“A Different World” was the horrible shitcom that bounced around timeslots tainting just about every other hit NBC sitcom on the schedule.
Yeah, maybe so but Tony Shalhoub!!!
Everybody Loves Raymond does not technically fit the OP’s definition of a Shitcom, but it’s still one of the worst sitcoms in the history of television. It’s one of those shows like Home Improvment that tries the “Look, it’s a show about people like us!” gambit. Only in this case, “people like us” are a bunch of jerks.
URKEL!
You’d wait half the episode to hear him say “Did I do thaaaat?”
At the time I thought the TGIF shows were wholesome and sort of funny, although very preachy.
This Wiki Page and the adjacent schedules you can link to from it should help out the collective memory in this thread immensely.
Current half-hour comedies:
Sundays:
FOX:
King of the Hill: shitcom (used to be excellent, has lost its way, and is only on now because people warm up the tube waiting for the Simpsons)
The Simpsons:shitcom (used to be excellent, has lost its way, and is only on now because people don’t turn off the set after Kingof the Hill)
The War at Home:Haven’t watched it. Suspected shitcom that is only on because people don’t check their guide and leave the set on in hopes of a classic Simpsons rerun.
Family Guy: shitcom. Only has the ratings it does because, in addition to its miniscule rabid fanboy base, people leave the set on in the belief that Fox could not possibly follow a shitcom with anything other than a classic Simpsons rerun.
American Dad!: Presumed shitcom. Has all the elements.
Mondays:
CBS:
The King of Queens: Great, shockingly! I avoided this show for years on the presumption of shitcomhood, but started to get into reruns about two years ago around dinner time in the kitchen. Now it’s must-see in our house.
How I Met Your Mother: Great, shockingly! The reputation of the second slot of the hour as a haven for shitcoms is so ingrained that I think the high quality of this show has caught everyone by surprise.
Two and a Half Men Great, shockingly! When this show premiered, the presence of Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and that horrible little wretch whose outburst “I grow up to be a complete loser!” in promos for the film “The Kid” destroyed whatever respect I ever had for Bruce Willis spelled shitcom to me from the get-go, but I ended up seeing a couple of episodes on plane rides in the last year and laughed out loud. Charlie Sheen has a decent comic timing, Jon Cryer has finally grown the hell up, and the little wretch, with a couple more years under his belt, has turned into a decent comedic actor for his age, without the grating precociousness normally seen in sitcom kids.
Out of Practice:I won’t call it great, but again, given the reputation of the second half hour, it’s surprising that it’s as decent as it is.
UPN:
Based on the promos I see during local reruns of the King of Queens, you couldn’t pay me enough to watch One on One, All of Us, Girlfriends, or Half and Half.
Tuesday:
ABC:
Accordin to Jim:shitcom. It’s hard to be a shitcom leading off the night, but the dedicated cast and crew of this show have managed it. Only on because of the alternatives: NCIS, Bones, The Biggest Loser, America’s Next Top Model, and Gilmore Girls.
Rodney: There’s a show called Rodney? Who knew?
NBC:
My Name Is Earl, The Office: My dual-tuner TiVo is busy during this slot with The Amazing Race and House. I hear these shows are great but their going to have to wait until TAR is over.
Wednesday:
ABC:
George Lopez:Not quite a shitcom, but not great. I love George Lopez’ standup routines, so I may be extending it extra credit.
Freddie: Haven’t seen it, but the other reviews here and my wariness of Freddie Prinze Jr.'s current ability to pick quality material makes me assume shitcom.
CBS:
Still Standing: Maybe not a shitcom, because it doesn’t quite match the criteria (doesn’t follow or lead anything decent), and because there needs to be a unique label for fare this painfully unfunny.
Yes, Dear: Perhaps renders Still Standing a shitcom because of its relative quality next to the utter dreck that precedes it, but not a particularly decent show in its own right.
FOX:
That 70’s Show: shitcom. Used to be very good, but has lost its way.
Stacked: shitcom, although has not yet stood the test of time. Obvious from the 15 seconds of the first episode that I managed to sit through.
Thursdays:
NBC:
Joey: shitcom. Shouldn’t have lasted more than two episodes, but is astonishingly back for a second season.
Will & Grace: shitcom. Started out with a stellar two-thirds of a season their first year, followed by a steep nosedive in quality.
UPN:
Everybody Hates Chris: The title, too close to the eternally loathed Everybody Loves Raymnond, has prevented me from sampling this.
Love, Inc.: There’s a show called Love, Inc.? Who knew?
Eve: There’s a show called Eve? Who knew?
Cuts: There’s a show called Cuts? Who knew?
Fridays:
ABC:
Hope and Faith: shitcom. The essence of shitcom.
Hot Properties: Haven’t seen it.
Bernie Mac: shitcom. Started excellent, faltered in season 2.
Malcolm in the Middle: shitcom. Started excellent, faltered later.
WB:
What I Like About You, Twins, Reba, Living with Fran: Don’t know a thing about any of them , don’t want to, especially since Reba McIntyre has a look in her eyes that says she is the craziest-ass person walking around free right now.
FYI…wrong kid. I made the same mistake.
Incidently, I loved “The Kid” and Willis and that kid as well. Just loved it!
I would like to make a special mention for Good Morning, Miami, which ran for a while between “Will & Grace” and “E.R.” (before either of those show wore out their welcomes), but it doesn’t fit the bill: Not that it wasn’t a horrible show, but that it was so spectacularly unfunny & moronic that I actually did change the channel while it was on. In fact, once or twice, I actually turned the t.v. off in between watching the shows that bracketed it. And for a vidiot like me, that’s remarkable.