# "Work It" (ABC sitcom) - WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702 "2011-12-29T05:27:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/41 "2011-12-31T17:29:44Z")
Do they have full beards? And dress in crotch-hugging spandex? We could maybe get something out of this show after all! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/42 "2011-12-31T17:33:46Z")
All these things about how bad this show looks is what I said about “Two and a half Men” back in 2003. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/43 "2011-12-31T17:42:19Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > …Maybe the company hired them because they were transgendered not because they were genuinely thought to be women. > … Well, that would go along with the afformentioned “real reasons” men cross-dress. We can’t have that. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/44 "2011-12-31T17:45:53Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > All these things about how bad this show looks is what I said about “Two and a half Men” back in 2003. And you were right. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/45 "2011-12-31T17:46:00Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Well, that would go along with the afformentioned “real reasons” men cross-dress. We can’t have that. [Homer Simpson]Marge, you being a cop makes you The Man! And that makes me the woman! And I have no interest in that, besides occasionally wearing the underwear, which, as we discussed, is strictly a comfort thing![/Homer Simpson] ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/46 "2011-12-31T18:56:30Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > All these things about how bad this show looks is what I said about “Two and a half Men” back in 2003. “Two and a half Men” had some of the best writers in the business, and Chuck Lorre. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/47 "2011-12-31T19:20:57Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > One way this could be kind of funny is if _everybody_ did realize they were crossdressing men but didn’t say anything out of politeness or political correctness and the guys truly believed they were fooling everyone. Maybe the company hired them because they were transgendered not because they were genuinely thought to be women. THAT has potential! ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/48 "2011-12-31T19:53:24Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > One way this could be kind of funny is if _everybody_ did realize they were crossdressing men but didn’t say anything out of politeness or political correctness and the guys truly believed they were fooling everyone. Maybe the company hired them because they were transgendered not because they were genuinely thought to be women. Another vote for this. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/49 "2012-01-04T05:35:40Z")
I thought the pilot was pretty good, I laughed out loud several times. Maybe I was just in the mood for the silliness, but I liked the dancing gag near the end. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/50 "2012-01-04T13:51:47Z")
Oh, dear, \*that \*was painful. There was \*one \*funny line–“Spoiler alert–she dies!”–and they ruined that by repeating it again later in the show. Hmmm. Dumb concept, lazy writing, lackluster performances, total lack of inner logic, insulting to transgender people \*and \*the unemployed. It’ll probably run for _decades_. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/51 "2012-01-04T15:29:07Z")
The Onion AV Club’s review was spot on: > **[Work It](https://www.avclub.com/work-it-1798170988)** > > Work It debuts tonight on ABC at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. It had a surprisingly strong first five minutes, which focused on the family having to make sacrifices due to the dad being out of work. But it went quickly downhill. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/52 "2012-01-05T03:47:45Z")
It is difficult to describe how truly horrible the show “Work It” was. You could talk about the actors who proved that there is no depth too low, nor script so bad, as to prevent them from whoring themselves out for a paying gig on TV. The cast should, however, band together to see if they can get a good class action lawsuit against their agents for putting them into a show that will forever be a humiliating footnote in their future careers, should they even have careers after this debacle. It is also somewhat mind-boggling to think that someone wrote this and thought it was good and funny, and some agent actually read this and agreed. It is even more astounding that some television producer felt the urge to pony up funds to cast and shoot the pilot of this wretched script. However, what is unforgivable is that ABC executives saw this pilot and leapt at the chance to broadcast this to the public. I have kept this on my DVR, and will soon be copying it to a DVD disc to save for posterity. This show will forever be known as the low point of broadcast television; “Hey Bob, how was that new TV show about dogs eating their own poop?” “Well, it was better than ‘Work It’!” “Hey Mary, how was that new TV show about cannibalistic pedophiles who set fire to kittens and puppies?” “Well, it was funnier than ‘Work It’!” This show is so beyond horrible that it will become a classic for years to come. I will be pleased to have it in my collection to torment friends and have evidence proving why broadcast television died a horrible, deserved death. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/53 "2012-01-05T05:10:00Z")
The good news is that [the ratings weren’t that good](http://www.avclub.com/articles/people-actually-watched-work-it-last-night,67176/). It pretty much matched the ratings of the canceled Man Up it replaced. And I’m guessing a significant number of people watched out of morbid curiosity and won’t be watching in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/54 "2012-01-05T14:12:52Z")
Wait, there are new shows about dogs eating their own poop, and cannibalistic pedophiles who set fire to kittens and puppies? I am \*so \*there. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/55 "2012-01-05T14:24:32Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Wait, there are new shows about dogs eating their own poop, and cannibalistic pedophiles who set fire to kittens and puppies? > > I am \*so \*there. It was actually just one show. I think they call that “high concept.” ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/56 "2012-01-05T14:28:43Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Hmmm. Dumb concept, lazy writing, lackluster performances, total lack of inner logic, insulting to transgender people \*and \*the unemployed. It’ll probably run for _decades_. I didn’t watch Work It, but the idea that the dumb shit survives on TV is a meme that needs to stop. It’s not true and I very much doubt it was ever true. Some idiotic shit may make it onto the air, but it rarely makes it past the first season, let alone runs for decades. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/57 "2012-01-06T01:08:36Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > And I’m guessing a significant number of people watched out of morbid curiosity and won’t be watching in the future. I watched for a combination of that reason and because I wanted to see the Gary Busey episode of Wipe Swap that was coming on immediately after. Sadly, _that_ one wasn’t much of a trainwreck. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/58 "2012-01-11T21:02:45Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I didn’t watch Work It, but the idea that the dumb shit survives on TV is a meme that needs to stop. It’s not true and I very much doubt it was ever true. Some idiotic shit may make it onto the air, but it rarely makes it past the first season, let alone runs for decades. I have to heartily disagree. Plenty of absolute shit shows stayed on long enough to make it to syndication. _Two and a Half Men_ has already been mentioned, but there was also _Wings_, _Coach_, _According To Jim_, _George Lopez_, _American Dad_, the entire TGIF lineup from back in the day, those godawful Tyler Perry sitcoms… Anyway, glad to hear it was horrible. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/59 "2012-01-11T21:12:01Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > I have to heartily disagree. Plenty of absolute shit shows stayed on long enough to make it to syndication. _Two and a Half Men_ has already been mentioned, but there was also _Wings_, _Coach_, _According To Jim_, _George Lopez_, _American Dad_, the entire TGIF lineup from back in the day, those godawful Tyler Perry sitcoms… First of all, American Dad is fucking brilliant. So we’ll have to disagree there. But second of all, all those shows you listed are not _ **offensively bad** _. They’re just run-of-the-mill sitcoms. And nearly all of them have something going for them: Wings had a great cast. Two and a Half Men is horribly perverted while still calling itself a “family sitcom.” Coach was just plain enjoyable. And According to Jim and George Lopez are too generic to hate. For your truly awful stuff, you need shows like Work It, or Allen Gregory, or all the rest of the shit that never lasts beyond a few episodes. By and large (though there are exceptions), it’s all crap. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702/60 "2012-01-11T21:45:24Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Two and a Half Men is horribly perverted while still calling itself a “family sitcom.” I’d like to see a cite for the idea that Two and a Half Men calls itself a family sitcom. I mean, it’s about a family, but I don’t think anyone pretends that it’s appropriate for kids to watch with their parents. It seems explicitly a sitcom for grown-ups and there’s nothing wrong with that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-it-abc-sitcom-wtf/607702.md?page=4)