# Worst TV Shows, or-Why we call it The Idiot Box **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559 "2013-03-21T18:56:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/161 "2013-03-28T06:26:02Z")
There was a BBC show called ‘Come Back Mrs Noah’. It starred Molly Sugden - Mrs Slocombe from Are You Being Served. She played a housewife (basically Mrs Slocombe again) who won a tour of The Great British Space Rocket that was getting ready to launch. The Astronauts were the two idiot officers from ‘It Ain’t Half Hot, Mum’, and they basically played the same characters. Setup - ‘Whatever you do, don’t push that Red Button, Mrs Noah!’. Guess what… I remember the first episode was one of the funniest shows I had ever seen. The second episode went straight into ‘Anti-Gravity Corsets’ and ‘Should we attempt re-entry?’ territory. I gave up before they started the jokes about Uranus, and I’m pleased to see that it is now rated one of the worst comedy series of all time. But Episode 1 was good… ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/162 "2013-03-28T06:41:36Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Trivia: Melody Patterson lied about her age to get the role of Wrangler Jane. She was only 16 at the time, i.e., not of legal age. She’d be legal, but union rules would require her to work a limited amount of time a day, and that would be murder for the production of episodes she was in. And my understanding is that the union actually has clout in LA unlike New York. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/163 "2013-03-29T20:08:53Z")
> [@montag01](#): > > I think it’s well-regarded by critics, but I remember disliking “That’s My Bush!,” a Comedy Central parody of the Bush presidency from Matt Parker and Trey Stone. My dislike had nothing to do with political beliefs, I just didn’t think it was funny. I believe the show died fast after September 11, 2001. I actually thought it was pretty funny, and despite being heavy on the toilet humor, I thought it was reasonable respectful as far as such things go. But it sure vanished quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/164 "2013-03-29T20:23:11Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > I actually thought it was pretty funny, and despite being heavy on the toilet humor, I thought it was reasonable respectful as far as such things go. But it sure vanished quickly. And dispite all stories to the contrary, it was cancelled in _August_ of 2001, a full month before the 9/11 attacks. After the season finale the network, along with Parker and Stone, decided it was getting too expensive to produce. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/165 "2013-03-29T21:50:25Z")
Anything by Seth Macfarland (sp?). Stupid and not funny. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/166 "2013-03-30T01:53:38Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > See, I’d say the same thing about Family Matters and The Big Bang Theory. (Surprised no one tried Full House, Everybody Loves Raymond, or one I actually hate: Two and Half Men) I get not liking them, but they weren’t/aren’t actually bad. They are, at the very least, well put together. A lot of these other shows were absolute crap. The thing about “Family Matters” is that it was a decent, not great show, until Urkel. Then it just became utterly ridiculous. His alter ego “Stefan”. I think once he and Carl supposedly used a shrink ray or something on themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/167 "2013-03-30T02:57:08Z")
After a jaw-dropping experience watching one episode, I have to nominate what is probably the worst reality TV show ever conceived - ["Iceberg](http://kingofstates.com/2012/11/14/iceberg-hunters-is-totally-a-real-show/) [Hunters"](http://www.channelguidemagblog.com/index.php/2012/09/14/iceberg-hunters-weather-channel/) on The Weather Channel. Plot: a dysfunctional Canadian family makes a living taking a boat off the coast of Newfoundland in search of icebergs, volleying rifle shots at the bergs until chunks fall off, then carrying them back to port to sell to water bottling plants and distilleries\*. Will the chunks of ice be big enough? Will they fall on and crush the idiots trying to get them in the boat? Will Daddy discipline his whiny son who doesn’t appreciate his Big Opportunity? Stay tuned. \*Iceberg ice is supposed to be, like, really pure, but with all that lead shot crashing into it I wonder how healthy iceberg vodka really is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559.md?page=8)