Sitcoms Dead?

[vejita]

I watched a few episodes of dinosaurs a few months back, didnt really enjoy it too much. I loved the show during its original run... It is a shame the networks dont take chances with things like this anymore, instead we get whatever reality show they can think of and make cheaply

I understand that networks want to reach maximum profit and that is fine. I would .

But can't they make like smaller channels or studios to test out new ideas and see if they work? I do not think it will cost them much, and if they succeed they will profit big time. Imagine no one wanted to use puppets for a children TV program!? Or if no network decided to create a movie like series. They need to test things out.

This is why other countries like the UK and Japan will do short series instead of dragging them out for 10+ years (not that they don't have long-running series, but they don't try to make everything as loooong as possible). It's normal there. I wish our broadcasting networks would work on a project like a 1-3 season story and END IT but not due to budget cuts or ratings- just make a good story and stop milking it. A lot of series I liked had a great 1st season but then everything went to shit when it became popular and they removed the freshness to the story and made it like ANY OTHER TV SHOW, which usually means stupid love triangles, deus ex machina plots, and completely contrived or out-of-character scenarios.

[Reverend]

Sitcoms have always been my thing, but I have to say that my top 5 are this.

Seinfeld: Random conversation based comedy with apathetic characters, this is like the televised version of my life.

The Nanny: Razor sharp wit, Jewish humor, and NYC humor; YES!!

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air: It's nice to get back to the roots of Will Smith and his genius comedy. His zany antics are clever, crazy, and have some great on liners.

Roseanne: White Trash comedy, done right!

Scrubs: The characters just work

[RCBH928]

Will's cousin, Carlton in Fresh Prince was really good and in character. He was pretty funny too, I am amazed he didn't do anything else. Even the Hillary, she kind of disappeared.


Seinfield , I really tried to understand what this show is about until some one told me it is about nothing. They just make jokes. I am not a fan, I have seen few episodes but it is funny though I am not sure what gives it that extra edge over all other sitcoms to make it so special.

and what the heck is Jewish humor?

[superlarz]

Will's cousin, Carlton in Fresh Prince was really good and in character. He was pretty funny too, I am amazed he didn't do anything else. Even the Hillary, she kind of disappeared.

He was in another sitcom shortly after Fresh Prince ended, he played more of a normal character, he was a lot less goofy. I dont remember the name of the show, but it wasnt really successful.

[Jrecee]

Forgot about dinosaurs. I used to watch that all the time. I remember the creatures alive in the fridge was kind of creepy.

The problem with that show was it was crazy expensive to produce, so it needed a much bigger audience than it ever got to survive.

And I wish that networks here would try to start new shows with mini-series. People are afraid to watch new shows because the networks cancel ideas if they're not immediate successes. Fox is one of the worst with this. NBC has done it recently; Bionic Woman, My Own Worst Enemy, Crusoe. They went as far as rebranding Crusoe as a mini-series once they decided to cancel it, but My Own Worst enemy ended with a cliffhanger.

If they would just order, say, 6 episodes, and have a complete story arch within them, at the end of episode 6 they would be able to either not continue with the show, or start a new arch and make it into an actual series.

Even worse, they just cancelled My Name is Earl and left it with a cliffhanger ending. I didn't watch it anymore, but after 4 or 5 seasons you'd think they could have the dignity to shoot one final episode for the fans. The number of people who are soured to the tv experience by things like that have a bigger impact than an extra million to wrap it up in a finale.

Remember when like 10 years after it was cancelled, they made a for tv alf movie to wrap up the cliffhanger ending?

[Ack]

Remember when like 10 years after it was cancelled, they made a for tv alf movie to wrap up the cliffhanger ending?

I was wondering when someone would bring up Alf. The film even got a theatrical release in Germany.

[Mr.White555]

Remember when like 10 years after it was cancelled, they made a for tv alf movie to wrap up the cliffhanger ending?

I was wondering when someone would bring up Alf. The film even got a theatrical release in Germany.

I was thinking the same thing!!! I love that show! Only thing that sucks is that the dvds that were released are syndicated versions!!!

[jfrost]

Forgot about dinosaurs. I used to watch that all the time. I remember the creatures alive in the fridge was kind of creepy.

Loved that show, even though I would only get most of the jokes years after I watched it.

[Snickerd00dle]

i also thought 3rd rock from the sun was funny, and i dont know if this will count, but Pee Wee's Playhouse was great too