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March 28, 2024, 11:10:58 PM

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US Sitcoms That Don't Deserve Their Own Threads

Started by Small Man Big Horse, March 20, 2017, 05:28:20 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

kidsick5000

I love Trial & Error.
The rehearsal cross examination by the assistant near killed me.
Easily my favourite. It's also very Parks And Rec.


the one sitcom I'm amazed has not graced this board is The Great Indoors given that it stars Joel McHale and Stephen Fry - though Mr Fry is only now in it on a weekly basis it seems, and I suspect having a hand in some of the writing as it has mildly become funnier since it started.
I would watch it at the start to see how unfunny it was and to see which lines McHale would yurn into genuine rescue pleas.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: kidsick5000 on April 07, 2017, 09:26:20 PM
I love Trial & Error.
The rehearsal cross examination by the assistant near killed me.
Easily my favourite. It's also very Parks And Rec.

I really want to but the dumb ex-cop and the secretary spoil it for me, the latter especially. But I'm very fond of John Lithgow and was pleased to see Fred Melamed turn up so hopefully it'll become more consistent.

Quotethe one sitcom I'm amazed has not graced this board is The Great Indoors given that it stars Joel McHale and Stephen Fry - though Mr Fry is only now in it on a weekly basis it seems, and I suspect having a hand in some of the writing as it has mildly become funnier since it started.
I would watch it at the start to see how unfunny it was and to see which lines McHale would yurn into genuine rescue pleas.

I started a thread a while back - http://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=53732.0 - but didn't get past the first episode. I might give it another shot at some point due to your comments, but the pilot was so bad I'd be amazed if the show grows on me.

kidsick5000

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on April 07, 2017, 09:39:45 PM
I started a thread a while back - http://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=53732.0 - but didn't get past the first episode. I might give it another shot at some point due to your comments, but the pilot was so bad I'd be amazed if the show grows on me.

Damn. Well there's my leaky memory on display. I was going to say sorry I missed your thread. But then I look in and I'm only the last facking person to post in it back in November!

Anyway, horribly, it has been renewed. I currently watch it wondering if it would be funnier without the laugh track. I refuse to believe that's a real audience.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: kidsick5000 on April 07, 2017, 10:08:12 PM
Damn. Well there's my leaky memory on display. I was going to say sorry I missed your thread. But then I look in and I'm only the last facking person to post in it back in November!

Don't worry, you're not alone - from earlier on in the thread:

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on March 21, 2017, 05:09:14 PM
That's fantastic to hear, somehow the news passed me by. Glad it's another 13 episode season as well as it's a tightly plotted show which would probably be full of filler episodes if they dragged it out any longer than that.

Edit: Just checked The Good Place thread and apparently I already knew that, and said pretty much the same thing as above. Fucking hell, my memory is terrible these days, it's actually slightly worrying.

Ah the joys of growing old!

Roma

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on March 20, 2017, 05:28:20 PM
Modern Family S8 - This has been patchy as fuck for the last two seasons but now it's lost any charm that it once had and most of the characters are actively annoying. At least Luke is slightly less rapey this year, but that's the only positive thing I can say about it.

The first two seasons of this show were superb, not one bad episode. It has been patchy since. I still love Phil.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Roma on April 08, 2017, 10:30:28 AM
The first two seasons of this show were superb, not one bad episode. It has been patchy since. I still love Phil.

Yeah, I remember season two featuring one of my all time favourite sitcom lines, when Jay says "That was my Vietnam. And I was in Vietnam". I agree with you about Phil too, but he's not enough to keep me watching anymore.

Quote from: kidsick5000 on April 07, 2017, 10:08:12 PM
Anyway, horribly, it has been renewed. I currently watch it wondering if it would be funnier without the laugh track. I refuse to believe that's a real audience.

I watched the most recent episode just now and it has improved a little, McHale and Fry's plotline providing the better moments, but there was still a lot of cringeworthy parts like the terrible bisexuality bit, and the kids sexting Brooke. I didn't find myself actively hating it in the way I did the pilot, and it did make me laugh a couple of times, but I can't say I'm going to watch it again.

kidsick5000

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on April 08, 2017, 05:06:41 PM
I watched the most recent episode just now and it has improved a little, McHale and Fry's plotline providing the better moments, but there was still a lot of cringeworthy parts like the terrible bisexuality bit, and the kids sexting Brooke. I didn't find myself actively hating it in the way I did the pilot, and it did make me laugh a couple of times, but I can't say I'm going to watch it again.

The bit with the revolving stage made me smile. A bit.
Nothing about the kids has been good - apart from trying to figure out if there's something going on between Joel Mchale and 'Emma' in reel life. There's been a glance or two.

phantom_power

I have really warmed to Powerless after not being that fussed at the start. It is mainly for the strong performances though, from everyone but the main character, who isn't bad a such but not on a par with the others

It also has the best theme tune and credit sequence I have seen in a while

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: kidsick5000 on April 07, 2017, 09:26:20 PM
I love Trial & Error.
The rehearsal cross examination by the assistant near killed me.
Easily my favourite. It's also very Parks And Rec.

Just caught up with episode 8 and enjoyed it, though I noticed at one point early on the daughter says "John says he's an outdoor boyfriend" and they didn't bother to reshoot it, which shocks and appals!

Quote from: phantom_power on April 08, 2017, 08:18:54 PM
It also has the best theme tune and credit sequence I have seen in a while

Yeah, I love the theme and credits a great deal too. I just wish the show was less patchy, but hopefully they've found their feet now.

Gulftastic

Speechless continues to be excellent. If you get chance, you should give it a viewing.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Gulftastic on April 10, 2017, 05:19:48 PM
Speechless continues to be excellent. If you get chance, you should give it a viewing.

Nah, I don't like the disableds.
Spoiler alert
I jest, I promise! I have watched a few episodes and liked it, but was put off by Minnie Driver's way too manic character. But I liked it enough to keep on downloading it each week and will watch it in the summer lull.
[close]

Small Man Big Horse

Powerless - Nathalie Morales turns up as Green Fury this week and is apparently in the next two episodes as well, and as I love her (and have done since the much missed The Middle Man) I inevitably thought it was a great episode. Someone really should give her her own show, it's insane how many times she's been underutilised in something. I'm also very tempted to give this show it's own thread, if in the unlikely event it gets a second season and the quality is maintained I will do.

Trial and Error - Still patchy as fuck and all over the place. Still very funny in places and annoying in others. Gah, it's such a shame as there have been some stand out moments
Spoiler alert
(Lithgow throwing Alphonso through the window being one of my favourites)
[close]
but it's frustratingly inconsistent.

American Dad - Back for the second half of the season it was pretty funny stuff, though they really need to stop using the "Oh no, Stan and Francine's marriage is in trouble" plot line, and it does feel like a certain spark is missing.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Also back after far too long a gap, I'm glad they resolved Gina's cliffhanger quickly and it led to some great moments. I have to admit I'm a bit tired of the "Oh no, the precinct is in danger" story lines of late, and really hope that's all resolved by the end of the season.

Angie Tribeca Season 3 - After a really poor second season I wasn't even sure if I was going to bother watching the first episode this year, but I'm glad I did. It was nothing amazing but the joke count seemed much higher, and Chris Pine was having fun as a Hannibal Lecter-esque psychopath.

kidsick5000

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on April 14, 2017, 07:16:36 PM

Trial and Error - Still patchy as fuck and all over the place. Still very funny in places and annoying in others. Gah, it's such a shame as there have been some stand out moments
Spoiler alert
(Lithgow throwing Alphonso through the window being one of my favourites)
[close]
but it's frustratingly inconsistent.

At the rate this is being burned through, I'm guessing a second season isn't on the cards. I don't get the patchiness but each to their own.

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on April 14, 2017, 07:16:36 PM
Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Also back after far too long a gap, I'm glad they resolved Gina's cliffhanger quickly and it led to some great moments. I have to admit I'm a bit tired of the "Oh no, the precinct is in danger" story lines of late, and really hope that's all resolved by the end of the season.

I found this return a slog. For a show I usually find too short, I found myself making a cup of tea with pausing it and not a huge inclination to check back.

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on April 14, 2017, 07:16:36 PM
Angie Tribeca Season 3 - After a really poor second season I wasn't even sure if I was going to bother watching the first episode this year, but I'm glad I did. It was nothing amazing but the joke count seemed much higher, and Chris Pine was having fun as a Hannibal Lecter-esque psychopath.

This was great. As obvious as it was, the Miami gag still made me laugh

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: kidsick5000 on April 14, 2017, 08:12:03 PM
At the rate this is being burned through, I'm guessing a second season isn't on the cards. I don't get the patchiness but each to their own.

The secretary and ex-cop fella just don't work for me. The latter occasionally has his moments I guess, but the former is a terrible character, with the various conditions she suffers from annoying me a lot. But otherwise I generally like it a lot! I would like to see a second season as well, but the ratings are poor sadly.

Edit: I do wonder if it's going to turn out that Lithgow did it all along, if only because then Josh would be fired and it gives him a reason to stick around town for a potential second season. That or he gets found guilty despite being blatantly innocent, which would amuse me.

remedial_gash

I'm still loving "the mick"kaitlin Olson is obviously great but I adore the deadbeat boyfriend Scott Macarthur  who is also a writer... plus the daughter is fucking hot - and she's 24 not the 16 she plays.

Quote from: remedial_gash on April 15, 2017, 07:37:53 AM
I'm still loving "the mick"kaitlin Olson is obviously great but I adore the deadbeat boyfriend Scott Macarthur  who is also a writer... plus the daughter is fucking hot - and she's 24 not the 16 she plays.

Agree with all of this. It's great. And Jimmy has become my favourite character. His friendship with the daughter's boyfriend and the bleak ending in the sauna episode was ace.

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: Sydward Lartle on April 07, 2017, 06:10:02 PM
I'm always the first to admit that I don't really get American television comedy. I'm sure it's well written, snappy, slick, tightly performed and beautifully observed, but I don't think I've seen an episode of anything from across the pond that has raised more than an indulgent titter. Back in the nineties I used to watch Channel Four's perenially underperforming US import Empty Nest (a spinoff from the Golden Girls, I believe) because I fancied Dinah Manoff and Kristy McNichol. Don't think I ever laughed at it, though.

I used to think this. I think there's a rule of thumb with American comedy whereby if it's a traditional multi-camera studio job it's shite, but if it's a single camera job it's good.

Since the us office did well (and to a lesser extent Arrested Development) there's been heaps of brilliant American comedies.

I assume Parks and Rec and 30 Rock have had their own threads so I'll nominate the somewhat more lowbrow Vice Principles.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: kidsick5000 on April 14, 2017, 08:12:03 PM
At the rate this is being burned through, I'm guessing a second season isn't on the cards. I don't get the patchiness but each to their own.

Just watched Episode 11 and have to say it was my favourite yet, with even the secretary character providing a laugh with "Wine Syndrome". Oddly enough I only noticed today that this is the second Henderson Lithgow's portrayed, as one of his best known films is of course Harry and The Hendersons. Which made me wonder if Lithgow's reference to his twin brother Harry was a nod to it, though it would have made more sense if he'd been called George.

Ant Farm Keyboard

Trial & Error also benefits from a very strong deadpan performance by Jayma Mays. I was much more used to seeing her playing cute and quirky characters, she's a good surprise as a wannabe figure of authority. Her character is based on Matthew McConaughey in Bernie, but, as he was a total blast in that film, I won't complain.

There's one small, subtle gag about her I hadn't noticed but that was mentioned on the AV Club boards. During the montage of the prosecution case, in the beginning of the latest episode, you can see her hair progressively change. The dark roots get longer and longer until "Day 28".

One in all, it's basically a murder story set in Pawnee, using another name for the town. And I won't complain about that.

Also...
– the bleeped-out description about what Larry and Alfonso did in the changing room
– "The choice is clear, it's East Peck Glass. The choice is clear it's East Peck Glass", and the whistling
– Julie Hagerty, from Airplane!, plays the animal psychic. But she doesn't talk to animals, that would be insane. Animals talk to her.

kidsick5000

Quote from: Ant Farm Keyboard on April 15, 2017, 07:12:13 PM
Trial & Error also benefits from a very strong deadpan performance by Jayma Mays.

She's also had one of the filthiest non-bleeped gags with the "rub your face in it" line.

Small Man Big Horse

Trial and Error - Wrapped up this week, and I liked it a fair deal.
Spoiler alert
I'd be lying if I didn't admit wanting to see Lithgow turn out to be guilty but the final reveal worked well enough for me. The phone thing not being hacked until the final episode is frustrating though, wouldn't the police have been able to unlock it far earlier? Josh's closing speech was weak as well, he really needed to hammer home the idea of reasonable doubt, and the possibility that it could have been Rutger Hiss, the fact that he faked his own coma should have been enough to make the jury question his innocence. Not quite sure how I feel about Lithgow leaving either, sure he might feel unable to escape his reputation in the town, but, er, what about his daughter? Either he walked out without saying goodbye, or he's gone home and she'll see him there before he leaves but he's still abandoning her and it feels like an odd way to end the season.
[close]

phantom_power

I am really enjoying Trial and Error (up to episode 7 so far). It has a really strong ensemble cast that help sell and smooth over the more obvious jokes.

Moribunderast

I liked Trial & Error, although I'd class it more as amiably watchable than I would particularly funny. Definitely had it's moments though and the premise + quick airing schedule had me keen to keep watching. I started watching for Lithgow but I actually found him (or his character, really) to be one of the weaker elements. Jayma Mays was obviously the standout but I thought the main lawyer bloke became a pretty fun character as it went on, also. Granted, that was generally when he was sharing scenes with Jayma Mays.

Dwayne and Anne didn't grab me at first, as they seemed like one-note characters but the performances eventually won me over. They were both good at adding little nuances, either through delivery or gesture ("What's got two thumbs and is a sheriff again?" *points index fingers at self*) and they both brought a dumb enthusiasm to the roles that became infectious.

Not a classic by any means but a show I'd recommend for binge watching on a rainy weekend afternoon, for sure.

phantom_power

Though it doesn't count as a sitcom (though it is funny) I enjoy watching iZombie, which doesn't seem to get much discussion on here. The new season (3) is being released weekly on Netflix in tune with the airing in the US

Ant Farm Keyboard

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on April 19, 2017, 06:03:09 PM
Trial and Error - Wrapped up this week, and I liked it a fair deal.
Spoiler alert
I'd be lying if I didn't admit wanting to see Lithgow turn out to be guilty but the final reveal worked well enough for me. The phone thing not being hacked until the final episode is frustrating though, wouldn't the police have been able to unlock it far earlier? Josh's closing speech was weak as well, he really needed to hammer home the idea of reasonable doubt, and the possibility that it could have been Rutger Hiss, the fact that he faked his own coma should have been enough to make the jury question his innocence. Not quite sure how I feel about Lithgow leaving either, sure he might feel unable to escape his reputation in the town, but, er, what about his daughter? Either he walked out without saying goodbye, or he's gone home and she'll see him there before he leaves but he's still abandoning her and it feels like an odd way to end the season.
[close]

I read your post, and a few seconds later, I switched to another tab, which had the AV Club discussion.

Spoiler alert
Spoiler alert
It was me who wrote you there.
[close]

Moribunderast

Quote from: phantom_power on April 20, 2017, 11:36:44 AM
Though it doesn't count as a sitcom (though it is funny) I enjoy watching iZombie, which doesn't seem to get much discussion on here. The new season (3) is being released weekly on Netflix in tune with the airing in the US

I've often considered starting an iZombie thread but I've always doubted it would get much traction here. I love the show. It's by Rob Thomas, who created Veronica Mars and Party Down, both of which were quite different but equally great. iZombie definitely leans more to the Veronica Mars tone, what with it's sassy female lead and murder-mystery elements, but it's quite funny and spins a fun yarn. Also, Rob Thomas the creator ropes in Rob Thomas the Matchbox 20 boy for some very fun in-jokes.

phantom_power

The third series has changed up the formula nicely but I hope they resolve the Ravi love triangle bollocks soon as he has gone from being my favourite character to a pain in the arse

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Ant Farm Keyboard on April 20, 2017, 09:54:06 PM
I read your post, and a few seconds later, I switched to another tab, which had the AV Club discussion.

Spoiler alert
Spoiler alert
It was me who wrote you there.
[close]

I thought it was you, as I did quickly look at your AV Club posts and there were really informative and interesting and the writing style was similar. Nice to have it confirmed though. :) And I don't often do such a thing but I was feeling very lazy that day, and...um, well I have no other excuse really!

kidsick5000


Small Man Big Horse

That's shit news, I was really hoping they'd get a second season, with a few small changes it could have been a really fun series.