Lucy vs. Seinfeld

[upperco]

My point exactly. I watch it to be entertained by characters that never disappoint me, they make me laugh and I love all of them. Not so Archie Bunker, or Frasier or the foursome that drove me up the wall with their neurotic behavior on Seinfeld. Such lovable eccentric behavior, as killing one's future wife by using cheap glue on wedding invitations, and then acting as if nothing special happened when she dies. The soup Nazi, a clown wanting to kill a character, how long one can go without masturbating, and oh yes, the last show where they see a crime, ignore it and get jailed for their inaction, OH MY GOD, WHAT WRITING, WHAT A RIOT! LOL! Gimme shows I can relate to, I am not a neurotic Jewish New Yorker, but I have friends, oh and I never could have participated in the masturbation contest, MUCH TOO HARD! No pun intended.

 

Different strokes for different folks. (Pun intended. )

 

I completely understand what you're saying but I don't think relatability is essential in distinguishing good comedy from middling comedy. Certainly it helps when ascertaining one's personal tastes.

 

Anyway, FRIENDS will always have a following because the shows are often funny. But I still think the writing, even by many of its fans, has never been considered brilliant. And while most people think the things they enjoy ARE brilliant, I do think we can sometimes distinguish between our own personal pleasures and the seriously exceptional pleasures. I think FRIENDS is actually a lot like THE GOLDEN GIRLS: strong performers and characters, with many laugh-out-loud moments. But the writing and comedy, especially in the later seasons, is just cheaper to me. I think this is especially evident when we compare the writing of other successful shows. But taste is all subjective. When the people of 2200 examine sitcoms, they'll undoubtedly compare all of these shows as we are doing now. Though they may like FRIENDS, I don't think they'll classify it with I LOVE LUCY.

 

As I said earlier, SEINFELD might still be well regarded... but by then, the novelty could have worn off. People of 2200 might indeed be turned off by the neurotic-ness. Everyone's mileage varies, as they say! I LOVE LUCY will always have the notability of being a pioneer. And I think there will always be people who adore it. In terms of quality, it's my absolute favorite. However, it would be much more interesting to compare LUCY to other shows with, I think, stronger writing. In my mind, some of those include: THE HONEYMOONERS, DICK VAN DYKE, MARY TYLER MOORE, ALL IN THE FAMILY (early years), and CHEERS.

 

Also, a contemporary of SEINFELD and FRIENDS that I think might have a shot at more lasting notoriety is EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, which I think is arguably the best written domestic sitcom of the late '90s and early '00s. It's no early season FRASIER, but the scripts are much more consistent, I feel, than FRIENDS. As a domestic sitcom, this might be the poster child of the era.

 

But, as always, to each his own.

[Annaleigh]

I forgot about Raymond! That will last too!

[Irene Kampen Tripp]

I never liked FRIENDS...and SIENFELD is okay...I like Jerry Stiller...I like RAYMOND... I like the BIG BANG THEORY ... I used to like WILL AND GRACE ...and I absolutely HATE HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER.... Family Guy and M odern Family.....those are good funny shows that should.stand the test of time...of course I Love Lucy is.still my favorite

[Brock]

Re: How I Met Your Mother, I only watch if I know they are going to mention or revisit the "Robin Sparkles" plot line, which is completely laugh out loud funny to me...but I suspect it is a Canadian thing. Other than that, I'll pass.

[Luvsbway]

I think that is the only episode/ plot line I have ever seen of that show.

[sharon]

I enjoyed the first two seasons of "HIMYM," but I lost interest after awhile. I'm not sure why, but I think some of the episodes are hilarious. I was hesitant to watch "Friends" at first because the fans seemed really annoying and it was so hyped. "Friends" also came on the same night as "Martin." But, I started watching it when "Martin" was canceled and I liked it too. I haven't watched it in years though and don't plan too. I've never liked "Raymond."

[Irene Kampen Tripp]

I was waaay hesitant to watch Raymond...but thanks to.reruns...i can appreciate it.....something in my pasrbprevents.me.from ever liking friends...Ibdont know why SIENFIELD is above ILL..because they.are so different...of.course.given.a choice...im goin with ILL

[C L A U D E]

That makes TWO of us, despite the in residence brilliance of a fine cast including Alyson Hannigan, Jason Segel and the incomparable Mr. Neil Patrick Harris, whom as much as I admire and adore him, I can not manage to sit through this dreck!

Me too, love the cast, great actors, just lousy unfunny writing.

[C L A U D E]

You're the first person I've ever noted to claim that HIMYM is revered and lauded by the "young generation" or anyone else for that matter. How it's managed to last nine seasons (!) is beyond my comprehension other than the fact that more than anything, it's what I consider a hit mostly due to it's coveted timeslot.

Exactly, time slot, no other reason, look at their ratings, reminds me of WINGS, another show that lasted forever but you so seldom see the reruns anywhere.

[C L A U D E]

Wondering then why you invested in six seasons of Seinfeld (which actually ran 9 total) if you don't care much for it in the first place??

Just checked and I DO have all nine seasons, but have never played any of them even once. The reason was at one time it was a very popular show, and I wanted all the most popular shows in my collection. Got them for almost nothing as they are BOOTLEGS, not originals. OH AND LET ME CONFESS HERE AND NOW, the ONLY reason I hate this show and it's star was because one time in one episode, he claimed never having cared for ILL and never having seen the show, I just hated that. And haven't watched the show since, BUT, I will admit some episodes were quite funny, there, I said it and don't ever expect me to say anything like that again, LOL!

[C L A U D E]

I never said I liked How I Met Your Mother but it is most commonly liked with my generation. Friends, HIMYM, and one I forgot about is The Big Bang Theory.

 

No one will ever stand to I Love Lucy's success. But I believe Friends, Simpsons, Seinfeld, and possibly HIMYM will last for decades on.

Glad you brought that up, Big Bang Theory, sometimes quite funny, sometimes terrible, and the characters eventually wear out their welcome, they're so friggin annoying. BUT, the stars are great and I certainly didn't mind buying that series as it will still be funny decades from now.

[C L A U D E]

I enjoyed Seinfeld the most when I was a sarcastic teenager. Still love George. I'm in my 30s now and I don't enjoy overanalyzing every little thing and having an endless list of pet peeves and reasons not to connect with other people. So much of Seinfeld is based on "I'm so cool and smart and everyone else isn't." But, with Lucy you feel like you're apart of her world. She isn't perfect and she isn't rejecting people for silly things like manhands.

So well said, I feel the same way.

[C L A U D E]

It's no lie most of the people I know my age are in LOVE with HIMYM. It's got a huge following.

Yeah, you young whippersnappers always TIVO or DVR the show, hence the lousy ratings it gets.

[C L A U D E]

Different strokes for different folks. (Pun intended. )

 

I completely understand what you're saying but I don't think relatability is essential in distinguishing good comedy from middling comedy. Certainly it helps when ascertaining one's personal tastes.

 

Anyway, FRIENDS will always have a following because the shows are often funny. But I still think the writing, even by many of its fans, has never been considered brilliant. And while most people think the things they enjoy ARE brilliant, I do think we can sometimes distinguish between our own personal pleasures and the seriously exceptional pleasures. I think FRIENDS is actually a lot like THE GOLDEN GIRLS: strong performers and characters, with many laugh-out-loud moments. But the writing and comedy, especially in the later seasons, is just cheaper to me. I think this is especially evident when we compare the writing of other successful shows. But taste is all subjective. When the people of 2200 examine sitcoms, they'll undoubtedly compare all of these shows as we are doing now. Though they may like FRIENDS, I don't think they'll classify it with I LOVE LUCY.

 

As I said earlier, SEINFELD might still be well regarded... but by then, the novelty could have worn off. People of 2200 might indeed be turned off by the neurotic-ness. Everyone's mileage varies, as they say! I LOVE LUCY will always have the notability of being a pioneer. And I think there will always be people who adore it. In terms of quality, it's my absolute favorite. However, it would be much more interesting to compare LUCY to other shows with, I think, stronger writing. In my mind, some of those include: THE HONEYMOONERS, DICK VAN DYKE, MARY TYLER MOORE, ALL IN THE FAMILY (early years), and CHEERS.

 

Also, a contemporary of SEINFELD and FRIENDS that I think might have a shot at more lasting notoriety is EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, which I think is arguably the best written domestic sitcom of the late '90s and early '00s. It's no early season FRASIER, but the scripts are much more consistent, I feel, than FRIENDS. As a domestic sitcom, this might be the poster child of the era.

 

But, as always, to each his own.

O M G I so agree about EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, best written, best acted, most consistent, it only got better at the end of it's run than at the beginning. I consider THAT series the closest thing to I Love Lucy except for the fact that the most brilliant comedic actress of all time was NOT on the show though. And Roseanne's early years were great too, until, like Maude and other series, they got all preachy at the end, watch the early and middle years for the most realistic sitcom of all time. And like head of CBS William Paily once said, every series needs lovable characters one can relate to, not people you end up despising like Raymond's wife and brother.

[C L A U D E]

I never liked FRIENDS...and SIENFELD is okay...I like Jerry Stiller...I like RAYMOND... I like the BIG BANG THEORY ... I used to like WILL AND GRACE ...and I absolutely HATE HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER.... Family Guy and M odern Family.....those are good funny shows that should.stand the test of time...of course I Love Lucy is.still my favorite

Forgot about Will and Grace, great show, great actors, very very funny, but that too got tired at the end. All the supporting characters on Seinfeld were great, Jerry ended up on King of Queens, a terrible show, but Jerry was still great even with weak material. I actually bought the first two seasons of How I Met Your Mother and gave them away after watching half of season one, just not funny, I tried a few of the later shows on regular tv but just hated them. Family Guy I got tired of, same as The Simpsons, but i'll watch either shows in reruns I come across as they were at least funny. Modern Family I just cannot get into, filmed in front of a live audience I might, but this set up I hate, funniest show on tv that gets the Emmy every year, YEAH, RIGHT! That honor belongs to Louie C K `s show, now that one I found F U N N Y !

[C L A U D E]

Of course, our comedy palate has been saturated with every possible situation or laugh getting scheme over the decades so we`re rather difficult to please by now.

[C L A U D E]

Re: How I Met Your Mother, I only watch if I know they are going to mention or revisit the "Robin Sparkles" plot line, which is completely laugh out loud funny to me...but I suspect it is a Canadian thing. Other than that, I'll pass.

Yeah, was going to mention that too, I actually liked THAT plot line.

[C L A U D E]

I think that is the only episode/ plot line I have ever seen of that show.

Well, if that`s the kind of episode you wanted, you got a great one, LOL!

[C L A U D E]

I was waaay hesitant to watch Raymond...but thanks to.reruns...i can appreciate it.....something in my pasrbprevents.me.from ever liking friends...Ibdont know why SIENFIELD is above ILL..because they.are so different...of.course.given.a choice...im goin with ILL

You had better cause i`m gonna punch you so hard you`ll talk even funnier, or post even crazier, than you do now, LOL!

[sharon]

Exactly, time slot, no other reason, look at their ratings, reminds me of WINGS, another show that lasted forever but you so seldom see the reruns anywhere.

WINGS is one of the last sitcoms made by people (David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee of "Cheers" and "Frasier") who didn't base their comedy on references to other shows or media. An average episode of "Wings," "Cheers" or "Frasier" can stand on its own, but if you don't know the cultural references in shows like "Family Guy" or "HIMYM," you're not getting the entire joke.

[C L A U D E]

WINGS is one of the last sitcoms made by people (David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee of "Cheers" and "Frasier") who didn't base their comedy on references to other shows or media. An average episode of "Wings," "Cheers" or "Frasier" can stand on its own, but if you don't know the cultural references in shows like "Family Guy" or "HIMYM," you're not getting the entire joke.

People forget that there WERE some topical references on the show, BESS AND HARRY GOT THE LAST TABLE was one, it referred to President Truman and his wife and there were loads of them too. The Lucy show and Here's Lucy had quite a few themselves.

[Irene Kampen Tripp]

YOU dont like Modern Family? I figured you would..... Anyone else on here not like it? I think it is well written and the cast is very good...... I love Ed ONeil.... I didnt.care for MWC....But I love him in this....give it a shot again Claude

[upperco]

With regards to MODERN FAMILY: I feel like the show is very hit and miss. I find the writing very formulaic, despite the show's insistence that it's original and hilarious. Vergara is a dynamic performer, but I can't seem to get on the Bowen bandwagon. I think much of the series' success rides on the existence of Cam and Mitch, who indeed are the most original thing about the show. And while O'Neill and Vergara always score with laughs, I have never found Bowen or Burrell especially entertaining. Not an awful way to spend a half hour, but its Emmy wins speak more to a lack of competition than anything else. In my opinion, of course.

 

I much prefer MARRIED... WITH CHILDREN, a true parody of the domestic sitcom. Which, although made of a cheaper cut (like FRIENDS and THE GOLDEN GIRLS), could fairly regularly deliver some of television's most uproarious laughs. It's rude, it's crude, but we don't take it seriously. Unlike FRIENDS, THE GOLDEN GIRLS, and the other domestic sitcoms of the '70s and 80s, there are no attempts made to pull at our heart strings. It's refreshing, as long as you aren't too turned off by the crassness and the cheapness of some of the jokes that miss. It's no where near I LOVE LUCY or its quality, but if you want a quick and easy laugh, MARRIED... WITH CHILDREN is ideal.

[C L A U D E]

With regards to MODERN FAMILY: I feel like the show is very hit and miss. I find the writing very formulaic, despite the show's insistence that it's original and hilarious. Vergara is a dynamic performer, but I can't seem to get on the Bowen bandwagon. I think much of the series' success rides on the existence of Cam and Mitch, who indeed are the most original thing about the show. And while O'Neill and Vergara always score with laughs, I have never found Bowen or Burrell especially entertaining. Not an awful way to spend a half hour, but its Emmy wins speak more to a lack of competition than anything else. In my opinion, of course.

 

I much prefer MARRIED... WITH CHILDREN, a true parody of the domestic sitcom. Which, although made of a cheaper cut (like FRIENDS and THE GOLDEN GIRLS), could fairly regularly deliver some of television's most uproarious laughs. It's rude, it's crude, but we don't take it seriously. Unlike FRIENDS, THE GOLDEN GIRLS, and the other domestic sitcoms of the '70s and 80s, there are no attempts made to pull at our heart strings. It's refreshing, as long as you aren't too turned off by the crassness and the cheapness of some of the jokes that miss. It's no where near I LOVE LUCY or its quality, but if you want a quick and easy laugh, MARRIED... WITH CHILDREN is ideal.

Oy, putting me down for loving FRIENDS and then singing the praises of crud like Married With Children, surely you jest!

[C L A U D E]

YOU dont like Modern Family? I figured you would..... Anyone else on here not like it? I think it is well written and the cast is very good...... I love Ed ONeil.... I didnt.care for MWC....But I love him in this....give it a shot again Claude

I tried many times but hate the feel of a show, especially a comedy, NOT filmed in front of an audience. They came close in the show with James Marsden in the Jacuzzi though, I actually recorded that one, LOL!