chedderchester Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 How the hell do most people think SEINFELD is the best comedy ever? Or the SIMPSONS? Both are funny (I've only seen a few Seinfeld eps) but if it weren't for Lucy, the other 2 shows wouldn't even exist. My mom loves Seinfeld but even she thinks Lucy is way funnier. Some people even think The Golden Girls is the "best comedy ever" and while I love it, nothing can beat Lucy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 How the hell do most people think SEINFELD is the best comedy ever? Or the SIMPSONS? Both are funny (I've only seen a few Seinfeld eps) but if it weren't for Lucy, the other 2 shows wouldn't even exist. My mom loves Seinfeld but even she thinks Lucy is way funnier. Some people even think The Golden Girls is the "best comedy ever" and while I love it, nothing can beat Lucy. I was going to post I PASS on this one but out of respect for YOU . . . the ONLY reason Seinfeld and The Simpsons get so much recognition is because they are NEWER shows than Lucy's. Some people only know what's recent, not having been around when Lucy was in her heyday. Both shows WERE funny, i'll give em' that, The Simpsons just still keeps going like the Energizer rabbit. BUT, fifty years from now, they will be forgotten, not getting the popularity they're getting NOW. I even give a better chance to The Simpsons for lasting though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Seinfeld is brilliant in a different kind of way. Completely different kind of humor. There's no need for comparison because both shows set out to accomplish different things. It takes all kinds. That being said, the idea of a Ricardo-Mertz anti-gratifying contest would be a hoot! FRED: I'm out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upperco Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 SEINFELD is usually a very well-written series. But I think it's of its own time. All shows are period pieces and representative of the times in which they were produced, but SEINFELD's humor is much more topical. I don't think SEINFELD will be as accessible to audiences of 2200 as I LOVE LUCY will be. Also, I think audiences of 2200 will not think the show as fresh or innovative as it was perceived in 2000. I LOVE LUCY's legacy as a pioneer will exist forever. As will the respect for the series. In regards to THE GOLDEN GIRLS... It's an incredibly accessible and "laugh-out-loud" show to audiences of all ages. But the writing (especially in the later seasons) is formulaic and -- with all respect to the series because I do love it too -- cheap and gimmicky. I LOVE LUCY has a much higher and noticeable standard of quality. THE GOLDEN GIRLS is a great show, but not quite in I LOVE LUCY's league. It never really was. Meanwhile, THE SIMPSONS is an animated series and I've personally never even classified it with the sitcoms I adore -- I LOVE LUCY, CHEERS, DICK VAN DYKE, MARY TYLER MOORE -- because it's a different type of show. (Furthermore, regarding my personal tastes, I would never ever consider it in I LOVE LUCY's league. Ever.) So no comparison can really be made here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 SEINFELD is usually a very well-written series. But I think it's of its own time. All shows are period pieces and representative of the times in which they were produced, but SEINFELD's humor is much more topical. I don't think SEINFELD will be as accessible to audiences of 2200 as I LOVE LUCY will be. Also, I think audiences of 2200 will not think the show as fresh or innovative as it was perceived in 2000. I LOVE LUCY's legacy as a pioneer will exist forever. As will the respect for the series. In regards to THE GOLDEN GIRLS... It's an incredibly accessible and "laugh-out-loud" show to audiences of all ages. But the writing (especially in the later seasons) is formulaic and -- with all respect to the series because I do love it too -- cheap and gimmicky. I LOVE LUCY has a much higher and noticeable standard of quality. THE GOLDEN GIRLS is a great show, but not quite in I LOVE LUCY's league. It never really was. Meanwhile, THE SIMPSONS is an animated series and I've personally never even classified it with the sitcoms I adore -- I LOVE LUCY, CHEERS, DICK VAN DYKE, MARY TYLER MOORE -- because it's a different type of show. (Furthermore, regarding my personal tastes, I would never ever consider it in I LOVE LUCY's league. Ever.) So no comparison can really be made here. Well said and I so agree about The Golden Girls, I sometimes catch some reruns and I had forgotten how unfunny most of them were. Betty saved quite a few of them though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I believe The Simpsons will stand the test of time. Over 20 years already, I'm not a big fan of The Simpsons either. Another show I can see standing the test of time is Friends. BUT, I can see Seinfeld continuing to rule TV for at least 20 more years. (how many retro tv shows are still on that don't compare to Lucy?) I've watched a lot of Seinfeld episodes due to the fact it's my parent's favorite. The character's are simple and memorable. That's what it's about if you can relate to those characters and if you can laugh. If TV ever fades away, I Love Lucy will still be on somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upperco Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I'm curious as to what about FRIENDS strikes you as likely to stand the test of time. I have every episode and I like them just fine (well maybe not Seasons Nine and Ten), but I don't think the show is nearly as funny today as it seemed to be when it first aired. I think SEINFELD has retained its laughs better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I agree about Friends. I was crazy about it in the early 2000's and still respect the show a great deal, but I find I don't enjoy it nearly as much as I used to. Still a good show, but not great... The early years of Will & Grace I think will stand the test of time. Such great writing and acting. I've always thought W&G was a vastly superior show to Friends. The vast pop-culture references in the later seasons dated it fast, but look at all the pop culture references on I Love Lucy. How many people nowadays talk about Blood Alley every day? Yet the John Wayne and other celebrity guest star episodes remain perennial favorites among fans. By including those references, these shows can be mini time capsules that capture the mood and spirit of the time for later generations to re-live. I think Seinfeld is in a class by itself, as is I Love Lucy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I'm curious as to what about FRIENDS strikes you as likely to stand the test of time. I have every episode and I like them just fine (well maybe not Seasons Nine and Ten), but I don't think the show is nearly as funny today as it seemed to be when it first aired. I think SEINFELD has retained its laughs better. You gotta think of the younger generations. This show is a favorite of a majority of people my age (20s). They will show it to their children and so on. Plus this show is always on. There is like only 2 hours in the day it isn't on TV around here. Lol. Plus easily relatable with wonderful characters. Also just a feel good show. Friends has basically been around for 2 decades and is still popular as ever. I give it another 40 years. Plus you guys are thinking strictly your opinion. You gotta think of what the world enjoys today. Shows like Friends and How I Met Your Mother have made a great impact on younger generations. Also, take Rocky Horror Picture Show? That musical isn't the greatest but look at it. Nearly 40 years later and it's as big as ever. It just takes a certain following of something to make it last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upperco Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Perhaps you're right. Perhaps FRIENDS will never lose its popularity. But I don't think the scholars or historians will ever classify FRIENDS as a show of similar quality to LUCY. Meanwhile, SEINFELD has and probably will continue to be (for a while, at least). FRIENDS was always... I like the show and I don't want to be harsh, but... triter. Characters devolving and writers going for easy jokes. And though it's always been well liked, it was never as awarded or as regarded as the early years of FRASIER, which I think are brilliant. (My tastes are DEFINITELY not representative of the majority of television viewers, however.) I think FRIENDS is a THREE'S COMPANY to FRASIER's TAXI. One is fun and enjoyable to watch, the other is well crafted. However, I think SEINFELD, like LUCY, is both funny and well crafted, but I think the latter is still in a league of its own. (P.S. And then there's CHEERS which I think is one of the most consistent sitcoms, next to I LOVE LUCY, of course.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 You gotta think of what the world enjoys today. Shows like Friends and How I Met Your Mother have made a great impact on younger generations. Oh please, please expound on this! I find this comment fascinating! (Perplexing...but fascinating! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Cheers and Frasier stand apart too..both top notch sitcoms, I adore them both. I remember one review of Ellen compared her to Lucy Ricardo. Goodness knows few comediennes in the 90s did physical comedy in the vein of Lucy the way Ellen did. But Ellen will be remembered in time more for its groundbreaking coming out story than the show itself. Its a pity that final season isn't seen more nowadays...reminiscent of Norman Lear in how barrier breaking it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Oh please, please expound on this! I find this comment fascinating! (Perplexing...but fascinating! ) These shows stand out because of the aspect of friendship and of course the laugh factor. Those two shows have the biggest liking in my generation. I think the variety of characters also is a factor. Any show that has a group of friends, people always relate. A group of friends can sit and watch a situation happen in the show that has also happen to them or their friend act like one of the characters. That's what it's about today. The basics of friendships, love, and relatability. These shows arent my favorite but in today's world of reality TV these sitcoms actually stand out to my generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I'm curious as to what about FRIENDS strikes you as likely to stand the test of time. I have every episode and I like them just fine (well maybe not Seasons Nine and Ten), but I don't think the show is nearly as funny today as it seemed to be when it first aired. I think SEINFELD has retained its laughs better. I catch Friends any time I find a rerun because it is one of the best sitcoms ever created with the perfect cast and it's quite funny. I have all ten seasons and replay the Ross/Rachel dilemma often. The one scene where she finds out he loved her from the very beginning and was going to take her somewhere when her date never showed still puts me away every single time I watch it. I have all six seasons of Seinfeld also but never ever play any of them, bad enough some reruns of that show still play sometimes, I would only watch a few of them as I just never liked the show or thought it was that funny, which is why I never saw Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm as HE was the inspiration for George and I've been George'd up to here! But Kramer I liked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 You gotta think of the younger generations. This show is a favorite of a majority of people my age (20s). They will show it to their children and so on. Plus this show is always on. There is like only 2 hours in the day it isn't on TV around here. Lol. Plus easily relatable with wonderful characters. Also just a feel good show. Friends has basically been around for 2 decades and is still popular as ever. I give it another 40 years. Plus you guys are thinking strictly your opinion. You gotta think of what the world enjoys today. Shows like Friends and How I Met Your Mother have made a great impact on younger generations. Also, take Rocky Horror Picture Show? That musical isn't the greatest but look at it. Nearly 40 years later and it's as big as ever. It just takes a certain following of something to make it last. O M G are you kidding, How I Met Your Mother stinks and I find it so hard to understand why it's been on this long, thank God this coming season is it's last. It is supposed to be a comedy series, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Cheers and Frasier stand apart too..both top notch sitcoms, I adore them both. I remember one review of Ellen compared her to Lucy Ricardo. Goodness knows few comediennes in the 90s did physical comedy in the vein of Lucy the way Ellen did. But Ellen will be remembered in time more for its groundbreaking coming out story than the show itself. Its a pity that final season isn't seen more nowadays...reminiscent of Norman Lear in how barrier breaking it was. Cheers I love but Frasier, I just cannot love a character so pompous and boring. I guess it was type casting as grammer thinks he's beloved but is not. Now his brother and dad were lovable though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 These shows stand out because of the aspect of friendship and of course the laugh factor. Those two shows have the biggest liking in my generation. I think the variety of characters also is a factor. Any show that has a group of friends, people always relate. A group of friends can sit and watch a situation happen in the show that has also happen to them or their friend act like one of the characters. That's what it's about today. The basics of friendships, love, and relatability. These shows arent my favorite but in today's world of reality TV these sitcoms actually stand out to my generation. The only decent thing about How I Met your mother is the nice group of actors in it, they should fire one of them and hire better writers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upperco Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 I catch Friends any time I find a rerun because it is one of the best sitcoms ever created with the perfect cast and it's quite funny. I have all ten seasons and replay the Ross/Rachel dilemma often. The one scene where she finds out he loved her from the very beginning and was going to take her somewhere when her date never showed still puts me away every single time I watch it. I have all six seasons of Seinfeld also but never ever play any of them, bad enough some reruns of that show still play sometimes, I would only watch a few of them as I just never liked the show or thought it was that funny, which is why I never saw Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm as HE was the inspiration for George and I've been George'd up to here! But Kramer I liked! To each his own. I think SEINFELD boasts better writing than FRIENDS, but the latter does have a "feel good quality." FRIENDS will probably serve as a hallmark for the generation that watched it first run. It's exactly what a sitcom should be -- mindless entertainment. But if we're examining the series technically, it doesn't hold a candle to I LOVE LUCY. (Though, not many do.) Sure, its apples and oranges, but FRIENDS outstayed its creative welcome. It's one of the first shows that comes to mind (next to ALL IN THE FAMILY, BEWITCHED, and FRASIER) when thinking of sitcoms that really FELL in terms of quality. But I don't think anyone, no matter how much they love the series, looks to FRIENDS as a paradigm of excellent television. Its job is to entertain. Usually, I think it's pretty successful. They scored with some well developed characters (some of whom DEvolved as the show went along, but that's another story!) and the obligatory rom-com "hook" in Ross and Rachel. FRIENDS is a good show, and a sitcom worthy of some praise, but in my honest opinion, there are better shows -- funnier even -- with less schmultz and smarter jokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 To each his own. I think SEINFELD boasts better writing than FRIENDS, but the latter does have a "feel good quality." FRIENDS will probably serve as a hallmark for the generation that watched it first run. It's exactly what a sitcom should be -- mindless entertainment. But if we're examining the series technically, it doesn't hold a candle to I LOVE LUCY. (Though, not many do.) Sure, its apples and oranges, but FRIENDS outstayed its creative welcome. It's one of the first shows that comes to mind (next to ALL IN THE FAMILY, BEWITCHED, and FRASIER) when thinking of sitcoms that really FELL in terms of quality. But I don't think anyone, no matter how much they love the series, looks to FRIENDS as a paradigm of excellent television. Its job is to entertain. Usually, I think it's pretty successful. They scored with some well developed characters (some of whom DEvolved as the show went along, but that's another story!) and the obligatory rom-com "hook" in Ross and Rachel. FRIENDS is a good show, and a sitcom worthy of some praise, but in my honest opinion, there are better shows -- funnier even -- with less schmultz and smarter jokes. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 O M G are you kidding, How I Met Your Mother stinks and I find it so hard to understand why it's been on this long, thank God this coming season is it's last. It is supposed to be a comedy series, right? 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 These shows stand out because of the aspect of friendship and of course the laugh factor. Those two shows have the biggest liking in my generation. I think the variety of characters also is a factor. Any show that has a group of friends, people always relate. A group of friends can sit and watch a situation happen in the show that has also happen to them or their friend act like one of the characters. That's what it's about today. The basics of friendships, love, and relatability. These shows arent my favorite but in today's world of reality TV these sitcoms actually stand out to my generation. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 I catch Friends any time I find a rerun because it is one of the best sitcoms ever created with the perfect cast and it's quite funny. I have all ten seasons and replay the Ross/Rachel dilemma often. The one scene where she finds out he loved her from the very beginning and was going to take her somewhere when her date never showed still puts me away every single time I watch it. I have all six seasons of Seinfeld also but never ever play any of them, bad enough some reruns of that show still play sometimes, I would only watch a few of them as I just never liked the show or thought it was that funny, which is why I never saw Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm as HE was the inspiration for George and I've been George'd up to here! But Kramer I liked! 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?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 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. It's no lie most of the people I know my age are in LOVE with HIMYM. It's got a huge following. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharon Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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