View Full Version : Most poorly thought out/executed high-concept/"out there" sitcoms ever


TMC
12-03-2013, 04:32 AM
For example:
http://officialfan.proboards.com/thread/486534/short-lived-sitcoms-obcessed?page=1

QuotePost by BorneAgain on Dec 1, 2013 at 8:52pm

There was a sitcom from the early 90s called Good & Evil which is fascinating to in how badly thought out the show is and how its a text book example of an out there concept completely sucking up all the humor. Even putting aside the awkward attempt at blending quasi soap opera elements in, its impressive in how damn unfunny it is. In the pilot there's a vision impaired character played by Mark Blankfield who's blind humor shtick is so contrived and so idiotic it makes episodes of Mr. Magoo look like Monty Python. I'm pretty sure Mel Brooks saw it and cast him as Blinkin in Men in Tights just as a personal demonstration of how to do actual comedy with a blind character. This isn't even getting into how wasted Terri Garr is in her role, which again is so lacking in humor one's tempted to watch Young Frankenstein again just to see her work with a script that doesn't suck.

The pilot's on youtube in three parts and honest to god its worth a look.

TV_on_the_Porch
12-03-2013, 05:28 AM
One (not so) good 10:30PM sitcom mention deserves another: United States, the most utterly forgotten of all 80s sitcoms and deservedly so. Its eschewing of a laugh track was ahead of its time, but the producers also apparently thought there was some dramatic point to be made by having no theme music whatsoever.

The dramedy genre would have to wait another six or seven years--probably thanks to being set back by this turkey.

king of comedy
12-03-2013, 08:35 AM
I heard about United States. That was about a married couple.

zachattack12
12-06-2013, 09:37 PM
I heard both Good & Evil and United States were brilliant. Especially United States.

installLSC
12-16-2013, 02:54 AM
"Ugliest Girl In The World" from 1969 had a man deciding to avoid extradition from Britain by posing as London's fastest-rising female model(!). It was ever harder to buy this premise when the model looked like this. (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/2220/ugliest-girl.jpg)
"The Adventurer" (early 70s British series) had a lead character who was a spy who posed as a movie star. Why would any spy be stupid enough to pose as such a high profile person?

MDCSWildcats86
12-22-2013, 11:36 PM
One word: QUARK

zachattack12
12-23-2013, 12:08 AM
Quark was a good show.

king of comedy
12-23-2013, 07:14 AM
"Ugliest Girl In The World" from 1969 had a man deciding to avoid extradition from Britain by posing as London's fastest-rising female model(!). It was ever harder to buy this premise when the model looked like this. (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/2220/ugliest-girl.jpg)
"The Adventurer" (early 70s British series) had a lead character who was a spy who posed as a movie star. Why would any spy be stupid enough to pose as such a high profile person?
I can see why it dissapeared quickly. That guy made one ugggggly woman. LOL!!!

70s show watcher
12-24-2013, 07:30 PM
I heard both Good & Evil and United States were brilliant. Especially United States.united states was garbage i cant believe larry gelbart had anything to do with it

jehobden
12-26-2013, 01:02 AM
I heard both Good & Evil and United States were brilliant. Especially United States.

From what I remember, Good & Evil was cancelled after getting in trouble for featuring a blind character, played by Friday's Mark Blankfield, who was extremely clumsy. At the time, SNL had Weekend Update anchor Kevin Nealon report this development with an unspoken "I thought it was funny" superimposed on screen.

king of comedy
12-26-2013, 09:29 PM
I think I remembered that. It was painfully unfunny.

Mace Dolex
03-21-2014, 05:24 PM
From what I remember, Good & Evil was cancelled after getting in trouble for featuring a blind character, played by Friday's Mark Blankfield, who was extremely clumsy. At the time, SNL had Weekend Update anchor Kevin Nealon report this development with an unspoken "I thought it was funny" superimposed on screen.
I remember it too, Entertainment Tonight did a report on it too running that clip of the blind guy.

Yong Fang
04-11-2014, 04:54 AM
"United States" was awful.