I have my brother with me and he was watching Rules of Engagement where David Spade's character to me is an *******! Then the others on the show are 1-dimensional. HIMYM is the same way...Neil Patrick Harris' character Barney Stinson is an ******* and the other characters are one-dimensional.

The characters are unlikeable but is it just the CBS sitcoms or is it almost all of the sitcoms of the 2000's and now have this scenario where no one is liked?

That is one reason why sitcoms this century have been hard to become hits. You don't care about these people. They make sitcoms anymore for shock value. I can count the good current sitcoms on one hand.

I agree. My current favorites are VERY limited. I really like "Girl Meets World", "Fresh Off the Boat", and "2 Broke Girls" but I'll be the first to admit that "2BG" is extremely raunchy and cynical.

I agree. My current favorites are VERY limited. I really like "Girl Meets World", "Fresh Off the Boat", and "2 Broke Girls" but I'll be the first to admit that "2BG" is extremely raunchy and cynical.
I know how it is. I loved Married with Children. lol

Cynical and unlikable sitcom characters are nothing new but at least back then they were entertaining. Not so much today.

That is one reason why sitcoms this century have been hard to become hits. You don't care about these people. They make sitcoms anymore for shock value. I can count the good current sitcoms on one hand.

Could not have said it better myself. Agree on all points.

I'm not sure if today's sitcoms are more or less cynical than previous decades, but if they are, even slightly, I'd say that it is more of a generational thing. The people writing sitcoms today are in their 20's and 30's and grew up in a very different world than the writers who were working on sitcoms from the 1990's and prior. They've simply grown up with different life experiences and different perspectives on the world, so they have a different comedic sensibility.

I also think societal norms play a role in how characters are written, and certainly social norms have shifted dramatically since the 1990's.

Another factor could be that many of the sitcoms today are single-camera shows which require, generally speaking a more snarky tone than the traditional multi-camera series which tended to be more "feel good."

I think it's a matter of perspective, because at the time shows like Married With Children were considered extremely cynical.

Cynical and unlikable sitcom characters are nothing new but at least back then they were entertaining. Not so much today.

Perfect Example...Archie Bunker!

He's a bigot, but he sometimes admits he's wrong.