Family Matters The Creators Of 'Yes, Dear' Discuss Their Inspiration - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Family Ties Forever! · 03-11-2005, 12:03 AM

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000834661

Family matters
The creators of 'Yes, Dear' discuss their inspiration

By Ray Richmond
Anatomy of a hit: "Yes,' Dear"

Despite its low network profile and lack of critical support, 'Yes, Dear' has been the little comedy that could.
Besides all of the usual obstacles and frustrations inherent in getting and keeping a primetime network TV comedy series on the air, CBS' "Yes, Dear" co-creators/executive producers Gregory Thomas Garcia and Alan Kirschenbaum have had to do it while getting blistered by critics who have dismissed their family show as too traditional, too formulaic, too contrived. But the show has carved out a niche with the only crowd that really matters: the audience. Garcia and Kirschenbaum spoke recently by telephone with Ray Richmond for The Hollywood Reporter about what it takes to achieve the magic 100 mark in today's ultracompetitive environment, particularly when one is making a classic sitcom during unconventional times.

The Hollywood Reporter: Why do you think the critics were so merciless in attacking the show from Day 1?
Gregory Thomas Garcia: Well, you know, we had been really encouraged by the numbers with the test audiences, and then those first reviews just slaughtered us. They predicted we'd be one of the first shows canceled that season -- and they're still waiting. But I think the momentum against a show critically just kind of builds and takes on a life of its own. We became an easy joke.
Alan Kirschenbaum: There has always been a disconnect in comedy between what the people like and what the intelligentsia or the critics like. But I honestly believe if the critics had continued to watch the show, they would have softened toward it. I think when we came along, those same critics viewed our show as a very cookie-cutter family comedy. My feeling is, some of their venom was more for the form than for us. We never got any credit for the ironic and subversive sides of the show.

THR: What exactly do you mean by "subversive"?
Kirschenbaum: We had fantasy sequences and flashbacks, special-effects things, and we had the actors talking to the camera not as characters but actors, which is how we did our tribute episode to "The Dick Van Dyke Show." We nurtured this existing alternate universe.
Garcia: We've tried a lot of weird things that you don't see on your everyday domestic sitcom. It would have been nice if some critics had acknowledged that rather than just making the blanket statement that we're a bad show.

03-11-2005, 12:03 AM	#1
Family Ties Forever! Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 16, 2002 Location: Keaton residence Posts: 10,215	Family Matters The Creators Of 'Yes, Dear' Discuss Their Inspiration http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr...u_content_id=1 000834661 Family matters The creators of 'Yes, Dear' discuss their inspiration By Ray Richmond Anatomy of a hit: "Yes,' Dear" Despite its low network profile and lack of critical support, 'Yes, Dear' has been the little comedy that could. Besides all of the usual obstacles and frustrations inherent in getting and keeping a primetime network TV comedy series on the air, CBS' "Yes, Dear" co-creators/executive producers Gregory Thomas Garcia and Alan Kirschenbaum have had to do it while getting blistered by critics who have dismissed their family show as too traditional, too formulaic, too contrived. But the show has carved out a niche with the only crowd that really matters: the audience. Garcia and Kirschenbaum spoke recently by telephone with Ray Richmond for The Hollywood Reporter about what it takes to achieve the magic 100 mark in today's ultracompetitive environment, particularly when one is making a classic sitcom during unconventional times. The Hollywood Reporter: Why do you think the critics were so merciless in attacking the show from Day 1? Gregory Thomas Garcia: Well, you know, we had been really encouraged by the numbers with the test audiences, and then those first reviews just slaughtered us. They predicted we'd be one of the first shows canceled that season -- and they're still waiting. But I think the momentum against a show critically just kind of builds and takes on a life of its own. We became an easy joke. Alan Kirschenbaum: There has always been a disconnect in comedy between what the people like and what the intelligentsia or the critics like. But I honestly believe if the critics had continued to watch the show, they would have softened toward it. I think when we came along, those same critics viewed our show as a very cookie-cutter family comedy. My feeling is, some of their venom was more for the form than for us. We never got any credit for the ironic and subversive sides of the show. THR: What exactly do you mean by "subversive"? Kirschenbaum: We had fantasy sequences and flashbacks, special-effects things, and we had the actors talking to the camera not as characters but actors, which is how we did our tribute episode to "The Dick Van Dyke Show." We nurtured this existing alternate universe. Garcia: We've tried a lot of weird things that you don't see on your everyday domestic sitcom. It would have been nice if some critics had acknowledged that rather than just making the blanket statement that we're a bad show.