Howard: "The worst character in sitcom history" - Page 3 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

hifijohn · 11-17-2013, 01:14 PM

yes he was funny he just didnt act like any airline pilot i have ever seen.

CAJeannieFan57 · 11-19-2013, 12:12 AM

Howard Borden was not a pilot. He was a navigator. There's a difference.

Donna

TVFactFan · 09-12-2014, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

Howard was a navigator, but got laid off from his airline and eventually found work as a co-pilot with a cargo company.

If you go back and watch the series, you'll see that Howard actually seems to have had a pretty good time among the stewardesses.

Howard was a great character, and Bill Daily great playing him. Remember the episode where Howard gets "fixed" by some other psychiatrist and turns into a competent, independent bore? Why would anyone want that to be the character next door to Bob and Emily? They sure didn't that Howard.

I always had trouble watching goofy grown men

tommy b · 09-14-2014, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I always had trouble watching goofy grown men

Is it safe to assume you're not a Benny Hill fan?

TVFactFan · 09-14-2014, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommy b

Is it safe to assume you're not a Benny Hill fan?

hell no

rebeccar · 01-26-2018, 11:28 AM

The character of Howard was just unbelievably stupid. He was painful to watch with his extreme gooofiness and so unrealistic that he was a navigator. I couldn't stand him on this show and didn't understand the purpose of having that character on this show. He was okay on I dream of Jeannie, at least he wasn't stupid on that one.

Lisalu · 06-11-2020, 08:50 PM

The character of Howard just didn’t add up.

If he was supposed to be the Village Idiot on the show, then fine. He actually pulled that off very well, and every sitcom has one (think Gomer Pyle in The Andy Griffith Show.)

But Howard’s character was supposed to be a navigator for a commercial airline, presumably someone with a college degree and some kind of engineering background (and maybe even a background in military aviation.). People like that don’t walk around looking like they can’t find their way out of a paper bag!

Then Ellen, who was an intelligent articulate woman, seems to be madly in love with Howard which just wasn’t believable. He seemed like a sweet guy, but a lovable loser type rather than someone like Ellen would fall for.

The different facets of his character just didn’t gel. It would be like saying Gomer Pyle was a brain surgeon or Chrissy Snow was a Congresswoman. It doens’t work!

TVFactFan · 06-11-2020, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisalu

The character of Howard just didn’t add up.

If he was supposed to be the Village Idiot on the show, then fine. He actually pulled that off very well, and every sitcom has one (think Gomer Pyle in The Andy Griffith Show.)

But Howard’s character was supposed to be a navigator for a commercial airline, presumably someone with a college degree and some kind of engineering background (and maybe even a background in military aviation.). People like that don’t walk around looking like they can’t find their way out of a paper bag!

Then Ellen, who was an intelligent articulate woman, seems to be madly in love with Howard which just wasn’t believable. He seemed like a sweet guy, but a lovable loser type rather than someone like Ellen would fall for.

The different facets of his character just didn’t gel. It would be like saying Gomer Pyle was a brain surgeon or Chrissy Snow was a Congresswoman. It doens’t work!

he seemed more like a patient than Mr. Carlin

biffbronson · 09-05-2020, 06:32 PM

I liked the Ellen Hartley character. It didn't hurt that Pat Finley was downright HOT.

Anyway she and Howard made for an attractive couple, but I have to agree it doesn't seem too plausible that she would go for such a weird personality.

PracTz · 09-06-2020, 01:41 AM

Actually, I liked Howard and considered him a naive child (even if he was a randy ladies' man)who often made disasters but didn't mean any actual harm. He was somewhat refreshing compared to the childish and often deliberately mean Ted on MTM and I always thought that Bob and Emily were far luckier having him as their 'child' than Mary and Lou were having to deal with their newsman brat!

Ironically, in my adult life, I've met quite a few folks who were brilliant at their jobs but complete incompetents who were clueless how to live their own lives as independent folks.

The main issue I had with the depiction of Howard was that they had him be the noncustodial father of a son who was easily smarter than him. Having him be a childlike incompetent yet able to perform a complicated job was amusing- thinking about him attempting to 'parent' a child was not! I think if they'd have to have had semi-regular appearances by Howie, they should have made him a nephew rather than a son so the audience could imagine that he DID have an adult father out there instead of a more childlike person who sired him that his mother wound up finding an unsatisfactory husband (as well meaning as Howard appears to have been to both Lois and Howie)

CosmicCharlie · 09-09-2020, 12:26 AM

When Howard was on the Dentist Drug he was darn right Nice (maybe he needed meds to be normal?) - Carol saw him as a dream boat when he was drugged - but when the drug wore off all bets were off - I like that episode !

Actually Howard was so messed up one may wonder if he actually had something wrong with his brain or chemical imbalance or something - but he was always good natured.

The way he HAD TO visit Bob every chance he had just shows how bonkers he was ...

Hi Bob !

I like his acting - he exudes a pleasant presence !

11-17-2013, 01:14 PM	#31
hifijohn Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 209	funny yes he was funny he just didnt act like any airline pilot i have ever seen.

11-19-2013, 12:12 AM	#32
CAJeannieFan57 Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 01, 2005 Location: Central Missouri Posts: 871	Howard Borden was not a pilot. He was a navigator. There's a difference. Donna
	__________________ Donna

01-26-2018, 11:28 AM	#36
rebeccar Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Jan 26, 2018 Posts: 3	The character of Howard was just unbelievably stupid. He was painful to watch with his extreme gooofiness and so unrealistic that he was a navigator. I couldn't stand him on this show and didn't understand the purpose of having that character on this show. He was okay on I dream of Jeannie, at least he wasn't stupid on that one.

06-11-2020, 08:50 PM	#37
Lisalu Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 21, 2016 Posts: 36	The character of Howard just didn’t add up. If he was supposed to be the Village Idiot on the show, then fine. He actually pulled that off very well, and every sitcom has one (think Gomer Pyle in The Andy Griffith Show.) But Howard’s character was supposed to be a navigator for a commercial airline, presumably someone with a college degree and some kind of engineering background (and maybe even a background in military aviation.). People like that don’t walk around looking like they can’t find their way out of a paper bag! Then Ellen, who was an intelligent articulate woman, seems to be madly in love with Howard which just wasn’t believable. He seemed like a sweet guy, but a lovable loser type rather than someone like Ellen would fall for. The different facets of his character just didn’t gel. It would be like saying Gomer Pyle was a brain surgeon or Chrissy Snow was a Congresswoman. It doens’t work!

09-05-2020, 06:32 PM	#39
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,637	I liked the Ellen Hartley character. It didn't hurt that Pat Finley was downright HOT. Anyway she and Howard made for an attractive couple, but I have to agree it doesn't seem too plausible that she would go for such a weird personality.

09-06-2020, 01:41 AM	#40
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Actually, I liked Howard and considered him a naive child (even if he was a randy ladies' man)who often made disasters but didn't mean any actual harm. He was somewhat refreshing compared to the childish and often deliberately mean Ted on MTM and I always thought that Bob and Emily were far luckier having him as their 'child' than Mary and Lou were having to deal with their newsman brat! Ironically, in my adult life, I've met quite a few folks who were brilliant at their jobs but complete incompetents who were clueless how to live their own lives as independent folks. The main issue I had with the depiction of Howard was that they had him be the noncustodial father of a son who was easily smarter than him. Having him be a childlike incompetent yet able to perform a complicated job was amusing- thinking about him attempting to 'parent' a child was not! I think if they'd have to have had semi-regular appearances by Howie, they should have made him a nephew rather than a son so the audience could imagine that he DID have an adult father out there instead of a more childlike person who sired him that his mother wound up finding an unsatisfactory husband (as well meaning as Howard appears to have been to both Lois and Howie)

09-09-2020, 12:26 AM	#41
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,488	When Howard was on the Dentist Drug he was darn right Nice (maybe he needed meds to be normal?) - Carol saw him as a dream boat when he was drugged - but when the drug wore off all bets were off - I like that episode ! Actually Howard was so messed up one may wonder if he actually had something wrong with his brain or chemical imbalance or something - but he was always good natured. The way he HAD TO visit Bob every chance he had just shows how bonkers he was ... Hi Bob ! I like his acting - he exudes a pleasant presence !