Are the lead characters in shows prettier or uglier than before?

[jamesanthony]

Conventional definitions of beauty would include: looking like a fashion model, clear skin, slim, no acne, toned muscles for men, nothing disproportionately large in terms of facial features (no very large noses, lips, no crossed eyes etc)

Do you all think that the leads in today's shows have to conform to these standards or can they be more diverse looking. Someone said beauty is in the eye of the beholder and attractiveness is subjective, but Idon't think this is true on TV.

Supporting players can have a bit more leeway to be overweight, etc but I see an awful lot of model looking people in the current shows or sitcoms with overweight or unconventional looking guys married to women who would be considered gorgeous model types (George Lopez, King of Queens, Still Standing). As for the reality shows those people who are picked for those shows seem to be chosen because they have the conventionally beautiful looks I mentioned above.

I think that in the 70s there was more leeway for casting people who were not conventionally beautiful as leads, but in every other decade, the model look is what has been preferred.

[Lady T]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Conventional definitions of beauty would include: looking like a fashion model, clear skin, slim, no acne, toned muscles for men, nothing disproportionately large in terms of facial features (no very large noses, lips, no crossed eyes etc)

Do you all think that the leads in today's shows have to conform to these standards or can they be more diverse looking. Someone said beauty is in the eye of the beholder and attractiveness is subjective, but Idon't think this is true on TV.

Supporting players can have a bit more leeway to be overweight, etc but I see an awful lot of model looking people in the current shows or sitcoms with overweight or unconventional looking guys married to women who would be considered gorgeous model types (George Lopez, King of Queens, Still Standing). As for the reality shows those people who are picked for those shows seem to be chosen because they have the conventionally beautiful looks I mentioned above.

I think that in the 70s there was more leeway for casting people who were not conventionally beautiful as leads, but in every other decade, the model look is what has been preferred.

I think televison sitcom characters are a lot prettier than previous decades; you did see model beautiful character actors on sitcoms back in the 1970's. I think the 1990's was the catalyst of hiring sictom genre type actors or actresses to look like model types...

[barwars]

Fat guy/gorgeous wife.... although VERY funny its neither award worthy or groundbreaking.

But what I CANT handle is when its ugly guy/gorgeous wife -- ya hear me Hollywood?! I cant handle it.

[jamesanthony]

It wasn't a sitcom, but I remember an old show called Ironside from the late 60s had a female cop in the cast. The year that it started (1967) I don't think there were any other lady cops on Tv shows (Mod Squad started a year later). The lady cop was this plainum blonde with a stunning figure who wore designer clothes, came from a high class old money family and looked more like a beach bunny than a cop.

The lady cops on TV now tend to be way more attractive than normal. The women on NYPD Blue look too stunning to be beat detectives. Compare them to Sipowicz or Tyne Daly from Cagney and Lacey. CSI also has very stunning looking lady cops in it too. Can you imagine if they cast the famale version of Sipowicz in one of these shows?