The Big House is a cute family sitcom - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jan Marcus · 04-28-2004, 04:38 PM

There's a couple of harsh posts on this site regarding this show... which baffles me.

Here's my two cents... All a sitcom (any sitcom) can do is make you laugh for a few minutes and take your mind off your day. If it can somehow plant a gem of wisdom or make you think at the same time, even better. But wow, twenty-two minutes of scripted entertainment should not be expected to change lives. If I want to see art I'll go to a museum.

The Big House isn't Shakespeare but it isn't garbage either. I've laughed out loud watching it which is good enough for me after a long work week. I truly hope ABC gives this show a chance to grow, it deserves at least that.

I am a kindergarten teacher with a daughter who's almost six. Watching the Friday comedies on ABC has been our ritual this season. The Big House is silly enough for my daughter to enjoy yet funny enough for me and my husband to laugh as well.

I agree with the previous poster that it's not a classic... yet. But Cheers and Seinfeld didn't start out as classics either. If you have doubts about that statement go back and read some of their early reviews and check out their first year ratings. The only difference these days is that shows aren't given the time they deserve to find an audience. That's the difference between the shows from the early '90's and those on today.

Quality isn't an issue. The Big House is a quality show. And if given time, it could become a classic. I'll be watching hoping that it does.

Janice Marcus

jamesanthony · 04-28-2004, 05:07 PM

True. I agree with this. The sitcom format isn't designed to change the world or bring about world peace, just give us something to laugh at and maybe think about a bit.

But maybe some have strong feelings about a show because they were hoping for so much more and were disappointed. I can understand that with the shows featuring minorities. I read a book about blacks on TV and the author deconstructed every single black show and pointed out all the characters for whom it could be said that they reinforced some negative stereotype about blacks. He tore apart every single show I ever heard of or liked. After a while this overanalysis leaves you needing psychoanalysis yourself.

This show has made me laugh and think. Kevin seems like a guy with some ethics and sensitivity. I can relate to him and his family in the show. But if there are things in the show that I find objectionable (they make fun of the church a bit) I eat the fish, throw out the bones and keep on going. It's not worth getting high blood pressure over it. It's Hollywood after all. Even if Hollywood does have some agenda or whatever, recognize it, do your thing and live and let live.

vashti1999 · 04-28-2004, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jamesanthony

But maybe some have strong feelings about a show because they were hoping for so much more and were disappointed. I can understand that with the shows featuring minorities. I read a book about blacks on TV and the author deconstructed every single black show and pointed out all the characters for whom it could be said that they reinforced some negative stereotype about blacks. He tore apart every single show I ever heard of or liked. After a while this overanalysis leaves you needing psychoanalysis yourself.

jamesanthony, could you mention what book that was? I'd like to check that out. I guess I can understand someone being critical of characters on African-American shows, but you could probably look at any show on tv and there's a negative character or one that reinforces negative stereotypes. It was probably that author's mission to focus on Black shows, but I don't think negative characters are exclusive to us. Aside from that, The Big House is cool, we'll see if ABC or some other network brings it back.

jamesanthony · 04-29-2004, 09:06 PM

Primetime Blues. You'd have to go to amazon.com or barnesandnobles.com to read about it and see the author. It's very comprehensive in terms of describing all the black shows up through about 1999.

Any show can have buffoonish characters, but when black people are involved it falls under so much more scrutiny.

04-28-2004, 04:38 PM	#1
Jan Marcus Member First Time Poster Join Date: Apr 28, 2004 Posts: 1	The Big House is a cute family sitcom There's a couple of harsh posts on this site regarding this show... which baffles me. Here's my two cents... All a sitcom (any sitcom) can do is make you laugh for a few minutes and take your mind off your day. If it can somehow plant a gem of wisdom or make you think at the same time, even better. But wow, twenty-two minutes of scripted entertainment should not be expected to change lives. If I want to see art I'll go to a museum. The Big House isn't Shakespeare but it isn't garbage either. I've laughed out loud watching it which is good enough for me after a long work week. I truly hope ABC gives this show a chance to grow, it deserves at least that. I am a kindergarten teacher with a daughter who's almost six. Watching the Friday comedies on ABC has been our ritual this season. The Big House is silly enough for my daughter to enjoy yet funny enough for me and my husband to laugh as well. I agree with the previous poster that it's not a classic... yet. But Cheers and Seinfeld didn't start out as classics either. If you have doubts about that statement go back and read some of their early reviews and check out their first year ratings. The only difference these days is that shows aren't given the time they deserve to find an audience. That's the difference between the shows from the early '90's and those on today. Quality isn't an issue. The Big House is a quality show. And if given time, it could become a classic. I'll be watching hoping that it does. Janice Marcus
	__________________ Kindness is always the best choice

04-28-2004, 05:07 PM	#2
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	True. I agree with this. The sitcom format isn't designed to change the world or bring about world peace, just give us something to laugh at and maybe think about a bit. But maybe some have strong feelings about a show because they were hoping for so much more and were disappointed. I can understand that with the shows featuring minorities. I read a book about blacks on TV and the author deconstructed every single black show and pointed out all the characters for whom it could be said that they reinforced some negative stereotype about blacks. He tore apart every single show I ever heard of or liked. After a while this overanalysis leaves you needing psychoanalysis yourself. This show has made me laugh and think. Kevin seems like a guy with some ethics and sensitivity. I can relate to him and his family in the show. But if there are things in the show that I find objectionable (they make fun of the church a bit) I eat the fish, throw out the bones and keep on going. It's not worth getting high blood pressure over it. It's Hollywood after all. Even if Hollywood does have some agenda or whatever, recognize it, do your thing and live and let live.

04-29-2004, 09:06 PM	#4
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	Primetime Blues. You'd have to go to amazon.com or barnesandnobles.com to read about it and see the author. It's very comprehensive in terms of describing all the black shows up through about 1999. Any show can have buffoonish characters, but when black people are involved it falls under so much more scrutiny.