current sitcoms that aren't based on sex - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

jamesanthony · 04-09-2005, 05:04 PM

I was just watching an episode of Benson and found it interesting that the show was funny, witty, touching and pretty well done (at least the episode I watched) and there was absolutely nothing "sexy" about it (unless you think Robert Guillaime, Ms Krauss or the other characters were sexy studs and foxes). No sexy babes, no model looking guys in tight clothes, but the characters clearly had deep warmth and respect for each other. Also, the main characters were middle aged.Could a show like this even make it on tv today?

Are there any current shows on the broadcast networks that are this devoid of sexiness? It seems like all the current sitcoms have eye candy in the casts or have characters who are overly preoccupied with sex and romance. Something like Benson ran 7 years and that wasn't that show's focus at all. Same with older shows like Hogan's Heroes and Lucille Ball's later series.

barwars · 04-09-2005, 10:56 PM

Golden Girls was one of the least sexy casts.... although one of the most sex-driven shows.

Heather987 · 04-11-2005, 03:58 AM

I know its not current but Mama's Family was void of sexy characters, unless you think Iola was hot.

Today - I dont think they have any

dawsongirl · 04-12-2005, 04:05 PM

Proves something sad about society, that's for sure. People will only pay attention if the cast is hot.

dlemond · 04-12-2005, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawsongirl

Proves something sad about society, that's for sure. People will only pay attention if the cast is hot.

No. Not true.

WKRP was not driven by sex and was one of the best and smartest sitcoms ever. Even Seinfeld, which had sex as a frequent topic was not based on sex but the utter stupidity and shallowness of its characters.

MariposaLKB · 04-12-2005, 04:49 PM

WKRP did have a "hot" female character-- the secretary Jennifer, played by Loni Anderson. True, they tried to showcase the fact that she was also intelligent--but I bet most male viewers weren't paying attention to that aspect LOL!

I agree our society is more sex-obsessed than ever, and that is reflected not only on TV but in every facet of entertainment. (There is, for example, not one musical artist out there today whose lyrics I would want my young children to listen to...JMHO.)

If we want to watch TV as a family, our choices are either cartoons or the cartoonish live-action shows aimed at young teens (Lizzie McGuire, Even Stevens, Unfabulous, etc, etc). I am sick of all of them already, and I am facing at least 10 more years of this stuff LOL grrrrr!

jamesanthony · 04-12-2005, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MariposaLKB

WKRP did have a "hot" female character-- the secretary Jennifer, played by Loni Anderson. True, they tried to showcase the fact that she was also intelligent--but I bet most male viewers weren't paying attention to that aspect LOL!

I agree our society is more sex-obsessed than ever, and that is reflected not only on TV but in every facet of entertainment. (There is, for example, not one musical artist out there today whose lyrics I would want my young children to listen to...JMHO.)

If we want to watch TV as a family, our choices are either cartoons or the cartoonish live-action shows aimed at young teens (Lizzie McGuire, Even Stevens, Unfabulous, etc, etc). I am sick of all of them already, and I am facing at least 10 more years of this stuff LOL grrrrr!

You know the older shows like Cosby Show could be watched by the whole family. I remember my whole family would watch it and while I'll be the first to admit that I thought Phylicia Rashad was hot, she was tastefully elegant, which to me made her sexier than some of these other women on shows now. It's real easy for someone to say that parents should monitor what their kids watch, but sometimes I feel that the people who say these things are younger people who don't have children yet. I find that exposing school aged kids to sex filled shows and videos is not cool at all and teens don't need to be spending huge amounts of time digesting that stuff either when they could be developing the other areas of their lives. That's my 2 cents.

In the Benson episode (the pilot) Marcy the secretary was talking with Benson about the guy she slept with the night before, but I don't know, the way in which it was done was practically G rated in comparison to the current shows. I watched this episode when it first came on in 1979 and I was 12 and that part went completely over my head.

WKRP had eye candy for both the males (Loni Anderson) and the ladies (Gary Sandy who wore butt hugging jeans). The newer version had Tawny Kittan who was very very sexy (her name was Mona Loveland or something like that). Still that is an old show. Seinfeld is too, although that show is tame by today's standards. The men on that show sure weren't sexy looking and Elaine was deliberately made to look frumpy most of the time.

dawsongirl · 04-13-2005, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlemond

No. Not true.

WKRP was not driven by sex and was one of the best and smartest sitcoms ever. Even Seinfeld, which had sex as a frequent topic was not based on sex but the utter stupidity and shallowness of its characters.

WKRP isn't a new show either. I was refering to shows on the air now.

L&OFan4Eva · 04-13-2005, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riff

But even though it may deal with themes of sex, I don't think anyone's going to argue that there is one person on "The King of Queens" who is going to be on the cover of "Glamour" right now.

Have you seen Leah Remini? She is simply GORGEOUS then, now or ever!

jamesanthony · 04-13-2005, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riff

"Barney Miller" set the benchmark for "butt-ugly" casts, and, no, I'm sorry to say, I don't think a show like that can get on the air today. Not unless they replace the whole cast with the cast of "Battery Park."

But even though it may deal with themes of sex, I don't think anyone's going to argue that there is one person on "The King of Queens" who is going to be on the cover of "Glamour" right now.

Leah Remini is sexy, and Kevin James is not ugly either, he's just overweight. Everybody Loves Raymond is a show that doesn't really play up the sexiness thing, although Patricia Heaton is very attractive she's dressed down on that show and none of the other actors there are there for their looks.

Barney Miller was a good show and it's true that those actors were not cast for their looks. Harris was about the only one that might've been considered eye candy, but Fish was attrocious looking. Even the women- Barbara Barrie and Linda Lavin were average looking at best.

Compare Barney Miller to NYPD Blue where most of the cast look like models (I'm excluding Dennis Franz

)

dawsongirl · 04-13-2005, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L&OFan4Eva

Have you seen Leah Remini? She is simply GORGEOUS then, now or ever!

But since she's put on all that weight, some people will be all like, she's ugly!! Which is beyond shallow and rude. I give her props for not caring what stupid people think.

jamesanthony · 04-14-2005, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawsongirl

But since she's put on all that weight, some people will be all like, she's ugly!! Which is beyond shallow and rude. I give her props for not caring what stupid people think.

I never watch the show in primetime, but I saw it last night (4/13) and she looked just like the previous seasons- unless it was a rerun from an earlier year. She isn't fat.

dawsongirl · 04-14-2005, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesanthony

I never watch the show in primetime, but I saw it last night (4/13) and she looked just like the previous seasons- unless it was a rerun from an earlier year. She isn't fat.

Early this season, you could tell she had packed on some pounds after her baby. Maybe she's since lost it.

04-09-2005, 05:04 PM	#1
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	current sitcoms that aren't based on sex I was just watching an episode of Benson and found it interesting that the show was funny, witty, touching and pretty well done (at least the episode I watched) and there was absolutely nothing "sexy" about it (unless you think Robert Guillaime, Ms Krauss or the other characters were sexy studs and foxes). No sexy babes, no model looking guys in tight clothes, but the characters clearly had deep warmth and respect for each other. Also, the main characters were middle aged.Could a show like this even make it on tv today? Are there any current shows on the broadcast networks that are this devoid of sexiness? It seems like all the current sitcoms have eye candy in the casts or have characters who are overly preoccupied with sex and romance. Something like Benson ran 7 years and that wasn't that show's focus at all. Same with older shows like Hogan's Heroes and Lucille Ball's later series.

04-12-2005, 04:49 PM	#6
MariposaLKB She flies alone Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 06, 2001 Location: The great unknown Posts: 3,436	WKRP did have a "hot" female character-- the secretary Jennifer, played by Loni Anderson. True, they tried to showcase the fact that she was also intelligent--but I bet most male viewers weren't paying attention to that aspect LOL! I agree our society is more sex-obsessed than ever, and that is reflected not only on TV but in every facet of entertainment. (There is, for example, not one musical artist out there today whose lyrics I would want my young children to listen to...JMHO.) If we want to watch TV as a family, our choices are either cartoons or the cartoonish live-action shows aimed at young teens (Lizzie McGuire, Even Stevens, Unfabulous, etc, etc). I am sick of all of them already, and I am facing at least 10 more years of this stuff LOL grrrrr!
	__________________ Within a cage Try to escape Her silent rage But no one ever listens... -Butterfly (Mariposa)

04-09-2005, 10:56 PM	#2
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	Golden Girls was one of the least sexy casts.... although one of the most sex-driven shows.

04-11-2005, 03:58 AM	#3
Heather987 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 476	I know its not current but Mama's Family was void of sexy characters, unless you think Iola was hot. Today - I dont think they have any

04-12-2005, 04:05 PM	#4
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,140	Proves something sad about society, that's for sure. People will only pay attention if the cast is hot.