Why did it seem like they made Eric act retarted? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

hughpuppies · 04-30-2005, 01:09 AM

This subject may have been discussed, sorry if I missed the thread if there is one. I looked and looked and didn't find one.

I like this show alot. So I hope I don't offend anyone. Why is is in the later seasons they seem to make Eric act retarted? I mean when he was in high school he seemed normal. But when he moved out and got an apartment and started going to college, he started acting like he was mental retarted.

Making wird noises, screaming for no reason, running around like he was brain dead, saying thing that made no sense, mumbbling to himself alot, acting if he was a grown person with a mind of a 6 year old retarted person.

No offense to retarted people, some of them are alot smarter then most give credit for. I work with mentally handicapped and retarted people 4 hours a day 4 days a week. I don't get paid much that is why I have a second job, I work for a program called THE ARC, not just arc the whole name is THE ARC, the is part of the name. If anyone would like to help or volunteer or become a member you can go to the website, there probably is a location near you if you live in the USA. http://www.thearc.org They also work with people with disabilities.

His character seem to act just like some of the people I work with.

SimpsonsFan · 04-30-2005, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hughpuppies

This subject may have been discussed, sorry if I missed the thread if there is one. I looked and looked and didn't find one.

I like this show alot. So I hope I don't offend anyone. Why is is in the later seasons they seem to make Eric act retarted? I mean when he was in high school he seemed normal. But when he moved out and got an apartment and started going to college, he started acting like he was mental retarted.

Making wird noises, screaming for no reason, running around like he was brain dead, saying thing that made no sense, mumbbling to himself alot, acting if he was a grown person with a mind of a 6 year old retarted person.

No offense to retarted people, some of them are alot smarter then most give credit for. I work with mentally handicapped and retarted people 4 hours a day 4 days a week. I don't get paid much that is why I have a second job, I work for a program called THE ARC, not just arc the whole name is THE ARC, the is part of the name. If anyone would like to help or volunteer or become a member you can go to the website, there probably is a location near you if you live in the USA. http://www.thearc.org They also work with people with disabilities.

His character seem to act just like some of the people I work with.

I know, I didn't like it either, it seemed as if he kept getting stupider and stupider as each season passed.

Fresh Berry · 07-18-2005, 06:27 PM

Well.... He always was a little dumb but that is true.

spunkygirl · 07-18-2005, 08:20 PM

I don't think he acted ******** at all(and I'm sorry but I find that term offensive to people who are ********), IMO Eric was very smart, I mean anyone who can come up with "Lose One Friend, Lose All Friends, Lose Yourself" is pretty darn smart to me

~*Emma*~ · 07-19-2005, 02:40 AM

I agree with Sassette. Eric was a little dim-witted, sure, but not ********.

Also, saying that is pretty offensive to ppl who actually do have problems. Its not a phrase you should throw around lightly.

dave insinga · 07-19-2005, 09:26 PM

part of the reason BMW was so sucessful is because will made eric so funny
yes sometimes it was a bit too much but that eric at the end was alot different than eric at the begining. eric will always be one of my favorite characters on this show and i think i feel that way because of how stupid they made him.

DukeDevils9192 · 07-19-2005, 09:37 PM

Eric didn't act "********"? Did you not watch the last season? He would NEVER be able to function in the real world. EVER. He had a good heart, but he was completely devoid of, well, human aspects.

The DVD commentaries talk about how they finally found Eric's character when he turned stupid, but that's far, far from true. You don't spend six seasons developing a character who's a little slow, but who works hard to overcome his disabilities and then turn him into someone who can't function properly and call it "finding the character."

All of the characters changed going into the seventh season and none for the better. Eric's change was somewhat funny, I'll admit, but it was a horrible character change that ruined six years of writing.

Rachel3118 · 07-26-2005, 11:06 PM

I don't think he really was retarted he just liked to act wierd. I think they did it to make the show funnier. When he changed it made the show alot funnier and I liked it even though it was unrealistic.

Sargent Stewie · 07-27-2005, 09:59 AM

So the show would be funny...

Care Bear · 09-03-2005, 02:52 PM

I agree, maybe they went a little too far, but it was certainly funny.

An 80s Guy · 10-02-2005, 10:42 AM

I agree

lockdown06 · 12-29-2005, 08:16 PM

They did go too far in the olater seasons.

comedyfreak · 01-02-2006, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lockdown06

They did go too far in the olater seasons.

That's waht made it so funny imo. I think Eric did something silly in the second season and it worked so they ran with it.

PrettyinPink55 · 01-02-2006, 12:29 AM

Eric was hillarious IMO!

Fonzarelli · 01-02-2006, 12:43 PM

Eric became *really* stupid in season 6. I don't recall season 7, but I read it's even worse then. I liked him in season 6. He really cracked me up most of the time. But still I think the Eric from the first 4 seasons is better as a character. There's he's a real character, later he's just a one-dimensional (but funny) 'type'. I could relate to Eric in season 4. Afterwards... not anymore.

04-30-2005, 01:09 AM	#1
hughpuppies Melanie Bernhardt Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 13, 2004 Location: wished I was with the lady in the above picture Posts: 705	Why did it seem like they made Eric act retarted? This subject may have been discussed, sorry if I missed the thread if there is one. I looked and looked and didn't find one. I like this show alot. So I hope I don't offend anyone. Why is is in the later seasons they seem to make Eric act retarted? I mean when he was in high school he seemed normal. But when he moved out and got an apartment and started going to college, he started acting like he was mental retarted. Making wird noises, screaming for no reason, running around like he was brain dead, saying thing that made no sense, mumbbling to himself alot, acting if he was a grown person with a mind of a 6 year old retarted person. No offense to retarted people, some of them are alot smarter then most give credit for. I work with mentally handicapped and retarted people 4 hours a day 4 days a week. I don't get paid much that is why I have a second job, I work for a program called THE ARC, not just arc the whole name is THE ARC, the is part of the name. If anyone would like to help or volunteer or become a member you can go to the website, there probably is a location near you if you live in the USA. http://www.thearc.org They also work with people with disabilities. His character seem to act just like some of the people I work with.
	__________________ I hope to one day meet Melanie Bernhardt who played Kathy Gordon in 4 Different Strokes episodes.(girl in the wheel chair)

07-19-2005, 09:26 PM	#6
dave insinga Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 19, 2005 Posts: 590	he became dumber as time went on part of the reason BMW was so sucessful is because will made eric so funny yes sometimes it was a bit too much but that eric at the end was alot different than eric at the begining. eric will always be one of my favorite characters on this show and i think i feel that way because of how stupid they made him.

07-26-2005, 11:06 PM	#8
Rachel3118 Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 13, 2005 Posts: 1,768	I don't think he really was retarted he just liked to act wierd. I think they did it to make the show funnier. When he changed it made the show alot funnier and I liked it even though it was unrealistic.
	__________________ Rachel

07-27-2005, 09:59 AM	#9
Sargent Stewie Stewie Griffin Senior Member Join Date: Dec 31, 2003 Location: gaer Posts: 1,699	So the show would be funny...
	__________________ \|2\|0\|0\|5\| My anti drug

12-29-2005, 08:16 PM	#12
lockdown06 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 18, 2004 Location: ohio Posts: 709	They did go too far in the olater seasons.
	__________________ "Life's Tough Get a Helmet"

07-18-2005, 06:27 PM	#3
Fresh Berry Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Jul 18, 2005 Posts: 4	Well.... He always was a little dumb but that is true.

07-18-2005, 08:20 PM	#4
spunkygirl Member Moderator Forum Celebrity Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 21,563	I don't think he acted ****** at all(and I'm sorry but I find that term offensive to people who are ******), IMO Eric was very smart, I mean anyone who can come up with "Lose One Friend, Lose All Friends, Lose Yourself" is pretty darn smart to me

07-19-2005, 02:40 AM	#5
~Emma~ -------------------- Senior Member Join Date: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 2,761	I agree with Sassette. Eric was a little dim-witted, sure, but not ********. Also, saying that is pretty offensive to ppl who actually do have problems. Its not a phrase you should throw around lightly.

07-19-2005, 09:37 PM	#7
DukeDevils9192 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 22, 2004 Posts: 287	Eric didn't act "********"? Did you not watch the last season? He would NEVER be able to function in the real world. EVER. He had a good heart, but he was completely devoid of, well, human aspects. The DVD commentaries talk about how they finally found Eric's character when he turned stupid, but that's far, far from true. You don't spend six seasons developing a character who's a little slow, but who works hard to overcome his disabilities and then turn him into someone who can't function properly and call it "finding the character." All of the characters changed going into the seventh season and none for the better. Eric's change was somewhat funny, I'll admit, but it was a horrible character change that ruined six years of writing.

09-03-2005, 02:52 PM	#10
Care Bear Bamboozler Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 02, 2005 Location: Seven Seas Posts: 55	I agree, maybe they went a little too far, but it was certainly funny.

10-02-2005, 10:42 AM	#11
An 80s Guy legen-wait for it-dary! Senior Member Join Date: Sep 03, 2005 Location: Austin,Texas Posts: 1,870	I agree

01-02-2006, 12:29 AM	#14
PrettyinPink55 Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 24,601	Eric was hillarious IMO!
	__________________ ♥♥♥

01-02-2006, 12:43 PM	#15
Fonzarelli Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 19, 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,996	Eric became really stupid in season 6. I don't recall season 7, but I read it's even worse then. I liked him in season 6. He really cracked me up most of the time. But still I think the Eric from the first 4 seasons is better as a character. There's he's a real character, later he's just a one-dimensional (but funny) 'type'. I could relate to Eric in season 4. Afterwards... not anymore.
	__________________ Dennis Kucinich '08!