Liberal bias - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Furienna · 01-25-2010, 08:14 AM

I haven't followed this show religiously, but I've watched several episodes, and I like it, except for one thing. As a conservative, I can't help feeling, that the show some times shows a liberal bias. Murphy had been a hippy, when she was young, and wasn't there even an episode, where the network made FYI have a conservative guest reporter, because they were so liberal? But there was especially one episode, when the bias was painfully obvious. It was when Murphy had a conservative rival. Her name was Athena something? And they portraited her as a shallow, small-minded person, contrasted by the more down-to-Earth and good-hearted Murphy. What was that about? I mean, they gave that character every bad quality, that a human being could have, just because she was conservative. It showed just how ignorant liberals are about us conservatives. Does anyone else feel like this?

zypherix · 01-25-2010, 07:29 PM

Liberalism - the sane and caring way.

Mr. Television · 01-25-2010, 07:58 PM

I used to watch MB pretty regularly up until the Dan Quayle controversy. For the most part I enjoyed it. Afterwards MB became so mean spirited I never watched it again. You can have a great newsroom show without insulting half your audience...for example The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

jimpickens · 01-27-2010, 02:00 AM

To me it was simply a reflection of how liberal the mainstream news media was back then before FNC and yes the show was very liberal mainly because Candice Bergen herself is a big time leftwinger.

Furienna · 01-28-2010, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zypherix

Liberalism - the sane and caring way.

So... You're saying of half of the US, not to mention half of the world, is insane and uncaring?

Furienna · 01-28-2010, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

You can have a great newsroom show without insulting half your audience...for example The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Not that every episode of MB insulted us conservatives or pushed liberal views down people's throats, but you're so right. Surely the best thing would have been to have the show be politically neutral? Or if they just had to bring up a controversial issue, couldn't they have let both sides have their say? That way, they wouldn't have alienated so many potential viewers from the show.

zypherix · 01-28-2010, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Furienna

So... You're saying of half of the US, not to mention half of the world, is insane and uncaring?

Roughly half the americans voted for Bush.. need to say more?

Furienna · 01-28-2010, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zypherix

Roughly half the americans voted for Bush.. need to say more?

They voted for him, because they wanted him as their president rather than Al Gore or John Kerry. I know I did. You might not agree with it, but you have to respect it.

zypherix · 01-28-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Furienna

They voted for him, because they wanted him as their president rather than Al Gore or John Kerry. I know I did. You might not agree with it, but you have to respect it.

Well, its the US though.. so it doesnt quite effect me anyway.

robyrob · 01-28-2010, 02:57 PM

i don't think that there is such a thing as "politically neutral" - if something is political, there is just no way it is going to be perceived as neutral by all parties.

Furienna · 01-28-2010, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robyrob

i don't think that there is such a thing as "politically neutral" - if something is political, there is just no way it is going to be perceived as neutral by all parties.

But they could at least have tried.

Mr. Television · 01-28-2010, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Furienna

Not that every episode of MB insulted us conservatives or pushed liberal views down people's throats, but you're so right. Surely the best thing would have been to have the show be politically neutral? Or if they just had to bring up a controversial issue, couldn't they have let both sides have their say? That way, they wouldn't have alienated so many potential viewers from the show.

You make a good point. Another example of a great sitcom that actually used politics as comedy was Family Ties. Family Ties was a great sitcom because they used both sides of the political spectrum. I actually consider Elyse and Steven Keaton as two of the best sitcom parents in television history. They were liberals too. There's just a way to do it without being mean spirited or insulting your audience.

Furienna · 01-29-2010, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

You make a good point. Another example of a great sitcom that actually used politics as comedy was Family Ties. Family Ties was a great sitcom because they used both sides of the political spectrum. I actually consider Elyse and Steven Keaton as two of the best sitcom parents in television history. They were liberals too. There's just a way to do it without being mean spirited or insulting your audience.

Yeah, "Family ties" was great in many ways, and that was one of them. There were the liberal former hippies Steven and Elyse, but there also was their conservative son Alex, so they could show both sides of the spectrum in a respectable manner, if they had a more political episode. They even had Alex stand up for an ERA supporter's right to speak, after she'd been attacked by a man in an audience, which is something, that I'm afraid "Murphy Brown", as good as that show usually was otherwise, never would have done. And even though I maybe wouldn't agree with them on some political issues, I too consider Steven and Elyse Keaton to be one of the best sitcom parent couples ever.

Miss Lisa · 03-17-2010, 09:54 PM

I do think that this show did get too liberal at times, but I'm not saying that I need everything to be conservative either. Too much of either side is bad really. You need a little of each, and that's why I feel that it isn't a good idea to have a show that pushes for one side. I love MB, but the liberal thing did get tiring.

That is why Family Ties worked so well, it was balanced out. I personally believe that MB should have had a well written character that was a conservative, not one of those stereotype, stuffy people, but an actual real character that the audience could have a chance at liking. IMO it would have also created a few interesting plots if they had an extreme conservative in there up against Murphy.

Miss Lisa · 03-17-2010, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zypherix

Liberalism - the sane and caring way.

LOL...okay...

Trust me, the world would not be a better place if there were only liberals. There are some things I agree on with them at times, but then there's a lot of times where they seem to be way out there. It seems to me that they don't care about everyone as a group, that they only want to look out for gays or blacks. I agree that they do deserve rights, but but why pick them out and treat them special. If people want equality, they should treat EVERYONE the same, not pick out groups and treat them special.

01-25-2010, 08:14 AM	#1
Furienna Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 22, 2006 Location: Örnsköldsvik, Sweden Posts: 6,277	Liberal bias I haven't followed this show religiously, but I've watched several episodes, and I like it, except for one thing. As a conservative, I can't help feeling, that the show some times shows a liberal bias. Murphy had been a hippy, when she was young, and wasn't there even an episode, where the network made FYI have a conservative guest reporter, because they were so liberal? But there was especially one episode, when the bias was painfully obvious. It was when Murphy had a conservative rival. Her name was Athena something? And they portraited her as a shallow, small-minded person, contrasted by the more down-to-Earth and good-hearted Murphy. What was that about? I mean, they gave that character every bad quality, that a human being could have, just because she was conservative. It showed just how ignorant liberals are about us conservatives. Does anyone else feel like this?

01-25-2010, 07:58 PM	#3
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,127	I used to watch MB pretty regularly up until the Dan Quayle controversy. For the most part I enjoyed it. Afterwards MB became so mean spirited I never watched it again. You can have a great newsroom show without insulting half your audience...for example The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
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01-28-2010, 02:57 PM	#10
robyrob certified wackball#3 Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Aug 03, 2003 Location: hiding under the third booth at Arnold's Posts: 58,168	i don't think that there is such a thing as "politically neutral" - if something is political, there is just no way it is going to be perceived as neutral by all parties.
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03-17-2010, 09:54 PM	#14
Miss Lisa Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 08, 2005 Location: My very own Green Acres Posts: 1,113	I do think that this show did get too liberal at times, but I'm not saying that I need everything to be conservative either. Too much of either side is bad really. You need a little of each, and that's why I feel that it isn't a good idea to have a show that pushes for one side. I love MB, but the liberal thing did get tiring. That is why Family Ties worked so well, it was balanced out. I personally believe that MB should have had a well written character that was a conservative, not one of those stereotype, stuffy people, but an actual real character that the audience could have a chance at liking. IMO it would have also created a few interesting plots if they had an extreme conservative in there up against Murphy.
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01-25-2010, 07:29 PM	#2
zypherix Member Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 14, 2003 Posts: 734	Liberalism - the sane and caring way.

01-27-2010, 02:00 AM	#4
jimpickens Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 01, 2007 Location: weston,wv Posts: 1,389	To me it was simply a reflection of how liberal the mainstream news media was back then before FNC and yes the show was very liberal mainly because Candice Bergen herself is a big time leftwinger.