A Delicate (Yet Unanswered) Question... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Guy Incognito · 07-02-2011, 01:23 PM

Given the show's (over?)reliance on sexually-charged humor and innuendo, how many of the characters do you think were actually "active" and how many do you think were "as pure as the driven snow" (pun intended)?

Obviously, Lana would be in the first group along with the Ropers (barely, if Helen is to be believed). And probably Larry, although it's clear that he's not quite the ladies' man he makes himself out to be. I'd have thought for sure that Furley would be in the second group, but his attempts to give Janet "the birds and bees speech" in the finale suggests otherwise.

As for that second group, Cindy and Chrissy for sure. Possibly Janet, although occasionally hints were dropped to the contrary. The real question marks are Jack and Terri, IMO. Terri was a bit older and more "worldly" than her predecessors and Jack was supposedly a "ladies' man" like Larry (only with a few more morals). But Jack's behavior in the last scene of the series isn't exactly consistent with that idea, and Terri's own social life was frequently implied as being as moribund as Janet's. So who knows?

What do you guys think?

eleri · 07-02-2011, 02:50 PM

Group 1: Agreed about Lana and the Ropers. As for Larry, given that he was involved in a pregnancy scare in one episode, he can't possibly be a virgin. As for Furley, the "birds and the bees" conversation left no doubt in my mind. When he said "Why do they always act like they're doing me a favour?" in context, it was clear what the favour was. At the same time, he also admitted, in a different episode, that he wasn't the ladies man everyone thought he was :P. My explanation for this is that he's generally unsuccessful, and he has little or no confidence in his abilities, but he has had some experiences. Jack is also clearly in this group, given the episode where the blond gym lady blackmailed him into being her sex slave. Those are the regular characters who are definitely in group one.

I'm pretty sure Chrissy is in this group, too. In the first season, she and Janet have a conversation where they talk about the fact that Chrissy has a history of being scammed by men. In Janet's case it's not all that clear, but when Furley says he's going to have "the talk" with Janet, Terri gives him a look that suggests she doesn't think Janet needs that.

Group 2: No one on the show is clearly defined as a virgin. At the same time, Cindy has a naïveté about her, and she's the only regular character where possible sexual activity isn't even hinted at.

Guy Incognito · 07-02-2011, 03:39 PM

I disagree about Chrissy, since (especially during the later years) she was presented as a childlike simpleton who was keenly unaware of her femininity. Granted, the characters were written so inconsistently during the first few years that she might have become a "retroactive virgin" like Laverne and Shirley!

As far as Jack goes, it just seems strange to me that he would have been so nervous about his first night with Vicki given his alleged experience. I guess the writers were trying to imply that she was his "one and only" and this was the start of his first meaningful relationship, thus his anxiety. I remember one episode where he thought he'd gotten his girlfriend "in trouble", but she made it clear that this was virtually impossible. Maybe he had rounded the bases plenty of times, but was never actually waved in for a home run?

eleri · 07-03-2011, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guy Incognito

Maybe he had rounded the bases plenty of times, but was never actually waved in for a home run?

In the 70s though?

I don't remember the episode where Jack thought he got a girl in trouble.

07-02-2011, 01:23 PM	#1
Guy Incognito International Man of Misery Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 30, 2011 Location: The Solar System Posts: 83	A Delicate (Yet Unanswered) Question... Given the show's (over?)reliance on sexually-charged humor and innuendo, how many of the characters do you think were actually "active" and how many do you think were "as pure as the driven snow" (pun intended)? Obviously, Lana would be in the first group along with the Ropers (barely, if Helen is to be believed). And probably Larry, although it's clear that he's not quite the ladies' man he makes himself out to be. I'd have thought for sure that Furley would be in the second group, but his attempts to give Janet "the birds and bees speech" in the finale suggests otherwise. As for that second group, Cindy and Chrissy for sure. Possibly Janet, although occasionally hints were dropped to the contrary. The real question marks are Jack and Terri, IMO. Terri was a bit older and more "worldly" than her predecessors and Jack was supposedly a "ladies' man" like Larry (only with a few more morals). But Jack's behavior in the last scene of the series isn't exactly consistent with that idea, and Terri's own social life was frequently implied as being as moribund as Janet's. So who knows? What do you guys think?

07-02-2011, 02:50 PM	#2
eleri Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 27, 2011 Posts: 56	Group 1: Agreed about Lana and the Ropers. As for Larry, given that he was involved in a pregnancy scare in one episode, he can't possibly be a virgin. As for Furley, the "birds and the bees" conversation left no doubt in my mind. When he said "Why do they always act like they're doing me a favour?" in context, it was clear what the favour was. At the same time, he also admitted, in a different episode, that he wasn't the ladies man everyone thought he was :P. My explanation for this is that he's generally unsuccessful, and he has little or no confidence in his abilities, but he has had some experiences. Jack is also clearly in this group, given the episode where the blond gym lady blackmailed him into being her sex slave. Those are the regular characters who are definitely in group one. I'm pretty sure Chrissy is in this group, too. In the first season, she and Janet have a conversation where they talk about the fact that Chrissy has a history of being scammed by men. In Janet's case it's not all that clear, but when Furley says he's going to have "the talk" with Janet, Terri gives him a look that suggests she doesn't think Janet needs that. Group 2: No one on the show is clearly defined as a virgin. At the same time, Cindy has a naïveté about her, and she's the only regular character where possible sexual activity isn't even hinted at.

07-02-2011, 03:39 PM	#3
Guy Incognito International Man of Misery Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 30, 2011 Location: The Solar System Posts: 83	I disagree about Chrissy, since (especially during the later years) she was presented as a childlike simpleton who was keenly unaware of her femininity. Granted, the characters were written so inconsistently during the first few years that she might have become a "retroactive virgin" like Laverne and Shirley! As far as Jack goes, it just seems strange to me that he would have been so nervous about his first night with Vicki given his alleged experience. I guess the writers were trying to imply that she was his "one and only" and this was the start of his first meaningful relationship, thus his anxiety. I remember one episode where he thought he'd gotten his girlfriend "in trouble", but she made it clear that this was virtually impossible. Maybe he had rounded the bases plenty of times, but was never actually waved in for a home run?