Can You Tell How Well Something Holds Up Over Time? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

James28 · 12-17-2018, 11:56 AM

For years, I have been seeing people stating that a particular film or TV show "does not hold up well" in the present day. I just want to ask this: What even makes a film or TV show hold up well or poorly over time?

Personally, I have never been able to tell whether certain works hold up at all.

JSP · 12-17-2018, 10:19 PM

Dated to the time would be any jokes referencing politics of the time, as an example.

PhoenixAcres · 12-19-2018, 03:16 PM

Yeah I don't think good comedy ever goes out of date. Basically if a sitcom feels outdated today then either it was never good to begin with or it relied too heavily on topical references in lieu of actual comedy.

Shows like Dick Van Dyke have aged wonderfully because they had solid writing and didn't cheapen it by going for fads and injecting it with pop culture references that would make it unwatchable today. These shows kept their relatability and are just as funny today as they were 50+ years ago.

12-17-2018, 11:56 AM	#1
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,976	Can You Tell How Well Something Holds Up Over Time? For years, I have been seeing people stating that a particular film or TV show "does not hold up well" in the present day. I just want to ask this: What even makes a film or TV show hold up well or poorly over time? Personally, I have never been able to tell whether certain works hold up at all.
	__________________ "When the run of a network TV show has ended, some go out with a bang, some with a whimper, but all are...Future Endeavored." "Stay Safe"? More like "Stay Sad". #2020Hurts

12-17-2018, 10:19 PM	#2
JSP Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 19, 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,735	Dated to the time would be any jokes referencing politics of the time, as an example.

12-19-2018, 03:16 PM	#3
PhoenixAcres Member Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 26, 2016 Location: United States Posts: 6,824	Yeah I don't think good comedy ever goes out of date. Basically if a sitcom feels outdated today then either it was never good to begin with or it relied too heavily on topical references in lieu of actual comedy. Shows like Dick Van Dyke have aged wonderfully because they had solid writing and didn't cheapen it by going for fads and injecting it with pop culture references that would make it unwatchable today. These shows kept their relatability and are just as funny today as they were 50+ years ago.