Pet Peeve: When comedies get too serious or dark - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 09-07-2019, 08:18 PM

Does anyone else hate it when a comedy series gets too serious or dark? For example, in All in the Family, there was the attempted rape of Edith episode. On Roseanne they got far too serious that time Roseanne and Dan argued and Dan started throwing around furniture. On Everybody Loves Raymond, they never got too serious or dark except for the final episode (of all things) when Ray has a death scare following a surgery.

Steve_uk · 09-08-2019, 02:28 AM

It's not a good idea. They should remain frivolous, unchallenging, superficial, or they don't belong in this genre.

Heenan Fan · 09-11-2019, 08:03 PM

I disagree. What made shows like AITF, Roseanne and shameless great is because they're realistic. Family's fight. Not everything is peaches and cream like on The Cosby Show or Seinfeld. MASH, Frasier, Norman Lear sitcoms have all been successful tackling serious subjects. The only thing l don't care for is when shows try to spread right-wing propaganda b.s.

Steve_uk · 09-12-2019, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heenan Fan

I disagree. What made shows like AITF, Roseanne and shameless great is because they're realistic. Family's fight. Not everything is peaches and cream like on The Cosby Show or Seinfeld. MASH, Frasier, Norman Lear sitcoms have all been successful tackling serious subjects. The only thing l don't care for is when shows try to spread right-wing propaganda b.s.

Up to a point I suppose. I still don't see how the attempted rape mentioned in #1 belongs in this genre.

dan laters · 09-25-2019, 09:34 PM

Almost never works. Generally laughable but not funny.

Duster76 · 09-25-2019, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heenan Fan

I disagree. What made shows like AITF, Roseanne and shameless great is because they're realistic. Family's fight. Not everything is peaches and cream like on The Cosby Show or Seinfeld. MASH, Frasier, Norman Lear sitcoms have all been successful tackling serious subjects. The only thing l don't care for is when shows try to spread right-wing propaganda b.s.

I don't know where to begin:

Seinfeld: Talk about missing the point, the motto of the stars and producers was best stated by Larry David, "no hugging, no learning".

MASH: I think many fans of the series got a little tired of the all to steady stream of serious, preachy, dark episodes of what was after all a comedy series. Richard Hooker (real name Richard Hornberger), the author of the book MASH which both the movie and the TV series were based on, hated the TV series.

The Cosby Show: Not everything was peaches and cream on The Cosby Show, Cosby chose not to hit the audience over the head, but there were many serious moments that I thought were handled very well. My problem with the series was in the fact that it wasn't funny enough. The pilot episode was very funny, I wish there had been more like that.

"The only thing l don't care for is when shows try to spread right-wing propaganda"

Hollywood is awash with liberal ideology (look at the shows you mentioned, All In The Family, MASH), which show spread right wing propaganda (I'm looking forward to seeing this list)?

KurtfromPitts · 10-02-2019, 11:07 AM

I'd like to see some examples of "right-wing" propaganda too.

bmasters9 · 10-02-2019, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurtfromPitts

I'd like to see some examples of "right-wing" propaganda too.

I think Last Man Standing is an infamous source of right-wing ideology.

Heenan Fan · 10-02-2019, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurtfromPitts

I'd like to see some examples of "right-wing" propaganda too.

Sorry,. I meant to say left wing, although both parties have been guilty of it before.

Duster76 · 10-02-2019, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmasters9

I think Last Man Standing is an infamous source of right-wing ideology.

One show in the history of television, wow!

Impressions · 10-02-2019, 09:45 PM

Agree. I always cringe when a comedy tackles rape or molestation. It was common in the 80s. They should’ve left that to a drama.

Raingus · 10-02-2019, 10:22 PM

I know this is about sitcoms however, I hate it when certain dramas have comical episodes. Like certain Star Trek series for example.

One that comes to mind is a Star Trek Voyager episode about a holodeck character called, "Captain Proton". That was a really really bad episode.

dee2364 · 10-04-2019, 10:22 AM

I've always hated "dark" episodes, too. I don't watch sitcoms to remind me of how

real life is. That AITF episode where Edith almost raped is one of my all time most hated episodes of all time, next to Dudley getting molested on Diff'rent Strokes. After seeing that AITF episode, it took me almost 30 years before I had the stomach to see it through. Diff'rent Strokes, I never watched again because of all the drama episodes dealing with anorexia, drunk driving, kidnapping, etc.

Another episode I can't stand is the one on The Honeymooners where Alice and Ralph are rejected as foster parents.

bmasters9 · 10-04-2019, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dee2364

Diff'rent Strokes, I never watched again because of all the drama episodes dealing with anorexia, drunk driving, kidnapping, etc.

All those reasons are why Diff'rent Strokes has been ineligible for my DVD collection in the first place!

MikeLutton · 10-04-2019, 05:02 PM

like when jeffersons had that gun episode i refuse to watch that one again

10-04-2019, 05:02 PM	#15
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,889	like when jeffersons had that gun episode i refuse to watch that one again
	__________________ Tv And DVD Addict got over a hundred dvds in my collection more than anyone in the neighborhood. also huge Animal lover family man

09-07-2019, 08:18 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 127,635	Pet Peeve: When comedies get too serious or dark Does anyone else hate it when a comedy series gets too serious or dark? For example, in All in the Family, there was the attempted rape of Edith episode. On Roseanne they got far too serious that time Roseanne and Dan argued and Dan started throwing around furniture. On Everybody Loves Raymond, they never got too serious or dark except for the final episode (of all things) when Ray has a death scare following a surgery.

09-08-2019, 02:28 AM	#2
Steve_uk Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 29, 2012 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 5,803	It's not a good idea. They should remain frivolous, unchallenging, superficial, or they don't belong in this genre.

09-11-2019, 08:03 PM	#3
Heenan Fan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 19, 2016 Posts: 6,001	I disagree. What made shows like AITF, Roseanne and shameless great is because they're realistic. Family's fight. Not everything is peaches and cream like on The Cosby Show or Seinfeld. MASH, Frasier, Norman Lear sitcoms have all been successful tackling serious subjects. The only thing l don't care for is when shows try to spread right-wing propaganda b.s.

09-25-2019, 09:34 PM	#5
dan laters Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 18, 2019 Location: Arizona Posts: 25	Almost never works. Generally laughable but not funny.

10-02-2019, 11:07 AM	#7
KurtfromPitts Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 10, 2006 Location: Carnegie PA Posts: 1,539	I'd like to see some examples of "right-wing" propaganda too.

10-02-2019, 09:45 PM	#11
Impressions She died the way she lived Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 08, 2002 Posts: 4,640	Agree. I always cringe when a comedy tackles rape or molestation. It was common in the 80s. They should’ve left that to a drama.

10-02-2019, 10:22 PM	#12
Raingus Banned Banned!! Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 09, 2019 Location: Montana Posts: 23	I know this is about sitcoms however, I hate it when certain dramas have comical episodes. Like certain Star Trek series for example. One that comes to mind is a Star Trek Voyager episode about a holodeck character called, "Captain Proton". That was a really really bad episode.

10-04-2019, 10:22 AM	#13
dee2364 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 20, 2019 Posts: 643	I've always hated "dark" episodes, too. I don't watch sitcoms to remind me of how real life is. That AITF episode where Edith almost raped is one of my all time most hated episodes of all time, next to Dudley getting molested on Diff'rent Strokes. After seeing that AITF episode, it took me almost 30 years before I had the stomach to see it through. Diff'rent Strokes, I never watched again because of all the drama episodes dealing with anorexia, drunk driving, kidnapping, etc. Another episode I can't stand is the one on The Honeymooners where Alice and Ralph are rejected as foster parents.