Blogcritics: Comments on Dumpster Busting TV: What the hell is wrong with Fox Television?

Comment by RJ

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 22:18:28 EST

"My question: why is the episode where Brian the dog becomes a drug sniffing dog (at the airport or something) and becomes hooked on cocaine as he discovers shipment in his job. Wild show, he starts bringing hookers home, etc. Amazingly accurate and funny as hell." LOL! Thanks for the memory! I own FG on DVD, so that's where I saw it. I have no idea if that particular episode is ever going to be played on TV again. But I DO recommend the DVD...

Comment by RJ

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 22:14:38 EST

"Beavis and Butthead..." A blast from the past! Good call.

Comment by RJ

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 22:13:39 EST

"Give a thumbs up to Monty Python of course." Well, that's a given... ;-)

Comment by RJ

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 22:12:35 EST

"I find King of the Hill fair, and have never seen Family Guy or Sealab." KotH is definitely an acquired taste. But Family Guy and Sealab 2021 are just plain HILARIOUS. I recommend you watch them both, ASAP... (On The Cartoon Network...)

Comment by Douglas Mays

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 23:21:18 EST

why is this episode not shown in syndication? That is the question. I proofread my above comment and never actually asked the question. Sorry folks...

Comment by Douglas Mays

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 23:14:05 EST

OK, can anyone answer this question. I watch 'Family Guy' all the time. The script is out there. I have been into it forever and am watching episodes over and over in syndication. My question: why is the episode where Brian the dog becomes a drug sniffing dog (at the airport or something) and becomes hooked on cocaine as he discovers shipment in his job. Wild show, he starts bringing hookers home, etc. Amazingly accurate and funny as hell. I have never seen this episode rerun in syndication. I watch just to see this episode again. Might have been too far out for any form of TV? Well, that sure gives the show a 'thumbs up' based on that alone... peaceloveguidance...

Comment by Douglas Mays

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 23:03:19 EST

Eric, oh yes, B&B. hhhmmm... overall, I would rate it in the 'up there' class. In ways it can be said to be very radical and accurate in its humor. OK, when my daughter was say, 4 years old, I used to have her watch it with me. Just when America's right side was in an uproar about the cartoon ruining the youth of America. So, daughter didn't get the jokes of course. But she just started laughing and said "Those guys are really stupid". I guess she did get the joke. Daughter was an example of how stupid the parents in uproar were. So, I do give B&B a high rating overall because they did stir up national social/political termoil. I look at it like my kid's generation of MAD Magazine. She would have to research or ask questions in order to get the joke. Like MAD, it provided a source of education for the kids. And some adults hopefully....

Comment by Douglas Mays

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 22:54:25 EST

Ab Fab. I love it. It is a French Saunders Production. Pretty good team actually. As Eric says, it may not translate the big American audience. To the underground audience it is a hit. I love the episode when Patsy buys bunk cocaine, gets stopped at customs at the airport. The Customs agents come back and let them go because it wasn't cocaine. Patsy complains that she 'paid top dollar for that!'.

Comment by Eric Berlin

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 22:05:58 EST

Yeah, I think Ab Fab is one of those shows that just doesn't translate to American audiences.... especially men. The main character was pretty good as the voice of the fairy godmother in Shrek 2, though.

Comment by Dave Nalle

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 22:01:50 EST

RJ: "Absolutely Fabulous" Absolutely unwatchable...<< And might I add... Absolutely NOT funny. Dave

Comment by Eric Berlin

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 21:53:23 EST

Where do you rank B&B, Douglas? I think it was a far better, funnier, and innovative show (the watching and commenting on videos thing, which was the majority of most episodes) than generally given credit for.

Comment by Douglas Mays

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 21:50:50 EST

Beavis and Butthead...

Comment by Eric Berlin

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 21:45:03 EST

The Flying Circus will likely never be topped for sheer absurdity and inventiveness. When I was a kid, a local station aired reruns of Laugh In and Battlestar Galactica back-to-back everyday -- great stuff.

Comment by Douglas Mays

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 21:35:53 EST

Oh, and just to comment, Carol Burnett slayed me sometimes...Tim Conway sometimes had me rolling in the floor. Give a thumbs up to Monty Python of course. Laugh In, always at the top due to its topical humor which was of and era not in the USA anymore but is more common in Canada. hhhmmm...that means that something is going on up there. Social strife. I should drive an hour north and hang out to find out what is going on in Canada's real life...

Comment by Eric Berlin

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 20:14:35 EST

RJ -- You've got a point in that South Park, Sponge Bob, and The Simpsons (the show that keeps on truckin') are all in the Top 10 of funniest overall programs on TV today. Throw AD, Curb, and Scrubs in the mix, and I'm close to a Top 10 list... sweet. I find King of the Hill fair, and have never seen Family Guy or Sealab.

Comment by RJ

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 20:14:25 EST

"Absolutely Fabulous" Absolutely unwatchable...

Comment by RJ

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 20:12:13 EST

"For pure comedy, I like the sketch format better, for whatever reason. For example, nearly any episode of Kids in the Hall will blow away -- laugh for laugh -- 98% of what passes for situation comedy today." I agree 100%. BTW, I much prefer animated comedy (South Park, King of the Hill, Family Guy, Sealab 2021, etc.) to most sit-coms with real live actors.

Comment by RJ

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 20:09:54 EST

"MASH (alan alda isn't funny - same for talentless costars)" I agree that MSH was horrible and vastly over-rated. "All in the Family (did anyone think this was funny?)" I did... "Carol Burnet Show (ok, she makes lucille ball almost look funny)" I also thought this was funny...

Comment by Eric Berlin

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 18:48:46 EST

Nothing like a good excuse to jump on the anti-USA bandwagon, aye Jim? Can't we all admit that there's good and bad comedy (and everything else) in every bloody culture? I gave love in this thread to Kids in the Halll and The Office. There are certainly American shows that match the comedic impact of those brilliant programs. Why all the politics all the time, dude?

Comment by Jim Carruthers

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 17:33:00 EST

Reality? Not as much as "Degrassi:TNG" where director Kevin Smith (playing "Kevin Smith") induced Caitlin to move to LA, and made Joey cry, a lot. Even Jason Mewes looked embarrased at that bald-headed little man crying so much, like a little bitch, snoogans.

Comment by Aaman

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 17:09:55 EST

That's a reality show, I assume

Comment by Jim Carruthers

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 17:09:11 EST

As an addition for "serious", the most popular sitcom in Canada is "Corner Gas" which is about a small town in Saskatchewan where nothing much happens. Most of the people aren't too bright, but it is good-natured (though last night's ep featured them trying to recruit a doctor who they discovered was a hick (she came from a town of 87)).

Comment by Jim Carruthers

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 17:03:43 EST

I don't think you can really call "This Is Wonderland" a sitcom because for the most part it is heartbreaking (for example last week the Nigerian security guard, or almost any of the people they deal with in court, except for the Bridezilla). If you haven't seen it, think "Boston Legal" without the DEK gimmicks, and only ordinary people in court -- neighbour disputes, crack-addicts shoplifting, family violence and so on. With some lawyers trying to deal with it, and their own problems. Of course to balance all the social good messages, we also have "Trailer Park Boys" which had the Xmas message of what was fucking important about the holidays wasn't if Santa was God, but that you spend the holidays getting stoned and drunk with your family and friends in the trailer park.

Comment by Douglas Mays

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 16:49:07 EST

"This Is Wonderland", another Candian sitcom I think is great. It seems the difference between Canadian and USA sit-coms is that Canada uses the template of serious realities of politics and business, the USA has a template of the pettiness created in interpersonal relationships. Well, I'm sure we could find exception, but in general... anyway....

Comment by Douglas Mays

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 16:31:54 EST

Jim, YES!!!!!! I saw The Newsroom last night!!!!! A new episode. WOW!!!! One of my favorite sit-coms of modern days!!!! Ken Finkelman is a great writer/director/producer. You Canadians have an advantage. The Candian Arts Fund (or whatever they call it) kick starting programs like This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Rick Mercer's Monday (I loved his "Made In Canada" also), Air Farce and others. All these are shows that humorously challenge what is going on in Canada's social politics. Finkelman and Mercer do a great job at presenting the realities of the television industry in such a brutal funny way. Oh, Mary Walsh ROCKS also. Good job Canada. Your fed's tax dollars putting such challenging information about your government on your prime time. Canada is an ultimate democracy in this sense. God, I love 'The Newsroom'. I'm so happy it is back on the air. I have many old episodes on video tape. Jim, remember the one where they tried to get the guy to commit suicide on the air for ratings? Also, remember that short lived series by Finkelman called "Foolish Hearts"? I taped the whole thing. That one was out there... peaceloveguidance