The protectors of all that is good and protesters of all that is deemed seedy, the PTC has just announced the best and worst family shows for the current season. I cannot claim to be a fan of the PTC, nor can I claim to really follow their actions, but who can resist best/worst of lists?
Let us take a look at their worst list, as I am sure it is going to be the more fun of the two. The titles are theirs, the notes are mine, remember this is all opinion.
The WORST List:
- The War at Home. Well, let me first say that this is actually the worst new show of the year. I made the mistake of watching the first few episodes. The characters are smarmy, one dimensional annoyances whining and attempting to be witty and clever. They only succeed at being terrible characters relying on perceived shock to carry the show. I concur that this is not good for families. Scratch that, this show isn't good for anybody.
- Family Guy. Granted, this show isn't "good" for families, but it is an absolute riot. Riffing on popular culture and twisting the family dynamic, this is a cross between South Park and The Simpsons. On the other hand, some of their twisted humor may be used as a launching off point in some serious discussions with kids, using the comedy as a way to ease into it in away that allows parents and children to relate. Maybe the PTC has these things backwards?
- American Dad. From the makers of Family Guy, is there any wonder that this is here too? It also crosses so many lines in terms of crude humor, one wouldn't even know where to begin. Again, perhaps families could use this as discussion fodder. That is, if families actually sat down and watched these shows together.
- The O.C. I don't watch this show, so I cannot comment too much on it. There is something about the teen soap that doesn't grab me. I didn't watch 90210 or Melrose Place either.
- C.S.I. I find this to be an odd choice for the list. Sure, the show depicts many grisly scenes of murder, gore, and many forms of deviancy, but the show is primarily about how an intelligent group of people figure out what happened and get the bad guy. It may be a tad unrealistic, but its use of science and method could be seen as inspiring. Perhaps it could lead to more kids turning to science as a career?
- Desperate Housewives. Seeing this made me laugh, not because it was here, but because it has become such a phenomenon that revels in its deviancy under the cover of a whitewashed neighborhood. There is a certain level of reality in the surreal nature of the show. It is obviously compressed to display the highest level of absurdity, but there is no denying that some of what happens here also happens in your neighborhood. Probably not good for families, but for couples, sure.
- Two and a Half Men. This brought another chuckle as my Grandmother doesn't miss an episode! This show seems as if it could have been, at least partially, inspired by the Man Show Boy. It is based primarily on the exploits of Charlie Sheen as a libido-driven bachelor dealing with a divorced brother and young nephew. Not the best of role models.
- That 70s Show. I seriously question this show's inclusion, it hasn't even premiered yet this season. Their reasoning seems to be "Well, it's been on the list before." Hardly good enough evidence. Also referenced is the casual sex and drug use, but then again, they are trying to recreate the 70s, so it may be better this way than they think.
- Arrested Development. Time for one of my favorites. This show follows the exploits of a moral man in the midst of an amoral family. A family so out of control, how will he ever survive? Keeping the outrageousness of the family at bay is half the fun. Rather than focusing on the bizarre proclivities of the Bluth family at large, perhaps they should look at the central character and where his priorities lie?
- Bringing up the rear of the list: Cold Case. Another odd choice, much like CSI was. Perhaps instead of looking at the wildness of the crimes, maybe look at the central character who cares enough to look into these crimes which had long ago been shelved in favor of something easier? It seems that there could be more good here than not.
Article comments
1 - Matt Paprocki
I was waiting for someone to post something on this.
I think Tow and Half Men, for all of its hilarity, can be rather off-putting. Don't get me wrong, I love it and haven't missed an episode in months, but the whole 10-year old kid situation is bizzare at times.
Oh, and never try to make sense of these people Chris. They have little for the most part.
2 - Dave Nalle
So, once again, the humorless and self-righteous don't approve of any shows which are actually funny. What a shocker.
Dave
3 - Sterfish
Chris Rock probably spit out his drink upon reading that his show was actually on the best list.
4 - Chris Beaumont
I just didn't feel like really ripping into them. I don't approve of their tactics or seriously skewed logic. On the other hand the thought of anybody thinking of the family is a novel idea in the entertainment world. I am just sure there is a better way to go about it.
Then again, who can resist a top ten list?
5 - Tony Figueroa
In my opinion the PTC would rather ride the wave of a popular TV show thus being able to condemn the show while hitting the talk show circuit. I find this behavior similar to a serial killer that goes after celebrities in order to take their fame. This whorish behavior is no better than someone who is willing to eat an animal part that the butcher would normally throw out, just to be on TV. In my opinion the Parents Television Council lacks the moral high ground to judge people who work in television. On the bright side, being The Parents Television Council’s "Worst TV Show of the Week" may be the new "Banned in Boston".
6 - Al Barger
Hold on, America. Bernie Mac is a great show, one of the best couple of things on a television, despite this endorsement. Damn the PTC, and their attempt to sabotage this great show with their awful endorsement.