No other sitcoms really hit me during the ‘80s and it wasn’t until the ‘90s that my sitcom love started again with both Seinfeld and Mad About You. The early episodes of both shows were my favorites. My infatuation with Mad About You died pretty much as Mabel (their baby) was born. The first few years of Seinfeld brought about more catch-phrases than any other TV show I’ve ever seen. Close-talkers, man-hands, sponge-worthy, shrinkage…it was all the talk the next day at work! Michael Richards in his role of (Cosmo) Kramer was the epitome of the sight-gag comedian and I think we all know a few Georges.
Today? Well, for the most part, there are no sitcoms which are really catching my interest. The only one I watch with any regularity is How I Met Your Mother. And, with that one, it’s the character of Barney who draws me in. Neil Patrick Harris has the Barney character lines and image spot on. Suit up! This is SO going in my blog and it’s going to be legendary!
Article comments
1 - Lisa McKay
Jackie, you sure hit a lot of high points here! Have to agree with your take on Mad About You -- a show ruined by parenthood!
I can remember watching reruns of I Love Lucy over and over again when I was very little, and another classic favorite of mine is The Dick Van Dyke Show.
I still watch Seinfeld. It's a perfect expression of modern times.
I never missed an episode of M*A*S*H, although the term sitcom doesn't really describe it very well. Nowadays, the only sitcom I think is worth my time is Scrubs, which is very M*A*S*H-like in its ability to make you laugh and weep almost simultaneously and has an awful lot of insightful stuff to say about the human condition.
2 - Bliffle
Of course, Lou Grants great aside was "I hate spunk".
"Alice" was a humdrum sitcom that gave birth to the much better "Flo's place", which was apparently too grownup for the US TV public and disappeared too quickly.
Carrol Conner saved Archie from being a one-dimensional object of scorn as the series went on. One of Archies great spoonerisms was "full noodle frontity".
3 - Joan Hunt
Congrats! This article has been placed on Advance.net
4 - larry
i am enjoying your blog. i had orgooten about mable being born ending the show,maad about you. other shows tried the late in life pregnancy.notably family ties and rosanne. you have the child born at the end of the season. next season the brat is running around the house. i think that is a vain attempt to try and salvage the show
5 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
"WKRP In Cincinnati": the episode I would definitely sit all the way through for just to get to the last line is the one where the advertising director, Herb, has what he thinks is a grand way to showcase Thanksgiving--by throwing a lot of live turkeys out of a plane throughout the city below. Of course, it turns out to be a PR nightmare and a bloody disaster and headline-making emergency city-wide --after which, a perplexed Herb offers the line: "Andy, I swear to God--I thought turkeys could fly!"
6 - gonzo marx
"oh the humanity"
great call Gordon...one of the best ever
WKRP trivia....the opening theme is sung by "Les Nessman" and the closing theme by "Andy Travis"
just wanted to share
Excelsior?
7 - Rodney Welch
Gordon -- agree totally. The turkeys episode of WKRP was a laugh out loud, all-time winner.
Here's another obscure classic: the "Zoo Animals on Wheels" episode of Chris Elliott's great lost classic Get a Life.
I'm not the only one that thinks so, by the way: TV Guide ranked it among their Top 25 or so funniest episodes in TV history. MSN offers a fine synopsis here.
Anyone else remember this masterpiece?
8 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Ok, the Jack Benny Show was before my time and it wasn't exactly a sit-com, but one particular joke goes in the record books as the longest laugh in tv history, at least for a very long time. It's a skit in which a robber is holding a gun on the notoriously cheap Benny:
Robber: "Your money or your life!"
Benny: (says nothing, stares into space)
Robber: "Look pal--your money or your life!!"
Benny: (still silent, hand on chin, staring off)
Robber: "I said, your money or your life!!!"
Benny: "I'm thinking it over!"
Maybe you had to be there, but I saw this years ago in a rerun, and it's hysterical in large part due to Benny's comedic timing, the pregnant pause, mannerisms, and blank deadpan expression held until he quickly snaps out the punchline. The studio audience howls and howls for a long, long time.
9 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
One more: From "Taxi" whean Reverend Jim is taking his written driving test at the DMV, getting "helped" by Alex and the gang sitting close by:
---"Pssst... what does a yellow light mean?"
---"Slow down"
---"Ok, what...does...a...yellow...light...mean?"
---"Slow Down!"
---"!!!...Whaaattt...doesss...aaaa...yelll--lowww...lighttt...mmeaaannn"?
This might go on for another round or two with increasing exasperation on both sides, until (I think) a DMV employee comes along and nabs them for cheating.
10 - Snarkattack
For me, Mad About You was all over when Paul couldn't get over the Jamie's "I kissed Doug Berkiss" confession. The very last episode, where a grown-up Mabel is played by Janeane Garofalo was most amusing. She did a great job of it.