60. "I don't 'require' sentiment, either." In response to In response to 56
But everybody is having a field day pointing out what is 'missing' from AD, and for me that's the only component that lacks. I love the show. I don't really care to see a 'very special' episode of Arrested Development. But the fact still remains that I don't care one iota for what ultimately happens with these characters. And I do think that some form of emotional investment is necessary for a long-running sitcom. The show itself doesn't have to be sentimental, but I think you'd have to care *a little bit* about these characters if you're going to let them into your living room every week for an extended period of time.
>I have no idea where this obsession with "sentiment" and being >"emotionally involved" with the characters is coming from. >(I'm not singling you out, most of the show's detractors seem >to be harping on this).
Thanks for not singling me out... But using words like 'obsession', 'detractors' and 'harping', this still comes off as a loaded statement. Don't file me into the Haters column. I love this TV show.
>Sentiment and obvious efforts to pull at your heart-strings >always seem tacked on in sitcoms. It's why I didn't watch Home >Improvement or Everybody Loves Raymond or Will and Grace.
Yikes, you're kind of stacking the deck there, aren't you? I've only seen a handful of ELR, but there appears to have been some decent 'moments' on the show. But I'm calling foul on the Home Improvement mention. That's no fair.
I'm not talking about a Last-5-Minutes-of-Full-House brand of sitcom sentimentality here. I'm talking about characters that feel like real people that you can care about. I haven't gotten there with AD yet. That show is a hilarious acquaintance, but not necessarily a friend yet, you know?
> That's why I like the Simpsons: >Homer never gets any smarter, Bart's always a wise-ass and >Burns is alway evil. I don't want life lessons or emotional >development from sitcoms, I want comedy. And AD provides that >in spades.
Well what you are talking about there is a never-changing status quo. Which pretty much exists in all sitcoms. I don't see what this has to do with anything else you've mentioned though. But it's funny you should bring up The Simpsons, because I think that show has had some really sentimental moments over the years! And you can't tell me you don't care about the characters. Come on man. You know everytime Homer is in the doghouse you can't wait for him and Marge to make amends. Admit it.
And what about Futurama?! Some of those episodes were downright Kleenex-worthy.