- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
4. "it's interesting to me..." In response to Reply # 0
that the traditional family sitcom hasn't been "dead" for all that long, but it already feels weird to hear that studio audience laughter.
Anyway, this looks good, and it probably will be. Personally I've never had a problem with the family sitcom formula. It all just depends on the talent. And this one has boatloads.
I'm a little worried about the actress who went to Catholic School and didn't want her mom coming to a taping.
5. "I don't think she has a huge role..." In response to Reply # 4
And I'm sure she's just an actress, anyway, not really part of the creative team.
As I understand it, Jerry Minor was written into the pilot just because he's so funny, and he's pals with Louie, but he was so great, they gave him a recurring role.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
8. "Some things are new, some are old, few are status quo." In response to Reply # 7
Of course, there's some sex and swearing. That's totally new in a family sitcom.
There's real pain dissension and disagreements, which is rarely seen in sitcoms. All in the Family and The Honeymooners being two good examples of exceptions.
There's negativity towards the kid. That's pretty new.
They're broke, that hasn't been on TV in sitcoms for years.
In other ways, it's a traditional sitcom.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
13. "Yeah, here's the winner:" In response to Reply # 12
>I'm sorry, but my dick is too aware that your pussy is a >chamber of financial ruin.
I just hope the show's still funny once the "Ooo, they CUSSIN' in the multi-cam sitcom format" novelty wears off... ____________________________________________________________________________________ "Both teams played hard, my man." -Rasheed Wallace, providing my new stock response to any future OKP "board beef" starters
> > > > > > > > > >I'm sorry, but my dick is too aware that your pussy is a >chamber of financial ruin. > >Or > >I need $3,000 in an interest bearing account to get fully >hard. that scene had me on the floor.
19. "remember it's a sitcom pilot..." In response to Reply # 15
these things take time to ripen.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
53. "you chose to focus on the insignificant part of my post" In response to Reply # 48
you have to agree with me that "acting" has grossly skewed the viewing audiences expectations and realities when it comes to comedic timing...Jim Norton's timing would make anything JLD said 10X funnier...I'm not saying that actors aren't funny, I'm saying that their timing is not as good for the most part.. I don't know what would cause you to assume that I believe that not one actor has good timing?That's your gross oversimplification, not mine.. Jeffrey Tamboer is a genius, Jason Alexander is a genius..but that doesnt change the fact that 90 percent of people who are in sitcoms or comedy movies simply do not have the true timing to pull it off..But because that's what is shoved down our throats, we assume that *thats* timing
55. "you are going horribly, horribly wrong." In response to Reply # 53
>you have to agree with me that "acting" has grossly skewed >the viewing audiences expectations and realities when it comes >to comedic timing...
no, it hasn't. what you are forgetting is that there is such a thing as comedic acting. just because you aren't a stand up comic, doesn't mean you can't act funny.
>Jim Norton's timing would make anything >JLD said 10X funnier...
God no. she was pitch perfect on that show. i'm loathe to believe that someone would be able to improve on what she did just because they did stand up.
>I'm not saying that actors aren't >funny, I'm saying that their timing is not as good for the >most part..
the entire casts of Mary Tyler Moore, All In The Family, Cheers, etc laughs at insanity in this statement.
>but that doesnt change the fact >that 90 percent of people who are in sitcoms or comedy movies >simply do not have the true timing to pull it off..
and 90 percent of the really good stand up comics that have had their own sitcoms have sucked at it. that's because being a funny comic and being a good comedic actor are not mutually inclusive.
56. "for some reason, you just aren't getting what I am saying" In response to Reply # 55
> >no, it hasn't. what you are forgetting is that there is such a >thing as comedic acting. just because you aren't a stand up >comic, doesn't mean you can't act funny.
I'm well aware of a thing called comedic acting...and I am also well aware of when it is not done successfully.And just because you are a stand up comic, that doesnt make you anymore qualified to speak on it
>the entire casts of Mary Tyler Moore, All In The Family, >Cheers, etc laughs at insanity in this statement.
Uh huh...and so aren't my grandparents and the rest of the people who watched those shows 30 years ago..I'm talking about today..modern trends
> >and 90 percent of the really good stand up comics that have >had their own sitcoms have sucked at it. that's because being >a funny comic and being a good comedic actor are not mutually >inclusive.
I didnt say it was mutually inclusive...SO much assuming going on here its because of my original point...everything has been skewed
57. "i get what you're saying. it just doesn't make sense." In response to Reply # 56
>I'm well aware of a thing called comedic acting...and I am >also well aware of when it is not done successfully.
the point is that it has been done unsuccessfully by just as many people who are talented stand up comics.
>And just >because you are a stand up comic, that doesnt make you anymore >qualified to speak on it
i never said it did.
>>the entire casts of Mary Tyler Moore, All In The Family, >>Cheers, etc laughs at insanity in this statement. > >Uh huh...and so aren't my grandparents and the rest of the >people who watched those shows 30 years ago..I'm talking about >today..modern trends
ok, let's look at the casts of some recent successful shows:
Arrested Development: 1 stand up comic. Entourage: 0 stand up comics The Office: 1 stand up comics in the main cast. 2 others in supporting roles. My Name is Earl: 0 stand up comics Scrubs: 0 stand up comics Will & Grace: 0 stand up comics Malcolm in the Middle: 0 stand up comics Desperate Housewives: 0 stand up comics Everybody Hates Chris: 0 stand up comics Two and a Half Men: 0 stand up comics Weeds: 1 stand up comic
it's not about being a comic. it's about being a good comic actor.
63. "Except that Nick is 100% right." In response to Reply # 58
Being a standup and being a comic actor are two very different things. They also call for very different timing.
Actually, I think Jim Norton (whose standup isn't my thing, but I can see why people like it) is a great example. He hit the first half of his big line in the pilot, got a big laugh, and then the second half got all screwy. His timing was off, in other words.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
30. "At first I thought the same thing" In response to Reply # 29
Like, "how long are they gonna drag this out"?? But I thought as it wore on, it actually got funnier, as his answers went more and more into detail. How he was always stoned in high school, how the economy works etc etc.
24. "RE: i liked it plenty" In response to Reply # 23
I was very impressed. Only scene that fell flat for me was the supermarket scene. It was a weak rehash of the "I'll have what she's having" sequence from When Harry Met Sally.
I thought all the stuff with him and Minor was comic gold. If the show lasts, I wouldn't be suprised if it becomes more of a focal point.
31. "The supermarket scene..." In response to Reply # 24
I thought the scene was lame on the whole, but I loved the joke at the end, and the tag on the joke.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
32. "I agree with you on the acting..." In response to Reply # 25
I think/hope it'll get a bit more lived-in with a few more episodes under their belt.
What makes you say the set was awful? It seems to have been a very conscious choice, did you disagree with it?
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
35. "yeah, i just think it was a bad call." In response to Reply # 32
>What makes you say the set was awful? It seems to have been a >very conscious choice, did you disagree with it?
i know they want them to look working class, but their shit looks like some homeless people might be squatting there. and then Jerry Minor and his family are all well-dressed and middle class looking. doesn't make sense.
>>This is just Married with Children slightly updated and >with >>cussing. > >if you don't like it, i'm not going to try and convince you, >but...two things. > >1. this was NOTHING like Married with Children. >2. this was much better written than any episode of Married >with Childred ever was.
Yeah, boy... it was far from perfect, but it's NOTHING like Married with Children. NOTHING.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
47. "serious enough to kind of see them as real people sometimes" In response to Reply # 43 Thu Jun-15-06 01:10 AM by Mgmt
I don't see that happening here. It seems like they're duping the audience. Even the sets seem disingenuous. They look like pee-wee's playhouse or something (with stupid stuff like dirty outlines where hung pictures were).
59. "that's cause you cherry-picked those characters, my friend" In response to Reply # 49 Thu Jun-15-06 09:34 PM by Mgmt
Don't bring up Arrested Development or Seinfeld. Those two messed up the sitcom forever, thankfully.
I've taken Roc (Charles S. Dutton), Archie Bunker, Alex P. Keaton, and even the Fresh Prince seriously. Granted that's because of very-special-episode stuff, but still.
You know when that little greasy broad (I'd fuck tho) on this show had a crying fit? I was waiting for the punchline. That's not good IMO.
60. "i could have named two dozen." In response to Reply # 59
>Don't bring up Arrested Development or Seinfeld. Those two >messed up the sitcom forever, thankfully.
those two shows didn't do anything to the sitcom forever.
>I've taken Roc (Charles S. Dutton), Archie Bunker, Alex P. >Keaton, and even the Fresh Prince seriously. Granted that's >because of very-special-episode stuff, but still.
if you ever took the Fresh Prince seriously, that's a seperate issue all together.
>You know when that little greasy broad (I'd fuck tho) on this >show had a crying fit? I was waiting for the punchline. >That's not good IMO.
you were waiting for the punchline because it's a sitcom. that means that eventually, there is ALWAYS a punchline.
71. "This dude's whole argument..." In response to Reply # 62
is based on taking The Fresh Prince seriously.
I love it.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
but Louie runs the show. And he really did work in a muffler shop for years. He didn't go to college. Etc etc etc.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
The goal of an more true to life sitcom didn't really come off. The cursing seemed forced at times. It has potential though. I will continue to watch. **********
Reality check: according to the 2000 census, there were more than 31,000 black physicians and surgeons, 33,000 black lawyers. There are about 1,400 black athletes playing professional basketball, football and baseball combined.
okaycomputer Member since Dec 02nd 2002 8090 posts
Mon Jun-12-06 06:51 PM
38. "I'll punch my Mother, I'll punch her right in the face." In response to Reply # 0 Mon Jun-12-06 06:51 PM by okaycomputer
there's plenty to be fixed, but for a pilot it was pretty good.
One problem, mentioned in an article a while back, is transitions. Without commercials they're going to have to figure something out...because it was really jerky last night. I remember Louie saying it was something they hadn't anticipated, so hopefully that'll get better as the show goes along.
Also, like somebody else said, the set and production values are so low it really hurts. I'm worried Louie may have gone a little too far off the deep end with this idea.
I don't care what you say, Louie's wife is fucking hot. That raspy voice spitting out dirty words, the sexy white trash t-shirt. Seeing her naked, now THAT would be a revolutionary step for the sit-com.
_________________________________ Now all I need is a crew. One that can act as if, One that can slay on cue, And sneeze and sniff
I'm going back to the water been landlocked too long
51. "Has anyone said anything to the contrary? Cause those people are dumb" In response to Reply # 38
>I don't care what you say, Louie's wife is fucking hot. That >raspy voice spitting out dirty words, the sexy white trash >t-shirt. Seeing her naked, now THAT would be a revolutionary >step for the sit-com.
And God yes, there needs to be some kind of nude scene.
52. "RE: Has anyone said anything to the contrary? Cause those people are du..." In response to Reply # 51
>>I don't care what you say, Louie's wife is fucking hot. >That >>raspy voice spitting out dirty words, the sexy white trash >>t-shirt. Seeing her naked, now THAT would be a >revolutionary >>step for the sit-com. > >And God yes, there needs to be some kind of nude scene.
Now whenever I hear Bobby Hill I'm gonna be thinking about that hot chick.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
54. "She looks like Rachel Dratch if she was slightly attractive" In response to Reply # 51
She's cute, but she aint all that...Which is good, cause Louis is an ugly dude, and wouldnt get someone any more attractive than that...But she has absolutely NO ass...this I have a problem with
61. "I've only seen the pilot, BUT..." In response to Reply # 0
I can say it shows promise.
There were funny LINES in the show but the production values were a bit off.
1)When Louis was mumbling about "I'll clean anything if you suck my dick once in a while" it was definitely hard to hear. I understand he didn't want anyone on the show to hear it, but it seemed mic'd poorly.
2)The sets are Rosannish, BUT also "Newhart before they went to film"-ish too. Newhart on tape looked awful, and so did this pilot.
3)The establishing shot of the bar looked DV or less.
4)They should have blocked a shot DIRECTLY on Louis when he said "I'm going to fuck your tits off." The two shot from the side didn't work for me. Imagine Alex saying hat to Ellen on family ties, it's been a dead on shot of Michael J. Fox doing that thing with his eyes that he did so much.
Maybe I'm a film bigot, but sitcoms on film seem more 'real' to me because they don't look like real life.
As for the Married With Children comparisons I have to disagree. Al, Peg, Kelly and Bud seemed to genuinely not give a shit about one another through out most of the episodes but Louis friend's and family seemed to care about one another. More Rosasnne than MWC.
He talks about why he chose to shoot it on tape instead of film (first sitcom since Roseanne to do so). He feels it makes it feel more like an immediate theatrical experience. Cites Norman Lear demanding tape for All in the Family.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
66. "you got that impression?" In response to Reply # 61
The impression that they care about each other? I don't even think the writers intended that one. I think the show's just supposed to be misanthropic, which is why I brought up MOC. Rosanne didn't come across that way, but they were damn close.
68. "I think you're completely off-base." In response to Reply # 66
I think the whole whole whole point of the show is that they care about each other, very deeply. That's why they go through all that shit. The point of the show is that being a family is hard, and funny. The conflicts are both large and trivial. Not everyone always makes perfect moves or decisions.
- Bullseye with Jesse Thorn A public radio show about things that are awesome. http://www.maximumfun.org "This is the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." - McSweeney's
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