Epic comment(s) is epic. ^__^ I really don't have a lot to add or disagree with, as you already explained everything so well. But a few points...
RE: American sitcoms. I agree that most family-centered network sitcoms are woefully awful. But I think that there are some truly amazing network sitcoms, especially those aired during the "Golden Age" of the late 90's, that were based around either a) a group of adult friends or b) a particular workplace or business. I.E. Friends and The Office, for ur-examples of both types. And then of course, there are the cable TV sitcoms, which generally have more freedom to break with expectation and feature better writing. So yeah, without cable, you are kind of missing out. ;)
I think that several Adult Swim original cartoons are trying very hard to be the American equivalent of SZS. Moral Orel would perhaps fit the bill, especially in the final season, but it ultimately does end on an upbeat note.
Princess Tutu! YES!!! I can't believe I forgot about that one. Yes, I totally agree, that is a perfect example of an anime written originally for television, not an adaptation of a book or comic, that happens to be freakin' amazing in the whole "writing" department.
Also, even if a "good" anime is based on manga, that doesn't necessarily mean anything. [...] There are writers who take awesomesauce literature and turn it into drivel.
Point taken. You're right. I guess that anime writers DO deserve credit for not mucking up their adaptations - or, in some rare instances, even improving upon the original.
...I've heard a bit of buzz about Geass. I wasn't interested until I heard that there are alternate-history politics involved. Is it worth watching?
I think that Geass is a huge steaming pile of shit, personally. But it comes bundled with all sorts of extremely entertaining trappings: Deliciously overwrought melodrama, love dodecahedrons, ridiculous military/political "intrigue," gorgeous high-quality animation, and very very very pretty character and mecha designs. Some of the characters themselves are pretty awesome, too, despite being trapped in a shitpile of an anime.
So, um, that's my opinion of Code Geass. I think it's definitely worth watching if you're the type of person who can enjoy "so-good-it's-bad" fare. If not, then maybe not.
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RE: American sitcoms. I agree that most family-centered network sitcoms are woefully awful. But I think that there are some truly amazing network sitcoms, especially those aired during the "Golden Age" of the late 90's, that were based around either a) a group of adult friends or b) a particular workplace or business. I.E. Friends and The Office, for ur-examples of both types. And then of course, there are the cable TV sitcoms, which generally have more freedom to break with expectation and feature better writing. So yeah, without cable, you are kind of missing out. ;)
I think that several Adult Swim original cartoons are trying very hard to be the American equivalent of SZS. Moral Orel would perhaps fit the bill, especially in the final season, but it ultimately does end on an upbeat note.
Princess Tutu! YES!!! I can't believe I forgot about that one. Yes, I totally agree, that is a perfect example of an anime written originally for television, not an adaptation of a book or comic, that happens to be freakin' amazing in the whole "writing" department.
Also, even if a "good" anime is based on manga, that doesn't necessarily mean anything. [...] There are writers who take awesomesauce literature and turn it into drivel.
Point taken. You're right. I guess that anime writers DO deserve credit for not mucking up their adaptations - or, in some rare instances, even improving upon the original.
...I've heard a bit of buzz about Geass. I wasn't interested until I heard that there are alternate-history politics involved. Is it worth watching?
I think that Geass is a huge steaming pile of shit, personally. But it comes bundled with all sorts of extremely entertaining trappings: Deliciously overwrought melodrama, love dodecahedrons, ridiculous military/political "intrigue," gorgeous high-quality animation, and very very very pretty character and mecha designs. Some of the characters themselves are pretty awesome, too, despite being trapped in a shitpile of an anime.
So, um, that's my opinion of Code Geass. I think it's definitely worth watching if you're the type of person who can enjoy "so-good-it's-bad" fare. If not, then maybe not.