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.
Ah, and my biggest problem is that I keep thinking of current shows. (Also, I totally forgot about Numb3rs, which mostly rules.) I didn't pay much attention to TV in my teens. (I turned 17 in 2000, to give you a time frame there.) I bet if I went back and watched some of those 90s shows, I'd like some. Not Friends, because the actors almost universally annoy me (it happens, I guess). But X-Files would probably hold me. We actually watched a couple episodes for AP English Lit, to illustrate postmodernism. Evidently they draw inspiration from literature more often than I thought. I've seen part of a season of The Office (US version) and liked it in DVD form. Actually, I prefer most things in DVD form. Hmm. Anyway... Oh, a current sitcom that has BRILLIANT comedic writing: Two and a Half Men. Berta is love.
Hmm, digging in memories... I know I used to watch sitcoms with my mum, but all I remember are the TGIF staples (Boy Meets World, Step By Step), and those I "grew out of"-- or "grew disdain for"-- within a year or two... I never got into the Aaron Spelling shows, or Party of Five, or Friends... I was always a bit of an odd duck in my age group. I was usually reading something while everyone was fangirling over TV and movies. (To this day, I see a movie in a theater once every couple of years, and maaaybe see a new American movie on DVD a couple times a year. It makes people who try to make smalltalk with me depressed. Or annoyed, when I answer, "I read the book, though!")
I was much more adamant about watching animated shows. Afternoon (and Saturday morning) in the early nineties was awesome. Tiny Toons, Animaniacs (which I think of now as a sunnier version of SZS), Histeria!, Freakazoid, Peter Pan and the Pirates, ReBoot... And Nick in the late 80s was awesome, with their lineup of what I now know to actually be anime, most of which I have trouble remembering titles, but had awesome writing: The Little Bits, David the Gnome, Maya the Bee, umm... Koala Walla? ...and another with koalas and a little girl named Sandie. Unless I have the two shows reversed in my head. Anyway, I watched Saturday morning cartoons almost religiously into my late teens, and my mum would watch with me. These days the only really amusing thing I've found in that time slot is The Emperor's New School, which my mum and I will sometimes watch quietly together.
Hmm... Will and Grace was a good one, I think... and I think I used to watch Caroline in the City, though all I remember about it now is that it was about a redheaded cartoonist. OH, I used to watch Mad About You. Mum liked Wings, I think.
I'm thinking I must have a conversation with my mum, reminiscing about good TV.
Thank you for being so thought-provoking, by the way. That's why my reply was so long-- you poked me and turned my brain on, and then it wouldn't shut up. It was pleasant. We'll have to do this again sometime. XD
Perhaps I'll watch Geass, just so I can say I tried. xD
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Ah, and my biggest problem is that I keep thinking of current shows. (Also, I totally forgot about Numb3rs, which mostly rules.) I didn't pay much attention to TV in my teens. (I turned 17 in 2000, to give you a time frame there.) I bet if I went back and watched some of those 90s shows, I'd like some. Not Friends, because the actors almost universally annoy me (it happens, I guess). But X-Files would probably hold me. We actually watched a couple episodes for AP English Lit, to illustrate postmodernism. Evidently they draw inspiration from literature more often than I thought. I've seen part of a season of The Office (US version) and liked it in DVD form. Actually, I prefer most things in DVD form. Hmm. Anyway... Oh, a current sitcom that has BRILLIANT comedic writing: Two and a Half Men.
Berta is love.Hmm, digging in memories... I know I used to watch sitcoms with my mum, but all I remember are the TGIF staples (Boy Meets World, Step By Step), and those I "grew out of"-- or "grew disdain for"-- within a year or two... I never got into the Aaron Spelling shows, or Party of Five, or Friends... I was always a bit of an odd duck in my age group. I was usually reading something while everyone was fangirling over TV and movies. (To this day, I see a movie in a theater once every couple of years, and maaaybe see a new American movie on DVD a couple times a year. It makes people who try to make smalltalk with me depressed. Or annoyed, when I answer, "I read the book, though!")
I was much more adamant about watching animated shows. Afternoon (and Saturday morning) in the early nineties was awesome. Tiny Toons, Animaniacs (which I think of now as a sunnier version of SZS), Histeria!, Freakazoid, Peter Pan and the Pirates, ReBoot... And Nick in the late 80s was awesome, with their lineup of what I now know to actually be anime, most of which I have trouble remembering titles, but had awesome writing: The Little Bits, David the Gnome, Maya the Bee, umm... Koala Walla? ...and another with koalas and a little girl named Sandie. Unless I have the two shows reversed in my head. Anyway, I watched Saturday morning cartoons almost religiously into my late teens, and my mum would watch with me. These days the only really amusing thing I've found in that time slot is The Emperor's New School, which my mum and I will sometimes watch quietly together.
Hmm... Will and Grace was a good one, I think... and I think I used to watch Caroline in the City, though all I remember about it now is that it was about a redheaded cartoonist. OH, I used to watch Mad About You. Mum liked Wings, I think.
I'm thinking I must have a conversation with my mum, reminiscing about good TV.
Thank you for being so thought-provoking, by the way. That's why my reply was so long-- you poked me and turned my brain on, and then it wouldn't shut up. It was pleasant. We'll have to do this again sometime. XD
Perhaps I'll watch Geass, just so I can say I tried. xD