It’s a tough question — should NBC let go one (or more) of the shows that are underperforming, yet have run their course, and give some of the newer shows a chance? Or should they stick with the critically acclaimed underperforming shows? I know I’ve never even tuned in to Perfect Couples or Outsourced, so I wouldn’t miss them any, but I would mourn the loss of the clever Community for an eternity (move over, Buffy; you’ve got to share the mourning now). Want to know what the rest of the Clackers have to say on the matter?
RACHEL: The Office. It hasn’t been good since Pam and Jim got married. I have stopped watching since they had the baby.
30 Rock is getting a little repetitive, but I still laugh at it. Parks and Rec and Community are pretty funny. And, though I haven’t seen Outsourced and have heard some negative things, I think it’s still possibly getting its feet off the ground and should be given more time.
Oh, and I haven’t seen Perfect Couples either so I can’t comment.
JULIA: I’m not a fan of Perfect Couples or Outsourced. But 30 Rock and Community are in constant battle for my favorite show on television, it really depends on my mood and the week which one comes out as the winner (or if Hawaii Five-0 sweeps in a surprise victory).
JANEY: Perfect Couples. Not a fan. Outsourced is growing on me, I still adore 30 Rock and Community and Parks and Rec are two of my new “must see” shows. Verdict is out on The Office, as I’m mostly watching to see how Michael Scott makes his ride into the sunset.
CHUCK: I watch Community, Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock religiously, so the rest can go without much notice on my part.
KATIE: I’m going to go out on a limb and say The Office. Don’t get me wrong … I’ve loved the show from the first season (with only 6 episodes), but I want it to end on a celebratory note. What better way to let the show die with dignity than when Michael Scott leaves? If they have even one more season post-Carrell, it will just seem like they’re dragging a dead corpse. However, I’d also go with Outsourced because I just don’t think it’s very funny.
RUBY: The Office. This feels like an appropriate time for it to end, with Michael leaving (presumably to be with Holly). I can’t imagine the show continuing without him.
BOB: [who ducks the question better than any Clacker that has come before him] Instead of focusing on the bad, I would like to champion the shows that are doing really well creatively on Thursday night. Community continues to get better with virtually every episode. Parks and Rec has really hit its stride, and Rob Lowe and Adam Scott really rounded out the cast. 30 Rock, while I agree is getting a tad repetitive, still makes me laugh consistently.
AN: I’d still toss Outsourced. The show hasn’t grown past the cardboard cutouts in the pilot script I reviewed last year.
Plus, I might add Perfect Couples to the heap. I liked the pilot and find the characters humorous. However, when the males and females are in the same scene, the show lacks character diversity. For example, both the male and female in the perfect couple are ‘perfect,’ while both genders in the wild couple are wild. Luckily, the ‘regular’ couple, the core couple, have slightly different characteristics from each other. Although I understand the purpose of having the same personality types in one couple for comedic exaggeration, Cougar Town gets that across with the covertly evil couple (Andy’s Kaiser Söze and Ellie’s straight up boredom) and the seemingly cool couple (the hot bar owner and the MILF) while still allowing character development.
RUBY: Outsourced is probably one of the weakest shows in this lineup, but I’ve definitely seen improvement over the course of the first season. The pilot was bad, but most of the characters have received quite a bit of development since then. It’s getting better. The Office, on the other hand, feels like it’s winding down, and I want it to make a graceful exit — not expire slowly, gasping and wheezing.
CARLA: Cancel them all! Renew Chuck and Parenthood. I don’t watch any of these comedies, so doesn’t really matter to me. But, I really hope Parenthood and Chuck are renewed.
There was a bit more concerning Ivey, Michael and Bob and pretzels, euphemisms and Freudian slips, but we don’t need to go there.
How about you? Vote in the poll (the poll that Brett politely suggested should include the choice “all of the above”) and elaborate in the comments!
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Feb 23, 2011 @ 13:00 EST5EDT
I thought the Office did alright in the ratings. Since when did any network care for anything but ratings?
. . . . .
“There was a bit more concerning Ivey, Michael and Bob and pretzels, euphemisms and Freudian slips, but we don’t need to go there.”
For the record, Ivey started it …
yeah, I have nothing to add here … nothing at all.
Leave the comedy shows alone and just dump each and every “reality” show. This will make room for television shows instead of the “car wreck watching” that is unReality Tv.
Outsourced was terrible the last time I bothered to watch it. Its a nice idea for the show but it just doesn’t seem remotely appealing…and I work in a call center.
Perfect Couples has made me laugh more than once and I like the characters but I don’t really see it as a long term show. It seems like its formula is pretty limited and I don’t see where it can really go.
Even though there were plenty of funny episodes in season 4 of the Office that I would miss, I still think the perfect ending would have been Jim bursting into the office at the very end of the season 3 finale. Now, I find Jim and Pam to be the least interesting characters on the Office.
30 Rock has gotten funny again but its on…what…season 5? There are plenty of episodes to rewatch.
That leaves Parks and Recreation and Community, both of which are probably some of my most anticipated shows each week. Parks and Recreation is barely on its third season (and the six episode first season barely counts) so it still seems premature. Same thing with Community. I feel like there is still potential for these shows to wow me and make me feel excited about viewing them. I don’t see this with the other shows. And if they could pair these two up with an hour of Chuck I would be a very happy man.
I never watched Perfect Couples so I can’t really comment on that. However based on the episodes of Outsourced that my DVR tacked onto episodes of The Office I recorded I have to pick that show as the one that deserves to get canned. It was just one big stereotype joke after another.
Perfect Couples needs to go now, it’s horrible. Community just needs two more seasons because then everyone would graduate anyways.
It’s community college. Technically they should be done at the end of this season. But no one ever actually graduates from community college :P
As suggested in the text before the poll, it seems like comedies are strongest during the character development and exploration period — at best a few seasons. Still, I would watch another three years of the worst The Office has to offer before I sat through another 23 minutes of Outsourced.
Many “community” colleges offer four year degree plans in addition to the traditional two-year and transfer options, and the six-year graduation rate at universities is only around 50 percent. 8=>
Yes, but it’s a fictional community college and they said it was a four year school at least once.
And I graduated from a community college in 2.5 years. :-p
Cancel Outsourced. The Office could go, since it’s not as funny as it used to be (actually it’s been months since I’ve seen a funny episode), but Community and Parks and Rec are great! Hope those two stick around.
Alright, this was all fun and games in the beginning because “Community” had 0% of the votes, but now it’s gotten nasty. I see there’s a 2% next to it! Who voted to axe “Community” and why? No intarwebz for you!
Outsourced. Easy choice. It isn’t a terrible sitcom, but it is far too bland for the rest of the lineup. Plus, it is worlds beneath the charm of the film it was based on. For those that have not seen it, do so, you will be surprised.
Perfect Couples is very cliche, but it has it’s merits. I find myself with a smile when I watch the episodes. I do not think it will ever be classified as a riot of laughter, but it certainly is fun. Give it a full order and maybe another season to let it develop.
The Office is done. After this season, it will be just like season 9 of Scrubs.
Parks, 30 Rock, and especially, Community, are incredible shows and should never, ever be removed from television.
Side note: Olivia Munn continues to be a goddess.
I still enjoy The Office, Outsourced, and Perfect Couples. 30 Rock is much better this season than last, and Parks and Recreation just grows stronger every year.
Dropped Community midway through this season, as I no longer like any of the characters.