Viewer discretion advised. Not an unwarranted warning from the folks at It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia … and not necessarily for the reasons you’d think.
Yes it’s crass. Yes it portrays “adult situations,” if you can call the characters adults. But it amazes me that people can be out there bemoaning the fall of great comedy in movies due to recent hits like The Hangover, while TV airs just as many shows that make you question what the writers were smoking in the writers’ room.
I happen to not even care about that, being a fan of The Hangover myself. Rather, what watching the season seven premiere of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia made me wonder was how, when it comes to tastes, all bets are off.
I’m not saying It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is bad (note that I said “tastes” and not “taste” above); it’s not for me, but because it so wasn’t for me I’m not going to simply knock it as bad. Instead my thoughts turn to how two people can so differ on what they find funny, interesting, attractive, etc.
I’m of the generation that’s neck deep in the “new” brand of sitcom — shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Parks & Recreation, Community, and The Big Bang Theory (to name a few). I don’t get them. And it’s not that they’re merely “not for me” … I’ve watched all four shows — seasons-worth of the NBC ones — and I’ve yet to laugh. I feel like I should be laughing; I like plenty of movies that could be considered in the same milieu, but I’ve always found myself staring at the screen wondering one thing: “When are they going to say/do something funny?”
It makes me so curious that I’m not even going anywhere near “they’re bad” territory. I just find it so interesting that people raised in the same generation, with similar backgrounds and tastes in other respects, could watch the same show and walk away with such different opinions. I read an article somewhere this morning proclaiming last night’s Emmy awards show a monster success … were we watching the same thing? It was a nightmare from which I longed to escape! And that’s even before we touch on the winners and losers. The “special” musical number was a wonder? Is that what I’ve “missed” by having not watched Saturday Night Live since the 90s? Phew!
Danny DeVito’s amazing, and watching him writhe around as a stripper on Friends was tremendous; as Frank Reynolds I felt like he couldn’t even maintain a consistent accent. Rob McElhenney gained fifty pounds over the hiatus because he thought it would be funny? Really? Dead whores dumped in Frank’s hallway (that itself looked like a crack den)? Multiple vomiting sequences? I just don’t get the hilarity.
That’s okay. I don’t wish the show ill … if people are laughing and loving it, that’s great. Keep doing what you’re doing. I just wonder how someone else who, let’s say, shares my love for Frasier and Seinfeld might also fall down laughing at It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I’m sure there’s someone out there like that, and the very notion intrigues me.
Is it you?
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Sep 19, 2011 @ 12:58 EST5EDT
I think it might be because you don’t really like ANYTHING. Outside of “Weeds”, I’ve yet to find something you write about on this website that you enjoy (and truth be told, I can’t even tell if you DO like “Weeds” or not).
It always comes off as though you go into these shows and these reviews prepared to NOT like what you’re going to see. “Sunny”, “Parks”, “Community” — they all break molds and take chances. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. But you can’t say that they’re not at least funny and entertaining. Otherwise, they wouldn’t still be on the air in today’s television landscape.
I think IASIP is hilarious, and find Seinfeld and Frasier to be boring as hell. So there ya go, different strokes for different folks. It’s as simple as that. People don’t all have the same sense of humor.
I love It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Community, The Big Bang Theory, Seinfeld, Doctor Who, and much more. But like most things you have to give it a fair shot; it might surprise you. I didn’t like Two & half men or IASIP at first but I have truly grown to like both shows.
Sorry to add another post but I went back and looked at some of your past articles to get a sense or your tastes. Then I saw your review of Suits. If you don’t like the show Suits I think you might need to concentrate a little harder to the “jokes/plot” or just give it another chance.
I don’t want that to appear to be mean. I watch Doctor Who with my friend and since its from the BBC some things just fly over our heads. Sometimes because of their British accents and sometimes because of the culture and series. But even if your not into law/cop shows like me there is still plenty to enjoy with the series Suits. Trust me.
*POST AUTHOR*
I’m actually a big fan of numerous law/cop shows … legal dramedys have proven to be some of my favorites over the years. But for me Suits was a copy of a copy of a copy; the buddy-buddy of the relationship was a poor man’s White Collar — which I like — but, let’s face it, was from the start trying to be something else before it. For me Suits was just not good.
I’ve definitely had the “try it a few times before you get into it” experience. Off the top of my head that happened to me with both Lost and Weeds; my wife continuing to watch both after I’d moved on got me back in by season two of the shows. But you know how sometimes a show is a “pass” and sometimes you feel it actively pushing you away? The try again theory works with the former, but with the latter it’s a pretty safe bet that it’s not for you. What can you do?
Yeah that’s the same feeling I got but my girlfriend watching more of it I found the dynamic changes quickly. But your right it’s hard to know when to watch more or just pass up a show.
What a great parody piece! Funniest thing I’ve read all day.