The TV Series discussion thread

My point is that there is 'offensive', and 'am I offended'.

Whether or not you find something offensive is totally irrelevant to whether it meets the generally accepted standards of what is considered offensive (and yes, I recognize that THOSE shift based on region and time).

Big Bang theory takes advantage of the fact that current US culture favors making fun of anything that is not white, Christian and male. Oh, and also making fun of mental illness is always funny in the US.

Shows with laugh tracks assume something about their audience - and if you don't know what that is, they are correct. And shows with extremely loud laugh tracks … moreso.

Rant? No, more like recognition. We will watch the show on occasion, and I do find it amusing in a bottom-feeder unintelligent way. There is no subtlety, no nuance, no clever writing. And I mean NONE. This is NOT good writing - this is low-brow, cheap laugh stuff. And every now and then it is fine. But that doesn't change the fact that for the most part the laughs come from majority-dominant people and at the expense of minority people … and is very often based on that very status.

Generally accepted standards of what is considered offensive?

That's actually more funny than anything in BBT! ;)

What do you mean bottom-feeding unintelligent way? Are you saying none of the writers are applying intelligence? That's bullshit.

Sure, they're not going high-brow and they're using both crass and primitive humor on several occasions. That's not necessarily "easy" to write, time or play by an actor.

If you really think you can somehow objectively declare it bad writing because you offend so easily -then I have to consider that a joke, I'm sorry.

People like different things - and some people don't get offended by primitive humor.

You presume to speak for every minority out there as some kind of all-knowing father of what's acceptable for them, and you completely dismiss that minorities aren't inherently offended by their own idiosyncracies when taken to extremes for obvious effect. Let's not get into how many "minorities" the show deals with - which means if it's racist - the show must have been written by the most racist people in the history of the universe.

You're being shortsighted and overly sensitive - and that's your standard position in all threads dealing with minorities. You're worse than the average racist - because you're not ignorant enough to have an excuse.

Show not funny? I'm ok with that. Not every show is for everyone - and BBT isn't anything special to me either.

But you're ranting and I know I'm not the only one telling you this. Maybe think about it for a second. You're not a stupid guy - and your heart is in the right place. But you ARE extremely aggressive when it comes to anti-racism, which makes you a very, very bad candidate to defend minorities. You see racism everywhere like some grand delusion.
 
Ugh ... you work really hard to misconstrue things. I will the same thing so many others say to you - you have worked so hard to be wrong about what I am saying it isn't even worth it to help you 'get it'. Suffice to say that none of what you said is correct.
 
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Ugh … you work really hard to misconstrue things. I will the same thing so many others say to you - you have worked so hard to be wrong about what I am saying it isn't even worth it to help you 'get it'. Suffice to say that none of what you said is correct.

Yes, it's my mission in life to misconstrue things about you - just for kicks ;)

Anyway, you're right - I don't think it's "worth it" for you to try and make me see the light.

There are better things to do.
 
I find nearly all American comedies to be 'unfunny' since as a group they spurn the subtle, the witty, etc and aim for the lowest common denominator. I suspect this says something about the TV tastes of the general american audience. I much prefer the quieter approach of the Brits!!

Have to agree with this. So far I liked only two american comedy series:
Married with children - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092400/
Malcolm in the middle - www.imdb.com/title/tt0212671

Everything else was not funny at all.
 
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I liked Frasier and Spin City myself. But I can't think of an american comedy show that I'd consider "great" - and to me, Black Adder rules all :)

But I also loved Bottom - which has to be the most bottom-feeding show of all time. I guess that means the writers are morons and racists.
 
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I'd like to check out Black Adder, but it seems somewhat hard to find at least through legitimate means.

Season 1 is pretty weak, but S2-S4 are great.

They're easy to get around here - but I've only seen them on DVD. The quality is not very high anyway, so it shouldn't matter.
 
I'd like to check out Black Adder…

There you go. ;)

One of my favorite shows. I actually have this version.

I loved all seasons (even the bit silly and more esoterically english #1) but they get progressively better and more caustic in their satire and commentary as they go.
 
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It seems I spoke too soon. :)

I just checked my Netflix account and was surprised to find that all four seasons of Black Adder are on there.

Only 6 episodes per season? I guess they didn't make a lot of them. I'll be sure to check it out soon.
 
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I liked Frasier and Spin City myself. But I can't think of an american comedy show that I'd consider "great" - and to me, Black Adder rules all :)

Like all three of those myself as well. I do tend to prefer the nuance and subtlety of Brit-coms - at least the ones that make it here.

But I also loved Bottom - which has to be the most bottom-feeding show of all time. I guess that means the writers are morons and racists.

Actually, you continuing this crap shows that YOU are a moron ... Being a bottom feeder doesn't make you a racist - using jokes that exist only due to overt racial implications is what does that.

I sure as heck don't consider myself a high-brow viewer by any means. Definitely liked Malcom in the Middle, was hit or miss with Married With Children. Was really stuck on 'Mad About You' when it aired (similar point in our lives) but the show hasn't aged well at all.
 
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Like all three of those myself as well. I do tend to prefer the nuance and subtlety of Brit-coms - at least the ones that make it here.

Frankly, I'm not really into brit/sitcoms much. I tend to gravitate towards drama/crime/sci-fi.

I feel the same way about movies. I love the occasional comedy (low-brow, high-brow, whatever-brow) - but I'm rarely in the mood for one.

Actually, you continuing this crap shows that YOU are a moron … Being a bottom feeder doesn't make you a racist - using jokes that exist only due to overt racial implications is what does that.

I can't deny being a moron when the definition is so broad. I can deal with it ;)

I sure as heck don't consider myself a high-brow viewer by any means. Definitely liked Malcom in the Middle, was hit or miss with Married With Children. Was really stuck on 'Mad About You' when it aired (similar point in our lives) but the show hasn't aged well at all.

No, I don't think you come off as high-brow. Just overly emotional and irrational half the time. The other half you're reasonable and quite rational.

It's like you're struggling with yourself in some way :)

But this is not a good place to get into that. If you want to take it as a cruel insult, be my guest - but you'd be very, very wrong.
 
Ugh … you work really hard to misconstrue things. I will the same thing so many others say to you - you have worked so hard to be wrong about what I am saying it isn't even worth it to help you 'get it'. Suffice to say that none of what you said is correct.
Whether it's your intended point or not, he's right about you being absurdly over-sensitive to anything that might be offensive to somebody and regularly wailing at length over it.
 
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I thought we'll share hints and tips on what series are worth watching, and now the thread is turned into a sitcom. Only one thing to do then...

tumblr_mtjyd9JKaO1sfv6u7o1_250.gif
 
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That and animated GIF that massacres browsers on certain ppl. :evilgrin:
 
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It seems I spoke too soon. :)

I just checked my Netflix account and was surprised to find that all four seasons of Black Adder are on there.

Only 6 episodes per season? I guess they didn't make a lot of them. I'll be sure to check it out soon.
As mentioned before, Black Adder is great, especially seasons 2-4. And as far as size goes, many of the British series have a length of 6-8 episodes per season and Black Adder is no exception to that.
 
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German comedies are generally regarded to be "non-understandable", as far as I know.
They never sell into the world outside.
 
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German comedies are generally regarded to be "non-understandable", as far as I know.
They never sell into the world outside.

I'd be interested in checking out German comedies (or any scripted TV for that matter) since I'm trying to brush up on my German. I haven't heard of any though, can you recommend anything?

For not being sold in the rest of the world, it might have to do with several things, perhaps noone is showing interest, be it due to licensing and stuff or the humor is somewhat lost outside of Germany, like it's untranslatable or for cultural reasons.
 
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Well, the only German TV series I can think of (as funny) in this moment is Stromberg. Mainly because it reminds me of my job.

As for movies: I really love 'Der Schuh des Manitu' and 'Der Wixxer'. Yes, both flicks strike me as hilariously funny. Both are parodies of campy German flicks of the 60s/70s (Winnetou movies and Edgar Wallace movies, respectively), and I'm afraid it's difficult to find them funny if you're not familiar with those. Plus it might be a tad difficult to understand people in the 'Manitu' movie - even some non-Bavarian Germans have difficulties understanding the heavy Bavarian accent of the protagonists.
 
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We have started watching a near-future crime show called 'Almost Human' that wrestles with 'what is a person' stuff along with being a pretty typical buddy cop show. Some decent Blade Runner-ish overtones, particularly in the last episode.
 
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