What would you consider to be the most overrated TV show? Pretty sure this topic hasn't been covered before. If it has, I'm mistaken. For me, it would be Big Bang Theory. Besides the fact that I find it unfunny, the overly-invasive laugh track takes up a good 40% of the show. I find it amazing that with shows like Scrubs (2001), Arrested Development (2003) and 30 Rock (2006) a show from 2007 needs a laugh track. Hell, even How I Met Your Mother (2005), which utilizes a smaller, non-invasive laugh track, came before BBT. I also find it funny that a show about intelligent "nerds" that's supposedly designed for smarter people requires a laugh track worse than even shows like That 70's Show from 1998 used. Your thoughts?
I wouldn't really call BBT overrated considering how many people (deservedly) dump on it. But...Sherlock is boring and The Wire is not as good as The Shield.
Despite some people dumping on BBT, it's still bringing in record numbers in terms of ratings. Seasons 6 and 7 brought in an average of 20 million viewers. Their current season is pulling in an average of 22 million viewers, which means the show's fan base is only increasing. More recently, various media outlets have been giving the show positive reception and it has won its fair share of awards, including Emmys. I mean, even the AFI recognized one of its seasons as the finest on TV that year. http://www.afi.com/afiawards/AFIAwards09.aspx A.K.A. Two and a Half Men for "nerds."
I didn't even know BBT had won awards. Then again, apparently Everybody Loves Raymond and Two and a Half Men are also Emmy winners, so award shows are basically the worst.
I do indeed. I just simplified by putting laugh track. Although I can see where that would be confusing, as How I Met Your Mother actually has a "laugh track" by definition. The right phrase would have been overly invasive studio audience laughter, or an overly invasive studio audience. Agreed on Fresh Prince. Its REALLY corny and not in a good way. Also pretty on-the-nose. Old Family Guy actually had a lot of jokes packed into it, but FG now is quite bad. I've never watched Game of Thrones, although people are pretty rabid about it. Right? We don't even need to get started on the Oscars.
BBT got crap after they all got girlfriends. Just became another relationship drama. I reckon Game of Thrones is overrated, then again it's not my genre. I've been watching The Blacklist
What little I've seen of Big Bang Theory seems like total garbage. I don't really watch much TV as of lately, and I don't really miss it. I especially don't miss the annoying ads every five minutes.
That's the main reason I don't watch much TV anymore. I try to avoid commercials/ads at all cost. This one is going to be controversial, but I would also add The Walking Dead. I miss the days when zombie-related movies and especially TV shows were a niche market.
The problem with BBT is that it enables viewers who really should know better that to think they aren't watching total trash, when in reality it's basically the same crap as everything else. It's disguised as high brow humour when really it's just as insulting to peoples intelligence as something like "Two and a half men". Compare it to something that's unashamedly highbrow like Frasier and it's easy to see why it gets dumped on so much. I think South Park have hit the nail on the head a few times, with the manatee idea balls tank and the massive overuse of the cutaway gags. I think when they started doing things like 'The Cleveland Show' was when it was really obvious that they were just cranking them out with no regard to quality. South Park can be accused of this as well, but as least they are self deprecating from time to time. You do realise that just because it's 'filmed in front of a live audience' doesn't stop them from adding a laugh track on top, right? Personally I hate programs that do this, it's as if we are trained to be like Pavlovs dog and dribble when the bell is rung for us. I think this one of the reasons why "The Office" and "Curb your enthusiasm" got good reviews when they came out, as it was the first time in ages where the audience wasn't told explicitly when they should be laughing. I think the buzz about the Wire was in part caused by the total lack of decently written drama when it first aired. Even a puddle of dog piss looks appetising in the middle of a desert.
Most People don't know what amos and andy is, so this analogy may be confusing to some. In short Amos and Andy was kinda like the honeymooners in a way except it had a radio show that predated the honeymooners and to some it may seem derogatory though, if memory serves me I don't recall racism or stereotypes in the show. I believe the NAACP banned that show didn't they?
They all seem to be about life insurance over here. Once 3 o'clock hits "Have you taken out life insurance?" oh and also planned funeral commercials too.
THIS! Filmed in front of a live studio audience is NOT a laughter track. A laughter track is canned. Filmed in front of an audience is natural. They may cut and paste some laughs where the intensity wasn't appropriate, or there was background noise from the audience... but it's pretty much as-is in the studio. I can guarantee it on the IT Crowd, as I was at several tapings. Get TIVO. Or a coffee during the ad break. The answer to the question is simple to me - 95% of all American TV nowadays. With very few exceptions, sitcoms are forgettable. They may make you laugh, but you probably won't be quoting the jokes a month later. The likes of Friends, people STILL quote them. I enjoy New Girl, Silicon Valley and even The Big Bang Theory and make a point to watch... well, the first two... but I doubt I could quote them. I could give you a general character overview / plot... and that's about it. As for the hour-long shows, ugh. They're all HIGHLY overrated. I really don't have the time for all that crap. One show, maybe. It gets ridiculous, though... especially with the penchant for having over 20 episodes in a season. I really got into Lost for the first half of the first season... then I missed one, and I really was lost! Dexter - loved the first series, but I was watching it at a friend's and we stopped for some reason. I liked most of the first season of True Blood, bit weird at the end... then the second series was boring and I stopped watching. Game of Thrones - watched the first episode.... BOOOORING! I'm enjoying Gotham, though.... for now. Oh, and I enjoyed Fargo. If you're one of those people who HAVE to watch Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead and Lost..... congratulations - you've wasted 226 hours of your life watching those four shows! ...and don't get me started on "reality" shows.
Friends and Two and a Half Men. I couldn't watch a single episode entirely... I don't understand why some people consider funny. Maybe I don't like comedy.
