Fashion Board 12-09-03 through 1-08-04 - Page 190

Shape Shifter · 12-19-2003, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
I should have put the poll in the re: line to avoid this confusion.

People, I said "ensemble sitcom." It's short for "situation comedy." The word "situation" is not superfluous. A sitcom consists of recurring characters in a format (usually a 30 minute show once a week) in which there are one or more story lines centered around a common environment, such as a family home or workplace. The characters remain largely static and events in the sitcom resolve themselves by the conclusion of the show. Wikipedia entry.

The Simpsons is a sitcom. Carol Burnett and Donnie & Marie are not sitcoms. Sha Na Na is not a sitcom. Hee Haw is not a sitcom. The Dukes of Hazzard is not a sitcom. All in the Family is a sitcom, but is not an ensemble sitcom, because Archie was the only funny character.

How does Dukes of Hazzard not fit the definition? Please reconsider.

Aloha Mr. Learned Hand · 12-19-2003, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore

FWIW, I've always really liked that CD. And Tuesday Weld was hot then. (Picture is from the early 60's I believe.)

My sister is marrying a Texan young Matthew Sweet lookalike...

ltl/fb · 12-19-2003, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
How does Dukes of Hazzard not fit the definition? Please reconsider.

I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe, our Atticus was not a regular watcher of the Dukes of Hazzard.

I was. I thought Tom Wopat was way cuter than John Schneider.*

*This may be misspelled. Consider the misspelling proof that I did not have to google for their names. More disturbingness.

ThurgreedMarshall · 12-19-2003, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by paigowprincess
I received emails from three different people since yesterday all with the cheers signoff. WTF? Seriously. WHy do people do this? Its beyond lame.

Enough. The conversation was lame enough the first time. We don't need repeats.

TM

Atticus Grinch · 12-19-2003, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I need a ruling on Rosanne. It progressed quite a bit over its run, though any one individual episode can be watched (generally) in a vacuum.

Roseanne and Three's Company are both sitcoms in the traditional sense. It doesn't require that there be no developments whatsoever in the characters' lives, like characters added, subtracted, or aged --- hell, on DVD, even little Richie grew up --- it just requires that there be no "large story arc" of which each episode is merely a snippet. You can miss an episode and not tear your hair out figuring out what happened "last time."

In this way, the Ross/Rachel or Niles/Daphne threads make Friends and Frasier newfangled non-traditional sitcoms. Animated series are going even more po-mo with jokes expressly about the fact the cast never changes, grows up, or (permanently) dies. Think Treehouse of Horror, ATHF, or Sealab.

Fugee · 12-19-2003, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bilmore
Only a woman would try to make oafishness sound bad.

How about this (as it pertains to my BIL):

I am his only hope for my sister letting him into bed ever again, which she may not if he doesn't buy her a decent Christmas present (as well as one for her upcoming birthday) after coming into an unexpected mid-six-figure inheritance.

ThurgreedMarshall · 12-19-2003, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LessinSF
Some half-assed attempt to suggest that my rehash of an old method of making fun of stupid socks was somehow similar to people who respond to trolls like Not Me, when in actuality it was the only thing that has worked (albeit only for a couple of weeks) in the last five years other than making eleven of us admins so that we could vigilantly delete their asses.

You're not really taking credit for getting rid of the socks (for that couple of weeks), which I believe was a group effort, are you? How paigow of you.

TM

baltassoc · 12-19-2003, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
The traditional sitcom format returns the characters to the exact same position in which they started (now parodied by bringing Kenny back to life, killing Carl, or blowing up Sealab).

I thought the best parody of this was at the end of the Simpson's episode where Prinicpal Skinner is found to be a fake and the Mayor declares that Arman will henceforth be Principal Skinner and decrees that no one shall ever mention the incident ever again.

Clearly, the Simpsons is the greatest ensemble sitcom. I think it was the creators of Southpark who I recently saw bemoaning how hard it is to write good shows because everything has already been done by the Simpsons.

leagleaze · 12-19-2003, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ThurgreedMarshall
You're not really taking credit for getting rid of the socks (for that couple of weeks), which I believe was a group effort, are you? How paigow of you.

TM

Indeed. If the credit goes to one person, it goes to e/o, who rocks. It was when she started the flipping that it stopped.

robustpuppy · 12-19-2003, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
To whom? The 24 people on this Board who don't already know who I am or the infinite other number of lurkers among whom our one night stand is legendary?

Trust me, toots. You are most out-of-the-loop.

I am among those 24 people and so this whole inside-outside conversation is making me feel terribly excluded and lonely.

But I know enough to say that "legendary" strikes me as an overstatement.

Shape Shifter · 12-19-2003, 05:31 PM

The ice skating song from Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown is stuck in my head. It's a difficult song to hum.

12-19-2003, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by robustpuppy
I am among those 24 people and so this whole inside-outside conversation is making me feel terribly excluded and lonely.

But I know enough to say that "legendary" strikes me as an overstatement.

You've been following his word of mouth, huh? Banging half the board is a double edged sword, no?

Merry xmas all! I am outta here.

Atticus Grinch · 12-19-2003, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ltl/fb
I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe, our Atticus was not a regular watcher of the Dukes of Hazzard.

Untrue, and libelously so. I'm willing to reconsider, but it was sure unlike any other sitcom on at the time (single camera; no laugh track; narration; expensive sets and action sequences). I have a hard time placing it amongst its contemporaries without making it seem cutting-edge, and cutting-edge it ain't.

You might as well say "Knight Rider" was a sitcom because of the witty banter among Michael, the car, and the brunette in the jumpsuit.

robustpuppy · 12-19-2003, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fugee
How about this (as it pertains to my BIL):

I am his only hope for my sister letting him into bed ever again, which she may not if he doesn't buy her a decent Christmas present (as well as one for her upcoming birthday) after coming into an unexpected mid-six-figure inheritance.

Under such circumstances I think only a bigger house or a small yacht or a "let's- ditch-work-for-a-year-and-travel" plan would constitute "decent."

Although I would never bar my man from the bed over the issue of presents. Why punish both of us?

ThurgreedMarshall · 12-19-2003, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by str8outavannuys
Never stop fighting til the fight is done. [What?] You heard me Capone. Never stop fighting til the fight is done.

Costner almost single-handedly ruined that fucking movie for me with that line. Good thing Andy Garcia was in it. Loved that character.

And the Sean Connery classic, overacted, ten minute, death scene was pretty funny too.

TM