TV/Movies Megathread

[celedhring]

Middle/Low class costumbrism seems pretty much tied to comedy, which is at a bit of a low ebb in the current mainstream culture for some reason.

[HVC]

The King of Queens?

Fits as being a lower class family comedy.  Hardly any cultural impact though IMHO.

It's having a meme revival.

[Tonitrus]

Thinking about it some more, I guess the "average Joe" series are mostly workplace comedies now? The Office, Superstore, etc?

I think so.

But I was thinking about your post and how we've shifted. Were there any sitcoms about friends or flatmates etc (not family and not colleagues) before the 90s? I can't think of any off the top of my head

Edit: Actually in a British context - maybe Hancock's Half Hour and Rising Damp.

Three's company

Bosom Buddies (with Tom Hanks), Perfect Strangers, maybe Mork & Mindy?  Also Laverne & Shirley.


(I watched way too much TV as a kid.)

[HVC]

Just finished Shogun.

I'll be shocked if this doesn't win a shit ton of awards.

Deservedly so.

[The Brain]

I've enjoyed the new Shogun. But they didn't have to portray Japan as having the same vibrant colors as a Soviet mining town during a blackout.

[Syt]

What was the candle situation on the show?

[crazy canuck]

Thinking about it some more, I guess the "average Joe" series are mostly workplace comedies now? The Office, Superstore, etc?

I think so.

But I was thinking about your post and how we've shifted. Were there any sitcoms about friends or flatmates etc (not family and not colleagues) before the 90s? I can't think of any off the top of my head

Edit: Actually in a British context - maybe Hancock's Half Hour and Rising Damp.

Three's company

Bosom Buddies (with Tom Hanks), Perfect Strangers, maybe Mork & Mindy?  Also Laverne & Shirley.


(I watched way too much TV as a kid.)

I had forgotten that Laverne and Shirley were roommates.   

[Josephus]

Thinking about it some more, I guess the "average Joe" series are mostly workplace comedies now? The Office, Superstore, etc?

I think so.

But I was thinking about your post and how we've shifted. Were there any sitcoms about friends or flatmates etc (not family and not colleagues) before the 90s? I can't think of any off the top of my head

Edit: Actually in a British context - maybe Hancock's Half Hour and Rising Damp.

Three's company

Bosom Buddies (with Tom Hanks), Perfect Strangers, maybe Mork & Mindy?  Also Laverne & Shirley.


(I watched way too much TV as a kid.)

I had forgotten that Laverne and Shirley were roommates.   

Yes. That's why they had their initials on their shirts so they won't mix them up.

[crazy canuck]

I had forgotten that Laverne and Shirley were roommates. 

Yes. That's why they had their initials on their shirts so they won't mix them up.

My boyhood crush on Shirley may have caused the details to elude me.

[HVC]

What was the candle situation on the show?

Mostly exterior or near exterior shots to save money. Need for candle lighting was diminished

[Sheilbh]

This thread's made me realise how much of an Atlantic gap there is on sitcoms - at least until the 90s maybe.

A lot of those mentioned here I've never heard of, some I think I've only heard of because of gags in Family Guy or the Simpsons (like Three's Company, I think) and some I'm aware of. But I think Mork and Mindy, Married with Children and Roseanne are the only ones I've ever actually seen/made it to UK TV.

Linear TV childhood - different world

[Josquius]

This thread's made me realise how much of an Atlantic gap there is on sitcoms - at least until the 90s maybe.

A lot of those mentioned here I've never heard of, some I think I've only heard of because of gags in Family Guy or the Simpsons (like Three's Company, I think) and some I'm aware of. But I think Mork and Mindy, Married with Children and Roseanne are the only ones I've ever actually seen/made it to UK TV.

Linear TV childhood - different world

Yes. Most old American comedies I know about from their being referenced in films about comedians lives, the simpsons, etc...
Hell. Quite a lot of classic films I know of In a similar way.

I guess it's another part of the shrinking of the world and take off in globalisation over recent decades.
Massive increases in choice and freedom but at the same time it is sad to see such a decline in the days when someone could be hyper succesful and famous in Yorkshire but basically unknown elsewhere.

[Sheilbh]

That's no way to talk about Richard Whiteley

[Barrister]

This thread's made me realise how much of an Atlantic gap there is on sitcoms - at least until the 90s maybe.

A lot of those mentioned here I've never heard of, some I think I've only heard of because of gags in Family Guy or the Simpsons (like Three's Company, I think) and some I'm aware of. But I think Mork and Mindy, Married with Children and Roseanne are the only ones I've ever actually seen/made it to UK TV.

Linear TV childhood - different world

Interesting.

I mean as part of being Canadian you either could get US tv signals, or since cable came into widespread availability by the mid-80s you'd get direct US channels from major markets, so we're completely awash in US pop culture.  We do have a side of Canadian content though that Americans are completely unaware of - in case a Canadian ever drops a Littlest Hobo reference on you.

I know there's this whole world of British TV where either the best, or the weirdest, will get picked up by someone in north america, but probably a whole ton of just average shows that I have no idea about.

Curious - what are some of the shows referenced you have no idea about?

[Sheilbh]

Only via The Simpsons, Family Guy etc:
All in the Family
Three's Company
Beverly Hillbillies
(Weirdly also Littlest Hobo too I think )

Not heard of:
Green Acres
Honeymooners
Bosom Buddies
Perfect Strangers
Laverne & Shirley