What TV shows are people watching?

**Goofle** · 09-07-2016, 09:29 AM

Seinfeld is f*cking great. Watched the first 7 seasons over the past two months or so.

djchameleon · 09-07-2016, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goofle

Seinfeld is f*cking great. Watched the first 7 seasons over the past two months or so.

So you probably like Friends too?

**Goofle** · 09-07-2016, 09:58 AM

Of course. Seinfeld is ever so slightly higher brow, but both are fantastic. I used to think Curb was better than Seinfeld (having watched some a few years ago) but I'd honestly say that I prefer SF now.

Chula Vista · 09-07-2016, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goofle

Seinfeld is f*cking great. Watched the first 7 seasons over the past two months or so.

Throw out the first season and I totally agree.

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

So you probably like Friends too?

Apples and oranges except for both being labeled comedies. Friends is very traditional comedy based on human interaction between real type people.

Seinfeld has 4 uniquely whacked out characters and then surrounds them with flat out off the wall people all of the time. The brilliance of the writing is how at the start of each episode they'll be 2-3 individual unique situations that over the course of the show slowly intertwine until by the end it's one whole story.

The Hot Tub

- George finds that acting angry makes him look busy at work.
- Kramer buys a new hot tub for his apt.
- Elaine hosts marathon runner Jean Paul while trying to come up with a line for Peterman's walking shoes.

By the end of the episode Kramer's hot tub blows a fuse causing Jean Paul to almost miss his race, Elaine comes up with the perfect line while out looking for Jean Paul, who she thinks is lost. George's fake anger results in him having to hang out with insufferable Steinbrenner in a hot tub, and Kramer, who's trying to raise his core temp after sleeping in a cold hot tub all night, mistakenly hands Jean Paul a scalding hot cup of tea during the marathon causing him to burn his mouth and lose the race.

**Goofle** · 09-07-2016, 10:15 AM

Bang on.

**Frownland** · 09-07-2016, 10:16 AM

Comparing Friends and Seinfeld is like comparing a maggot infested apple to a moldy orange.

duga · 09-07-2016, 11:38 AM

The Friends writers had a formula. You could see them slowly develop it over the first couple of seasons, then by the 10th season you could probably predict how each character would react to a given situation. Most episodes are formulaic fluff like that, but every once in a while they still managed completely nail meshing all of their personalities into some very funny situations. Even in season 10, where I'd say 3/4 of the episodes are completely forgettable, they still managed to crank out some laugh out loud episodes.

Weirdest part re-watching the series for me - how often they showed the twin towers pre-9/11. Not like it's weird to show those impressive buildings - it just really dated the show for me.

The Batlord · 09-07-2016, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

The Friends writers had a formula. You could see them slowly develop it over the first couple of seasons, then by the 10th season you could probably predict how each character would react to a given situation. Most episodes are formulaic fluff like that, but every once in a while they still managed completely nail meshing all of their personalities into some very funny situations. Even in season 10, where I'd say 3/4 of the episodes are completely forgettable, they still managed to crank out some laugh out loud episodes.

Weirdest part re-watching the series for me - how often they showed the twin towers pre-9/11. Not like it's weird to show those impressive buildings - it just really dated the show for me.

And Chandler Bing is still one of the great sitcom characters.

djchameleon · 09-07-2016, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Throw out the first season and I totally agree.

Apples and oranges except for both being labeled comedies. Friends is very traditional comedy based on human interaction between real type people.

Seinfeld has 4 uniquely whacked out characters and then surrounds them with flat out off the wall people all of the time. The brilliance of the writing is how at the start of each episode they'll be 2-3 individual unique situations that over the course of the show slowly intertwine until by the end it's one whole story.

The Hot Tub

- George finds that acting angry makes him look busy at work.
- Kramer buys a new hot tub for his apt.
- Elaine hosts marathon runner Jean Paul while trying to come up with a line for Peterman's walking shoes.

By the end of the episode Kramer's hot tub blows a fuse causing Jean Paul to almost miss his race, Elaine comes up with the perfect line while out looking for Jean Paul, who she thinks is lost. George's fake anger results in him having to hang out with insufferable Steinbrenner in a hot tub, and Kramer, who's trying to raise his core temp after sleeping in a cold hot tub all night, mistakenly hands Jean Paul a scalding hot cup of tea during the marathon causing him to burn his mouth and lose the race.

Idk that formula there is part of the reason why I love Curb. Having a situation from the start of the episode come around to bite him in the ass near the end like it was the ultimate karma type show. Reading that little blurb of yours if it had similar elements in Seinfeld then maybe I would watch but they just aren't funny characters to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

The Friends writers had a formula. You could see them slowly develop it over the first couple of seasons, then by the 10th season you could probably predict how each character would react to a given situation. Most episodes are formulaic fluff like that, but every once in a while they still managed completely nail meshing all of their personalities into some very funny situations. Even in season 10, where I'd say 3/4 of the episodes are completely forgettable, they still managed to crank out some laugh out loud episodes.

Weirdest part re-watching the series for me - how often they showed the twin towers pre-9/11. Not like it's weird to show those impressive buildings - it just really dated the show for me.

I couldn't be bothered with Friends. I watched the first two seasons religiously and then I realized wtf. How did they manage to white wash NYC so much. There are so many minorities in NYC and I have to watch these stupid characters navigate NYC and see not one single minority. In one of the later seasons one of the guys gets a token black gf but i'm like what? Day late and a dollar short and it also brought into contrast how jarring it was to only see one black person. Where the **** are the latinos, asians and all the others that are mixed into the melting pot of NYC?

The Batlord · 09-07-2016, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

I couldn't be bothered with Friends. I watched the first two seasons religiously and then I realized wtf. How did they manage to white wash NYC so much. There are so many minorities in NYC and I have to watch these stupid characters navigate NYC and see not one single minority. In one of the later seasons one of the guys gets a token black gf but i'm like what? Day late and a dollar short and it also brought into contrast how jarring it was to only see one black person. Where the **** are the latinos, asians and all the others that are mixed into the melting pot of NYC?

It was the 90s, bro. The Black Ranger was black, the Yellow Ranger was asian, and minorities on TV were a nice idea. It was like the last decade where "popular racism" was still cringe-inducingly prevalent in non-marginalized or divisive areas.

09-07-2016, 10:16 AM	#4366 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Comparing Friends and Seinfeld is like comparing a maggot infested apple to a moldy orange. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

09-07-2016, 11:38 AM	#4367 (permalink)
duga MB quadrant's JM Vincent Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 3,762	The Friends writers had a formula. You could see them slowly develop it over the first couple of seasons, then by the 10th season you could probably predict how each character would react to a given situation. Most episodes are formulaic fluff like that, but every once in a while they still managed completely nail meshing all of their personalities into some very funny situations. Even in season 10, where I'd say 3/4 of the episodes are completely forgettable, they still managed to crank out some laugh out loud episodes. Weirdest part re-watching the series for me - how often they showed the twin towers pre-9/11. Not like it's weird to show those impressive buildings - it just really dated the show for me. __________________ Confusion will be my epitaph...