What TV shows are people watching?

JGuy Grungeman · 09-07-2016, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goofle

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.

Friends was overrated. It was basically a bunch of done jokes with slightly different punchlines and a much louder laugh track than necessary. It was still fun to watch for its charisma. And Chandler usually brought something funny to the table.

djchameleon · 09-07-2016, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

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.

Not a good enough excuse in my book. Didn't care to watch it. Jokes weren't all the funny even if they did include a multi-racial cast.

Also the strange thing about it is that they couldn't even hire extras in the background to be minorities either. Even the extras in the back were all lily white.

duga · 09-07-2016, 12:06 PM

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?

I know what you mean, but back then sitcoms still played to their target demographics. It being the 90's and the 90's being relatively affluent, their target demographic was privileged middle/upper-middle class white people in their 20's.

To be fair, Ross dated an asian chick fairly early on. That's one asian and one black person, check em off!

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

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.

This. It was interesting growing up and seeing what my parents watched and thinking "damn, we were so ignorant" only to do the same thing 20+ years later.

djchameleon · 09-07-2016, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

To be fair, Ross dated an asian chick fairly early on. That's one asian and one black person, check em off!

I want to find that episode to watch it and cringe at all the stereotypical jokes they probably made. I think Ross was the same one that dated a black girl later on too.

The Batlord · 09-07-2016, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

This. It was interesting growing up and seeing what my parents watched and thinking "damn, we were so ignorant" only to do the same thing 20+ years later.

I was watching an episode of Melrose Place a few years ago and there was a token black chick whose job was literally "cardio funk instructor". Cause of course black people only care about watermelon and funk... in 1992. Was hilarious. Especially when she was hitting on some black guy with one of those awful midriff tank-tops from back then.

duga · 09-07-2016, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

I was watching an episode of Melrose Place a few years ago and there was a token black chick whose job was literally "cardio funk instructor". Cause of course black people only care about watermelon and funk... in 1992. Was hilarious. Especially when she was hitting on some black guy with one of those awful midriff tank-tops from back then.

I think the scene you described is quintessential 90's television. It had this attitude that when minorities were cast, they were put in horribly stereotypical roles. It's like the producers went "just be happy you get to work".

Having just rewatched Friends, though, I think an even bigger offender other than the whitewashing is the homophobia. Chandler is so deathly afraid of being perceived as gay - there are jokes at gay peoples' expense all over the place. Back then I didn't flinch, but there's no way you could get away with that now.

The Batlord · 09-07-2016, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

Having just rewatched Friends, though, I think an even bigger offender other than the whitewashing is the homophobia. Chandler is so deathly afraid of being perceived as gay - there are jokes at gay peoples' expense all over the place. Back then I didn't flinch, but there's no way you could get away with that now.

To be fair, that was kind of common back then. Gay rights and all, but you still don't wanna catch the gay.

duga · 09-07-2016, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

To be fair, that was kind of common back then. Gay rights and all, but you still don't wanna catch the gay.

Haha, yeah that's exactly the attitude. Every joke was inevitably followed up with "not that there's anything wrong with that". I think even Seinfeld did this a few times.

JGuy Grungeman · 09-08-2016, 10:57 AM

That line was practically the plot of one of the episodes.

Plankton · 09-12-2016, 12:38 PM

I just started watching Vinyl. I have every episode on HBO On Demand, so I figured why not. The first one was really good, but it's starting to wane a bit after the third installment.

09-08-2016, 10:57 AM	#4379 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	That line was practically the plot of one of the episodes. __________________ I'm a pretty nice troll if you ask me.

09-12-2016, 12:38 PM	#4380 (permalink)
Plankton Just Keep Swimming... Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: See signature... Posts: 7,765	I just started watching Vinyl. I have every episode on HBO On Demand, so I figured why not. The first one was really good, but it's starting to wane a bit after the third installment. __________________ See location...