Topic: The decline of the Black sitcom.
- Jun 15, 2006 06:04pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness,
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Thinking back to an earlier time...
Black sitcoms of yesteryear had so much character.
"The Cosby Show", "A Different World"...
These two shows share a legacy of greatness we may never see another Black sitcom achieve.
Those two shows embodied Black euphoria.
They epitomized so much of the African-American experience.
From the musicians of yesteryear (Blues, Jazz & Gospel) to Black art, theatre and literature. That's partly why sitcoms today pale in comparison.
They simply don't have the kind of character those shows had.
Maybe I've gotten bitter in my not-so-old age...
Ah well...
Here's your chance to share your favorite TCS and ADW moments...
- Jun 15, 2006 06:59pm by DJShobee
I have to say Good Times.
it was a series that gave black folks the basic will power to keep our heads up while strugglin to make a hard earned dollar.
Shobee
- Jun 15, 2006 07:18pm by TheRevGetDown Location: Austin
I agree with you Reach but it's not just the black sitcom that's suffered a decline. In my opinion reality TV has killed the sitcom. There are still a few good ones (My Name Is Earl, albeit a Raising Arizona rip-off, is pretty funny) but it's so much cheaper, easier and more profitable to do a reality show with no writers, actors, etc...
As far as favorite Cosby moments, nothing beats the family lip-synching Ray Charles' "Night Time is the Right Time" on the staircase. Classic!
- Jun 15, 2006 07:23pm by TheRevGetDown Location: Austin
oddly, all the youtube Cosby clips are in Italian....this one with Black Uhuru is pretty entertaining.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xms7_p1lNFE&search=cosby%20show%20
- Jun 15, 2006 08:37pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness,
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[quote:dcbd1a0f9e="TheRevGetDown"]I agree with you Reach but it's not just the black sitcom that's suffered a decline.[/quote:dcbd1a0f9e]
To be sure.
Don't get me wrong. I was a slave to Barney Miller and Taxi as well.
I just have such a special place in my heart for ADW and TCS.
[quote:dcbd1a0f9e]In my opinion reality TV has killed the sitcom.[/quote:dcbd1a0f9e]
I can agree to a certain extent, but I think the lack of good writers and uninventive ideas pose a much bigger problem for the small screen.
I can admit, shamelessly, that I'm a reality TV junkie.
"Dog: The Bounty Hunter", "Airline" and "Making The Band" are among my very favorites (the new season of MTB premiers tonight at 9pm).
[quote:dcbd1a0f9e]As far as favorite Cosby moments, nothing beats the family lip-synching Ray Charles' "Night Time is the Right Time" on the staircase. Classic![/quote:dcbd1a0f9e]
That was classic indeed.
TCS and ADW were also like a farm system for a number of Black entertainers over the years. I've heard that Alicia Keys appeared in an episode of TCS. I've seen it, but I couldn't spot her.
- Jun 16, 2006 01:39am by JDFlow - [url=http://www.my.rawkus.com/profile/jdflow]JDFlow on Rawkus[/url]
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and if you really think about it... Isn't reality TV just taking jobs away from actors?
- Jun 16, 2006 02:36am by Distorted_Mastermind - I reject your reality and substitute my own.
Adam Savage Location: Olathe, KS
I've stated my opinion on reality tv killing the sitcom as a whole in various other posts. So I gotta agree with rev, and My Name Is Earl is a damn good show which I kind of forgot about after watching it several times. Jason Lee who plays Earl on that show used to be a professional skateboarder. He actually retired from that to persue a career in acting. Seems to be working out quite well for him.
On the reality show tip....I actually watch American Idol when it's on. I am well aware it's a glorified kareoke contest, but still entertaining. It seems to get worse the further into the season they get imo.
- Jun 16, 2006 08:22am by phism
don't forget about fresh prince.
that 70s show was the last good conventional sitcom. sitcoms kind of suck anyway. but not as bad as reality tv.
things on tv that aren't horrible these days:
12 oz. mouse
the daily show
the colbert report
the venture bros.
national geographic/discovery/history/science channels
sometimes the food network
i'm just hoping showtime picks up arrested development for a couple more seasons. if you haven't seen it, buy the dvds, both of them, and watch them from the beginning. trust me. i'll seriously call it the best sitcom in history, although it's a little different than most sitcoms, no live audience (or laugh track)... way better than i love lucy, seinfeld, friends, the honeymooners, whatever you can think of. i don't know when the third dvd comes out.
- Jun 16, 2006 06:25pm by JDFlow - [url=http://www.my.rawkus.com/profile/jdflow]JDFlow on Rawkus[/url]
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with the increase of technology and the decrease of good corporate writers I'd like to see some underground sitcoms. Think of how dope it'd be if there were half as many underground shows as there are musicians (hmmm, that's an extremely marketable idea). I think Red Vs. Blue proved that it has nothing to do with the budget and everything to do with the material.
- Jun 16, 2006 08:38pm by phism
i was thinking about making a "reality show" about my friends if i got a digital video camera.
- Jun 16, 2006 11:24pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness,
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[quote:bb2d16a86a="JDFlow"]and if you really think about it... Isn't reality TV just taking jobs away from actors?[/quote:bb2d16a86a]
Perhaps to some degree...
There's always room for original programming though.
- Jun 17, 2006 12:30am by Distorted_Mastermind - I reject your reality and substitute my own.
Adam Savage Location: Olathe, KS
[quote:b606c20f49="Reach."][quote:b606c20f49="JDFlow"]and if you really think about it... Isn't reality TV just taking jobs away from actors?[/quote:b606c20f49]
Perhaps to some degree...
There's always room for original programming though.[/quote:b606c20f49]
I wouldn't blame the networks. Actors were asking for outrageous amounts of money. The same thing happened in professional sport as well, but people want to see the top player, so they have to pay the top players. With the tv situation they keep putting out reality shows and people keep watching them. So really why not milk it til it's no good anymore (from a business standpoint).
- Jun 17, 2006 01:57am by Reach. - Peace and oneness,
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You can only get so big before you have to go small again.
- Jun 17, 2006 02:25am by Distorted_Mastermind - I reject your reality and substitute my own.
Adam Savage Location: Olathe, KS
Yeah it's pretty much deciding if you want to sacrifice said cause for X more number of dollars per year. If a team pays a player 20 million a year on regular salary, then the people playing with that superstar are not going to be as good of a lineup as if he played for 10 million. With the actors if a network spends X number of dollars per year mostly on one show, then it leaves a much smaller budget for the rest of the network's lineup.
- Jun 17, 2006 04:22pm by PL - Adversity will make you either give up, or grow up. Location: Kansas City, Missouri
The ADW moment was when Dwayne Wayne busted up Whitley and Julian's wedding. DAAAAAMMMMNNNN! 😯
- Jun 17, 2006 07:07pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness,
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That was definitely a classic moment.
The last couple seasons were brilliant.
