tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post706226944143723882..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Weekend PostBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74311910545239370312021-10-15T09:07:41.865-07:002021-10-15T09:07:41.865-07:00Gosh, I'm glad I bought his book in 2013 when ...Gosh, I'm glad I bought his book in 2013 when you first recommended it (or at least when I first saw your recommendation) for one cent plus $3.99 S&H! TimWarphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10543681611350759397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21784464522190348962021-10-14T20:20:56.755-07:002021-10-14T20:20:56.755-07:00I just gave The Blues Brothers another shot, but I...I just gave The Blues Brothers another shot, but I still couldn't get through it. Aretha is great, but overall it's underwritten with some dumb scenes and not a great vehicle for Belushi or Aykroyd.<br /><br />But John Belushi in Continental Divide, with Blair Brown, gives a wonderful (and romantic!) performance and suggests he had untapped acting talent.<br /><br />As for comedy cliches, one that shouldn't work is when a scene is capped with characters exchanging money to show that they bet on the outcome of what we just saw...but I always laugh.<br /><br />Spike de Beauvoirnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85866388228487501062021-10-14T13:16:54.861-07:002021-10-14T13:16:54.861-07:00@Kevin FitzMaurice
> My earlier post today was...@Kevin FitzMaurice<br /><br />> My earlier post today was silly and nitpicky, and I'm sorry for it.<br /><br />I don't think an apology is necessary here. I think Ken is being sensitive on behalf of Charlie Hauck.<br /><br />As for Charlie's rules, this was the basis of a joke in The Naked Gun, as Frank Drebin was searching a drawer and said "Bingo!" in the sense of “Eureka!”. Of course, what he found was an actual Bingo card...ScarletNumbernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-15094975822471527932021-10-11T17:23:39.670-07:002021-10-11T17:23:39.670-07:00CBS just advertised an upcoming episode of "B...CBS just advertised an upcoming episode of "B Positive" with the phrase "Say What?" Does that count toward your list of bad sitcoms?JessyShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04769861877235717599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91357060574460960302021-10-11T13:44:23.091-07:002021-10-11T13:44:23.091-07:00This seems like a good place to repost the laziest...This seems like a good place to repost the laziest, most phoned-in sitcom opening EVER:<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdC9nJzZNyI<br />McTomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08672101599685031569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7999031192942371242021-10-11T07:18:49.456-07:002021-10-11T07:18:49.456-07:00Any joke where a character trait is referenced and...Any joke where a character trait is referenced and then immediately exhibited by a character who has never shown that trait before and likely never will again. Most commonly seen with caffeine or ADHD jokes, always virtually identical no matter how many different shows and movies try to present it as unique.Covarrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05512077437345823232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-15095067710631544362021-10-11T06:37:54.729-07:002021-10-11T06:37:54.729-07:00Most of these tropes are associated with Full Hou...Most of these tropes are associated with Full House and other Miller-Boyett productions from the eighties. I was surprised to learn that M-B were also the producers of several classic seventies sitcoms, such as Happy Days and Mork & Mindy, that are generally considered to be of much better quality. So what happened? Is it a case of the old Hollywood saying that people buy big houses when they have their first big hits, but then have to keep making the house payments?estivhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12736355730705116526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14461614322247897972021-10-11T05:45:54.650-07:002021-10-11T05:45:54.650-07:00Friday question: Ultimately isn't it more imp...Friday question: Ultimately isn't it more important to have a popular sitcom than a 'good' one? For all the dumping on Jim Belushi and "According to Jim", it did manage to last 8 seasons and 182 episodes. Another example is "Alice" which is rarely mentioned in discussion of sitcoms from the 70's golden era but which lasted 9 seasons and 202 episodes and peaked at #4 in the ratings.Michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30574472711058597982021-10-11T05:06:56.218-07:002021-10-11T05:06:56.218-07:00These are great. It’s worth pointing out that Char...These are great. It’s worth pointing out that Charlie Hauck created “Valerie”, which became “The Hogan Family” and violated some of his rules. But I don’t believe he was involved with that show beyond the pilot episode. Too bad - they could have used him.Marknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25715753994484111302021-10-10T21:12:45.251-07:002021-10-10T21:12:45.251-07:00My comment above about the Belushi family seems to...My comment above about the Belushi family seems to have been selectively interpreted by some of you, so let this serve as a clarification (sort of):<br /><br />John Belushi was born in 1949 - one year before I was.<br /><br />In 2021, he would have been 72 years old.<br /><br />If John Belushi had made it to his seventies - indeed, if he'd even made it to his forties or fifties - does anyone really believe that he would have continued to get away with the aggressively antagonistic behaviors that he displayed during his heyday?<br /><br />Bearing in mind that those behaviors were at least a contributing factor towards his early death?<br /><br />Roger Ebert once called Belushi "the most enabled man of his generation"; the documented evidence shows that more than a few of his enablers were wearying of the task.<br /><br />So if John Belushi had "reformed", there were still quite a few bridges he'd burned - and those he'd left in the dust would have had to be plenty forgiving to let him back into the show, even in bit parts ...<br /><br />Many of you can likely come up with examples from the past of stars who messed up their careers and had to work their way back into favor; John Belushi would have been no different - and few if any get back all the way.<br /><br /><i>That's</i> what I was talking about - that and the (in my view) pointless hostility toward brother Jim, for simply having outlived John.Mike Doranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14427528138598549103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65135413663595752842021-10-10T14:25:13.655-07:002021-10-10T14:25:13.655-07:00Any show where a character says "Welcome to m...Any show where a character says "Welcome to my world." Buttermilk Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430011403223875192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48020268213016498142021-10-10T11:35:15.080-07:002021-10-10T11:35:15.080-07:00To his point #10, I don't mind the freeze fram...To his point #10, I don't mind the freeze frames during the intro, but it drives me crazy when I see an intro with zany overacting for each person (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V15D6Ngh73A). Same for any intro where the actor/actress turns to mug at the camera after something wacky happens to them. The other points basically sum up every TGIF sitcom from the mid-90s. In their defense, the target audience was any kid under 12.<br /><br />Maybe an extension of point #6: one problem I have with shows nowadays is the need to spell out a punchline. It's so many jokes that could be brilliant if the writers didn't feel the need to explain like we're 5. <i>Family Guy</i> has become guilty of this in recent years.Brandon in Virginianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23245811900022668112021-10-10T07:46:35.406-07:002021-10-10T07:46:35.406-07:00The inclination to cite exceptions to general neve...The inclination to cite exceptions to general <i>never-do-this</i> type rules is natural, and perhaps those sorts of rules should best be understood as "If at all possible, do not do this" rather than the more absolute "never do this." But the advice is generally sound.<br /><br />And it even extends to non show-business business. I recall when I was a number-cruncher analyst for my job, part of my job occasionally involved doing charts and graphs for executives. We had a rule of thumb: Never Use a Pie Chart. The rationale being that any data that you're tempted to visualize with a pie chart could better & more clearly be visualized in some other way. I think only once during my whole stint in that job did we have an instance where a pie chart was the best option to visualize the data, and so we went for it. But I still wholeheartedly believe that pie charts are overused and often better replaced, and that one instance doesn't invalidate the general rule.<br /><br />The difference, I suppose, is that folks aren't as inclined to readily cite good-pie-chart counterexamples as they are of good-exceptions-to-the-rule TV shows & movies. :)Tommy Raikonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24538631542883455252021-10-10T00:07:26.097-07:002021-10-10T00:07:26.097-07:00@maxdebryn
No, I don't require emojis. Lame j...@maxdebryn<br /><br />No, I don't require emojis. Lame joke.Neccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01259970343794306931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47068915676367050112021-10-09T22:10:40.193-07:002021-10-09T22:10:40.193-07:00I'm still trying to wrap my head around the id...I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that had John Belushi lived on, he would have been grateful for the work on his brother's show.Don Kemphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15841012297515418862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88892568965193164492021-10-09T20:14:56.503-07:002021-10-09T20:14:56.503-07:00It took me a long time to acknowledge "Friend...It took me a long time to acknowledge "Friends" was even a well crafted show because it seemed like whenever I turned it on in its early years it featured a trope that I HATE, to wit:<br /><br />Two people usually of the same sex are say reaching for keys that fell into the couch and end up in a contorted position and someone else enters the room and everyone is embarrassed because it looks like the two people are engaged in gay or kinky sex.<br /><br />Is there a name for this bit of business?<br /><br />-beenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6227638735468492032021-10-09T19:27:51.354-07:002021-10-09T19:27:51.354-07:00Here’s my favorite. When two side characters (thi...Here’s my favorite. When two side characters (think Potsie and Ralph) enter the main set. Ralph: “I can’t believe you did that.’ Potsie: ‘Can’t believe I did what?’ Then a whole comedic argument ensues that SHOULD have occurred earlier…on the ride over at the very least. Not held off for the audience’s benefit. Rob Greenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08185763574150467803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65507048637915984022021-10-09T19:27:41.790-07:002021-10-09T19:27:41.790-07:00@Necco - It was a joke. Geez... do I have to put a...@Necco - It was a joke. Geez... do I have to put a "winking eye" emoji ?maxdebrynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011731115062645854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-69008263257933302552021-10-09T17:26:30.412-07:002021-10-09T17:26:30.412-07:00Mr. Levine...you're right. Mr. Hauck's po...Mr. Levine...you're right. Mr. Hauck's points are well-taken and should be heeded by aspirants. My earlier post today was silly and nitpicky, and I'm sorry for it.Kevin FitzMauricenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41564231596805279502021-10-09T17:22:43.130-07:002021-10-09T17:22:43.130-07:00I think Cheers did the majority of these...I think Cheers did the majority of these...MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86779454107709058292021-10-09T17:18:24.328-07:002021-10-09T17:18:24.328-07:00My all-time favorite line of bad dialogue is from ...My all-time favorite line of bad dialogue is from the first episode of FLASH GORDON. As Doctor Zarkov's rocket ship leaves Earth heading to the planet Mongo, he turns to Flash and Dale Arden at one point and says, "We just passed the Death Zone." No mention of the Death Zone before this moment, so no suspense! I guess Flash should have replied, "Well, I'm glad you didn't tell me earlier."Rich Orloffhttp://richorloff.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17874444677532145002021-10-09T16:59:57.042-07:002021-10-09T16:59:57.042-07:00So this relates to writing a spec script. So then...So this relates to writing a spec script. So then, I've now learned it would be best to avoid each of these gaffes. Any established, well written and produced TV show could get away with all of these. The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Barney Miller, Golden Girls, Frasier, Cheers, The Brady Bunch. <br /><br />As Mike Brady himself might say at this point, I guess we've all learned a lesson. That is, when we dispute any opinion someone might have, we're really just disputing our own opinion. Now, is that the opinion we want to have opinioned?Chucknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-75612594867084422572021-10-09T16:40:40.169-07:002021-10-09T16:40:40.169-07:00My list for dramas is if anyone says the lead char...My list for dramas is if anyone says the lead character<br /><br />1) is the best there is<br /><br />2) doesn't play by the rules<br /><br />3) isn't like the rest of us<br /><br /><br />You'll hear all three in every current network drama. I desperately wanted to like Queen Latifah's Equalizer, but it hit all those notes in the pilot and I was done. Marknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85394299955925060962021-10-09T16:26:37.203-07:002021-10-09T16:26:37.203-07:00I'm starting to notice a few in dramas, too:
...I'm starting to notice a few in dramas, too:<br /><br />1) When someone says they're going to do something bad and the hero says "Not gonna happen", it's a bad drama.<br /><br />2) When someone is explaining their emotional state and the hero says "Look, I get it", it's a bad drama.<br /><br />3) When someone is laying there in seventeen pieces and the hero grabs their hand (attached or not) and says "You're gonna be alright", it's a bad drama.Mark Harvey Levinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43268666280746875982021-10-09T16:26:26.731-07:002021-10-09T16:26:26.731-07:00Any sitcom that relies almost exclusively on datin...Any sitcom that relies almost exclusively on dating episodes is a bad sitcom.Wesnoreply@blogger.com