ADVERTISEMENT

Norm! Very sadly, George Wendt has died.

Also I noticed our lists are very similar. If I dropped Roseanne down to honorable mention, Newhart would be the most likely to move up, probably (MTM would really make a good argument, though).
We need a little intervention here. The preferred terminology is "multi-cam". And MASH really belongs on the single cam list.

I'm more of a The Bob Newhart Show guy than Newhart and would put that in my Top 5. Suzanne Pleshette over Mary Frann, but you can't quibble with more Tom Poston in the latter. I love Taxi, too. Two of the greatest characters of all time in Reverend Jim and Latka.

A stealth single cam favorite of mine is Flight of the Conchords.
 
I was hoping, due to Sedakis being related to Wendt, there would be a scene in Ted Lasso of Lasso and Coach Beard at the bar with the camera on them and blurred in the background. In the background Wendt walks in, again blurred but not enough you don't realize it is him. There is a "Norm" from the bar crowd. Lasso asks someone else, "Who is that?". The other patron says, "That's Norm, I thought everyone knew his name."
 
Because they're not getting enough play:

Police Squad (probably the funniest, although shortest run)

Scrubs

Modern Family

News Radio

The Larry Sanders Show

30 Rock

Night Court
The New Night Court caused me to forget how good the original was.

Police Squad just didn't last long enough on TV. But it seems closest America has come to Monty Python level humor.
 
I was hoping, due to Sedakis being related to Wendt, there would be a scene in Ted Lasso of Lasso and Coach Beard at the bar with the camera on them and blurred in the background. In the background Wendt walks in, again blurred but not enough you don't realize it is him. There is a "Norm" from the bar crowd. Lasso asks someone else, "Who is that?". The other patron says, "That's Norm, I thought everyone knew his name."

Something like that might've fit into Ted Lasso's vibe. They did do a whole lot of pop culture references. But not a whole lot of 4th wall type Easter Eggs that I can recall.

I loved the references to Hoosiers they did in one episode. So fitting!

 
Something like that might've fit into Ted Lasso's vibe. They did do a whole lot of pop culture references. But not a whole lot of 4th wall type Easter Eggs that I can recall.

I loved the references to Hoosiers they did in one episode. So fitting!


I have always loved 4th wall humor, going all the way back to my youth and Green Acres. Oliver Douglass would deliver a speech, and the patriotic music would play; the other actors would look around to try and find the source of the music.
 
  • Like
Reactions: crazed_hoosier2
Because they're not getting enough play:

Police Squad (probably the funniest, although shortest run)

Scrubs

Modern Family

News Radio

The Larry Sanders Show

30 Rock

Night Court
Never was a Night Court guy, but loved News Radio.

And how about an honorable mention shout out to the precursor to The Larry Sanders Show - The Garry Shandling Show (with its epic theme song!)

 
  • Like
Reactions: BradStevens
Something like that might've fit into Ted Lasso's vibe. They did do a whole lot of pop culture references. But not a whole lot of 4th wall type Easter Eggs that I can recall.

I loved the references to Hoosiers they did in one episode. So fitting!

Ted Lasso was a good show. Roy reminded me of my grandfather on my Dad's side. There was an underlying tension in him.
 
Because nobody asked me, my favorite sitcoms in no order:

Home Improvement
Married with Children
Alf
Workaholics
Roseanne
Seinfeld
Fresh Prince
Family Matters
The Simpsons
That 70s show

The creator of both Home Improvement and Roseanne (Matt Williams) is from Evansville. I’ve met him a couple times. He’s stayed involved in UE’s theatre department some.

But he never made it to the first episode of Roseanne. He and Roseanne Barr disagreed over the title of the show. She insisted it be called Roseanne. When he fought back on this, she told ABC that either he was gone or she was gone.
 
Because nobody asked me, my favorite sitcoms in no order:

Home Improvement
Married with Children
Alf
Workaholics
Roseanne
Seinfeld
Fresh Prince
Family Matters
The Simpsons
That 70s show
CfxMqx9W8AESDy-.jpg
 
Best scene is the darts scene.

But that was a great one.

One thing always bugged me about the darts scene though. And I know that it's nitpicky.

But he said that he became an expert in darts because he played on Sundays with his dad from age 10 to 16. And I question whether that's enough darts experience to become as good as he was. It probably wouldn't have eclipsed Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hour "rule", would it? 6 years, once a week? And mostly as a young teenager?

Had he played at all since then? What is he...mid-40s in the show?
 
One thing always bugged me about the darts scene though. And I know that it's nitpicky.

But he said that he became an expert in darts because he played on Sundays with his dad from age 10 to 16. And I question whether that's enough darts experience to become as good as he was. It probably wouldn't have eclipsed Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hour "rule", would it? 6 years, once a week? And mostly as a young teenager?

Had he played at all since then? What is he...mid-40s in the show?
LOL. I have the SAME question pop into my head every time I watch that scene.

No matter. It's probably a Top 10 sports scene for me, encapsulating the spirit of that entire show into one competition. A come back. A speech. A life lesson, all wrapped up into one.

 
One thing always bugged me about the darts scene though. And I know that it's nitpicky.

But he said that he became an expert in darts because he played on Sundays with his dad from age 10 to 16. And I question whether that's enough darts experience to become as good as he was. It probably wouldn't have eclipsed Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hour "rule", would it? 6 years, once a week? And mostly as a young teenager?

Had he played at all since then? What is he...mid-40s in the show?
Same question, I assume he kept playing as a memory to his father.

But we can't really count on sitcoms to be totally consistent.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BradStevens
Same question, I assume he kept playing as a memory to his father.

But we can't really count on sitcoms to be totally consistent.
He obviously wouldn't just quit. Lasso likes a beer or three, and hangs out in bars from his previous behavior. It would have been great, though, if they had foreshadowed this a bit in an earlier episode or two, showing him walking by the dart board and saying something like "Nah, don't have time for that right now Coach Beard."
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marvin the Martian
He obviously wouldn't just quit. Lasso likes a beer or three, and hangs out in bars from his previous behavior. It would have been great, though, if they had foreshadowed this a bit in an earlier episode or two, showing him walking by the dart board and saying something like "Nah, don't have time for that right now Coach Beard."

I've concluded that sitcom producers need to keep an eye on this forum -- they clearly need help from some of us.
 
He obviously wouldn't just quit. Lasso likes a beer or three, and hangs out in bars from his previous behavior. It would have been great, though, if they had foreshadowed this a bit in an earlier episode or two, showing him walking by the dart board and saying something like "Nah, don't have time for that right now Coach Beard."
Or just show a dartboard in his apartment.
 
Or just show a dartboard in his apartment.
Yeah, although, he might not like to play much. Remember, Rupert asks him "Do you like darts, Ted?" And Ted says "I'm a cornhole man, myself." I'd prefer not to think Ted lied, and instead read that as Ted associating darts with his father, who committed suicide, and so it might bring him pain. That would make the fact that he takes it up to defend Rebecca all that more meaningful.

By the way, the look on Rebecca's face as Ted says his dad died at 16 is great. Sums up all the guilt she should have for what she's been doing to him as she realizes just how vulnerable and human Ted is (in addition to being so kind). She should have won an Emmy just for that.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Joe_Hoopsier
Yeah, although, he might not like to play much. Remember, Rupert asks him "Do you like darts, Ted?" And Ted says "I'm a cornhole man, myself." I'd prefer not to think Ted lied, and instead read that as Ted associating darts with his father, who committed suicide, and so it might bring him pain. That would make the fact that he takes it up to defend Rebecca all that more meaningful.

By the way, the look on Rebecca's face as Ted says his dad died at 16 is great. Sums up all the guilt she should have for what she's been doing to him as she realizes just how vulnerable and human Ted is (in addition to being so kind). She should have won an Emmy just for that.
I am concerned about the new series. I just do not think they can capture lightening a second time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BradStevens
We need a little intervention here. The preferred terminology is "multi-cam". And MASH really belongs on the single cam list.

I'm more of a The Bob Newhart Show guy than Newhart and would put that in my Top 5. Suzanne Pleshette over Mary Frann, but you can't quibble with more Tom Poston in the latter. I love Taxi, too. Two of the greatest characters of all time in Reverend Jim and Latka.

A stealth single cam favorite of mine is Flight of the Conchords.


Your'e so beautiful,
You could be a waitress
 
  • Love
Reactions: hoosboot
One thing always bugged me about the darts scene though. And I know that it's nitpicky.

But he said that he became an expert in darts because he played on Sundays with his dad from age 10 to 16. And I question whether that's enough darts experience to become as good as he was. It probably wouldn't have eclipsed Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hour "rule", would it? 6 years, once a week? And mostly as a young teenager?

Had he played at all since then? What is he...mid-40s in the show?
I took ping pong for 4 years in high school. By graduation I was like forest gump
 
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT