Sitcoms intending to highlight an issue but failed

After watching an episode of Curry & Chips, I got to thinking about other sitcoms that had the intention of highlighting some issues but instead were seen as either offensive or derogatory.

Ones I can Think of:-

Curry & Chips - Intention was to show racial bigotry but ended up being labelled racist.

A Small Problem - Intention was to look at discrimination and ending up being labelled offensive to small people.

Brass Eye - The paedophile episode, intention being to highlight the mob mentality in dealing with this sensitive issue but ended up being labelled as mocking the subject matter and those guests involved.

Can you think of any more?

Def.

Heil Honey I'm home?

Facts of Life. COrky the Sympathetic character with Downs Syndrome becomes a pyromaniac?

Different Strokes. The paedophile special.

Mr Edd. Makes light of the very serious problem of when Zoophilia, meets schizophrenia.

I'm not sure there have been too many issue led sitcoms. I can't imaginne producing agitprop excites too many producers. And it certainly wouldn't excite viewers.

Although having said that, Alf Garnett is an obvious example of a character created to attack a certain type of person, only to be adopted by the very people it sort to satirise.

I also think that the Extras special that sort to attack Big Brother culture became a bizarre celebration of it.

Till Death us do Part springs to mind.

Quote: Deferenz @ June 13 2008, 11:11 AM BST

Brass Eye - The paedophile episode, intention being to highlight the mob mentality in dealing with this sensitive issue but ended up being labelled as mocking the subject matter and those guests involved.

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It didnt fail, the people who got all het up and had a go were playing right into Mr Morris's hands and acting in exactly the hysterical way he was talking about. So I would say that was a succes, and that those that complained and decried it in the media obviously didnt have the intelligence to see that they were acting in exactly the way Morris was saying the media does. Job done in my books.

Yeah, Brass Eye was the complete opposite of a failure.

Quote: zooo @ June 13 2008, 1:37 PM BST

Yeah, Brass Eye was the complete opposite of a failure.

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For Matthew & zooo - Agreed! infact my full title was going to be "Sitcoms intending to highlight an issue but failed or were incredibly successful but the crusty folk thought it was bad"

Sadly I couldn't fit it all in to the header. We could blame Aaron for that...

Def.

Respectable - was supposed to be about a brothel but I only got a semi.

It also had its fair share of Jodi Albert, which is why I snapped it up for £3.99 on DVD

Oh yeah, and for the funny lines and stuff....

Quote: Griff @ June 13 2008, 2:54 PM BST

3.99 you say ?

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Knock yourself out

Quote: monkeybeard @ June 13 2008, 3:01 PM BST

Knock yourself out

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Or just knock one out.

Quote: David Bussell @ June 13 2008, 11:19 PM BST

Or just knock one out.

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And I will watch!

Quote: chipolata @ June 13 2008, 11:20 AM BST

I also think that the Extras special that sort to attack Big Brother culture became a bizarre celebration of it.

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Extras bigger problem was that its attempt to say laugh at the man laughing at the midget/spastic/black/etc, was really saying ... laugh at the midget.

Quote: Griff @ June 13 2008, 2:33 PM BST

Everyone slated Respectable but I thought it was OK. A bit seaside postcard but it had its fair share of funny lines.

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Aw, I really enjoyed it. (And not for the ladies.)

Similar to Alf Garnett; the Guv'nor.

(Al Murray's pub landlord character.)

That Jasper Carrot thing with the mixed marriage and the kid in the wheelchair.