chipolata
Sunday 27th February 2011 1:44pm [Edited]
31,353 posts
Quote: Griff @ February 27 2011, 1:00 PM GMT
We have plenty of TV shows that "do anything". Like Doctor Who. But why would you want a sitcom that "does anything"? I want Steptoe and Son to be arguing in the rag-and-bone yard every time I tune in, not zipping off to Disneyland one week and solving crimes the next.
OK, some sitcoms suit a wider story remit than others - The Simpsons or Red Dwarf for example - but in general I don't see what the problem is with a sitcom having a simple scenario. Porridge has a more restricted setup than My Hero but I know which I prefer.
Well, I think you're slightly missing my point, Griff (or, as I tend to think of you now, Elder Abuser!).
I don't mind a limited set up if the show has been written with a clear passion to say something. For example, both The Royle Family and Early Doors seemed to say something about familes or communities. And be very funny to boot. And that goes for countless other succesful sitcoms that have restricted set-ups.
My problem with the shows I mentioned is that they appear to be empty creative-writing exercises, in which the creators aren't really saying anything. It's a nothing more than artistic machismo. Concept for the sake of concept. And certainly Friday Night Dinner falls slap bang into this category.