Sitcoms

[Avaitor]

This is becoming a great year for TV shows coming to DVD.

[Speedy]

In terms of sitcoms with a studio audience or a laugh track, my top five:
-I Love Lucy
-Seinfeld
-3rd Rock from the Sun
-Red Green (though this is more of a sketch show than a sitcom, it still has "plotlines" in-between the sketches)
-Everybody Loves Raymond

Take out laugh tracks/audiences and we're looking at a much different list, obviously.

[gunswordfist]

Not a sitcom, but that reminds me that it's kind of awkward to me that Key & Peele does not have a laugh track/studio audience.

[Avaitor]

Look at this music list!They're going all out here.

[Avaitor]

Now that I've seen Seinfeld all of the way through, I think it's time to do a full series rank for it.

Season 1- 5/10

This isn't really the show as we know it. Well, it is in a superficial form, but it's clear how Jerry and Larry don't have much of any idea what they're doing. The character beats don't feel right for the main four, and Jerry's parents aside (Morty doesn't even have his right actor, though!), none of the recurrings that we all love are present. It may not be too fair to rank this, since it's such a short run, but the series can do so much better.

And the pilot is just so weird. Not only is the lack of Elaine jarring, but it doesn't feel right. At all. George shouldn't be the one giving Jerry advice, just as Kramer (oh, I'm sorry- Kessler) isn't timed well here. Jerry's apartment looks uninvitingly grim, which puts all of the scenes there off. Meanwhile, the diner that substituted Monks doesn't look right- too much neon that dates this to the 80's, which keeps the pilot even more foreign. It's a fascinating time warp to before the show was ironed out, but doesn't work as anything more than a quick curio.

Season 2- 9/10

Like this! Easily one of the biggest jumps forward in quality between seasons. Not every episode is a winner, and there are still some things that feel off, but Jerry and Larry really were starting to find the show's voice here. Also getting Larry Charles onto the staff certainly helped. I also have to say that even without Kramer, "The Chinese Restaurant" might be the show's finest episode.

Season 3- 9/10

Truthfully, I think the first few episodes is mostly meh. "The Note" is especially dated with its questionable homoerotic politics. And there are some other less-than-stellar episodes later, like "The Boyfriend" which comes off as padded with an overlong, dated JFK parody. But there are about as many strong to downright classic episodes to fill up the second season, and it does really feel like the character patterns are almost entirely down. Newman is also a welcome addition here, being given some great stuff to break the group's dynamic.

Season 4- 10/10

This is when it became THE show, basically. The only flaw in the main storyline is the fact that Jerry would trust George enough to be his show's producer, but I don't think he cared enough about it in the first place. But thankfully, everything else about it works, and helps to fit into the show's core. And the episodes that don't contribute to the story are also great, to the point that I can't recall any duds. Granted, I've never been a big fan of "The Contest", but I do give it credit for introducing Estelle, who was certainly a welcome addition. Along with Frank, even if his original actor couldn't compare to Jerry Stiller. Quite possibly the best season.

Season 5- 10/10

Although this season is just about as good. While I initially didn't think there was as much to this year as the previous, David Sim's reviews did make me consider that there is an overall arc to the season- this is the fall, then rise, of George. As the Costanzas become more integrated into the show, it becomes increasingly apparent how George ended up the way he is, as he also consistently commit deprived acts, before a sudden victory in the excellent season finale, which introduced the world to Larry David's iconic Steinbrenner impression. And there really is some great stuff throughout. Besides the world of the Costanzas, Kramer has some of his best wacky plots here, as Jerry and Elaine also have some great material all year long. Clearly the show needed the back half to cement its icon status, but if it ended here, I would have been happy.

Season 6- 7/10

I have to admit, this is when the series started to fall for me. Andy Ackerman definitely has some talent and tight shot placements, but I felt that Tom Cherones was a much better director for the show, and had a clearer idea of what fit for it. I also miss Larry Charles, as even though there were some great writers to appear at this point and later, the show did miss a bit of his twisted grounded basis when he left. There are some great full episodes, and plenty of enjoyable plots, but there are one too many eps where one or more story just doesn't work. And I just don't think that Mr. Pitt was a great boss for Elaine to deal with, while it took some time for George to get worthwhile material for his time with the Yankees.

I like Bania though. At least in the small doses we got him. A little bit of Bania goes a long way. A long way, Jerry!

Season 7- 8/10

I do think this was a step up from the previous season, a fitting end for Larry David's run. George's engagement to Susan doesn't pay off in every episode, but it definitely builds up to some great moments, primarily a hilariously dark coda for her. At least George started to get some stronger material from the Yankees, as did Steinbrenner. And I always felt that J. Peterman was a better boss for Elaine, as he also proved himself to have an interesting bond with the rest of the gang that I wish was explored more. But if there is a problem, I guess it's that I don't remember too many of Jerry or Kramer's plots, aside from "The Bottle Deposit", which I feel conflicted on, as I do many of the two-parters. But for George and Elaine, this year had some strong stuff.

Season 8- 7/10

The first year without Larry David was... okay. On the one hand, I didn't mind losing Jerry's stand-up introductions, as he had to retire them to focus on running the show full-time, and because he just isn't that great of a comedian. But the teasers never really did work all that well either, which makes for a tough balance. I also feel that George lost the plot here a little, as the beginning stories of his time being a part of Susan's foundation is forgotten fast, and the few Yankee plots he has aren't all that great, with even David realizing how so-so they are when he returns for the voice. The show's constant descent into wackiness becomes increasingly apparent here, with some of the sillier plots working, but a disappointing amount not. Although I do think that it was a good call to have Elaine run the company while Peterman was away, as it did result into some good stuff for her. Most of all, her dance moves.

Apparently, JLD can actually dance, though.

Season 9- 7/10

I think the show picked the right time to end here. It would have been pointless to keep David away from the writer's room for most of a season to only come back at the end, but if it ran for any longer, the cracks would really start to show. Jerry's a talented writer himself, but it does ultimately become clear that he wasn't meant to be a sole show runner. More stories are coming off as hackish (there's one point where Jerry and Kramer, in tuxes, are digging up a bird's burial at a pet cemetery. Seriously, that's some Farrelly brothers shit right there, and not even good Farrelly stuff), but I give the season credit for finding more usage for Puddy. He really is a fun character, and Patrick Warburton adds a great relaxed dynamic to keep the show surprisingly fresh at this point. It clashes with the gang's more exaggerated neurotic personalities, but it becomes apparent that he's just as demented as the others. It probably always was when he was first on the show, but his most memorable stuff comes from this season.

As for the finale, well, I think if anything, it has the opposite problem of HIMYM- a good idea that is executed well, but many of the jokes don't work. The first half is almost a dead space, with few of the gags landing, but I really do think the idea is fascinating, and I agree with David that a happy goodbye from the show wouldn't have worked. Maybe if it was less of a greatest hits compilation (we already had "The Chronicle" for that just before!) and delved more into the psyche of these four characters, it would have left a better reaction on people. Because often times, it did come off as tired. But despite its problems, I do think this was a unique and at times fun, closer.

Overall, I think the show is definitely great, even if it isn't a personal favorite. Each season, aside from the first, has episodes that I can come back to again and again, and while I think the first half was the best by a fairly wide margin, I did enjoy seeing the show's progression in order. Maybe I'll do it again some day, but I might skip the pilot.

[Spark Of Spirit]

My favorite episode is The Serenity Now. So many things come to a head in that episode, and just about every line makes me laugh.

Good job, I have to say I liked Seinfeld much more when I was a teenager. Now I only really like to watch certain episodes from about every season. It's certainly dated better than Friends, though.

[Avaitor]

My favorite episode is The Serenity Now. So many things come to a head in that episode, and just about every line makes me laugh.

Definitely a favorite from the last season! But if you couldn't tell, I love much of the Costanza's material, and this was quite heavy on Frank.

[Avaitor]

TV Land is airing Fresh Prince again, and also has HIMYM now.

Well, the less Friends and Full House, the better.

[gunswordfist]

i am loving the hell out of more fresh prince.

[Speedy]

Now that I've seen Seinfeld all of the way through, I think it's time to do a full series rank for it.

Season 1- 5/10

This isn't really the show as we know it. Well, it is in a superficial form, but it's clear how Jerry and Larry don't have much of any idea what they're doing. The character beats don't feel right for the main four, and Jerry's parents aside (Morty doesn't even have his right actor, though!), none of the recurrings that we all love are present. It may not be too fair to rank this, since it's such a short run, but the series can do so much better.

And the pilot is just so weird. Not only is the lack of Elaine jarring, but it doesn't feel right. At all. George shouldn't be the one giving Jerry advice, just as Kramer (oh, I'm sorry- Kessler) isn't timed well here. Jerry's apartment looks uninvitingly grim, which puts all of the scenes there off. Meanwhile, the diner that substituted Monks doesn't look right- too much neon that dates this to the 80's, which keeps the pilot even more foreign. It's a fascinating time warp to before the show was ironed out, but doesn't work as anything more than a quick curio.

Season 2- 9/10

Like this! Easily one of the biggest jumps forward in quality between seasons. Not every episode is a winner, and there are still some things that feel off, but Jerry and Larry really were starting to find the show's voice here. Also getting Larry Charles onto the staff certainly helped. I also have to say that even without Kramer, "The Chinese Restaurant" might be the show's finest episode.

Season 3- 9/10

Truthfully, I think the first few episodes is mostly meh. "The Note" is especially dated with its questionable homoerotic politics. And there are some other less-than-stellar episodes later, like "The Boyfriend" which comes off as padded with an overlong, dated JFK parody. But there are about as many strong to downright classic episodes to fill up the second season, and it does really feel like the character patterns are almost entirely down. Newman is also a welcome addition here, being given some great stuff to break the group's dynamic.

Season 4- 10/10

This is when it became THE show, basically. The only flaw in the main storyline is the fact that Jerry would trust George enough to be his show's producer, but I don't think he cared enough about it in the first place. But thankfully, everything else about it works, and helps to fit into the show's core. And the episodes that don't contribute to the story are also great, to the point that I can't recall any duds. Granted, I've never been a big fan of "The Contest", but I do give it credit for introducing Estelle, who was certainly a welcome addition. Along with Frank, even if his original actor couldn't compare to Jerry Stiller. Quite possibly the best season.

Season 5- 10/10

Although this season is just about as good. While I initially didn't think there was as much to this year as the previous, David Sim's reviews did make me consider that there is an overall arc to the season- this is the fall, then rise, of George. As the Costanzas become more integrated into the show, it becomes increasingly apparent how George ended up the way he is, as he also consistently commit deprived acts, before a sudden victory in the excellent season finale, which introduced the world to Larry David's iconic Steinbrenner impression. And there really is some great stuff throughout. Besides the world of the Costanzas, Kramer has some of his best wacky plots here, as Jerry and Elaine also have some great material all year long. Clearly the show needed the back half to cement its icon status, but if it ended here, I would have been happy.

Season 6- 7/10

I have to admit, this is when the series started to fall for me. Andy Ackerman definitely has some talent and tight shot placements, but I felt that Tom Cherones was a much better director for the show, and had a clearer idea of what fit for it. I also miss Larry Charles, as even though there were some great writers to appear at this point and later, the show did miss a bit of his twisted grounded basis when he left. There are some great full episodes, and plenty of enjoyable plots, but there are one too many eps where one or more story just doesn't work. And I just don't think that Mr. Pitt was a great boss for Elaine to deal with, while it took some time for George to get worthwhile material for his time with the Yankees.

I like Bania though. At least in the small doses we got him. A little bit of Bania goes a long way. A long way, Jerry!

Season 7- 8/10

I do think this was a step up from the previous season, a fitting end for Larry David's run. George's engagement to Susan doesn't pay off in every episode, but it definitely builds up to some great moments, primarily a hilariously dark coda for her. At least George started to get some stronger material from the Yankees, as did Steinbrenner. And I always felt that J. Peterman was a better boss for Elaine, as he also proved himself to have an interesting bond with the rest of the gang that I wish was explored more. But if there is a problem, I guess it's that I don't remember too many of Jerry or Kramer's plots, aside from "The Bottle Deposit", which I feel conflicted on, as I do many of the two-parters. But for George and Elaine, this year had some strong stuff.

Season 8- 7/10

The first year without Larry David was... okay. On the one hand, I didn't mind losing Jerry's stand-up introductions, as he had to retire them to focus on running the show full-time, and because he just isn't that great of a comedian. But the teasers never really did work all that well either, which makes for a tough balance. I also feel that George lost the plot here a little, as the beginning stories of his time being a part of Susan's foundation is forgotten fast, and the few Yankee plots he has aren't all that great, with even David realizing how so-so they are when he returns for the voice. The show's constant descent into wackiness becomes increasingly apparent here, with some of the sillier plots working, but a disappointing amount not. Although I do think that it was a good call to have Elaine run the company while Peterman was away, as it did result into some good stuff for her. Most of all, her dance moves.

Apparently, JLD can actually dance, though.

Season 9- 7/10

I think the show picked the right time to end here. It would have been pointless to keep David away from the writer's room for most of a season to only come back at the end, but if it ran for any longer, the cracks would really start to show. Jerry's a talented writer himself, but it does ultimately become clear that he wasn't meant to be a sole show runner. More stories are coming off as hackish (there's one point where Jerry and Kramer, in tuxes, are digging up a bird's burial at a pet cemetery. Seriously, that's some Farrelly brothers shit right there, and not even good Farrelly stuff), but I give the season credit for finding more usage for Puddy. He really is a fun character, and Patrick Warburton adds a great relaxed dynamic to keep the show surprisingly fresh at this point. It clashes with the gang's more exaggerated neurotic personalities, but it becomes apparent that he's just as demented as the others. It probably always was when he was first on the show, but his most memorable stuff comes from this season.

As for the finale, well, I think if anything, it has the opposite problem of HIMYM- a good idea that is executed well, but many of the jokes don't work. The first half is almost a dead space, with few of the gags landing, but I really do think the idea is fascinating, and I agree with David that a happy goodbye from the show wouldn't have worked. Maybe if it was less of a greatest hits compilation (we already had "The Chronicle" for that just before!) and delved more into the psyche of these four characters, it would have left a better reaction on people. Because often times, it did come off as tired. But despite its problems, I do think this was a unique and at times fun, closer.

Overall, I think the show is definitely great, even if it isn't a personal favorite. Each season, aside from the first, has episodes that I can come back to again and again, and while I think the first half was the best by a fairly wide margin, I did enjoy seeing the show's progression in order. Maybe I'll do it again some day, but I might skip the pilot.

Season 1 (that is, the pilot and the first four episodes) isn't that great but I do like bits of "The Robbery" and "The Stock Tip".  Season 2 was definitely stronger, though.

I like "The Boyfriend" myself, and consider it one of the best two-parters.  George fabricating active job searching to keep his unemployment going is classic George.

Season 4 had the best story arc.

Seasons 8 and 9 really gel with my sense of humor.  I know they're far removed from the more "realistic" earlier seasons but they still make me laugh pretty hard.

Besides "The Serenity Now", I absolutely love "The Bookstore".

[Spark Of Spirit]

I've been watching Everybody Loves Raymond on Nick At Nite. I actually think this show gets better with age.

[Speedy]

The show gets a lot of unfair flack for two reasons, 1) the Debra hatedom which claims she's constantly bitchy (which is not true), and 2) that it kickstarted (or revitalized, depending on your point of view) the "ugly/fat/boorish/lazy guy/hot wife" series of sitcoms.  So people like to assign a scapegoat.

But I agree, it's still a very funny show and has one of the most memorable sitcom casts in television.

[Spark Of Spirit]

It makes a lot more sense to me as I get older. A lot of the character relationships and jokes make me enjoy it on another level.

Truly, I do think it deserves its spot as one of the best sitcoms.

[Avaitor]

Raymond's overplayed to me thanks to my grandfather, but damn if it isn't funny. The Barones are so fascinating, and perfectly cast.

[Speedy]

^ I think like anything, you can get sick of a show, no matter how good it is.  It happened to me with Seinfeld for a time, since I had syndicated reruns on every day.  Eventually I just had to stop, take a break for a year or two, and come back fresh.