(S01E04) So it's bad when a comedy makes you want to cry, right? I mean, it's not their fault, I'm sure that when they animated the scene of the Knob Haven High staff sitting around eating cheese cake, Bea Arthur was still alive. But when they played the Golden Girls music, I couldn't help but think that was a much better show.
The whole Golden Girls thing was just many of the random, awkward 80s parodies they did this episode. I liked the cold open where they were initially assigning themselves parts in 80s teen comedies, and the later Huey Lewis payoff was pretty funny, but I need help.
I'm not sure if I missed it, but I did not get the bagel thing. For the life of me, I just couldn't figure it out; and no matter what the show said, it wasn't funnier on re-watch.
I did think it was pretty funny how Miracle's rich boyfriend with the 80s style mansion decorated with Huey Lewis paraphernalia was Huey Lewis, and that his "new drug" involves getting younger women to fall for older men. I do think it's a drug that will never find a market, since we already have something similar that works for free: daddy issues.
The whole Stuart/Polly thing was just ridiculous enough to become annoying and then circle back to funny. Willard changing history by warning Hitler of the allied attack was pretty funny, and Helen really is a dead ringer for Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club. However, Andrew's presence still continues to mystify me. He's not funny and adds absolutely nothing of value to the character dynamic.
Overall, Sit Down, Shut Up seems to be continuing its slow but steady improvement. I'm still not rolling on the floor laughing, but I'm amused. Plus, even though I never found out what the deal with the bagels was, I did learn a new fact: Huey Lewis has done the soundtrack for both Back to the Future and Pineapple Express. Thanks, Fox Animation Sunday!
Some of my favorite lines from this episode:
Larry: "None of you knows what 'embezzle' means, do you?"
Helen: "Isn't it a device that sexes up the dullest of clothing with the excitement of spangles?"
"That blood was meant for me! I'm tired of being the girl without egg on her face!" - Helen
Larry: "Wow, the loser competition is going to be a little tougher than I thought."
Stuart: "Yeah, I thought that was gonna be a slam miss for you."
"I've got an AARP card, so I get a 7% discount on anything that will kill me faster." - Willard
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go put some powder on my scro-ovaries." Stuart as Polly
Miracle: "So, do you like music?"
Ennis: I told you I was a giant Huey Lewis fan ... so no."
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-11-2009 @ 3:43AM
bruce said...
This show is so horrendously bad, I'm sure Fox will give it at least 13 seasons. I'd imagine the mentally challenged American Idol fanbase finds this garbage freakin' hilarious.
I take it personally when pabulum like this stays on the air while quality, intellectuallyl stimulating shows like Terminator TSCC get cancelled. Granted, the people who greenlight and cancel shows on Fox are so lacking in gray matter they make George W. Bush look like a genius, and that's nothing new.
I can't figure out if Mitchel Hurwitz is a total moron and Arrested Development was just a fluke, or if Hurwitz intentionally made SD,SU miserably stupid and unfunny so that it would appeal to a larger audience. Which is it?
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5-11-2009 @ 9:36AM
Rocketboy said...
Angry much?
5-11-2009 @ 3:43PM
bruce said...
Rocketboy: yes I am angry. I'm furious that the best written, most clever, funny, unique, original, thoughful, and interesting TV shows get cancelled after a few episodes (we're lucky to get one full 22-episode season) while CRAP like American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Celebrity Cooking, American Guitar Hero Idol, Everybody Loves Raymond, Cavemen, The Geiko Gecko Show, Celebrity Basketweaving, Celebrity Apprentice, Celebrity Kitchen Wars, Celebrity Makeover, Celebrity House Giveaway, Sit Down Shut Up, CSI: New York, CSI: Miami, CSI: Dallas, CSI: Detroit, CSI: Orlando, CSI: Los Angeles, CSI: San Francisco, CSI: Seattle, CSI: SVU, CSI: SVU: Boston, CSI: SVU: Criminal Intent, CSI: SVU: Criminal Intent: Salt Lake City, CSI: SVU: Criminal Intent: NCIS: Blue Shield, and Local News: Sexual Predator Watch, etc. clog up my TV channels.
But shows like Arrested Development, TSCC, Life, and everything else that requires an IQ of at least 100 (average) get moved around to different days and times every week, only to die on Friday nights at 9pm after a handful of episodes.
I don't know who I'm more pissed at - the networks for not letting good shows find audiences and for being slaves to the lowest common denominator, or the audiences for watching the crap the networks give them. It begs the question - which came first, crappy TV shows or audiences who want crappy TV shows?
Meanwhile, yes, I'm pissed off and it doesn't look like that's going to change any time soon.
5-13-2009 @ 1:54PM
Dan said...
Bruce, you nailed the situation. The really good shows require an IQ of average or better. Most of the folks in the target demographics don't understand these shows, so they don't tune in.
Watch Idiocracy for the final result of this phenomenon.
I also lament the loss of really great shows, while the pablum keeps on coming. I was hoping that reality programming would have run its course by now.
5-12-2009 @ 3:07AM
Stigmata said...
Bruce, while i totally agree about shows like TSCC, BSG, Chuck, etc.. are severely underwatched, we have to face the facts.
TV is a business, just like any other business, you can only sell what people will buy. If Mcdonalds sells only super healthy organic veggie burgers they would shut down in a day. The other unhealthy garbage is what keeps them profitable. As soon as demand for healthy burgers wanes even a little, they dump it from the menu.
So why should TV be any different? Why should Fox have an unprofitable business model? Why should we expect the networks to run at a loss, just so we can continue to enjoy the shows that are grossly underwatched?
Would you do the same job for a lower pay if another company was offering you more? Heck no, you greedy bastard!
So obviously the problem lies with the viewers and not the network, and for you to be confused about this, and talk about IQ levels, confuses me even more!
So thats life, and if you dont like it, you can move to mars anytime.
I suggest you live with it, or start lowering your IQ (I dont think you have to lose that much more to reach below avg, your grasp of demand vs supply kinda shows you're already below average)
5-11-2009 @ 2:53PM
Scott said...
There was also the scene where Stuart flashed his chest to Larry, in what was an obvious nod to Arrested Development (when Kitty would do the same to Michael).
As much as I love Arrested Development, this show is only mildly funny and therefore disappointing. No reason to throw a conniption, though.
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5-11-2009 @ 8:58PM
bruce said...
Idiocracy is great. The first 10 minutes of it explain the true downfall of our civilization. Stupidity has become a sexual asset. Intelligence has become an obstruction to mating. Stupidity is directly proportional to the number of offspring a given person will produce. The dumber you are, the more kids you're likely to spawn. The converse is also true, sadly enough. And intelligence is hereditary.
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5-12-2009 @ 2:00AM
David said...
wow
people are getting really angry with this sit down show...
I'm not even going to get into if it is good or not, I think it is an ok show, but saying that people who watch it are stupid is really arrogant and a little bit of stupid itself, since you have obviously watched it and thought that it was important enough to comment on...
I mean, nothing against you, I think you make a valuable point, I agree with 97% of the shows you mentioned, but your reaction seems to me a little over the top...
Well...you will probably say that I'm stupid now... but for me, the world is not that black and white...
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