Okay so I was on the right track, you were told to watch those to get better at writing humor. I can see that. Of course, like you say, there are a few really well-written ones, and many, MANY poorly written ones (How I Met your Father, anyone? That got cancelled QUICK). Oh! How I Met Your Mother should have gotten an honorable mention. Not many shows are put together like a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. Did you know that ending was decided upon before they filmed the pilot? And Ted knew it all along, but was sworn to secrecy!
You're right, I do watch a lot of science fiction, but NOT to get better at writing sci fi. Most sci fi shows are the exact OPPOSITE of what you want to create, if you want to create good science fiction. There are exceptions (The Expanse, Firefly, The Martian), but most of the time I'm screaming at the screen because it's obvious the showrunners didn't even ask Geeky Gary, who still lives in his mother's basement, to look over the actual *science* before filming. Most of it, Tina, I would be embarrassed to recommend to you because I don't want you thinking THAT is what sci fi is all about. I only give Star Trek a break because it's nostalgic for me. And Star Wars is NOT science fiction. It's space fantasy. It's Lord of the Rings but with space ships. Most sci fi TV and movies--and I think a lot of people would back me up here--is Sh*t with a captial S. Pardon my German. So yeah, I probably watch as much sci fi as you watch sitcoms, but it sounds like for a completely different reason!
And sorry to get you going, but sitcoms (and hell, most sci fi) are really nothing but time fillers for me, because I watch those instead of plowing through the stacks of books on my nightstands (all plural), finishing my own novels, and drawing more art! But they're nice to shut my brain off and zone out to while I'm eating dinner alone, that's for sure! :)
Tina, I'm curious as to the WHY watching sitcoms can improve our writing. I can of course understand if you're writing funny Hallmark cards or a sitcom of your own, but honestly, I always thought they are one of our biggest, mind-numbing time wasters! BUT I LOVE THEM like a dirty vice! I agree with Lindsay that Parks and Rec should be on the list, plus Modern Family and especially Hot in Cleveland (that was Betty White's and a whole slew of older actor's last TV appearances, and was basically an updated Golden Girls). But I'm happy that Mindy and The Office made it, and that Schitt's Creek and The Good Place at least got an honorable mention. Anyway, maybe you could explain in a follow up in your next newsletter? :)
Rod! I'm aghast! "Time wasters?" Give me a second to get my heart rate back down. K, first: I can't speak for every writer—I just know that comedies have been formative for me and improving my work. But humor has always been my genre, so your mileage may vary. I'm guessing you watch any and all sci-fi/fantasy/dystopian shows you can to inform your work? I don't watch any of those shows (although a few people almost have me talked into "The Last of Us") and couldn't write a sci-book if my life depended on it. As for your recs: I loved Modern Family when it started, but at some point it lost its way and got too cheesy for me. I tapped out. I probably wrongly judge the whole series for those seasons, and I shouldn't. (I'll always be grateful it gave us Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet.) I've never talked to anyone who's watched Hot in Cleveland, so that intrigues me. Maybe I'll try it, but only if you promise to start calling sitcoms what they are: necessary and important art, goddammit! xoxo
Totally agree with your top two — no, three — picks! Every couple of years, Erika and I have to binge 30 Rock again. (We're now on Season 7.) And no, you do NOT need to torture yourself with Arrested Development after Season 3!
Okay, good to know! I trust your opinion. I still feel a little ashamed as a fan that I never watched those seasons, but I just couldn't risk getting my heart broken.
Not everyone agrees with me. I just felt like they were working really hard for the zaniness and complexity, but it lacked the spontaneity that made the original so much fun.
I did watch most of the first season of Kimmy at Hallmark with the other humor writers. Watching with a group, it was great. On my own, less so. (This was true for a lot of the shows we watched.) Maybe I'll put it on the "watch while folding laundry" list.
Yes! I listened to one of these and intended to start watching the episodes as they went along, and I totally forgot. I don't listen to as many podcasts as I'd like to…I have such a hard time focusing if I'm doing other things, and I don't have a lot of long drives in the car. But I should really get back to that podcast. I love them SO much, and that they're so close in real life, I mean. Adorable!
Your list was pretty dang spot-on. I love that Arrested Development had the top-spot. I laughed until I damn near passed out during some of those episodes. Little disappointed to not see Parks & Rec get a mention. Amy Poehler is perfection as is Nick Offerman.
Parks & Rec: here's why. When it started out, I tried. I loved the cast, but it just didn't click for me and I didn't stick with it. A hair too…cute? It was when the mockumentary style was still somewhat new, and it felt to me like they were falling flat, compared to The Office. I didn't know how big that show would get, though, and I love the jokes/memes I've seen. I've put it on a few times while I fold laundry, and it's enjoyable. Maybe I need to promote it to my full-attention list. Thanks for bringing this one up. Good call.
Any thoughts on Big Bang Theory? Loved Schitt's Creek but it took a bit to get into. Such a satisfying ending.
Just signed up to have the book guy give me reading recommendations. Do you think he works in women's contemporary fiction or romance? Probably not, but I am always willing to listen to hear the books I should be reading, when I keep quietly reading the smut.
Tried BBT a few times, but it wasn't for me. Know who loves it, and even had the theme song as his ringtone for a long time? That's right, Mr. Ken Fowler! Making the extremely awkward transition now to smut: a group of women and I were just talking last week about our secret smut. It's a thing!
Great list. I am yet to try It's Always Sunny. I would add the Righteous Gemstones, and Vice Principals. New Girl went off the rails for me as it became more self aware. Everyone felt like they we acting so hard...
Def agree that the last few seasons of New Girl weren't the strongest. You are prob the fourth or fifth person to tell me to watch Righteous Gemstones. I'm gonna give it a go.
Bojack Horseman! Probably the best show I've ever seen that dives into addiction, depression and the harms we pass onto our children. The writing is consistently funny and thought-provoking throughout it's entire run.
Ooh! Yes! I watched a few eps forever ago with Ty, expecting nothing, and was so surprised. I am a huge Will Arnett fan and had totally forgotten about Bojack! Putting this on the to-watch list. Good call!
Okay so I was on the right track, you were told to watch those to get better at writing humor. I can see that. Of course, like you say, there are a few really well-written ones, and many, MANY poorly written ones (How I Met your Father, anyone? That got cancelled QUICK). Oh! How I Met Your Mother should have gotten an honorable mention. Not many shows are put together like a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. Did you know that ending was decided upon before they filmed the pilot? And Ted knew it all along, but was sworn to secrecy!
You're right, I do watch a lot of science fiction, but NOT to get better at writing sci fi. Most sci fi shows are the exact OPPOSITE of what you want to create, if you want to create good science fiction. There are exceptions (The Expanse, Firefly, The Martian), but most of the time I'm screaming at the screen because it's obvious the showrunners didn't even ask Geeky Gary, who still lives in his mother's basement, to look over the actual *science* before filming. Most of it, Tina, I would be embarrassed to recommend to you because I don't want you thinking THAT is what sci fi is all about. I only give Star Trek a break because it's nostalgic for me. And Star Wars is NOT science fiction. It's space fantasy. It's Lord of the Rings but with space ships. Most sci fi TV and movies--and I think a lot of people would back me up here--is Sh*t with a captial S. Pardon my German. So yeah, I probably watch as much sci fi as you watch sitcoms, but it sounds like for a completely different reason!
And sorry to get you going, but sitcoms (and hell, most sci fi) are really nothing but time fillers for me, because I watch those instead of plowing through the stacks of books on my nightstands (all plural), finishing my own novels, and drawing more art! But they're nice to shut my brain off and zone out to while I'm eating dinner alone, that's for sure! :)
Tina, I'm curious as to the WHY watching sitcoms can improve our writing. I can of course understand if you're writing funny Hallmark cards or a sitcom of your own, but honestly, I always thought they are one of our biggest, mind-numbing time wasters! BUT I LOVE THEM like a dirty vice! I agree with Lindsay that Parks and Rec should be on the list, plus Modern Family and especially Hot in Cleveland (that was Betty White's and a whole slew of older actor's last TV appearances, and was basically an updated Golden Girls). But I'm happy that Mindy and The Office made it, and that Schitt's Creek and The Good Place at least got an honorable mention. Anyway, maybe you could explain in a follow up in your next newsletter? :)
Rod! I'm aghast! "Time wasters?" Give me a second to get my heart rate back down. K, first: I can't speak for every writer—I just know that comedies have been formative for me and improving my work. But humor has always been my genre, so your mileage may vary. I'm guessing you watch any and all sci-fi/fantasy/dystopian shows you can to inform your work? I don't watch any of those shows (although a few people almost have me talked into "The Last of Us") and couldn't write a sci-book if my life depended on it. As for your recs: I loved Modern Family when it started, but at some point it lost its way and got too cheesy for me. I tapped out. I probably wrongly judge the whole series for those seasons, and I shouldn't. (I'll always be grateful it gave us Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet.) I've never talked to anyone who's watched Hot in Cleveland, so that intrigues me. Maybe I'll try it, but only if you promise to start calling sitcoms what they are: necessary and important art, goddammit! xoxo
Totally agree with your top two — no, three — picks! Every couple of years, Erika and I have to binge 30 Rock again. (We're now on Season 7.) And no, you do NOT need to torture yourself with Arrested Development after Season 3!
Okay, good to know! I trust your opinion. I still feel a little ashamed as a fan that I never watched those seasons, but I just couldn't risk getting my heart broken.
Not everyone agrees with me. I just felt like they were working really hard for the zaniness and complexity, but it lacked the spontaneity that made the original so much fun.
High-fiving a thousand angels!
Love Parks and Rec and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt!
I did watch most of the first season of Kimmy at Hallmark with the other humor writers. Watching with a group, it was great. On my own, less so. (This was true for a lot of the shows we watched.) Maybe I'll put it on the "watch while folding laundry" list.
If you love Scrubs, you should check out Fake Doctors, Real Friends podcast with Zach and Donald.
Yes! I listened to one of these and intended to start watching the episodes as they went along, and I totally forgot. I don't listen to as many podcasts as I'd like to…I have such a hard time focusing if I'm doing other things, and I don't have a lot of long drives in the car. But I should really get back to that podcast. I love them SO much, and that they're so close in real life, I mean. Adorable!
Your list was pretty dang spot-on. I love that Arrested Development had the top-spot. I laughed until I damn near passed out during some of those episodes. Little disappointed to not see Parks & Rec get a mention. Amy Poehler is perfection as is Nick Offerman.
Parks & Rec: here's why. When it started out, I tried. I loved the cast, but it just didn't click for me and I didn't stick with it. A hair too…cute? It was when the mockumentary style was still somewhat new, and it felt to me like they were falling flat, compared to The Office. I didn't know how big that show would get, though, and I love the jokes/memes I've seen. I've put it on a few times while I fold laundry, and it's enjoyable. Maybe I need to promote it to my full-attention list. Thanks for bringing this one up. Good call.
Any thoughts on Big Bang Theory? Loved Schitt's Creek but it took a bit to get into. Such a satisfying ending.
Just signed up to have the book guy give me reading recommendations. Do you think he works in women's contemporary fiction or romance? Probably not, but I am always willing to listen to hear the books I should be reading, when I keep quietly reading the smut.
Tried BBT a few times, but it wasn't for me. Know who loves it, and even had the theme song as his ringtone for a long time? That's right, Mr. Ken Fowler! Making the extremely awkward transition now to smut: a group of women and I were just talking last week about our secret smut. It's a thing!
Sounds right. Gambling on Top Model was certainly a lifetime highlight.
Total agreement. Total.
Whoa! What a compliment. I'll take it. I do believe the first time I ever watched AD was with you and the gang in the TV room…Scrubs too, I think?
Great list. I am yet to try It's Always Sunny. I would add the Righteous Gemstones, and Vice Principals. New Girl went off the rails for me as it became more self aware. Everyone felt like they we acting so hard...
Def agree that the last few seasons of New Girl weren't the strongest. You are prob the fourth or fifth person to tell me to watch Righteous Gemstones. I'm gonna give it a go.
It's ridiculous. Enjoy.
Bojack Horseman! Probably the best show I've ever seen that dives into addiction, depression and the harms we pass onto our children. The writing is consistently funny and thought-provoking throughout it's entire run.
Ooh! Yes! I watched a few eps forever ago with Ty, expecting nothing, and was so surprised. I am a huge Will Arnett fan and had totally forgotten about Bojack! Putting this on the to-watch list. Good call!