We all know Two and a Half Men.
It's the show that everybody's parents love. There's a very good reason for that, and it's not because it's well written.
Don't get me wrong, I used to love this show. But it pretty quickly became obvious just how terrible it really is. Once you really examine the show, it's audience manipulating is more overwhelmign than the canned laughter.
Two and a Half Men was created specifically to become a hit show. Let me explain to you exactly why. The show's success relies heavily on situational relatability. Haven't you ever wondered why almost everybody's parents love the show? It covers every aspect your parents would enjoy seeing.
First of all, you have the spineless divorcee. Let's face it, most middle aged people these days are divorced.
"Hey, that guy's divorced! And he has a kid! And he pays alimony! I can relate to that!". Then you've got Charlie. Instead of being the guy that's most relatable to middle aged men like Alan, Charlie is the guy that everybody WANTS to be. He's the life of the show, the rich, sarcastic, misogynistic bachelor. So far you've got the everyman, and the man everyone wishes he was. Are you starting to see why the show is so popular? Then you've got Jake, the retarded son. He not only works to relate to kids who are forced to watch the show with their parents, but he also acts to draw in the people with kids, or the people who have a lot of experience with their kids. Jake is the stereotypical 12 year old, or however old he is. He provides parents with the kid of shit that makes them go 'Ha ha! That is so true! Kids always refuse to do their homework! That is hilarious!"
When you combine all this, you get a show that is trying to relate to as many people as possible. "But I am not middle aged Rusty, why do I like the show?"
Mainly because of your parents, you can relate to the show my association.
But worst of all, is the canned laughter.
What the canned laughter does, is reinforce everything that's being said, to be hilarious. So once it draws you in with the relatability, it is constantly demanding you laugh at it. "LISTEN TO THE LAUGHTER. THIS IS HILARIOUS, AND YOU AGREE!"
Take it away, and the show is left and awkward mess. Yes, the long gaps between speech are only there because of it, but really examine the dialogue. Would it be funny by itself?
Now, really, there's nothing all that wrong with any of this. A show needs to relate to it's audience. But the problem with Two and a Half Men, is that it totally relies on it, because without it, the humour doesn't stand up on it's own. It has very poor writing, but writing that is very crafty and keeps the show afloat even devoid of any wit. The show itself is just one sarcastic line followed by canned laughter after another. And then at the end of the episode, Charlie or Alan will repeat something sarcastic or even just a sigh, as a running gag. The audience will laugh and say 'ha ha that is the joke from before!' and the show fill fade to credits.
Now, far be it from me to criticize observational humour. Take Seinfeld for example, a show so wonderfully drenched in observational humour. But the difference between Seinfeld and Two and a Half Men, is that Seinfeld focuses every single episode on a completely different observation. Wheras in TAAHM, every single episode relies on the same basic observation formula. One is divorced, one's a party animal, and one's a retarded kid.
Everything that happens is directly related to that. Every episode, Alan's divorce will cause him problems, Charlie will be an asshole and bang a model, and Jake will be totally oblivious and say something along the lines of 'I farted lol!'. The only redeeming quality of TAAHM, is Charlie Sheen. Despite being totally insane, he is hilarious and I love him. The guy himself thinks the show he's the star of is horrendously unfunny and that he is the only thing holding it together. He's half right. The other half is the show's careful manipulation into making you think it's funny.
I will almost certainly think of more things so say once I've posted this thread but I'll leave it at that for now.
It's a bad show and you should hurry up and realise it.
I think it's funny how you're bashing the show for being "I'm funny agree with me", then you basically say "It's not funny agree with me"
[editline]6th March 2011[/editline]
Not that I particularly like it anyways.
So you're pretty much just preaching to the choir, afaik there isn't anyone on Facepunch that likes, let alone loves, Two and a Half Men, and if there are then so be it. You don't have to parade around convincing someone why they shouldn't watch a show, if they enjoy it then that's that.
I have watched Two and a Half Men a few times before, I liked it a bit. But Rusty does bring up a point. Analyzing this does make it look 100 times more stupid.
I've never seen a single episode of TAAHM, and now, thanks to this extremely useful thread, I won't!
[QUOTE=J4censolo;28454567]So you're pretty much just preaching to the choir, afaik there isn't anyone on Facepunch that likes, let alone loves, Two and a Half Men, and if there are then so be it. You don't have to parade around convincing someone why they shouldn't watch a show, if they enjoy it then that's that.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I mean why should we help poor people? They look so happy. :frogdowns:
[QUOTE=commander204;28454648]Yeah, I mean why should we help poor people? They look so happy. :frogdowns:[/QUOTE]
typical case of " someone likes something that I dont therefore they are wrong and/or stupid "
[editline]6th March 2011[/editline]
so :frog: yourself
[QUOTE=J4censolo;28454567]So you're pretty much just preaching to the choir, afaik there isn't anyone on Facepunch that likes, let alone loves, Two and a Half Men, and if there are then so be it. You don't have to parade around convincing someone why they shouldn't watch a show, if they enjoy it then that's that.[/QUOTE]
It used to be great until I noticed the horrifying writing and then I watched it because Charlie Sheen made it.
I used to watch this but now I have seen the light and I will not watch it any more thank you rusty for your wise words.
Honestly I'm surprised that the show's been running for 8 seasons so far. The jokes in this show are like, level one. Actually, below level one. I don't mind low brow humor, but even low brow humor has to done with some intelligence to make it funny. I swear the time it takes for the writers to write an episode is less than the actual running time of the episode itself.
I couldn't get into this show. That fucking kid was annoying the shit out of me with his stupid ass remarks. Whenever this shit comes on I just a few channels lower and watch House or Law and Order: SVU, now those are quality shows.
[editline]6th March 2011[/editline]
Nice avatar above me, seems familiar.
Oh no it's Rusty
Hide the fun
Two and a half men is more interesting than OP
Still beats King of Queens and Everybody loves Raymond by a longshot, although that ain't saying much.
[QUOTE=MrTwicks;28455036]Two and a half men is more interesting than OP[/QUOTE]
sorry you don't find my amateur analysis interesting
All the bits with Charlie Sheen are funny.
All the bits with that other guy aren't funny at all.
[editline]6th March 2011[/editline]
All the bits with the kid are painful to watch.
[QUOTE=Rusty100;28454457]Let's face it, most middle aged people these days are divorced. [/QUOTE]
I really, really doubt this is true.
Oh and red dwarf has canned laughter in, but that was one of the best shows ever. Canned laughter doesnt really add or subtract to the experience for me.
[QUOTE=Icedshot;28455095]Oh and red dwarf has canned laughter in, but that was one of the best shows ever. Canned laughter doesnt really add or subtract to the experience for me.[/QUOTE]
Oh hey, another person who loved Red Dwarf! Thank god you exist!
[QUOTE=Icedshot;28455095]I really, really doubt this is true.
Oh and red dwarf has canned laughter in, but that was one of the best shows ever. Canned laughter doesnt really add or subtract to the experience for me.[/QUOTE]
It really helps to read everything else I said
I didn't just write a thread on 'why canned laughter sucks'
Seinfeld has canned laughter too, but I wrote about how good that show is
oh and almost everybody i know's parents are divorced. today, your every(midlde aged)man has been divorced at least one. includes remarried men
[editline]7th March 2011[/editline]
at the very least, divorce is so prevalent these days that the whole subject is over exposed and thus relatable to even more people
[QUOTE=LarparNar;28454560]I think it's funny how you're bashing the show for being "I'm funny agree with me", then you basically say "It's not funny agree with me"
[editline]6th March 2011[/editline]
Not that I particularly like it anyways.[/QUOTE]
no its rusty he's automatically right
[editline]7th March 2011[/editline]
I do agree with him, by the way.
I've never liked this show.
i'm interested in what you have to say about the big bang theory which is by the same creator
i started off hating that show, then i liked it because i switched my brain off watching it, but now i'm starting to notice how unfunny it is imagining no canned laughter.
[QUOTE=Faren;28455228]no its rusty he's automatically right[/QUOTE]
Hahahahaha.
Hah. Good one.
[QUOTE=ThePutty;28456163]i'm interested in what you have to say about the big bang theory which is by the same creator
i started off hating that show, then i liked it because i switched my brain off watching it, but now i'm starting to notice how unfunny it is imagining no canned laughter.[/QUOTE]
basically the same as what i've said for taahm, but trying to relate to all nerds everywhere
because lets face it, there are a lot of nerds
and chuck lorre knows that
Well that just killed any interest I had in even watching this show for one second.
I find Rusty's posts funny because I remember the time when they were.
i hate this show every time it comes on my family needs to hide all of our hammers so i cant break the tv
the only thing i find funny is that Charlie Sheen plays a slightly more functional version of himself
[QUOTE=Teto;28456564]I find Rusty's posts funny because I remember the time when they were.[/QUOTE]
my op isn't supposed to be funny
I do get you, the demanding you to laugh part. But I don't always laugh when that happens.
What about Red Dwarf? That was hilarious and the laughs in the audience gave it a good vibe.
[QUOTE=AK'z;28457110]I do get you, the demanding you to laugh part. But I don't always laugh when that happens.
What about Red Dwarf? That was hilarious and the laughs in the audience gave it a good vibe.[/QUOTE]
i've already addressed this, sometimes it works because something is already funny, and sometime's it's used to make something funny that's unfunny
like i said, seinfeld has it, but it's still an amazing show
canned laughter doesn't automatically make a show bad, but it's blatant misuse can lead to audience manipulation
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