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Bradley Witherberry
Extraordinary
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 1:13 pm Posts: 15197 Location: Planet Xatar
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 The Original "Honeymooners" TV Series: Classic or
This thread is a spin-off of a discussion Zingaling and I have been having over in the "Everyone's a Critic" forum. Zingaling contends that the original Honeymooners TV series "was never anything to brag about", while I suggest that it easily is one of "the all-time comedy classics"...
I urge anyone who has seen the original series, and has an opinion, to vote in the poll accompanying this thread,
Thanx in advance!
(Below, I've quoted our original discussion to provide some context...)
bradley witherberry wrote: Zingaling wrote: bradley witherberry wrote: Quote: The Honeymooners (WOKJ Review) By: Zingaling
"Is this the best you can do, Hollywood? The best thing you could come with is an unwanted remake of a 1950’s sitcom? If this is a sign of things to come, books might be the only thing we have left. For the record, I’ve never seen the original sitcom. And, from what I’ve heard, the sitcom was never anything to brag about." Yow! Zingaling!?! I haven't seen this remake yet, but in reading your official WOKJ review, I am shocked at your second hand dismissal of one of the cornerstones of classic sitcom history. The pairing of comic legend Jackie Gleason and Academy Award winner Art Carney is one of the all time funniest comedy teams of the 20th century. You are certainly welcome to your opinion, but I highly urge you to either do your own research, or get a better source of information from which to get your opinions. This does not match the quality of your usually well written material on this site! :down: I did ask people before writing that, and most agreed with that statement. ...like I said above, get a better source of information... (I'll bet if I run a poll in the TV section - the results would show most KJ members (who have seen the show) would vote it as an all-time comedy classic! Wanna make a lttle wager??)
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Mon Jun 27, 2005 7:16 pm |
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zingy
College Boy Z
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 8:40 pm Posts: 36662
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Like I said in the review and in the thread, I've never seen the show. I've only heard about it, and what I heard was that it was "nothing to brag about". It's kind of hard to find better resources when it's their personal opinion, just like your opinion that it's an "all-time classic". I really don't care what the results of this poll is, and wouldn't put a wager on people's personal opinions.
...but, uh, have fun with this thread.
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Mon Jun 27, 2005 9:28 pm |
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rusty
rustiphica
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 7:59 pm Posts: 8687
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Ralph Kramden ranks as easily one of the top 3 greatest sitcom characters ever. The show is a classic and even though it's very old and very black and white, I still watch it here and there. Excellent tv viewing.
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Mon Jun 27, 2005 9:36 pm |
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coolmoviedude999
Indiana Jones IV
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2005 3:20 pm Posts: 1108
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I personally never really liked this show.
It never stood out to me the way I Love Lucy or All in the Family did for example.
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Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:41 pm |
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zingy
College Boy Z
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 8:40 pm Posts: 36662
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Oh, and for the record, I'm not the one who voted in the poll. I haven't even seen the show.
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Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:43 pm |
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Libs
Sbil
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm Posts: 48678 Location: Arlington, VA
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I was never an enormous fan of the original sitcom, but it was very influential and you cannot argue that it was nothing special because it helped to pave the way for later "blue collar/working class" sitcoms.
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Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:00 pm |
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Goldie
Forum General
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:38 pm Posts: 7286 Location: TOP*SECRET ******************** ******************** ******************** ********************
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Plus, talk about legs.
How many times did those 39 shows play over the next 50 years.
There was a reason for that.
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GREATNESS.
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Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:02 pm |
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Maverikk
Award Winning Bastard
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:03 am Posts: 15310 Location: Slumming at KJ
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Not only did the show inspire the mindsets of things like All in the Family, but The Flintstones were about as direct a ripoff from it as it gets. (I love The Flintstones, by the way)
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Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:33 am |
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matatonio
Teh Mexican
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 11:56 pm Posts: 26066 Location: In good ol' Mexico
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ive seen some episodes of the show, and they were pretty good!
but, i dont know about all-time comedy classic.....
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Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:43 am |
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Bradley Witherberry
Extraordinary
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 1:13 pm Posts: 15197 Location: Planet Xatar
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Well the vote is currently tied at:
"never anything to brag about" 50% ( 4 ) "an all-time comedy classic" 50% ( 4 )
...and was a lot closer than I would have ever imagined - I admit I was wrong about people's attitudes about this - so I apologize to Zingaling and stand corrected.
:???:
(I'm just glad I didn't ask whether other early movie comedians like Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton made "all-time classic comedies" or had any influence on the subsequent history of comedy in film...)
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Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:25 am |
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TonyMontana
Undisputed WoKJ DVD King
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:55 am Posts: 16278 Location: Counting the 360 ways I love my Xbox
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Considering it in context of when it was released, and all the shows it inspired, I think it has to be considered a classic.
Sure it's a little outdated... the domestic violence jokes lost a little something through the years, but the characters were well devolped and still fairly likeable, 50 years later. The fact that it inspired so many sitcoms - and is still inspiring them today (like the King of Queens) - really says something about it.
It's not my personal favorite, but I think there is no denying it's a classic.
_________________
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Wed Jun 29, 2005 6:43 pm |
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A. G.
Draughty
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:23 am Posts: 13347
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I never liked it but my parents and people of their generation liked it in the same way our generation sees Seinfeld as a classic. I'd compare it to Seinfeld in that even if you don't like it, it was a cultural touchstone for an era (along with Dick Van Dyke show and one or two others).
So yeah it is a classic.
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Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:15 pm |
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