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Six Sitcoms Even a Sitcom Lover Would Hate
I have a high tolerance level for sitcoms. Unless a sitcom is painfully bad, I can actually get some enjoyment out of it. So yes, that means that if I were to make a list of the worst sitcoms of all-time, even shows like 'According To Jim,' 'Yes, Dear,' and 'Joey' wouldn't make the list. They just wouldn't. They're not among the best sitcoms ever made, but they also aren't the awful, painful, boy-was-that-a-bad-idea sitcoms we could all name. Like these six shows. They're not just unfunny, they're not pleasant or interesting or "cute" or any other word we try to use when trying to find something good about a sitcom either. They're just...bad. Not even someone who loves sitcoms could like these shows.
1. 'Small Wonder.' Is this the worst sitcom ever made, bad enough to make it to number one on this list? I don't know; there have been so many bad sitcoms over the years. But when I thought of this list it's the first show I thought of, so that has to count for something.
It was about a inventor who creates a little girl robot, whose existence leads to predictable hijinks with family and friends. Imagine if 'Bewitched' and 'I Dream of Jeannie' didn't have any laughs in their entire runs. The only way this show could have been saved is if Vicki (which stood for "Voice Input Child Identicant") went crazy and decided to disobey Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics in a cruel, special effects-laden episode. In the picture above it looks like she's about to go all Terminator, but alas, that was just her expression.
2. 'Mr. T and Tina.' No, this had nothing to do with Mr. T from 'The A-Team.' This one starred Pat Morita from 'Happy Days,' Susan Blanchard, and Ted Lange, who would shortly go on to better things with 'The Love Boat.' Morita also played an inventor, so maybe it's the occupation. Just awful.
3. 'Homeboys in Outer Space.' Why is this on the list?
All you have to do is look at the title and then look at this video.
4. 'The Ropers.' This was a classic example of taking two beloved characters from a successful sitcom and giving them their own show.
But it's also the classic example of why you shouldn't do that. Supporting characters are supporting characters for a reason, and if they're brought to the front, well, you see how unpleasant they are.
5. 'Emeril.' Sadly, this was the last TV series that Robert Urich did before he passed away. But he was fine. What was bad about 'Emeril'? EVERYTHING ELSE. I think it all started when someone at NBC decided, "hey, Emeril Lagasse's audience loves it when he throws garlic into a large pot, why don't we build a sitcom around him?"
It lasted for ten episodes, which was nine episodes too many.
6. 'Veronica's Closet.' Not only was this show remarkably unfunny, I remember thinking to myself, "this show is taking up space that another sitcom could fill."
Sure, you could say that about 75% of NBC's Thursday night sitcom failures, but this one was particularly lame and stale. 'Jesse' and 'Suddenly Susan' were 'Arrested Development' compared to this.
I know, I know, there are many, many I didn't put on this list. I can think of several myself ('AfterMASH,' 'Joanie Loves Chachi,' 'Shasta McNasty,' 'Cavemen'), but with a list like this you have to go with the badness that comes first to your mind, and the six shows above are the ones that came to mine.
What sitcoms do you think are the worst of all-time?
[Follow Bob on Twitter.]
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