Author Topic: This Has the Makings of a Sit-com  (Read 1806 times)

Confounded

  • Guest
This Has the Makings of a Sit-com
« on: May 30, 2007, 03:43:15 PM »
Has there been an N TV character in a sitcom?  I swear, I think that has the making of a show that would be popular.  Along with the N, there would have to be some other more interesting characters, some very good writing, and of course a laugh-track to let us know the audience is laughing at the ridiculous behavior, not booing it..

One clip:

Dad walks into kitchen.  Mom is standing at the kitchen sink, looking at two stacks of quarters on the kitchen windowsill.  Dad put them there at her request.  She had advised the two little kids that they would each have allowances four quarters a day, payable at the end of the day if they were good, and they could lose some or all of each day's allowance for bad behavior.

Mom is looking at the two stacks of quarters, because one is taller than the other.  She asks Dad if he added a quarter to one stack for some reason.  He says no.  She says that one has four and one has five, instead of both having four.  Dad says that he doesn't know HOW that happened.  Mom watches him in his denial.   She finds it interesting.  He can't admit to making even the tiniest mistake, no matter how obvious it is that he did.  He has no idea that he is making a fool of himself.  She finds it fascinating, amusing, and just a bit sickening.  He is oblivious to everything except his own viewpoint, as she says nothing.  From the camera's angle they can see her expression.  Dad can't see it.

In a later conversation that day she mentions how fascinating it is to watch him, when he cannot says the words, cannot admit to a mistake.  He becomes angry at the push of the button, and with a tinge of rage in his voice talks about how it's not important.  She agrees that it is of no consequence whatsoever, and reiterates that it is a fascinating phenomenon, his inability to admit making a mistake.  He cannot do it, and she has never seen this before.  She walks away. 

The talk about this show, around the water cooler at the office the next day is that Dad is quite sure that he didn't make a mistake, although clearly he's in denial, and "Why?"  "It's so trivial."  "Who cares?"  Dad's always pretty sure that he never made any mistakes.  But he also spends almost no time ensuring that he does things well.  "What's wrong with this picture?"  Viewers speculate about whether he will ever wake up and smell the coffee.  Some know people like this.  They say "No way.  He's not going to change."  Others say that nobody is really that weird.  They have never known anybody like that... 

WRITE

  • Guest
Re: This Has the Makings of a Sit-com
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2007, 04:04:17 PM »
What was that movie where the guy throws a quarter at the bully teacher and says 'pay a rat to gnaw that thing off your face' or something....I think I would have been a bit that way to both of them!

Re N sit-com characters, Niles and Frasier are like the 2 Ns I know well, lots of good qualities and brilliance tainted with neuroses and unreasonable attempts to control everyone else and stay superior.



Confounded

  • Guest
Re: This Has the Makings of a Sit-com
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2007, 11:22:32 AM »
I actually kind of like the Niles and Frasier characters, because they are so smart.  I think they're arrogant.  But I didn't think N.  Maybe I don't understand all the varieties of N behavior.  I thought that if you were actually in the top percentile group, and you knew it, and you were pleased with yourself, then you were living in reality.  Maybe others who couldn't perform that way wouldn't like the fact that you did better than they could.  But that's life for you.  Everybody can't be the best at everything.  If the contest is intellectual, Niles and Frasier win.  But if it's hair growth (on their heads), they lose.  Now that I think of it, maybe they did get bent out of shape when people brought up areas in which they were weak, like in the hair department...

Raymond's mom does seem to fill the bill.  I don't think that she has ever admitted to making a mistake.  She would do anything, twist any story, and make a complete ass of herself before she would admit to an error.  Plus, she gets the guilt thing going.  That's just icing on the poisonous cake.

I think that a show in which the dad can't admit any error, and has to expend endless energy trying and failing to get unearned kudos (throw in a few N temper tantrums to make it realistic), could be funny.  "Father Knows... Not!"


Green

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 35
Re: This Has the Makings of a Sit-com
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2007, 01:12:42 PM »
"Father Knows .....Not!"  That cracked me up, Confounded!   :D

When interacting with (or even just thinking about) my Nmom, I usually feel sad, angry, anxious, self-loathing, etc.  I would prefer to find N follies funny instead (I could never watch Everybody Loves Raymond - it pushed too many pushed to many buttons). 

Actually, come to think of it, if I could choose any reaction to my N, I think it would be boredom.  Like, "Oh, that nonsense again?!  Time to turn off the TV and do something else."

Thanks for this thread.  It really got me thinking.

Green

reallyME

  • Guest
Re: This Has the Makings of a Sit-com
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2007, 10:03:53 PM »
I could probably name MANY sitcoms of the past and some of the NOW...and some movies too:

Sitcoms or Series:  Growing Pains: CAROL SEAVER
             WELCOME BACK KOTTER: WASHINGTON, BARBARINO
             STEP BY STEP: DANA
             LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRARIE: MRS OLSEN, NELLY, NANCY OLSEN (MR

Olsen was clearly an ENABLER)
             ROSEANNE- Roseanne
             GRACE UNDER FIRE- Grace (one in real life from what I hear too)
             ALL IN THE FAMILY- Archie Bunker
             THE JEFFERSONS- George Jefferson
             GOOD TIMES- J.J. WALKER
             SANFORD AND SON- Mr Sanford...also histrionic, Lamont's mother
             HAPPY DAYS- Fonzie (or was he more histrionic?)
             MOMMA'S FAMILY- Momma had tendencies and so did Vinton's wife
             BEVERLY HILLBILLIES- Granny (hateful old biddy...gotta love her! lol)
             90210- some preppy girl
             
Shows now: HOUSE- Dr House
                  DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES- I'm sure there's at least 1 N

Movies: The Devil Wears Prada-  The model agency owner
           Because I Said So- the mother on it played by Diane Keaton
           

                 
Was SHREK a bit of a Narcissist too?  you tell ME hehe. 

There's my input for what it's worth
                 

Confounded

  • Guest
Re: This Has the Makings of a Sit-com
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2007, 12:22:19 AM »
Quote
Actually, come to think of it, if I could choose any reaction to my N, I think it would be boredom.  Like, "Oh, that nonsense again?!

Yes.  Sometimes I feel as if my time is being stolen, and put to misuse with the ridiculous BS.

WRITE

  • Guest
Re: This Has the Makings of a Sit-com
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2007, 01:12:41 PM »
I actually kind of like the Niles and Frasier characters, because they are so smart.

NPD people can be extremely charming and attractive, that is how they get away with being adored and supported in their unreasonableness!

axa

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1274
Re: This Has the Makings of a Sit-com
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2007, 09:00:26 AM »
Write,

Have to agree with you.  My experience of Ns is that they are so dammed smart that they always have someone to admire their intellect, if they were not so clever nobody would have anything to do with them.

By the way I felt as if I was on the Jerry Springer show with people with educated accents and money........ otherwise no difference.  Makes me want to vomit.

axa