There is nothing wrong with this. That’s what the entire drama category is for. What’s wrong is putting them in the comedy category because of the logic that comedy is a fluff category and it’s an easy win. Actually, it’s more than wrong, it’s offensive to the craft of comedy. (Which, I should add, is way more difficult to write and pull off than drama, but this is a rant for another day.)
This wrong-category argument could also be applied to Glee, but I not only refuse to even acknowledge the argument that Glee could be counted as a comedy, but also that it could be counted as television. The idea of it existing offends me.
2. CBS needs to stop being rewarded when it actually sucks.
Again, I cannot speak to the dramas on CBS or the quality thereof. I tried watching The Good Wife and found it exceedingly boring, which should tell you just how unqualified I am to pass judgment on anything drama-related. But I do know that besides The Good Wife, CBS offers some pretty weak tea when it comes to quality shows. And yet, as abysmal as CBS’ track record when it comes to drama is, its rap sheet for comedy is even worse. With the exception of How I Met Your Mother (which is good and solid, though I thought this season was slightly lackluster), they are all offensive. And I don’t just mean offensively bad, though they’re that as well, I mean good, old-fashioned, offensive. They are problematic on sexist levels, racist levels, homophobic/gay caricature levels, and just on the level of the characters acting with some level of basic human dignity towards other characters. I don’t need my sitcom characters to be Dudley Do-Rights (see also, Arrested Development), but I’m pretty sure every character on a CBS sitcom is, by in large, a sociopath.
America, why is this your most-watched network? Why is 2 1/2 Men consistently the highest watched sitcom on television? Why do you persist in believing that The Big Bang Theory is good? Why, in short, do you hate yourself, America? Why?
3. Modern Family is not extraordinary and we need to stop pretending it is.
In theory, I should not hate Modern Family as much as I do. I watched the entire first season, and I enjoyed it, somewhat. I tried to watch part of the second season and didn’t think it was less charming, it was just boring, so I stopped. I can see why people like it, though. It’s kind of like the Saltine cracker of television. It’s bland and tired but it sure does go down easy. And in certain situations, it really hits the spot.
My hateboner for Modern Family comes entirely from the fact that everyone seems to act like it’s the next coming of Jesus Christ, televised. Really? Really? This bland, tired little sitcom is the new greatest thing since sliced bread? I feel like the only thing Modern Family does that every other family-centered sitcom doesn’t is that instead of only having one family of stock caricatures, we have three. Because, you know, America was really missing another pair of gays where one was neurotic and fastidious and the other was flamboyant and showboat-y. We really, really needed another cranky old man dad and his shrill, hysterical, overly-passionate foreign and exotic wife. And lord knows we haven’t seen enough Type A moms married to goofy, yearning to be hip dads! And the kids are just … man. If Alex at one point doesn’t go, “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!!!” I’m going to be surprised. I’m just saying.
There is nothing wrong with Modern Family being the show it is. Everyone loves a good family sitcom. People love them so much that they are single-handedly responsible for making Nick at Nite reruns of The Cosby Show a thing. But for the love of god, we’re rewarding that now? That’s like saying we should give all the Oscars to The Avengers because they successfully managed to make a comic book movie into an awesome, record-breaking blockbuster. It’s not that The Avengers wasn’t awesome, it’s that it’s not new or original or Oscar-worthy. And at some point the people who reward comedy need to learn to tell the difference between blockbusters and quality the way every other industry seems to have done.
There are plenty of good comedies out there. There are comedies of quality with every type of humor on every network (except you, CBS). There are comedies that are shallow, there are comedies that are deep, there are comedies that are silly, there are comedies that are heartfelt, and for some reason it is routinely true that none of them get rewarded for being good, either in the ratings or in awards. (Which, I would argue, are things that go hand-in-hand.) These are the comedies that should be shaping the future of comedy. These are the comedies we should be opening our hearts and homes to and loving. These are the comedies America deserves. And these are the comedies that should be rewarded for what they do.
Clacked by Julia Hass 
on Jun 07, 2012 @ 16:06 EST5EDT
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I’m all for a little recursion to the classics, but the fact is that the words comedy and drama have had a very different meaning from the original one for at least a few decades now. I feel it’s pointless to recategorize those genres.
And then it is of course one of the main funtions of humor to be different from the normal. Good humor does not only have to test the boundaries of the day-to-day, it has to outright hurt sometimes, it has to be black, sexist, racist and homophobic. That’s not bad humor, that is the very function of humor. Where there is no such humor there is thought crime.
Read 1984 or watch Serenity.
Now I’m not saying that 2.5 men ecxels at being the forerunner of fine humor, but the first few seasons were fun (I stopped wathcing it a long time ago because it got old though) and wishing this show purged for toying with the political incorrect is, well, not a sign of progressiveness. Charlie would probably use the word cockblocker…
And more direct to the topic: While How I met your Mother is not as good as it used to be, it’s best episodes are still among the best written and executed tv one can find.
I agree with what you are saying here, but I have issue with your major gripe regarding Modern Family.
You started out this rant on the fact that at it’s base, comedy is meant to make you feel good. And, despite being somewhat saccharine, is exactly what Modern Family excels at above many, many other comedies out there. I’d say that in the “feel good” category of comedies, perhaps only Parks and Recreation tops it week to week. Are the stereotypes of the characters a little on-the-nose? Sure, but I think the actor’s portraying them make up for the shortcomings of shallow character development.
This was a good article overall, but I think you could/should have used your space in point 3 to talk about the comedies that transcend the typical sitcom America is still so hung up on. Shows like Louie, Parks, 30 Rock, Archer, Curb, Community, and Louie!!! (yes, I know I listed it twice…it’s that damn good) all take risks in their storytelling and style. And all are critical darlings that are watched by a mere fraction of the CBS zombies who adhere to crap. A better case could have been made for what is inherently wrong that Americans would prefer to mindlessly watch laugh-track drivel and reality show regurgitation than something that makes them think a bit and reflect on their own lives how just tragic and comedic they truly are.
Julia’s writing a series of posts about this … something tells me she’ll get to where you want her to go. :-)
The reason Glee and Desperate Housewives have always been nominated in the Best Comedy category is simple — they stand a better chance at winning there than they do in the Best Drama category.
If I was nominating five comedies for Emmy consideration, I’d have to pick Community, 30 Rock, Parks & Recreation, Suburgatory, and Raising Hope. I do have a CBS guilty pleasure though — 2 Broke Girls.