Blockbuster & The Problem with Modern Sitcoms

[@lukek8357]

The biggest problem in my opinion is these short seasons. Netflix and other streaming sites are making very short seasons so they try to cram in too much into each minute of the show. Comedy lives in the silence when you're talking about workplace sitcoms. The US office got this and the primary writers have gone on to make very successful shows that follow this principle too.

[@failureoncommand]

That is very accurate, I totally agree. I think British sitcoms prove to us that short seasons can still be excellent, though, if you learn to make use of the time provided to the best degree. IT Crowd comes to mind. It feels like only American sitcoms struggle with issues of length, probably because they're not really used to having short seasons.

[@failureoncommand]

@@PhilipJackson03 Thanks for the recommendation! I'll definitely add that to my list. So many good recommendations in these comments lol

[@theysaykillerwhales]

I think 30 Rock would be an interesting exception to this

[@herminecobainjulesvernedas5177]

I only saw the first episode, which seemed to consist only of exposition. So maybe with more episodes, they could have packed some of that in a different one. On the other handy the exposition also wasn't funny, which is a problem with efficiency (having lines that fullfill multiple purposes), so they also have a problem with using the time that they are given

[@sofiaboo6739]

this!!!! thay're trying to make sitcoms too... streamy? with the short seasons and slightly (or not) longer episodes, they just lack the "simpleness" and routine of older sitcoms. because they want the shows to have too much of an actual plot right away if it makes sense. like himym has a very clear plot from the start but there are also many episodes where nothing really happens, other than maybe fleshing out the characters a bit more, but these shows are kind of supposed to be long, not get straight to the point or whatever. as you said "comedy lives in the silence" sitcoms just need that "nothingness" sometimes...

[@ErickFerraz2]

Netflix doing a sitcom about the downfall of Blockbuster is the ultimate ironic powerplay of the corporate world.

[@failureoncommand]

Totally. Honestly, I couldn't shake off a feeling of general icky-ness as I watched it because of how metaphorically corpse-violating that felt.

[@nont18411]

What’s even better that the show from Netflix mocking Blockbuster turned out to be a failure too.

[@ScribblebytesWorldwide]

@@nont18411 Have you seen it?

[@samvsmedia8680]

@@failureoncommand Ehh, I don't mind corpse violating Blockbuster, they deserved to die with all of their stupid fucking fees

[@JoeChillton]

It reminds me of when WWE brought WCW and portrayed them as dumbasses who who got lucky and tone down how close they were to beating WWF forever.

[@WatchingBadTV]

I think that the most unrealistic thing about the first episode is that everyone is staffed at the same time. Like you're telling me that store has six or seven employees all working at the same time? Nah.

[@failureoncommand]

The show's writers don't understand normal jobs.

[@WatchingBadTV]

@@failureoncommand no they've obviously never worked any sort of service job. Like no one has the day off? The WHOLE staff is working when the premise is that the store is barely holding on? They jumped the shark when they had more than two people AND a manager staffed. I used to work at family video in 2009, I can think of a time with more than three people staffed.

[@patrickthomas8890]

Well, the all have to constantly jump into conversations at the exact right moment with unfunny one liners

[@ruminationstation4200]

Yeah even during the height, they'd have MAYBE 3 or 4 people in store. It was always a small operation, which is what allowed it to be so profitable for so long.

[@germin9784]

They even talk about having different shifts in a few episodes, but they are always all staffed at the same time, apart from Kayla and Eliza, who then makes a remark about not being scheduled to work and then being forced to work

[@jacotromp59581]

Eliza is basically 98% the same character as Amy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Laziest character written by the writers.

[@failureoncommand]

As I said in another comment... A less interesting Amy, it seems. Thanks for commenting!

[@Linus644]

I don’t think we should exclude the melissa fumero from this result

[@nont18411]

@@Linus644 They saw a formula from B99 that worked so they copied it in a very cheap way. Not to mention how they tried so hard to erase Jake from our memory as soon as possible with this guy Timmy.

[@carrotman]

I kept having to ask myself if this was the case or if I'd just seen too much Brooklyn 99. Her character isn't a massive departure sure. She's the romantic female lead so she still has to be that combination of attractive but attainable. They have less time to build more up besides that than they did with Brooklyn 99 because they have like 8 characters who all have arcs and only 10 episodes to wrap it all up. I think after a big sitcom you've got to do something totally different to get people to disassociate you with the character and there's not enough that she could have been much more different here.

[@matiassanchez1362]

I think in this case her character is supposed to be "The normal one". She's used many times as the voice for reason, she's not odd enough to be working there without any problem. She's supposed to be this "Working mom with life on the shambles" On the other hand, Amy was a caricature of an academical/career perfection-seeking, control freak. Which works perfectly on the show and is a very good trait to have in your main characters (I mean, She and Jack work so well because of how different they were and how he matures with her help and the rest of the team)

[@Bowiiihowdy]

So Melissa is basically playing Amy again

[@eddiestefon7041]

That's what I was thinking! We know she can do more so I'm disappointed

[@failureoncommand]

@Chase Janus Basically a much less interesting Amy.

[@unstoppableExodia]

And she looks fine as hell while doing it

[@myloveisgod]

she felt really out of place in this show

[@angelica8000]

She is the creator of the show so yes

[@karig3656]

Also I felt like Melissa’s character has been done to death. Not only similar to Amy from B99 but also Jonah’s character from superstore.

[@failureoncommand]

I haven't seen Superstore, but I can see where you're coming from, yeah.

[@kikif1509]

Definitely agree!

[@ThatOrangeGhost]

@@failureoncommand superstore was the last Amazing sitcom. American Auto is his follow up and it’s pretty good honestly but it’s not superstore levels

[@msnogueres]

But the difference is that Jonah's and Superstore is actually funny

[@heatherperleberg7816]

@@ThatOrangeGhost is it just me or did Superstore have a hard drop in quality ~s3/s4? Maybe I just got bored of the format, but something changed for me.

[@MidlifeCrisisJoe]

Also, a show greenlit by Netflix dancing on the corpse of Blockbuster video, their old and defeated rival, seems very rooted in spite as a premise, which subliminally puts a sour taste in the mouth if you're looking for a light comedy.

[@failureoncommand]

Yeah, you took the words out of my mouth.

[@oakleyraverty1030]

To be fair they do give the store the win in the end.

[@germin9784]

I think Parks and Recreation has a cast that is 90% quirky but it just works really well. Probably because the seasons are a lot longer, have multiple storylines and not every character has to be quirky every episode

[@raymondtitano3819]

To me, the Parks & Rec cast worked so well was because they reminded me of people I've worked with.

[@matheussanthiago9685]

Parks is an odd ball throughout all of its history It started as a literal "untitled the office spin-off" And was actually pretty bad, as an the office derivative, but I'm glad the studio believed in its potential and gave it a chance to find its footing Once Parks left the shadow of the office to be it's own show it was actually pretty good And it remained so up until the very end, which is also unusual from for long running sitcoms They usually run out of steam a whole two seasons before its actual end (case in point, the office did) Parks had a rough start, only improved with time and knew where and how to end My God that final episode with the multiple epilogs showing how every character made for themselves after the actual end, was just so good So earned God I love Parks and Recs

[@whenfatkillsfat803]

Wrong, it's just another overrated show hipsters love because "Laugh track bad, camera tricks and angles good. Derp!" Arrested Development did it right, though.

[@kman9884]

@@whenfatkillsfat803 “I am unique and alternative. Look, I love Arrested Development, a highly rated TV program that is no longer considered a niche sitcom, it is a sign of my uniqueness and superior taste.”

[@jasonsantiago6308]

Mark was the only normie and they wrote him out after like one season lol

[@bort6459]

In a pre Netflix era, most sitcoms were built by quadrants. For something to get network play, it needed to appeal to at least two widely defined demographics (basically a chart of age and sex). People dump on sitcom cliches and formulaic tropes, but most of the iconic shows people remember and love were 4 quadrant shows that didn't just go for mass appeal, but actively worked to maintain points with these audiences. I think the biggest problem with modern sitcoms is that the modern production climate of "peak TV" and success of the few shows that have broken the mold (eg: Always Sunny) have resulted in shows that aren't made for their audiences anymore, but are made for algorithms; not by algorithms, for them. A show like Blockbuster was created to appeal to a trending topic, not necessarily the people who follow the trend. It makes no effort to actually be something for anybody and banks of abstract nostalgia and ironic youth to shoehorn in characters and plots that could have just as easily worked in a Costco. The ultimate selling point is pointless, and while that typically holds true for all long running series, the premise of a series has to sustain itself long enough for people to like it's characters.

[@failureoncommand]

Damn. That is a truly fascinating analysis, and very well articulated. Thanks for sharing. Now I'm interesting in researching that sitcom quadrant stuff.

[@CMDR.Gonzo.von.Richthofen]

👆🏼Most underrated comment, right here.

[@benitoswagolini3410]

Always sunny managed to make it's way through the mass of bad sitcoms and became an amazing show.

[@fortynights1513]

Very well put. Not to mention, even if it was executed well enough, if it is a piece of media that was designed to be recommended to people who search for something specific through an algorithm, then eventually it would stop gaining viewers because the topic inevitably would not be talked about in the current moment at some point. It also could lead to a lack of rewatchability value compared to some shows because if someone looked at the show for the first time after it aired they may not understand what the appeal of it was. Funny you made a comment on algorithms on this particular video because this is by far the most viewed review on this channel by several factors. (not that you won’t find other good videos here, but this one was likely recommended to people much more)

[@KyleEvans]

My favourite part is when Timmy says “We’re being put out of business by companies like Amazon” and there’s an awkward pause as you realise Netflix killed Blockbuster before Amazon Prime was even a thing

[@DavidMartinez-ce3lp]

Well actually, what killed it was some guy that bought Blockbuster ended up getting so much debt that the only way to pay it off was to shut down Blockbusters stores.

[@baldrickthedungspreader3107]

@@DavidMartinez-ce3lp that sounds about right because despite online streaming being so prevalent video stores still exist, the likes of CEX and GameStop are still alive because they found a way to adapt, the reason for blockbusters demise wasn't soly streaming sites, if that were true you wouldn't have cinemas either

[@DavidMartinez-ce3lp]

@@baldrickthedungspreader3107 yeah, if that guy hadn't gotten so much debt, it was projected that both Netflix and Blockbuster would've been equally as successful. In terms of their trajectories I mean.

[@ccricers]

@@baldrickthedungspreader3107 And Netflix also wasn't a streaming service when they started out. They were really a direct competitor to Blockbuster since Netflix used to be about renting physical copies delivered by mail which cut trips to the video store.

[@CrookiNari]

@@DavidMartinez-ce3lp That doesn't really explain how the rest of that entire industry with no money ties to Blockbuster also collapsed.

[@AdeBamforth]

I've noticed this 'cute quirky" writing style since Scrubs. I call them 'Everyone is Chandler' shows.

[@zelohendricks51]

At least Scrubs came out way before

[@TomDestry]

I thought Phoebe was the quirky one!

[@jacobseal]

Scrubs was actually funny. Blockbuster was just not funny. Same issue as Space Force. Good cast, decent idea for a show but it seems they have no comedy writers on the team.

[@skat1140]

_Mindy Project_ is nothing but quirk. But they seemed to pull it off successfully.

[@matheussanthiago9685]

@@TomDestry no, no you got a point

[@heydayzee]

I've recently started watching Abbott Elementary, a workplace sitcom about the lives of six teachers, and while it does as have quirks like every other sitcom, I think its the best one in the modern day. I'm only seven episodes in, but it's the closest thing to an "old" sitcom I can find now-a-days. I recommend giving it a try. Maybe it will give you some hope for other sitcoms.

[@WatchingBadTV]

Yo abbot elementary is mad funny. Truly a rare hit in the genre

[@RexKristoffer]

I was shocked when I saw Abbot Elementary. Totally expected it to be another terrible sitcom and it was so funny I binged the whole first season and couldn’t stop laughing.

[@georgenkansah659]

Yhep Abbott elementary has a lot of potential to be one best sitcoms and become almost as good as the office. But I also want to recommend "the sex lives of college girls"

[@failureoncommand]

@Nylah Pehrson So many people are recommending that and Superstore. I'll definitely be checking it out as soon as I have time. It seems right up my alley, honestly. Thank you so much for the suggestion!

[@ObaREX]

Literally just binged the entire first season. It's amazing.

[@Katranga]

I saw the premise of the show and the cast and was like “oh this could be really good!!” Got 10 minutes in and was like “it’s not, though, it’s not 😔”

[@graham974]

Yes, that was a let down!

[@becorations1]

Same. I wasn’t feeling it at all.

[@emreyigit4122]

10 mins ? 2 was way more than enough especially the German dub is not good

[@emreyigit4122]

Unlike 99 which has a good dub (superstores dub is also dogshxt but watching it in English was a good decision

[@FeaturingKO]

Watching the trailer alone was enough to tell you it was going to be bad

[@insignificantdamage3446]

The issue for me was that the show had little to do with actual blockbuster work. You could have had the same cast in a totally different environment and it would've been the same.

[@CaptainBooshi]

Highly recommend checking out Derry Girls, a british sitcom about teens growing up in the Troubles in '90's Ireland that came out in 2018 and finished up this year. Short, only 19 episodes, but those 19 episodes were so good that it easily matches the rest of the top-tier sitcoms out there. So popular in Britain that they were invited to be on The Great British Bakeoff for the holidays, even!

[@evanp5156]

British shows in general tend to be very good if done right. They make shorter seasons because rather than using a writers room full of people like hollywood, they leave the writing to a select few, usually the actual creators and a few others. This gives them much more control over the direction of the show, rather than the big networks forcing ideas through. The result is usually 3-6 episode seasons, but they very rarely have filler episodes. Definitely prefer it compared to the 20+ episode shows where over half of them have no substance.

[@roujin518]

The last great sitcom was The Good Place. Which considering it has the same showrunner as Brooklyn 99 and part of the Office isn't surprising.

[@failureoncommand]

Seems I better check that out, then!

[@priscillayoga4040]

Yes, The Good Place was good, because not everyone was playing "quirky" and each person had their own uniqueness.

[@msnogueres]

I agree! But also Superstore is so underrated

[@peacemaster8117]

It was also great because it had a really compelling story that makes each season distinct and memorable.

[@Altmetalpunk]

I feel like it always comes in waves. You have eras of sitcoms and then a little lull while a bunch of pilots release and then finally one sticks. You had the like scrubs/himym/big bang era then the community/office/parks and rec/30 rock era, then the Brooklyn 99/good place era.

[@03n8]

Have you watched Superstore? I'd consider it a fairly modern sitcom that, although have a shaky first season, is solid and could stand up there with the greats of the genre.

[@failureoncommand]

Not yet, but after everyone's suggestions, I aim to check it out!

[@IndieCindy3]

It DOES stand up there as one of the greats. While largely underrated, it received stellar reviews once journalists began catching onto its brilliance.

[@waitingpatiently]

The 2nd season is HILARIOUS. Especially the first Halloween episode lol

[@dog8438]

I personally liked the first couple seasons, but it absolutely finds its footing around season 3 and gets really good and fleshed out.

[@notaburneraccount]

I love the show. It's very funny :)

[@serenitynow85]

I really like Randall Park. Love Fresh off the boat, and Brooklyn 99, of course. But couldn't even finish watching the first Blockbuster episode

[@failureoncommand]

Very understandable. I'm a huge B99 guy, and I found Randall Park awkwardly charming throughout this, but obviously it wasn't enough to salvage the sorry state of the show.

[@youknowwhoyouare2269]

I'd rather watch him and Ant-Man riff in a deleted scene than watch another formulaic crapcom

[@claymathewselevator8121]

He was great in Ant Man and The Wasp and WandaVision

[@AlainKing787]

Same it’s boring

[@skat1140]

Exactly! I couldn't watch an episode, and I was giving them an advantage: I started with Ep 4, not Ep 1, because pilot episodes waste so much time establishing character. But even with that: no good.

[@thadonmel5352]

It's weird you'd think after an actor/actress got done with a long successful series that their next role would be something completely different, out of fear of being type casted and just to stretch your acting skills in general... but Melissa went to play the same exact character and I wonder why she thought that was a good idea

[@youweremymuse]

Long running sitcoms can be great for actors. It's consistent pay and predictable work. Maybe she didn't want to challenge herself with something new, she just wanted more of the same. Can't blame her for that.

[@sacrificiallamb4568]

Actually, she was in the MODOK show directly after Brooklyn Nine Nine, I think.

[@citizensnips3850]

@@youweremymuse Not challenging yourself is real sad.

[@matt6223]

For the MONEY 🤑

[@maddygs698]

I know it’s a minor detail, but it bugged me so much that the show didn’t take place in Oregon, which is where the actual last Blockbuster is

[@felipemontoya5760]

I think Ted Lasso is an example of how to do a modern sitcom, and that is by being unlike traditional sitcoms and actually trying to do something different instead of staying in the past

[@failureoncommand]

Yeah... I should probably check that out some time.

[@LoneWanderer686]

Ted Lasso had an amazing first season, but then just became a very dramatic rom-com.

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Ted Lasso is great

[@AkoramericaBlogspot]

Isn't ted lasso more of a Dramady? Remember those?

[@guilhermeviana8131]

Ted Lasso is not a sitcom

[@dzuke2910]

I tried watching Blockbuster and they just wouldnt stop talking! They were saying their lines at lightning speeds. Like no joke or anything had any chance to breathe because once the line was said, someone else was right there to step all over it. I gave up real quick.

[@jacotromp59581]

How I met yout father....... It's a chore to get through the episode. It felt like each episode was an hour and a half long.

[@failureoncommand]

Agreed!

[@youknowwhoyouare2269]

Thats what happens when you buy Dasani "water" in bulk, I don't feel any sympathy for your self-induced suffering

[@pablozky21]

I think the 2010-2020 era had such great ones The Good Place New Girl Brooklyn Nine Nine And even outside the sitcom format, comedies like Jane The Virgin and Crazy Ex Girlfriend pushed the envelope a lot in terms of what is portrayed on comedy and drama I think the 2020 era is struggling because many writers want to imitate success out of obligation and fear of addressing the comedic aspects our current pandemic era, they feel like they have to be "correct" instead of daring to have a message and a point of view, which is why I think so many comedies of these past 2 years lack the greatness of the 2010-2020 era comedies that were brave enough to land their point across without sacrificing characters or jokes for it

[@kendallrivers1119]

Wouldn't call the 2010 to 2020 era great by any means. Honestly the only sitcoms that were really good was The Middle and the early seasons of Modern Family and Blackish. But what they got now is much worse. Abbott Elementary is the only one worth watching imo.

[@failureoncommand]

Well-said, as far as the second paragraph goes. Can't comment much on your list since I only have experience with B99, but I can agree that that one is top-tier.

[@peacemaster8117]

@@failureoncommand If you like sitcoms then you're missing out on New Girl.

[@youknowwhoyouare2269]

New Girl is as subjective as howimetyourmother, I liked both shows but they resonate with certain people & not others @@peacemaster8117

[@failureoncommand]

@@peacemaster8117 I'll add it to the list!

[@aeoligarlic4024]

This is random but i hate how teenagers are always portrayed as social media addict who needs yell 'HASHTAG' before a word or adjective, and this is found in mostly every show

[@thinkingoverage12]

THANK YOU. I really thought I was just imagining the steady decline of sitcom quality. Everything feels so forced now and I haven’t found any legitimately lovable characters since B99. If you’re looking for a great sitcom to be invested in, I highly suggest you watch parks and Rec if you haven’t yet! You can go ahead and skip season 1 for that 😅

[@failureoncommand]

No, thank YOU! And thank you for the suggestion, I actually haven't seen Parks and Rec. I'll add it to the never-ending list!

[@raymondtitano3819]

That's funny because I've recommended it to a few people and said the same thing - "yeah, you're really not going to miss anything of you just start with Season 2."

[@fortynights1513]

@@raymondtitano3819 Out of curiosity, haven’t seen Parks & Rec, why does season one suck?

[@raymondtitano3819]

@@fortynights1513 From what I remember, the cast hadn't established their chemistry - which was crucial for the humor to work. They were just quirky characters being quirky with their individual quirks.

[@ronan1686]

I miss long seasons. Getting 5 episodes a season isn't enough, extremely annoying that Netflix keeps making shows this short. It ruins the few good shows they have too, I was watching Lupin and I loved the plot but then it ends after 5 episodes and the wait for more is a year or longer. Makes me want to rewatch 24 again

[@kyleellis1825]

Netflix can't even call it a season when they drop the whole thing in one go. A season is 3 months, the show is supposed to take that long to air. 12-14 episodes at the minimum (one a week) or it's only a miniseries .

[@abbeytaylor4499]

I think an underated gem is Superstore. I think it does a super good job at balancing serious social issues with comedy. The quirky side characters make the show, and the main characters are imperfect but empathetic. Pushing through the first 3 episodes to balance out and it really flourishes.

[@failureoncommand]

Will be checking it out soon!

[@tehbeernerd]

From what I saw it sucks hard, more focused on being relatable to real world situations than being funny

[@TanairiValenciaa]

Superstore is sooooo good!! It’s hilarious throughout even during episodes where they tackle some serious situations. And all the characters are their own fleshed out person with lines only they would say. There some quirky characters but I feel like they are well balanced out. With storylines and humor. As a person who works/ has worked in the customer service industry most of her life it feels like it does a service to people who are in that line of work. It doesn’t make it seem like it’s a great place to work, it knows people are only there for a paycheck. But most importantly it’s never too preachy except for the preachy character which is made that way for a reason a usually gets shut down lol cus people are trying to escape thinking about the dullness of customer service life and how badly workers are treated. It’s amazing commentary and humor in one.

[@JimJones4Life]

The first two seasons of Superstore are absolutely dreadful. It seems as though they made some changes at the start of the third season which was a huge improvement. One of the lingering issues with Superstore was that America Ferrara wasn't good enough to carry the show as the lead character.

[@JimJones4Life]

@@failureoncommand Superstore is the unofficial American version of Trollied which is a far superior British comedy.

[@boskostoybox]

Maybe the Blockbuster show should have been set in the 80's or 90's or have it be a competition setup where they were rivaling against Hollywood Video store with different employees from each store

[@981zASDF]

That already sounds better than the actual premise. Plus they could drag it out a couple years to show year progression. Then they could set it up to have Netflix buy them or something. Could go anywhere from 3-8 seasons. That and it looks like they need to fix character writing

[@node-ks]

Abbott Elementary is the only modern sitcom to capture the magic of the past. It’s wonderful

[@theresamerhej2559]

This video was more enjoyable than the whole show.

[@failureoncommand]

Made me chuckle. Thank you so much!

[@runswithfist9360]

Holy crap. Your right

[@vanillamarshmallow]

The romance between the two leads reminded me so much of Amy and Jonah in superstore, except superstore is a far superior show and the romance didn’t move as fast (which I liked). The most interesting thing about this sitcom imo was the fact that it takes place in the last Blockbuster and that part of the setting is pretty underutilized.

[@Chuyinil]

I've felt the same way for years now. I love sitcoms but I haven't watched completely any recent one. There's an abundance of quirk over substance sitcoms and that isn't completely bad, but it just feels that a lot sitcoms are trapped trying to recreat the quirks and feelings of sitcoms from a decade ago with a different skin instead of doing their own thing

[@failureoncommand]

You couldn't have put it in better words. That is our sad, modern reality.

[@richardfawke4357]

I noticed the same things when watching this myself. The plot of each episodes were always so low stakes that they often times just blown off at the end with an unrelated solution. One episode that stood out to me was episode 3 (I think) where the grandchildren of the hunting shop owner plays pranks on the other store owners. All the pranks are set up off screen and the only time we see the kids is through the window laughing. This would have been a better episode if the kids came into the store and antagonised the "gang" showing these were no ordinary kids we were dealing with. Then played on the video store aspect and pulled a reverse "home alone" to get the kids. Instead we got Timmy falling out of a skylight and blaming it on the kids when the writers wrote themselves into a corner.

[@cyberius7042]

"smaller, simpler shows that they know will appeal to a wider audience" I think that's the real crux of the problem with shows of pretty much every genre. The companies that make them don't want to take risks on anything, so the directive is just to make middle-of-the-road fare that won't be too niche or experimental.

[@matheussanthiago9685]

That's what I liked most about the good place now that I think about it They just went full on hitticker's guide to the galaxy levels of bonkers, with philosophy instead of sci-fi from the get-go And only escalated further from there It doesn't get more niche than that

[@dog8438]

@@matheussanthiago9685 I loved The Good Place immediately from the first scene. The premise is just so weird for a sitcom and yet it works so well while actually giving messages with substance.

[@tehbeernerd]

Never has the industry been more diverse in terms of ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, etc. and that’s undoubtedly a good thing. It’s also never been less diverse in the kinds of stories it tells, which is quite bad. You mention “tropey” writing in modern sitcoms and I think that’s consistent across tv and movies, and imo it’s the main source of present-day mediocrity.

[@JimJones4Life]

Too much forced diversity where the checklist is more important than the quality of the script.

[@karlepaul6632]

I agree...and that's the first Blockbuster staff I've ever seen that didn't have a white dude working among the bunch.😅

[@youtubewontletmetypeagoodu8128]

@@JimJones4Lifeforced” your weird

[@JimJones4Life]

@@youtubewontletmetypeagoodu8128 how is that weird?

[@quadeevans6484]

@@JimJones4Life I really don’t think the diversity is the issue here it’s just bad, if you make all of them straight white males it wouldn’t make the show better it’s really up to the writing

[@sarahellis6703]

I haven't watched the show and have zero interest in it, but I'm so confused why this seemingly small store with probably not a lot of business has literally 5+ employees on the floor at once?? what are they doing all day??

[@failureoncommand]

Lol that was spinning in my mind the whole time I was watching it. On several occasions, it seems to be super unaware of how the situation really is for real people in jobs like these.

[@esmeecampbell7396]

Yeah but it comes from a lack of talent by the writers. I'm fairly sure they do know jobs like this don't have so many people. But it is MUCH harder to write a consistently funny two hander than it is to have lots of one note characters to drop in when required and bounce off each other. A real double act show that can sustain itself for half an hour is tricky, other than that they'd be constantly having to introduce new characters as customers or other nearby business owners, police, etc and again that just takes more effort for one off characters, or less regular characters.

[@stuartbagley2586]

@@esmeecampbell7396 Glad to see someone understands. Television is not reality. Almost every show is going to have some level of fantasy to make it more interesting.

[@paullopez2021]

I haven’t seen the show either but you’d be surprised how incompetent retail managers can be. I’ve seen this play out in retail myself: way too many people on the floor, practically no one in the store, and yet they refuse to send anyone home. But then they complain about “budgeting”.

[@sarahellis6703]

@@paullopez2021 as someone who's always worked in stores that were short-staffed, the thought of having too many people on the floor is so bizarre

[@AKen_Films]

Abbot Elementry is perhaps the best sitcom in recent memory. Blockbuster as a sitcom dealing with trials and tribulations of running the last blockbuster store can’t give it’s characters that same gravity of stakes as the teachers navigating an Elementary school in philly that on the brink of closure! These very real conflicts do a much better job of testing the show’s characters and we get to see more of who they are as a result. They are not just there to be “quirky teachers” the show creates humor out of their real cercumstance that the show Blockbuster fails to really build it’s humor off of.

[@StefanyDjuba]

where can I find it?

[@alanacrail3244]

@@StefanyDjuba it's on Hulu and I believe Disney+ as well

[@AKen_Films]

@@StefanyDjuba hbo max has the season. Maybe hulu I haven’t checked. Disney + is a nope.

[@bentwookie348]

Nah, that show is boring af. The problem with all of these shows is the same. It relies too heavily on the awkward and for some reason unattainable romance between two characters. Once, that couple final does overcome all challenges and gets together, there's nowhere left for the show to go.

[@flashfunk0373]

@@bentwookie348 ratio

[@aneirys]

I don’t think that we have lost the sitcom genre just yet, because for every mediocre show like Blockbuster, there is always a good funny one like Abbott Elementary or a Mystic Quest, which are shows that are airing right now. We do have less good, well crafted, funny ones, but we still have them.

[@failureoncommand]

That's great to hear; warms my heart. I guess the issue is sometimes that there are good shows, but they're not as mainstream popular as they should be in order to alleviate the widely spreading sentiment of "sitcoms aren't what they used to be".

[@MoltenPlastic]

I really felt Mythic Quest suffered from the same problem. But people really seem to like the show, so whatever

[@hotungwan5789]

Was hoping you would mentioned the exceptional exception being Abbott Elementary

[@failureoncommand]

So many interesting-looking sitcoms being mentioned in these comments... I'm frankly overwhelmed, but I'll try to look into that one was as well. I love me some mockumentaries.

[@hotungwan5789]

@@failureoncommandyou wont regret it :)

[@unusualpond]

The quirk is a killer for sure but there’s also this intangible quality to the pacing of these shows that is so stilted. Like a gap between each person speaking. it never just flows or transports you into the scene.

[@PyrokineticFire1]

when you described a scene in the first episode, i asked myself: who is the "straight man" in this scenario. as far as i can tell, it's the customer. that's a problem; we're left to empathize with the nameless extra with a few speaking lines. community frequently had Jeff play the "straight man" but could switch it up to just about any main cast (other than Pierce) so they could exaggerate/make fun of Jeff too occasionally. HIMYM, despite having a main character from the second word of the title, shifted that role around (sometimes scene by scene), but it was almost always one of the main cast. also it could be reasoned that Luke & Penny are constantly "straight men" as the listeners of the story (representing the 4th word of the title) because of the framing device used for the story.

[@fatpizza7810]

This is what I like to call "The Office Syndrome", where it is everyday people in a workplace who are "quirky" and "relatable" enough to become a soulless representation of society.

[@Attaboy-r6z]

Have you seen Superstore? It's a lesser known but solid modern sitcom

[@failureoncommand]

I have not, but many here have recommended. So many, in fact, that it's practically set in stone that I'll be watching it as soon as I have some free time.

[@randomninja]

@@failureoncommand it's not bad, but it suffers from a lot of what you mention in this video.

[@dog8438]

@@failureoncommand first season slightly suffers from trying to be a bit of an Office clone but comes into its own identity around season 2

[@karig3656]

I was excited for this show bc I like Melissa Fumero and Randall Park. I couldn’t even finish the first episode it was too painful to watch. From what I saw, everything felt too forced.

[@failureoncommand]

Exactly that. Stilted, oddly wooden comedy that never managed to feel natural or to flow as it should.

[@yelli801]

Same. Just so lazy and unfunny and cringe worthy.

[@FabianJacquin]

While I was agreeing with your explanation of the current mediocrity of sitcoms, Space Force inmediately came to mind

[@failureoncommand]

Could barely watch a couple episodes of that one. I kept falling asleep...

[@b00tz2big]

That show tried way too hard

[@ShinySephiroth1]

Saying HIMYM and Community are not modern sitcoms made me realize how old I'm getting

[@indie-rose6]

Have you watched Kim’s Connivence? It might be just me, but I haven’t heard anyone talk about it. I haven’t finished it yet but I’m really enjoying it; it’s funny and holds my attention, which is hard to do nowadays lol. It’s on Netflix I believe. There’s also Mythic Quest, which I started watching because Danny Pudi in it, but ended up really enjoying it for the series itself!

[@RexKristoffer]

I enjoy both Kim’s Convenience and Mythic Quest. I have not seen a lot of MQ but I’ve watched ALL of Kim’s Convenience and it’s a great show.

[@failureoncommand]

Have not seen either, but I'll be adding them to my list at your suggestion. Thanks for commenting!

[@JimJones4Life]

I love Mythic Quest its such a good show but it is a dramedy. BTW, Mythic Quest has the best bottle episodes of any show I have ever seen.

[@oakleyraverty1030]

Unfortunately Kim's convenience ended before they got to write the ending and the actors all mostly hated the show so it's unfortunate.

[@tifpo33]

I enjoyed Kim's Convenience. It reminded me a lot of Corner Gas - if it was set in Toronto.

[@mukundkishore7491]

What we do in the shadows is an exceptional modern comedy show, it is worth checking out!

[@failureoncommand]

Will add it to my never-ending list! lol

[@skat1140]

_What We Do In The Shadows_ is a treasure.

[@wesleyhall3554]

I think of shows like this as a TBS show. It feels like this type of show started there and keeps getting made in the streaming era.

[@crazychadmb]

If you haven't watched The Ms. Pat Show, you're missing out. The way they tackle issues that Ms. Pat had to overcome in her life is incredible. It's not only heartbreaking but hilarious. Jordan Cooper is one hell of a writer, and the entire cast acts their asses off.

[@btn237]

I agree, it’s like if in The Office, all the characters are David Brent. You need some contrast with ‘normal’ characters to respond to what the zany ones are doing, how characters react often provides the comedy. It also make it feel more like a believable universe. If all of the characters are playing to the camera it can be a bit much.

[@AaronEdwards]

Every great sitcom you’ve mentioned were great because they had time to introduce, flesh out, and grow their characters. You just can’t do that in a ten episode show.

[@maemara]

I love that she's booked and busy but it's been too soon since B99 ends, I can't unsee Amy Santiago yet.

[@RetsamX]

The first two topics can be explained just by the short length. It's a shame, I love Randall Park and Melissa Fumero.

[@froglicker8277]

you should definitely watch Superstore. similar kind of thing going on but done way way better. there is a romance but it takes a long while for it to come to fruition. really great show.

[@failureoncommand]

Thank you! Will do!

[@Lainy357]

the “they each like each other but won’t say it and are dating other people and sabotaging those relationships” has been overworked to freaking death, and it was so overly done in this one I actually couldn’t keep watching the two leads be awkward with each other.

[@LuisAngel-mu4zv]

to me its always been about structure, sometimes a line is funny because of the moment its being delivered and when we know about the context of why the charecters are saying it, every joke or funny scene should be there for a porpuse, just relying on charecters to have a quirk makes everything feel directionless and meandering, like they're trying so hard to make you laugh instead of making you pay atention to little details that will prepare you for the funny scenes, and it shouldnt just be the funny moments but everything else in general like things that make you understand the charecters a bit more etc

[@failureoncommand]

Well said!

[@dgxkeyboards4535]

The late 90s and 2000s were the Golden ones Era of Sitcoms such as: The Office, Arrested Development, 70s show, Malcolm in the Middle, It's always sunny, Curb Your Enthusiasm and a lot more.

[@powerfullpummel6417]

And sunny is still going strong lol.

[@Phantom-kc9ly]

@@powerfullpummel6417 except for all the censorship going on

[@TopSpot123]

These are very relatable critiques. It sounds like you've nailed it Even though I haven't watched Blockbuster, I've watched a lot of sitcoms over the years and I've seen a lot of them do these same things. My only defense is that a LOT of sitcoms are more bland, or shallow, or mediocre in their first year than what they would eventually become so the comparison is uneven. And even if you go back to the first year on a successful show you'll carry the knowledge and good feelings about characters in with you helping you see past early shortcomings, keeping comparisons hard to make. Those are my thoughts anyway.

[@failureoncommand]

You're totally right, but I think that even with other shows, there's still enough to at least grab your attention for future seasons. Most of the shows I mentioned in the video, even if they had relatively weak first seasons, still did a decent enough job that they made me invested enough to want more. I didn't feel like this was done here.

[@maple-yf5tp]

For me this show felt the exact same as “superstore”. Almost all the characters in blockbuster mirror one character from superstore, however much simpler

[@kikif1509]

Yes 1000% agree

[@whycaninotfindagood]

Hi! Could you pair the blockbuster characters with superstore characters?

[@failureoncommand]

@*•. maple .•* I suppose I shall be finding out!

[@emmalooman]

Haven’t seen the show but I kinda wish this show was a period piece. Like set in the 90s or 2000s when blockbuster was at its peak instead of being modern

[@failureoncommand]

Interesting idea.

[@esmeecampbell7396]

That was what I was thinking it was going to be, play around with some history events and jokes, reuse some of the Stranger Things sets etc.

[@nont18411]

I just can’t help myself comparing Melissa in this show to Andy Samberg in Palm Springs and Popstar. Jake, Miles and Connor4real are all funny man child characters portrayed by Andy Samberg. However, each of them have huge difference. Jake - Man child thanks to an abandonment issue but strife to improve himself thanks to the positive support from Holt, Amy and the 99 squad. Very morally righteous. Connor4real - Man child because the fame and the surrounding yes man turned him into a narcissistic a-hole who treated his friends for granted. Miles - Man child and extremely cynical because being stuck in an endless timeloop and getting brutally murdered and respawned repeatedly made him give up on finding meaning in life. All three characters are so similar but so different that’s why Andy’s two movies and a show are so enjoyable to watch. Meanwhile, Eliza is simply a smartass Amy who is not a cop and having her likable qualities removed.

[@failureoncommand]

That's some interesting analysis. Thanks for taking the time to write that out, really highlights the what good character writing can do.

[@nont18411]

@@failureoncommand Another of the great example, Bill Hader as Barry. Started as a goofy comedy. Now the show is closer to the territory of Breaking Bad then to the territory of B99.

[@nont18411]

I feel no romantic chemistry between Jim Halpert and Amy Santiago in this show. It felt forced to me, I guess. Meanwhile, Jake and Amy in Brooklyn 99 are so natural and believable. I think the main difference is that Andy Samberg is a superb actor who can form a chemistry with screen partner in any show/movie he’s in.

[@failureoncommand]

Andy Samberg is a phenomenal actor, no doubt, and the chemistry between him and Fumero on B99 was unmatched because it felt so fun and cheerful. I don't think the issue here is a fault of Randall Park, or any of the actors for that matter, but rather simply just faulty material as far as the writing.

[@nont18411]

@@failureoncommand Also, unlike the entire cast of Blockbuster, Andy wrote his own jokes. That’s why he knows how to make it funny. I mean, he is the Lonely Island ever since 2001. He did a carry job with B99. Without him, the remaining characters and the show wouldn’t have been successful.

[@failureoncommand]

I'm sure everyone had a part to play, but Andy is definitely undeniably amazing!

[@cabronicusmaximuschingonic1062]

Yeah. I didn't have a lot of expectations about "Blockbuster 99", either.

[@failureoncommand]

Fair enough.

[@teen2012dh]

Netflix and their cash grabs. A very high quality video dude!

[@failureoncommand]

Thanks man! Much appreciated, as always.

[@tombuck]

I was definitely looking forward to this one, but it’s really tough to watch a show where everything everyone says is a quirky quip that no one else in the scene really reacts to. I’d love to see someone actually laugh at another character when they say something funny, or stumble to find the right words during an emotional scene. A lot of the jokes are actually pretty funny, but when it’s one after another with no breather, it all blends together and doesn’t feel genuine or authentic.

[@ShlyapaBoroda]

Make sitcoms great again.

[@failureoncommand]

Preach it, brother.

[@vincentpaterno5311]

True -- the last really good sitcom was "Mom," which over its eight seasons built an ensemble of multi-dimensional characters whose quirks were integral to their personalities. It was so well-written that it briefly survived the departure of co-lead actress Anna Faris. My favorite current sitcom is another from the Chuck Lorre stable, "Bob ❤Abishola," in which the romance between a Detroit sock company owner and the Nigerian emigre nurse who guides him back to health after a heart attack is used to explore immigrant life in America. The characters are given substantial texture (several writers are from Nigeria) and the show has plenty of charm. It deserves more attention, but sadly it's one of the few multi-cams left on network TV. For a format that's brought us gems ("I Love Lucy," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "All in the Family," "Seinfeld" and "Frasier"), it hurts to see the current generation reject such series merely because they're filmed before an audience.

[@failureoncommand]

@@vincentpaterno5311 Thank you so much for the incredibly detailed reply! I'm honestly astounded. I'd never actually heard of either Mom or Bob Hearts Abishola, but the way you talk about them makes them sound incredibly interesting, particularly the latter. There is indeed a generational rejection of this format, as it seems to be rapidly fading away from the mainstream. So much so that I don't remember ever even hearing about either of those shows. I may explore them now that you've shed some light, though, so thank you for that!

[@vincentpaterno5311]

@@failureoncommand "Mom," about a group of middle-aged female recovering alcoholics headed by a mother-and-daughter (Allison Janney and Anna Faris), ended its run in 2021 (though it's in syndication in many markets). "Bob Hearts Abishola" is in its fourth season CBS (8:30/7:30c Mondays), and a new episode airs tonight.

[@failureoncommand]

@@vincentpaterno5311 Yeah, I did a little bit of research on them after reading your comment. Maybe I'll check em out some time.

[@TheDarkSatirist]

I will never understand how someone didn’t think to set it in the 80s or 90s. Making it modern day just seems like a really weird choice to me

[@LukeLeonettiYouTube]

How come every new Netflix show is “the most streamed show in the site’s history” yet I don’t watch it, I don’t know anybody who watches it, the company keeps losing millions of dollars, and they don’t release the actual streaming numbers?

[@kyleellis1825]

Because they keep deleting their history?

[@ochartcinematic]

I agree with this to an extent. I think the issue (and this goes with modern comedy movies) is that there’s so much fear in being a comedy that now they just rely on a quirky vibe because it’s safe.

[@ahleyawallin7674]

I had the same feeling and trust me: what’s Abbott elementary. It’s actually good. It feels like the pilot episode has turned into a pilot season. It’s not meant to be enjoyed, it’s meant to introduce the character, the story and get a chance to get feedback from the audience. I have also noticed how these sitcoms tend to blend together. Am I watching blockbuster or superstore? Superstore was not awesome, Spaceforce was unexplainable boring and blockbuster does not give me hope; will we keep getting the same kind of boring streaming if we keep hiring the same writers?

[@failureoncommand]

Very well said. Thanks for commenting! Will be seeing Abbot Elementary when I can.

[@loudmusickillsthepain648]

Saw an ad for that 90's show. I was like nah.

[@TheDarkAgez]

Superstore, I feel, was really great at balancing a big ensemble of quirky characters. It was the last sitcom I regularly watched pre- Abbot

[@karbi030]

the phrase "It wasn't bad but it wasn't good either" perfectly describes what I have been thinking of this serie

[@RevStickleback]

I'd say it's a problem with US sitcoms in general, in that they are written by teams of writers. British sitcoms (less so these days) have much shorter seasons, but are usually written by one or two people, and are driven by the characters. Those one or two writers will have strong ideas about those characters and will create humour based on how those characters interact. With American sitcoms, in the early days at least, you get the feeling that the writers are working from bullet points about each character, using it as a rough framework to hang their snappy one-liners off.

[@failureoncommand]

A very sound analysis. I agree with you as far as American sitcoms sometimes having their characters be mostly hollow shells meant to carry "humorous" dialogue, but I don't see that as always the case. Some of the examples I go over in the video, particularly HIMYM, felt very solid in its characters' foundations. They were consistent. Nevertheless, the length of US sitcoms will never afford them the same level of consistency as British sitcoms. Sometimes a smaller scope helps keep things from running wild and scattering all over the place.

[@sowhatchajen2846]

UK Ghosts is so much better than us Ghosts and Stath Let’s Flats is better than anything here in US.

[@abhijiththampi]

It looks like someone in Netflix watched "Superstore" after heating about its critical acclaim and asked some writers to make something similar. This show seems to not have Superstore's heart and a cast of real characters who work well off of each other, on top of the already limited number of episodes which hamper the type of story telling ensembles like these require.

[@avoidant560]

TL;DR Everything a quirky character did should have a consequence... or at least someone to normally react to them. The thing about reliance on quirk is that quirkiness really thrives better as a comedic device when paired with normalcy (or a semblance of common sense). It's like the Japanese way of duo stand-up comedy called Manzai where we got these two guys, one with very quirky attitude (boke) and one that normalize or try to make sense the strangeness of the other one (tsukkomi). One of the simple (and probably far-fetched) example of this dynamic for is Abed/Troy (boke) and the rest of the gang in Community. I still remember that one scene when Abed/Troy called Jeff in the middle of the night just for a pretend radio show bit, and instead of enabling them, Jeff shutting them off to go to sleep. We also got Annie (Abed/Troy roommate) who knocked on her door to protest to them why they are still awake and doing nonsenses. Making a quirky character is alright, but if there is no character to correct or over correct the quirky character when they delves too deep on their quirkiness... it sometimes doesn't work as a comedic device for adults, I guess?

[@TKsh1]

Exactly, they don't face any consequence for their actions, and if they do, it's something beneficial or can get away with it. Doesn't help that most of them tend to be stupid or egocentric.

[@oliver9549]

Yeah, same idea with Seinfeld, Kramer and George’s craziness wouldn’t have landed if Jerry wasn’t being the straight man, it’s the perfect dynamic.

[@failureoncommand]

@Void Thank you so much for the informative, fascinating analysis. Had never heard about Manzai, and had never considered the general concept of what you said. But now that you've put it into words, it really makes a lot of sense. Great example with Community, too!

[@powerfullpummel6417]

Sunny id argue is a show that nails the concept of a voice of reason by having the peolle around the characters and the audience be the voice of reason you know how stupid The things the characters say are.

[@avoidant560]

@@failureoncommand Cool. Cool, cool, cool.

[@pixelbomb97]

I feel like the only sitcom I've seen that has truly adapted to the streaming era is Ted Lasso. Streaming lends itself to shorter seasons and Blockbuster feels like they wanted to make a 23 episode per season show, but only had ten to do it in. Whereas Ted Lasso takes advantage of the shorter season to just tell more impactful stories with each episode.

[@981zASDF]

Bill Lawrence is an incredibly successful showrunner/writer

[@gilasantos2477]

Have you checked out Abbott Elementary? It’s one of the recent shows out there that gave me the feeling of the old sitcoms. I think it’s well written, acted, and directed. I think it is the potential to become great, but it’s not on a streaming service maybe it’ll never become “huge”. I highly recommend you check it out. Even the setting is a fun one.

[@failureoncommand]

Thanks, will do! Everyone is recommending it.

[@tsunderelolita]

It's on Hulu and being pushed on ABC and quadruple its ratings. I think it has a high chance of being successful!

[@heypal8072]

Netflix itself has become the epitome of mediocre.

[@optimascrime5235]

This could have been great...But it will probably won't get another season because it was so underwhelming with a very small handful of good moment's but not enough for me to give it another chance with a season 2

[@whycaninotfindagood]

I agree so much with your analysis! I think that bothered me the most was how unrealistic it was. It’s like they want to do wild shit, but it makes no sense because they work at a blockbuster! The characters motivations were so weird, as well. For example, of the characters literally works at a blockbuster because he’s an aspiring director. If the joke was that he sucks and the best thing he can do is work at a blockbuster, and his characterization was being ok with not being good, makes sense. But he’s actually coded as good. Why is he wasting time working at a blockbuster? If anything, be a social media influencer or something that makes sense to get you to the career you want to get to. Like he doesn’t even talk to the customers to find out what they like in movies. He just works at a blockbuster because movies??? I watched the whole thing through, and it was disappointing. It’s obvious they think the audience doesn’t need something that makes sense. Also, there’s no reason for them to work at a blockbuster. They could work at any falling franchise and it makes sense. That’s when you know something doesn’t work.

[@failureoncommand]

Agreed. Lotta unrealistic shit with this one. Too much suspension of disbelief required to make sense of it, and it wasn't worth the effort.

[@mightymorphinconspiracythe5024]

It was a great video! Really liked it. I watched Blockbuster and thought it had potential if given more air time, but they've already gutted it. Netflix pulls the trigger so fast and with it being a binging show you can't even let it settle in. The writers can't react to the audience and adjust anything. It's just a leap of faith and then you either hit success or just fail miserably. I don't know if any of these streaming sitcoms have gone on to be a big success. I guess "The Ranch" went on for a while. But not sure it's a memorable show

[@adamgiardina7411]

This is exactly how I felt about Mr Mayor. The characters weren't even one-note, they were like half-note

[@eddiestefon7041]

A well analyzed video and I completely agree! You don't even have 300 subscribers and you blew me away with your video quality, cheers!

[@failureoncommand]

Comments like this warm my heart. Thank you so much, truly. It means the world to me, and I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

[@gyorkedani5531]

I think a huge issue with shows developed by streaming services is that they don't seem to get that multiple types of shows exist. The 8-10 episode "miniseries" may work for drama and action, but sitcoms are supposed to be long running, and streaming services refuse to make 18-22 episode seasons for some reason.

[@981zASDF]

Well, shows that run on prime time networks want shorter shows so that those shows can be picked up for syndication. That may not be the case as much anymore, as streaming services have their own originals, but if it's not that, then it's budget and attention span reasons

[@asma_tique]

The Big Bang Theory does not belong next to the other good sitcoms you mentioned. It's simply terrible, has gimmicky characters and relies on misogynistic and racist jokes 50% of the time. How boring and lazy.

[@Devil-Made]

Forced romance is my biggest pet peeve. It’s blatant audience pandering. It happens so often that when it doesn’t it draws attention for its absence. Look at Mythic Quest. They continuously make it very clear that romance will not be a part of the main character’s relationship, going so far as to remind the audience of this every time a joke or comment ventures into romantic territory. It’s incredibly refreshing. And it’s a huge reason why Mythic Quest is so good. It’s nice to focus on personal relationships without the shadow of forced romance hanging over every interaction. (Edited for punctuation)

[@runswithfist9360]

I watched blockbuster, even after watching this video, i can not name any of the characters. I barely remember what happened. It was just bland and forgetable. Well done video!

[@Unquestionable]

Tons of excellent points here. A personal annoyance of mine is work place comedies, Blockbuster and Super Store being prime examples, where the actual work place is so far removed from the reality of working there that it's distracting. We're talking very basic jobs most people are familiar with, even if only as a customer, so I find myself thinking none of the writers actually have experience with those places aside from maybe driving past them once in awhile. Like I was constantly baffled that on Blockbuster they would have that many workers on duty, especially considering how it's for all intents and purposes a dead business. Even during it's heyday it was rare to see more than three workers at a video rental place all on shift at once. Or how in Super Store apparently the entire staff goes on break at once (at least when the plot demands it) and have little to no outside life to the point they come and hang out off the clock for hours at a time. Yeah I get it's a comedy and all but it's just so very off putting when nearly anyone who has worked such jobs could probably tell more interesting and humorous stories about the work place compared to the cookie cutter formula they feel has to be followed.

[@bet0v966]

Most sitcoms nowadays be painfully the same. Makes me appreciate Abbot Elementary & miss Community

[@supathechest]

The thing about Blockbuster is that in almost every shot there's little reminders of something better I could be watching on the shelves.

[@ste4392]

I was really put off by the trailer for this, looked a bit try hard and not overly funny. Might try it out, but would love to hear your thoughts on 1899 if you get the chance to make that video. Really enjoyed that season

[@failureoncommand]

Had the same feeling when I saw the trailer (after finishing the series). Thanks for pointing me to 1899, I hadn't even heard of it. I'll be checking it out soon!

[@ste4392]

@@failureoncommand it's in about 8 different languages, so as a heads up don't watch it dubbed (which it automatically put me on), it's really off putting 😅 hope you enjoy

[@esjr81]

I haven’t seen every TV show, but the first time I noticed annoying quirkiness was Marshall and Lily in HIMYM. The characters started off fine, but found myself wondering how they got so annoying in later seasons.

[@blue_eyedfloozy]

I can’t recommend abbott elementary enough. It’s a GREAT modern sitcom, instant classic imo

[@Xayjohns]

This is honestly the only show that I watch on TV right now. Other than this, I only watch old stuff mostly.

[@RyanABXY]

I'll be honest this was alot less pessimistic than I was expecting. Your points were quite valid. Sometimes I can't articulate why I don't like a show but you nailed it. The quirkiness and romance was too heavy in this, if it didn't have Blockbuster all over I would have given up after 10 minutes. Instead, I somehow watched 8 episodes

[@kevin10001]

Not knowing how far back your going in terms of modern sitcoms but I think superstore is the exception to the this problem cause the characters felt more like well rounded characters not just one character trait characters and to me had something to say about how Walmart treated their employees cause cloud 9 felt like a parody of Walmart down to the customers

[@failureoncommand]

Vanessa Ramos, this show's creator, also worked on Superstore. I haven't seen it, but based on what you've said, it's an even greater shame that she bungled Blockbuster after having already helped make something good and relatable on Superstore.

[@christophermanley3602]

@@failureoncommand IMO Superstore started out with well-rounded characters, but over the seasons devolved into quirk and tropes

[@failureoncommand]

@Christopher Manley I'm getting so many mixed opinions on it. Better check it out myself!

[@VeveIndian]

The same happened with later seasons of 30 rock. Too much craziness and weirdness based around characters can't replace situational humour.

[@paullopez2021]

At least the jokes were always top notch

[@eriktheredblack6958]

I totally agree. I saw Blockbuster and was just bored by it. I didn't hate it, it was just so milk toast. Good analysis. A Good show must be character driven in my opinion Too.