From: dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams)
Subject: Re: Married With Children... New life?
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 92 04:48:03 GMT

joe.siegler@satalink.com (Joe Siegler) writes:
 >In my opinion, the Seven idea could work ...

I just think they could have found an idea *better* than "Married With 
(more) Children".  Stay tuned, because on Sunday you will see the SECOND 
"new idea" they have for this season.  I wasn't particularly enthralled,
but I suppose it is too early to really know how it will work out...
The end-all for me is LAUGHING.  Almost no other show has made me laugh
as much or often as MWC, and when i'm NOT laughing I have to think that 
something is wrong...

 >if they had a kid that could act.  This kid can not.  
Obviously I agree, and that has been perhaps the primary 
foundation for most of my complaints.

 >It has to be ungodly BAD for me not to like it, and this hasn't gotten 
 >that bad yet (sorry Dean, I'm more forgiving than you I think).

Who knows. :->   I certainly would not say I don't like the SHOW,
just the scenes involving this particular kid who "can not act".

 >the England thing had a good idea, but Part 3 was extremely bad.

There was a lot of "good and bad" in those three episodes.

 >A friend of mine had an idea.  Have Al hit the lottery or something, 
 >and make 'em kind of like The Beverly Hillbillies.   

It's a thought, and some of it could be funny (for a while at least),
but the problem is that Al's never having any money is pretty much the
cornerstone of the show and his whole character.

 >I really liked "Al Bundy, Shoe Dick."   Had nothing to do with 
 >classic Bundy concept, but it worked really well.
It was pretty cute.

 >On another note, did anyone ever get the Married With Children 
 >commercial that played in movie theatres a couple of years ago?
In theatres?   Wow, I never saw or heard that they did that.

 >It all took place on their couch, and was about 2 mintues long.
Sounds interesting, but it would probably be tough to find that on video.

 >I like all the stuff they've done on Married With Children.

Since this is one of my all time favorite shows, I have all the episodes
on tape, and I spent many hours writing a Program Guide...  I can't be
feeling all that much differently overall.

BUT, saying "I like all the stuff", to me at least would seem to also
include something like "jefferson is just as funny as Steve", or "Seven 
is a good character".

 >It seems to mean that Dean has this concept of what he wants Married 
 >with Children to be like, and anything that deviates from it is "Crap",
 > "unfunny", or "shouldn't be liked by any *REAL* fan".   

Well, then you "seem" wrong. :->   All of those words were directed towards
one VERY specific area.  Also, the "REAL fan" comment was addressing the
idea of making the Bundys act more like a "real family" (aka cosbys).
IMHO, that does not sound like someone who is much of a "real fan" of
the show the producers called "NOT the cosbys"...

 >IMHO, the "real fan" is someone who is willing to look at new ideas 
 >objectively (which I don't think Dean has in regards to Seven. 

We both agree he can't act.  Combine that with the fact that he doesn't 
make me LAUGH, and i'm not sure where "objectivity" is supposed to come in.

 >I've been seeing anti-Seven type messages from him in several places
Yes, and I recall you agreeing with several of them.

 >Dean won't notice it since he's so against the character.
Come on, that is useless "personal" talk...

 >I agree the "park" episode last week wasn't terribly funny, 
That's what i said...

 >but I did get a major kick out of a few things.
Obviously I do as well, although this one had some of the fewest in a while.

 >I agree that Seven isn't the best idea they've ever had, but I'm 
 >willing to give it a few more episodes to see if it can work. (Yeah, I 
 >know Dean, you already think it doesn't, but that's *NOT* my point.) 

I'm not sure I see a "point".  I am hardly going to STOP watching the show.
As for "working" or not, I can only go on what I have seen so far.  Based
on that, I have to say it is *not* working (if "working" = being funny),
at least in regards to the new character.  The other characters are still
VERY funny as usual.  CAN it work when we both agree the kid can't act?
Doing good comedy requires at least *some* talent, which the rest of the
cast has a great deal of.  I'm not too sure how it could suddenly start
"working", but obviously I will be there if and when it happens.

I have a feeling that the large majority of the reaction to this character
is *negative*, so perhaps the producers will try and do something about it.
After all, they did NOT put him into the opening credits...

-{ Dean Adams }-