Submitted by ShEditor83 t3_11cd0hk in television

Unpopular opinion, I suppose: Parks and Rec is my favorite show, I loved The Office, Community, B99, The Good Place, Modern Family, Ted Lasso, Seinfeld… so I really tried enjoying Abbott Elementary but I couldn’t and most of all I don’t find it fresh nor new. Of course humor is subjective and I don’t want to start a fight, I’m just interested in knowing if someone agrees with me because I find it a bad copy of my favorite comedies.

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Yellow-Eyed-Demon t1_ja2mk3h wrote

Abbot Elementary and Ghosts are lightyears better than any other sitcoms on television right now but I agree it's not as good as any of those you mentioned.

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Bellinghamster t1_ja2nidy wrote

The show has heart but I rarely find myself laughing.

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SoNoWeRo t1_ja2og0r wrote

Yeah, I'd agree. I think it's just too wholesome for me. I really liked it in the beginning. I even rewatched the first few episodes but then I found myself hitting the pause button and doing some other stuff before I'd come back and watch more. It was taking me an hour or more to watch a 22min show so I cancelled the recording on the DVR.

Anyone else watching American Auto with Ana Gasteyer? It often makes me laugh at loud.

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ShEditor83 OP t1_ja2ox1y wrote

I’ m not sure what you are implying, I just named shows similar in humor and style, I would have added Atlanta which is one of my favorite shows ever but I find it more deep and dramatic.

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meowskywalker t1_ja2pigm wrote

How can you admit comedy is subjective and still claim something is “overrated” in the same post? If it’s overrated that means there’s an objective correct rating that people should be giving it, but instead they’re rating it too highly. But there’s not “too” anything if we admit that artwork is subjective. You don’t like it as much as many other people but no one is under or over rating it because that’s not possible.

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YeahWTF20 t1_ja2ppbp wrote

I find it basically identical in feel to Superstore. A good solid show with very likeable characters that you root for, with a lot of heart and you learn something about the discipline they work in. But you tend to forget about it afterwards and it isn't one you'd bother to rewatch.

I think AE is particularly strong in its characterisation - they're all very very different people, even the guest roles. Superstore was less strong in that sense. So I think I prefer AE.

But at the end of the day it's just another workplace comedy with a will they/won't they storyline in the middle.

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JayPtl t1_ja2qkde wrote

It's good but it's way overrated

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KremlinHoosegaffer t1_ja2rici wrote

Sitcoms have been dying a slow death for quite a while now. The formula is just a lot less preferable when you can make narrative shows that are just as funny but can also hit any other note.

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meowskywalker t1_ja2twxd wrote

If you use the word “overrated” you’re claiming there is an objective correct answer. That’s what I’m saying. Something can’t be over or under rated unless there ls an objectively correct answer that people are missing when they rate it.

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Itarair t1_ja2yanc wrote

It’s a mocumentary of/for teachers/elementary schools, but it also shows the struggles teachers go through in schools, just like parks and Rec is a mocumentary for government officials, and The Office for corporations. None of them are trying to be the other. It’s just a type

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Edm_vanhalen1981 t1_ja2yc5l wrote

I tried to like this show but there are too many unlikeable characters.

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ShirtPants10 t1_ja2zjvk wrote

This is the first im hearing of this show, so ill say its properly rated since it isnt good

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Razzler1973 t1_ja303kp wrote

I watched the first season, thought it was perfectly OK but didn't blow me away

Stopped watching in the 2nd season, just didn't think it was that funny

It's getting a ton of awards and plaudits but it just didn't amaze me

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jfstompers t1_ja31ps8 wrote

It's a good show it's a little hyped because the state of the network sitcom is such a train wreck right now.

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chromeshiel t1_ja3bc8b wrote

Depends what you are looking for. It's a sweet, clever show. It is not a hilarious show. So on a pure comedic standpoint? Maybe it is.

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PitbullMandelaEffect t1_ja3fse8 wrote

Michael Schur rip off but they turned the “look they’re all friends 🥹” dial up to 11 and the comedy dial all the way down to 0.

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anasui1 t1_ja3glml wrote

show designed to be the wholesomest wholesome thing, where every character is loveable. For hilariousness better seek in the past, actually funny sitcoms are dead

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Edm_vanhalen1981 t1_ja3hbo8 wrote

exactly and why I liked B99 so much. Yes there was Gina who was pretty bad but was really the only one of the cast that was bad. The rest of the cast were fun and enjoyable to watch. On AE most of the characters are either mean or so arrogant that the characters are unwatchable.

I don't even care if I get a laugh. Just make the characters watchable and enjoyable.

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KnotSoSalty t1_ja3ihia wrote

Halfway through the first season, I think it’s good. All the characters mug for the camera too much though. On Parks and Rec or the Office the POV character was the only one that stared straight to camera very often, on AE every main character seems to do it 2-3 times an episode. It’s the same joke so there are diminishing returns imo.

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RusevReigns t1_ja3ppt6 wrote

Yes, and we know the reason why even though most people here won't admit it. The reviewers and awards are virtue signalling, thinking they're obligated to support a black public school show. The people who think this way have mostly lost their humor which is why they can't see AE's biggest flaw which is that it's just not a banger in terms of jokes hitting.

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MelbaAlzbeta t1_ja3rnje wrote

AE reminds me of old school sitcoms that children and parents could watch together. It has a TGIF vibe. So I think it’s really good at nailing that even if it isn’t as funny as a show that I wouldn’t let an 8 year old watch.

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quaranTV t1_ja3wjug wrote

It’s an excellent network sitcom. It’s up there with Modern Family and the like. But like any network sitcom it can’t compete with modern comedy shows with no limitations (language, ad breaks, length and number of episodes etc) like Barry, Ted Lasso, Hacks, Mythic Quest, Only Murders in the Building, etc.

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ShEditor83 OP t1_ja3yymg wrote

Maybe I shouldn’t have included Ted Lasso in the list, cause it’s a more deep and structured show (as the others you mentioned: I love every one of them!) but even in the realm of network sitcom I find it less original and funny than the ones we mentioned. Just my opinion, of course.

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Any-Low9727 t1_ja42f3n wrote

My wife and I got through first season and started the second but never felt the need to watch it.

I actually think one of the challenges is that isn’t quirky ENOUGH. The charm of shows it’s replicating are two fold:

  1. Characters are extremes
  2. They’re always in group situations where they can bounce off one another.

I think the characters all actually have too much heart and aren’t kitchy enough and too often the interactions aren’t in a group setting.

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Smellmyhand t1_ja4eddr wrote

The principal is partly why I couldn’t get into it. The actress is great and I would’ve loved the character as a teacher but it was just so jarring having such an incompetent person being in charge, even for a sitcom. And it’s blatant incompetency, not just a nuisance like Michael Scott. It’s like the writers use her purely as a conflict device. Maybe I didn’t watch enough yet but it was just so one dimensional

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ccksckrmthrfckr t1_ja4fl1u wrote

I would agree that it’s not as good as your favorites that you’ve mentioned. I still very much enjoy it, though.

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slymm t1_ja4gx3q wrote

It's a really good traditional sitcom. Seinfeld is the goat traditional sitcom

the office redefined sitcom. Call it sitcom 2.0. modern family was an overrated version of 2.0 while parks might be goat of 2.0. B99 is if you took the sensibilities of parks with the so-so quality of modern family.

The good place and community are their own thing. Unique and awesome.

Ted lasso is kinda it's own thing. Maybe like a modern twist on 1.0.

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LeoIrish t1_ja64rjn wrote

I do think it is one of the better comedies on network TV. Granted, not every show is for everyone.

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bigscarylion t1_ja68lm3 wrote

The acting is a little rough for me. Particularly the lady with the red hair.

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jettydwallace t1_ja6fmlw wrote

Weirdly, the best comp I can think of how I feel about it is Will and Grace, a very consistent show with characters you just enjoy spending time with that occasionally speaks delicately on real world issues other shows aren't talking about (in this case the struggles of public schools and teachers) that is one of the best shows network sitcoms of its era, but still just not quite Friends or Seinfeld (or here Ted Lasso)

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Big-Ambitions-8258 t1_ja6q7cc wrote

She gets more dimensional as the show goes on.

The thing is like alot of this is based off Quinta's mom experience as a teacher, and alot of teachers have chimed in that Ava is basically atleast someone they actually know from school administration/school districts.

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STRamRod t1_ja6r0ms wrote

I dont think it's bad but the bar just isn't that high. There's barely been any new comedies released by networks the last few years, and everything else is past its prime.

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Sfswine t1_ja75j5a wrote

It’s too much of a chick flick to me .. and I’m a fan of The Golden Girls..

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ShEditor83 OP t1_ja78526 wrote

This description fits B99, Community, ParksandRec as well as One Day at a Time, Modern Family and others. I simply don’t find it funny or original, particularly for the use of mockumentary and the jokes, but I understand your point of view.

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