Do you find television too embarassing?

[apac]

I laughed so hard at all the vampire references in the most recent episode.

 

[sandorski]

Ya, the Office has that to it, but there's different types of embarrassment. The type in the Office I find funny, but for other shows I share your awkwardness. The Gilligans Island Movie was one such show and I often get it when celebrities are being interviewed, especially the celebrities whose lives are a train wreck, like Anna Nichole's was. You just want to smack them and tell them to quit being an idiot, but the only real choice is to change the channel. Most comedy is about embarrassment though, just look at Married with Children for instance, that whole family was a trainwreck, but they were so damned proud of that fact and that show was one of the best sit-coms of all time.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Ya, the Office has that to it, but there's different types of embarrassment. The type in the Office I find funny, but for other shows I share your awkwardness. The Gilligans Island Movie was one such show and I often get it when celebrities are being interviewed, especially the celebrities whose lives are a train wreck, like Anna Nichole's was. You just want to smack them and tell them to quit being an idiot, but the only real choice is to change the channel. Most comedy is about embarrassment though, just look at Married with Children for instance, that whole family was a trainwreck, but they were so damned proud of that fact and that show was one of the best sit-coms of all time.

/THREAD

 

[Mo0o]

Not really... they're fictional characters scripted to be in these awkward situations, that's what funny about it. Dwight is hilarious because he's such a goofy character. And embarassed seems like an odd word to use here. Are you saying you identify yourself with one of the odder characters on the show and somehow project yourself onto that person?

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
I had to watch a few episodes of The Office before I could really appreciate it.

Same here but it "hurts" (makes me embarrassed for him) to watch Michael most of the time. He's so clueless.

 

[spherrod]

Originally posted by: Excelsior
If you think the Office is embarrassing, don't bother watching Extras. Holy god, that is an embarrassing show.

Yeah, Ricky Gervais seems to excel at that kind of comedy.

 

[sniperruff]

its a comedy. lighten up, sit back and enjoy.

 

[brxndxn]

I was NOT a fan of Season 1 because they made the show depressing like the Office in the UK.. Also, they made Michael such an @sshole that it was unbearable to watch.

Then, in Season 2, they toned Michael down a bit and the show is freakin' hilarious..

Now, Season 3, they're turning Machael into a bumbling idiot @sshole who is way worse than Season 1 @asshole Michael. The writers need to learn from Season 2 that their target audience tends to be OFFICE WORKERS and completely outrageous antics by the boss are a little too far.


I agree with the OP.. embarassment for pretty much anything Michael does.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Not generally with comedies, but sometimes you can be so emotionally attached to the character in a given show that you almost share their feelings in relation to certain situations.

 

[TeeJay1952]

I find the Office to be "cringe worthy". I never met anyone like Mike Scott but if I did I would be amazed and amused just as I am when watching the show.
As Kelli says: "omg, Omg OMg, OMG!

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: brxndxn
I was NOT a fan of Season 1 because they made the show depressing like the Office in the UK.. Also, they made Michael such an @sshole that it was unbearable to watch.

Then, in Season 2, they toned Michael down a bit and the show is freakin' hilarious..

Now, Season 3, they're turning Machael into a bumbling idiot @sshole who is way worse than Season 1 @asshole Michael. The writers need to learn from Season 2 that their target audience tends to be OFFICE WORKERS and completely outrageous antics by the boss are a little too far.


I agree with the OP.. embarassment for pretty much anything Michael does.

I agree that Michael was not likeable in the first season, along with Dwight. The writers have come a long ways in softening up those two characters so that now they're jsut quirky. I think out of the entire cast Angela is really the only person i dont like. Even if Dwight can seem mean, i feel like he still cares about people, he just has funny ways of showing it.

 

[randomint]

hey those guys know what they are getting into. sometimes watching some of these reality-based shows, i might feel sympathetic towards a particular character but i soon realize that these bast*ds are making good money and are completely "in" on it.

i don't feel any sympathy after that realization. Bring on the put-downs!

 

[johnjbruin]

I've never seen it.
But then I don't even own a TV anymore.

 

[alien42]

i have seen 2 episodes of 'the office', felt the same embarrassment as you and have not watched it since.

*no other show has had this affect on me

 

[yllus]

I totally know what you mean djheater, and also avoid The Office for the same reason. It wouldn't kill me to watch it, but considering I don't find it funny aside from the cringing feeling it sometimes brings up - no loss.

 

[Hammer]

there's good and bad episodes. my problem with the american version is that the boss character is much less likeable/endearing than the british version. to me its more like watching a train wreck the feeling empathy as I did in th british verison.

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: BillyBatson
embarassing? i think you are using the wrong word to describe your feelings. there is nothign you can be embarassed about unless say someone else is watching it with you and you feel embarassed at say sexual jokes but even then it owuldn't be embarassed just uncomfortable. embarassed when europians are at yoru house watching because amrican tv is inferior? seriously d00d wrong word.

Your posts make my head spin. Also, embarrassed is not the wrong word.

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: alien42
i have seen 2 episodes of 'the office', felt the same embarrassment as you and have not watched it since.

*no other show has had this affect on me

I can't remember the name of the show, but Paris Hilton and her friend went around "working" and living with people. That show embarrassed me like crazy. I couldn't watch it when they were about to do something really stupid in front of a lot of people.

 

[Savarak]

i thought the prank with dwight as a pavlov's dog to the mints was pretty darn funny

 

[oboeguy]

I understand what the OP means. I sometimes can't stand to watch a movie or TV program, whatever, when a character is doing something really stupid. Drives me crazy! A movie like "The Squid and the Whale" really grated on me because the characters were all so unlikeable.

 

[Staples]

I like the Office but me and the posted have the same feelings somewhat. I hate watching shows (and I refuse to actually) where people are being played a trick on. I feel embarrased for them as if it was myself. You are not the only one who has these feelings when watching TV.

And I have never seen any episodes from season one (at least I don't think so).

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: Staples
I like the Office but me and the posted have the same feelings somewhat. I hate watching shows (and I refuse to actually) where people are being played a trick on. I feel embarrased for them as if it was myself. You are not the only one who has these feelings when watching TV.

And I have never seen any episodes from season one (at least I don't think so).

All the closet empathetics are coming out.

We are clearly the minority though. Borat is very popular.. I totally want to bust through the screen and explain, "no no, it's just a joke, don't take it so seriously".

 

[Staples]

Originally posted by: djheater

Originally posted by: Staples
I like the Office but me and the posted have the same feelings somewhat. I hate watching shows (and I refuse to actually) where people are being played a trick on. I feel embarrased for them as if it was myself. You are not the only one who has these feelings when watching TV.

And I have never seen any episodes from season one (at least I don't think so).

All the closet empathetics are coming out.

We are clearly the minority though. Borat is very popular.. I totally want to bust through the screen and explain, "no no, it's just a joke, don't take it so seriously".

So true. I have never seen Borat and I probably never will.