Tuesday, February 06, 2007

CBS' "Rules of Engagement" is both bad comedy and bad commentary

CBS previewed their new comedy, Rules of Engagement, and based on the Superbowl previews I thought it might be funny. Lots of humorous material can be found in the relationships between singles, engaged and married couples. Numerous other comedies on being single and being married have entertained TV audiences for years. NBC successes like Friends and Mad About You prove there's plenty that's humorous in both those situations--enough for 396 episodes over 10 years.

Perhaps Rules isn't meant to be a comedy, but a horror serial. Showing first how insensitive and impossible domesticate men are and second how stupid women are to consider relationships with them in the first place.


The only thing scarier than the show might be its success. Sure, people are supposed to understand sitcoms are fictional, but how can the same adults that think Wiley E. Coyote encourages violence in youngsters not believe Rules might sour the appeal of civilized societies' greatest building block--marriage? They can't have it both ways.


For Rules, its pilot episode was one too many. CBS should keep looking for something to follow
Two and a Half Men.

4 comments:

  1. I actually thought the first episode was pretty funny. The older married guy is hilarious in my opinion and this looks like one of the better things david spade has worked on since his days with farley

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  2. I think he's been looking for something to compare with Just Shoot Me. He can be a good cast member but his style is too quirky for leading-man material. I'm not sure he's found his next "Just Shoot Me."

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  3. I thought this was a terrific show that just needs a chance to get off the ground. The older, married couple are hilarious and the newer engaged couple keep the "reality" of the show. David Spade has is the perfect guy to play the sleezy, single player! Here's hoping CBS keeps this one for a while.

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  4. Somehow, I think the formula is a little worn-out. The married couple is ridiculous in that the wife is intelligent--but married to a buffoon, and the buffoon is, well, a buffoon.

    The engaged couple ought to run from each other--they have no business being together, and Spade is using both couples as an excuse to have fun at their expense. But can that formula keep the series going?

    Well, it look to back for another year. We'll see how it goes.

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