Comedy TV shows dominated the 90’s with the likes of Friends and Seinfeld. Comedy was king and gave the viewing public much wanted relief from the stress of a multi-tasking existence. What was funny was how much we could relate to the characters and their relationships as they were portrayed on the screen in exaggerated and farcical fashion. At the center of each character or relationship, though, was something real and universal that allowed us to connect and care about the people on screen. Something in them spoke to something in us and drew us into their world. For a disconnected and lonely populous, these characters may have played a role in too many lives that bordered on unhealthy.

But somewhere along the way, comedy TV shows gave way to something darker within our culture. The characters were not enough to sustain the relationship forever. With the lack of anything substantive following behind, the vacuum was filled with the seedy nastiness of low brow reality TV. We were no longer delighted by characters we could relate to, but became obsessed with “real” people we were repulsed by. Reality TV is no more real than wrestling of the 70’s. it is just as scripted and the characters are no more real than the Undertaker or Cain. The irony of reality TV characters is that if these people were real in our lives we wouldn’t have anything to do with them.

Comedy TV shows gave us characters we would like to hang out with: Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, Joey, Chandler, Fraser, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, Hawkeye, and many others. The characters on TV now make you want to lock your doors and hide your children. The sad thing is that these characters live on past their reality show and become celebrities being booked as guest judges, writing books, given interviews and guest appearances on legitimate shows and gain legitimacy vicariously through them. What message is being received especially by young people? If I want fame and fortune I need to make my private life as sick as possible and film it while I do it.

There was a universal innocence that comedy TV shows gave us in the past. It promoted good healthy relationships that worked through conflict and stayed together. Reality TV shows promote judging relationships based on what we can get from the relationship. If I love this bachelor I will get a husband and a million dollars; therefore, I love him. These shows celebrate shallowness and make a mockery of having any resemblance of good character.

Comedy TV shows today are poisoned by this trend of playing down to the most base human behaviors and trying to somehow justify it by saying that is what the people want. One limit on freedom of speech is that the speaker is responsible for what people do as a result of hearing their message. You don’t get to put out a message or image and then deny ownership when something goes wrong. Bring back real comedy TV shows, please.

Author Bio: Discover hundreds of television’s finest comedies by visiting Rick’s Comedy TV Shows Page or talk about your favorite comedy series at Rick’s Comedy Forum.

Category: Entertainment
Keywords: stand,up,sketch,comedy,British,tv,television,shows,funny,improv,roast