Comments on: How Home Improvement Set the Bar for Modern Family Sitcoms

By: Sara Clemens

Sara Clemens — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 02:21:15 +0000

Probably 90% (if not more) of the laughter you hear from sitcoms filmed in front of a live studio audience is canned. They’re all heavily sweetened in post.

By: CR

CR — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:49:01 +0000

I too loved Home Improvement, but I do have one gripe with this artcile. You may not like Two and a Half Men, but that show does not use canned laughter; it is filmed in front of a live studio audience.

By: GrandWazoo

GrandWazoo — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 18:32:20 +0000

Nice segue there. “[On a serious note, there are a lot of people in the NYC and NJ area who could use some home improvement of their own in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Click here to see how you can help. Or here.]”

I have nothing against trying to get money for the people who need it after the hurricane, but please do it with at least a modicum of decency. Have an entire story be about it, don’t make a crappy pun in the middle of a lighthearted article that segues into earning money for something serious.

By: Gil

Gil — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:25:03 +0000

I’ve started to love the show from watching reruns on TBS. I’ve also noticed, to no real surprise, that a lot of the show material was taken from his time as a stand-up comedian. I’ve also been listening to some online comedy stations and when I hear him come on it’s usually some jokes about adding more power to tools, or adding power to non-power tools. That and the grunting.
As for the physical comedy, I can’t help but think about all the stuff that broke/fell apart in the Bluth model home.

By: Steve p

Steve p — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:14:11 +0000

PS – as for current sitcoms, most are awful, but Modern Family is by far one of the funniest shows of all time.

By: Steve p

Steve p — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:13:01 +0000

I watched home improvement but even at a young age I grew tired of it. Every ep was the same, Tim fucked up, Jill yelled at him, he went wo Wilson for advice which never understood, then Jill forgave him because of his idiotic misunderstanding of Wilson’s words. Then in the middle somewhere Tim again fucks p, but this time on tool time, al fixes it, then Tim grunts about man stuff or more power.

My favs were:
Boy meets world. Growing up that show practically mirrored my life. It was the first show I could really relate to. Can’t wait for the new series.

Roseanne (except the few seasons)
Fresh prince

The above 2, I am sure I’ve seen every ep of each show 10+ times, but I still catch the on nick at nite every once in a while and still laugh just as hard as the first time.

I am also going to throw it out there, because I know so many people will bring it up as their favs, but Seinfeld was one of the most boring, repetitive, and overrated shows of all time. And another thing Jerry, every sitcom is essentially about nothing, just because you were the first to mention it doesn’t make you original or clever. Really don’t understand why everyone loves this show so much.