ABC officially cancels "The Muppets"

[Drtooth]

I agree. I was willing to give The Real O'Neals a chance, and I ended up enjoying it especially once it started to find its voice near the end of the 1st season. But Speechless doesn't look very good, and the mother character feels derivative of the mothers on the other ABC comedies, barring the ones from Fresh Off the Boat and Black-ish. So I'm not willing to give it the same chance.

Real O'Neals managed to grow into its premise. I didn't like it at first, but it grew on me when it stopped being "look at the weird family that can't even get accepted by their own peers" and started using the main kid's sexual persuasion to the full extent of trying to make it as someone that discovers who they are early on. We've seen a lot of awkward straight kids going through puberty and their dawn of adulthood, I'm glad someone out there did make a series representing kids going through the same deal.

But Speachless looks...ugh... I know I complain about how handicapped characters are treated with kid gloves in most shows, and I should be happy that we're getting someone that isn't the token wheelchair kid. But it looks even more generic than O'Neals's first impression on me. And really...Minnie Driver? I really don't like her. I do not find her funny or even that attractive. She's a poor man's 1980's Tracy Ullman. Even in Disney's Tarzan she kinda sucked. She had some other lousy sitcom that NBC somehow managed to renew once that no one watched. The show looks just cynical and redundant. There's no reason this should have been picked up. And saying that it'll either be a huge hit because Minnie Driver or hopefully flop and be replaced by something else awful. I mean, I can totally take "The Muppets" as a "it wasn't meant to be" since that was my biggest worry when I heard it was picked up in the first place, and I had a feeling that we'd get something with one of the cast of Friends that didn't have a successful cable show or something. But this actually openly ticked me off.

On the plus side, Uncle Buck was cancelled after 1 season of 8 episodes. I've never seen it, but I heard of nothing but bad things about it.

With all the complaining about Ghostbusters, the fact that no 80's fanboy jumped on this show pretty much showed how low a priority this show was getting. I was at least expecting the obvious "You turned John Candy into a Black Guy?" crap to spew all over the internet. It didn't even get that attention. It's clear ABC didn't give a crap about Uncle Buck, otherwise it wouldn't have been dumped in the summer months the way it was. I'd be surprised if they didn't just run half the episodes in a marathon like they did with The Drew Carey Show or According to Jim (which both were renewed for the purpose of being dumped on summer nights, I still don't get it, even though I liked The Drew Carey Show). I didn't bother or pay attention because I just didn't care. Which brings me to the obvious, making it a "remake" of Uncle Buck. Or in other words, calling it Uncle Buck when they could have called it anything and it would be the same show. I know the hip new thing is to take old movies and make them into TV shows. Sure worked for Fargo. I'm sure raucous family comedy would have worked as a sitcom. It's clear this was some sort of contractual obligation on some part, and ABC just couldn't wait to get rid of it.

 

[scooterfan360]

Real O'Neals managed to grow into its premise. I didn't like it at first, but it grew on me when it stopped being "look at the weird family that can't even get accepted by their own peers" and started using the main kid's sexual persuasion to the full extent of trying to make it as someone that discovers who they are early on. We've seen a lot of awkward straight kids going through puberty and their dawn of adulthood, I'm glad someone out there did make a series representing kids going through the same deal.

But Speachless looks...ugh... I know I complain about how handicapped characters are treated with kid gloves in most shows, and I should be happy that we're getting someone that isn't the token wheelchair kid. But it looks even more generic than O'Neals's first impression on me. And really...Minnie Driver? I really don't like her. I do not find her funny or even that attractive. She's a poor man's 1980's Tracy Ullman. Even in Disney's Tarzan she kinda sucked. She had some other lousy sitcom that NBC somehow managed to renew once that no one watched. The show looks just cynical and redundant. There's no reason this should have been picked up. And saying that it'll either be a huge hit because Minnie Driver or hopefully flop and be replaced by something else awful. I mean, I can totally take "The Muppets" as a "it wasn't meant to be" since that was my biggest worry when I heard it was picked up in the first place, and I had a feeling that we'd get something with one of the cast of Friends that didn't have a successful cable show or something. But this actually openly ticked me off.





With all the complaining about Ghostbusters, the fact that no 80's fanboy jumped on this show pretty much showed how low a priority this show was getting. I was at least expecting the obvious "You turned John Candy into a Black Guy?" crap to spew all over the internet. It didn't even get that attention. It's clear ABC didn't give a crap about Uncle Buck, otherwise it wouldn't have been dumped in the summer months the way it was. I'd be surprised if they didn't just run half the episodes in a marathon like they did with The Drew Carey Show or According to Jim (which both were renewed for the purpose of being dumped on summer nights, I still don't get it, even though I liked The Drew Carey Show). I didn't bother or pay attention because I just didn't care. Which brings me to the obvious, making it a "remake" of Uncle Buck. Or in other words, calling it Uncle Buck when they could have called it anything and it would be the same show. I know the hip new thing is to take old movies and make them into TV shows. Sure worked for Fargo. I'm sure raucous family comedy would have worked as a sitcom. It's clear this was some sort of contractual obligation on some part, and ABC just couldn't wait to get rid of it.

you know, I was not surprised at all, at the fact that uncle buck got canceled. I knew at first sight of that mess, that it was going to get canceled.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

ABC clearly needs a new schtick. The show about the quircky, relatable family like The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Black-ish, Real O'Neals, etc is clearly not original anymore. I enjoy each of these shows to varying degrees but, c'mon, it's getting really stale.

 

[scooterfan360]

ABC clearly needs a new schtick. The show about the quircky, relatable family like The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Black-ish, Real O'Neals, etc is clearly not original anymore. I enjoy each of these shows to varying degrees but, c'mon, it's getting really stale.

you forgot the middle.

 

[D'Snowth]

Again, this is one of the problems that networks always run into: as soon as one show with a particular format becomes successful, then all of the sudden, they rehash the formula over and over again to try to bank on that successful. Like in the mid-60s when fantasy sitcoms were all the rage, then the 70s came along and brought a slue of socially relevent (and irrelevent) comedies.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

True. Heck, even companies like Filmation and Hanna Barbera bit off of their own shows back then.

 

[D'Snowth]

On that notion, how many times did the Kroffts recycle the same "stranger in a strange land" concept for their shows?

 

[Muppet Master]

But Speachless looks...ugh... I know I complain about how handicapped characters are treated with kid gloves in most shows, and I should be happy that we're getting someone that isn't the token wheelchair kid. But it looks even more generic than O'Neals's first impression on me. And really...Minnie Driver? I really don't like her. I do not find her funny or even that attractive.

Yes, Speechless just looks awful, honestly ABC comedy is just getting old. They never made anything besides the typical family comedy, with a "twist", it's just getting old and annoying, the only really good ones were The Muppets and Galavant, and you know how those turned out.

With all the complaining about Ghostbusters, the fact that no 80's fanboy jumped on this show pretty much showed how low a priority this show was getting. I was at least expecting the obvious "You turned John Candy into a Black Guy?" crap to spew all over the internet. It didn't even get that attention. It's clear ABC didn't give a crap about Uncle Buck, otherwise it wouldn't have been dumped in the summer months the way it was.

Honestly, I liked Uncle Buck, it had nothing to do with the movie, it really found it's voice towards the end, but unfortunately ABC cancelled it, even though it's ratings were good, they were better then The Real O' Neals in the summer.

ABC clearly needs a new schtick. The show about the quircky, relatable family like The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Black-ish, Real O'Neals, etc is clearly not original anymore. I enjoy each of these shows to varying degrees but, c'mon, it's getting really stale.

Yes, thank you, it's just getting so old, adding a little twist doesn't make the show different. Though I admit I am a fan of Black-Ish and The Middle, a lot of these shows are just getting old, especially the heartwarming moments, or "the kids are growing up" trope, and ABC cancelled The Muppets and Galavant, so they've got nothing different besides the generic family sitcom.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Yes, Speechless just looks awful, honestly ABC comedy is just getting old. They never made anything besides the typical family comedy, with a "twist", it's just getting old and annoying, the only really good ones were The Muppets and Galavant, and you know how those turned out.

But Speachless looks...ugh... I know I complain about how handicapped characters are treated with kid gloves in most shows, and I should be happy that we're getting someone that isn't the token wheelchair kid. But it looks even more generic than O'Neals's first impression on me. And really...Minnie Driver? I really don't like her. I do not find her funny or even that attractive. She's a poor man's 1980's Tracy Ullman. Even in Disney's Tarzan she kinda sucked. She had some other lousy sitcom that NBC somehow managed to renew once that no one watched. The show looks just cynical and redundant. There's no reason this should have been picked up. And saying that it'll either be a huge hit because Minnie Driver or hopefully flop and be replaced by something else awful. I mean, I can totally take "The Muppets" as a "it wasn't meant to be" since that was my biggest worry when I heard it was picked up in the first place, and I had a feeling that we'd get something with one of the cast of Friends that didn't have a successful cable show or something. But this actually openly ticked me off.

I agree that Speechless looks pretty generic, but I at least applaud them for trying to accurately depict a family with a disabled child. We need something that doesn't treat the handicap kid as just some kids' friend to learn a lesson from i.e "I can do stuff even though I have a disability". Some parts of it look pretty funny like the cop opting to not to go after the family and give them a ticket for speeding because " Life's to short". Or the trash joke, or the middle finger joke. All of those things were pretty funny and they all seem to tie in nicely with the overall them of the show. And from what i've seen, many people can relate to this stuff. People having issues over where you park because they don't mind their own business, the middle child feeling less loved because his disabled sibling seems to get more attention than him. That's what ABC is going for. These kids and their families can often feel lonely because there aren't enough people around them who fully understand what they go through. A show like this was a longtime coming. And I can see a lot of families like the one on the show being really grateful that it exists. This show is a huge milestone in TV history.

All that being said, yes, I do agree they could have done something more creative. Also, I feel there's not very much material to go off of with this premise. I feel it would've worked much better as a movie or a special. But hey, no way it can be as bad as this show:

 

[Drtooth]

ABC clearly needs a new schtick. The show about the quircky, relatable family like The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Black-ish, Real O'Neals, etc is clearly not original anymore. I enjoy each of these shows to varying degrees but, c'mon, it's getting really stale.

I give them lots of credit for having inclusive shows and giving representation to groups that barely get any on television. Black-ish deals with complex issues relating to their community. A show like that is of the anvils need to be dropped variety, yet they don't cover it so much that it's all the show is about. And I totally get why they'd keep doing family sitcoms. I always rag on the awful and overly clean and safe garbage shows they had in the 00's, and at least these shows are more entertaining and have something to say. it's the sitcoms not about families that tend to do poorly on ABC. I'm still a little sad that Better off Ted didn't get the audience it deserved. And so help me, I actually liked Mr. Sunshine. It wasn't great, but Mathew Perry and Alison Janney were good enough in it.

I'll agree that if there's one thing about Speachless, it's that they have a family taking care of a handicapped child. And that's the ONE thing. It looks even more cynical and jaded than the O'Neals' previews did, and it makes the other shows look generic. It looks like it takes too many cues from The Middle (which took a lot of cues from Malcolm in the Middle itself) rather than Blackish or Fresh off the Boat.

Yes, Speechless just looks awful, honestly ABC comedy is just getting old. They never made anything besides the typical family comedy, with a "twist", it's just getting old and annoying, the only really good ones were The Muppets and Galavant, and you know how those turned out.

I find Galavant a special distinction of not being treated like a sitcom, not to mention the fact it's a midseason replacement warm up act for Once Upon a Time. Which sells the show really short, but that's what it was meant for, and it was lucky as heck to get a second season. The fact I find it vastly superior in every way to a glorified tweenage Disney fanatic's basaaaaaaaaad crossover fan fiction who's appeal beyond that tweenage focus group will continue to elude me aside, I don't think anything as "way too different" as Galavant should have survived one season, let alone 2. While another rant for another day, I love when the public whines about everything being the same and Hollywood running out of ideas, yet when something unique pops up as a TV show or movie, they tend to ignore the crap out of it.

Still...giving ABC some credit, at least they weren't behind that awful Odd Couple "remake" (in other words, much like Uncle Buck, they could have titled it anything and it would be the same show). I like Mathew Perry, I like Thomas Lennon (especially when he's on Bob's Burgers...heck, I loved him as the obnoxious, underprivileged customer with a classic Naboo space ship on an episode of Lego Star Wars)...but they make them both incredibly unfunny. Heck, I can't even say that other mainstream channels have sitcoms as good as ABC (with the exception of Brooklyn 99 on Fox).