Yeah, I know it was a mostly fictitious place and a mostly fictitious time.
Like some sort of junkie I’ve been watching all the Northern Exposures kinda back to back. I’m up to season 6 just now. And no, Cicely ain’t Mayberry. They do have much in common in many ways but there’s little of import that supports direct comparisons.
Why this post, you ask?
After working on a rather lengthy post comparing the two places, and real time today, I dumped it.
To many Mayberry exemplifies a moment. Cicely yet another.
Thing is… I can’t find anything on TV that does what those two shows did.
Kinda sad, but the question has been occupying my mind.
Any thoughts? Sports and News don’t count.
I always thought “Eureka” was kind of Andy of Mayberry meets sci-fi.
I think you should watch a few episodes of the following,
Community
Parks and Recreation
The Office
Big Bang Theory
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
you know I never could sit through that show when it came on. Nor I love Lucy. I was all about the shitty animation of GI Joe, and Transformers (cuz you know CARS TURN INTO FREAKING ROBOTS!!!) when I grew up I realized that those “old” shows were better, and funnier, than the shitty cartoons i used to love.
The GF and I love to curl up on the couch and laugh our collective asses off to Big Bang Theory, nerd humor will always be funny!
I think I know what you mean. Shows that had not much so an ensemble cast but an ensemble town. At home, at work, everywhere in between you recognize the people and the place as a “home”. I can’t think of another show like either of them. “Everwood” with Treat Williams made a stab at it, but it didn’t really work – they tried to inject too many “serious messages” in it.
You’re right, there is nothing on TV that comes close to doing what either show did.
I love them both and much of what Andy, Aunt Bea and the others addressed in the 60’s are things I try to live by now since becoming a father. I know, I know pie in the sky and all.
As for Northern Exposure, nothing tops the first three seasons. Especially the episode called Three Amigos.
I never liked the Andy Grifith show, mainly because I couldn’t stand that little twit Ron Howard. And I think that was my problem with the show, he needed an atomic super wedgie, but in Mayberry everyone was too nice to give him one.
I was a huge fan of “Leave it to Beaver” though.
And like proof recommended, I like Eureka (this season not as much), because its hopeful, its charming, and is written so that the clever members of the audience will get the science and jokes as well as being entertained.
I would add “Lassie” and “The Waltons” to the list.
There were two Mayberry series. The first–the best dang show on b/w TV was the original, The Andy Griffith Show. It ran for eight seasons and each episode made you laugh, cry, or both. One-round Barney was a scream, dumb as a brick, but with a heart of gold. People actually went to church on Sunday, respected one another, treated each other kindly and lived a simple life. You can easliy argue that Mayberry was too simplistic: After all, there were no riots, sex, drugs, acid rock, or protests, at least not that I can recall. Now TV is all about reality. I don’t get it. Reality we see in the news and on the street every day.
Deadwood…now there’s a community of characters.
Alice #5: You hit the nail I should have hit. Thanks.
Bikini Bottom.
Random thought of the day: I hate group projects, nothing like chasing after 20 year old “adults” for there damn powerpoint slides a half hour before class. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
Liked Mayberry until I learned about the liberal leanings of Andy Griffith. And Ron Howard looks like a goof with a moustache.
BEST B&W shows were “Rifleman” with Chuck Connors and “Have Gun – Will Travel” with Richard Boone.
Yeah, I like the westerns. Guilty.
El Marco #14: Can’t disagree with you. I do have my own simple sense of what might matter. YMMV
“The Wonder Years” showed up on Netflix streaming recently, and I’ve started watching it.
I never could really sit and watch that show as a kid when it came up on nick at night or whatever channel it was on at the time. Still can’t really, probably just too young or something. Kind of funny considering I love old film noir. Only TV I’ve watched and that I’ve liked lately has been Farscape, Firefly, Spaced and Dead Like Me.
I liked all of those shows…Lucy,MTM, Little House, My Three Sons…The kicker being that neighborly thing…As much as IL was choking me politically, it was sure nice knowing all the stores and owners and being recognized. Not only that, I had a street where when we were moving back to NC, I never worried about my kids being fed…Yep. We could all use more community.