tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409620544534226465.post2075604570429080117..comments2010-04-23T12:08:12.518-04:00Comments on Obliquely Referential: Why Nobody Watches Better Off Ted (Maybe) Even Though They Should (Definitely)Justinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00900524204429831341noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409620544534226465.post-32525600864860000412010-01-27T01:20:28.032-05:002010-01-27T01:20:28.032-05:00In watching the many Better Off Ted episodes in re...In watching the many Better Off Ted episodes in recent weeks, I've been trying to piece together why the show doesn't quite click for me, despite having sharp writing and a solid cast. I see why it's a good show but I don't get why critics are so passionate about it, besides maybe just its underratedness. It's a show that for me is hard to get excited about, even though I know it's pretty good. Part of it is the cold, satirical tone, but I think part of it is also a lack of commitment to its cold, satirical tone, possibly forced upon it by ABC. ABC seems to always want its comedies to be light and bouncy, packed with jaunty, forced music and bright colors so we never forget that it's a comedy we're watching (Modern Family is also a few notches too slick, but has dodged the music bullet thanks to its mockumentary format). Better Off Ted benefits from the momentum of music, but I wonder if it would be "better off" with a score that wasn't trying so darn hard. Maybe if it had a lighter touch, like the Arrested Development music.<br /><br />This forced, incongruous jollity is also borne out by the corny, meaningless pun of the title (which is such a virtual parody of bad sitcom titles that I wonder if it was a turnoff for some viewers). As you've said, Veridian is practically a character in the show, and I wonder if "Veridian" or "Veridian Dynamics" or something that refers to the company ("Company Man"? Is that title taken?) would have made a better name for the show. Granted, no one would know what that means either, but it would have described the show better. <br /><br />Minor issues: <br />- Like many shows, BOT spun its wheels repeating jokes for several episodes after the pilot (Phil screaming, Linda's creamers) and got dull for a while. <br />- Ted's daughter looks nothing like him, and while she's adequate, her performance doesn't add much to the show.<br />- The Linda/Ted romantic tension was death, and the show got a lot better when they stopped focusing on it. Still, Linda's character is a bit all over the map, and sometimes it's hard to tell if her role is "neurotic," "quirky" or "idiot." I wouldn't mind if they had just committed to the "idiot" route since "quirky" always felt like it was trying too hard to be cute and was a little irritating.<br /><br />More in line with your point -- isn't there a way to do this kind of satire where the target is the company? Surely there is enough resentment of big businesses where a show could mock them without making it seem like the characters take their jobs for granted.Kennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02125259992970822694noreply@blogger.com