The Canadian audience basically exists in three attitude states about homegrown stuff. Group One is small and thinks that than anything produced in this country "sucks." Group Two is smaller and wishes they had a chance to see more good homegrown stuff on their TV screens. Group Three is the largest group by far. They don't care whether something is Canadian or not. Generally, if they don't watch a Canadian show, it's cause they haven't heard of it, not because they automatically think it's going to be bad. Group Four will watch it just because it's Canadian, no matter how bad it is. Oh. One more thing. Group Four is fictional.
Anyway, last week, commenter Blaine had this to say about Corner Gas:
Maybe Americans have better taste in comedy. The real question is why so many CANADIANS DO WATCH this show that so obviously DOES suck. I've tried a couple of times now and can barely sit through the first five minutes. Its just so bland, obvious and stupid. And I never laugh. I don't get it.So today, an American fan of Corner Gas posted a lovely little response to my long-buried "How Corner Gas Ruined Everything" post that I think deserves promotion. Blaine, maybe this answers your question. But probably not.
So, over to Spiff:
I'm American and I love Corner Gas, and I'll even tell you why. The shows in the US "push the envelope" and are "outside of the box" so much that they completely lack believability. The reality of my life is that I'm surrounded by average people living average lives and yet we still manage to be important to each other, just like the folks on Corner Gas. People who act like they belong on a US show (sitcom or drama) are obnoxious. You want to tell them to shut up and sit down. Granted, you'd want to say that to Hank sometimes, but it'd be because he's legitimately an idiot and not trying to be one. I hope WGN keeps airing the series for us down here!
Thanks for sharing, Spiff. Some of us think the show's nifty, too.
5 comments:
"Different strokes for different folks..."
or is that "old folks have strokes?"
The thing I like most about the show has more to do with the clever narrative twists they pull. Like the fourth-wall stuff the guy just mentioned in the Mosque interview.
Like, they mention something from when they were kids, so it cuts to two kids fighting, leading you to think it's a flashback, but then the adult characters walk by and Hank goes, "Hey, look at those kids."
Or they start a scene with two characters saying things to someone off-screen, then a couple scenes later, Hank has a flash-back to that moment, and now in context you understand what they were talking about.
I'm flattered by the consideration, but you're right Denis- it doesn't. But "Different Strokes" - fair enough. Its just a sitcom and its just television after all.(blasphemy on this blog I know - though I will cop to an abiding 'can't help it'admiration for its prolific devotion and obvious concern for its subject matter. I do still read it from time to time, after all.) I know plenty of people from rural Canada who find the characters in Corner Gas as tiresome and boring as I do and not remotely like 'real people they know' in any way. Two dimensional. What we urban Canadians think 'rural Canada' should be like. But whatever, again, its just a sitcom. Its not like I'm losing any sleep over it or anything. I just happened upon the blog that day and dropped a spontaneous comment about how mystified I am by all the Corner Gas worship out there. Perhaps a little harsh, I don't know. But in truth and to be honest I do think it 'sucks'. Sorry. No, wait, actually, I'm not sorry. But who cares what I think. All the power to them. I'm sure people show who love the show love all the goofy 'aw shucks' talk and those quick little transition things - and the fact that it doesn't stretch or challenge its audience in any way but comforts them. Perhaps its a sign of health in the Canadian Television industry that they have discovered a vehicle that can provide this for them. Its just not my thing. You're right about that Denis. But hey, while we are here and still on the subject and I will posit the opinion that other than perhaps the edgy and original 'Trailer Park Boys' Canadian comedy writing from what I have seen is a enduring a definite 'low phase'. Certainly when you compare it (again, to what I have seen) to all the best stuff coming out of the U.K. and the States. I haven't seen anything that just out and out floors me like The Chapelle Show, South Park, Family Guy, or Little Britain, or Ricky Gervais and 'the British' Office. This Hour and Rick Mercer and all that stuff isn't remotely as smart or devastating and brave as The Daily Show and Colbert, (which consistently kill) but that may have more to do with the material more than anything. I liked Twitch City. I thought the Jane Show had moments. And as for the true legendary shows (I feel) of Canadian comedy - SCTV and Kids in the Hall - there is nothing even remotely on their radar screen these days. And just as a point of fact, I don't think its easy to write really good comedy. I think its probably quite difficult and takes a lot of talent. And for all I know the writers and the writing may be there - at this moment - in this country. But like everything else in Canadian television - as this blog continually points out - I blame the Producers. I went to see Tony Nardi speak last year and someone in the audience said 'In America they are afraid to miss a chance, in Canada they are afraid to take a chance.'. Why should they? What's the incentive for them to take a chance as opposed to continually playing it safe. I have no doubt they know their audience and audience better than I do. There is nothing 'chancy' about Corner Gas. And obviously, thats just the way its fans and its Producers prefer it. God Bless Them. And will somebody please order me a chili cheeseburger while I am outside cleaning all the crow crap off the gas pumps. (yuck yuck)
"pease" out.
TYPO ALERT:
I meant "know their audience and their INDUSTRY better than I do.
'must proof read more thoroughly before posting'
whoops.
Blaine, Thanks for your considered reply. Couple points:
Your point about it being 'just tv' -- thanks for reminding us. I feel this myself and practice it in my daily life. What I do is meant to entertain people when they come home at end of day. I don't entertain illusions that it's important. That's how you do something that's actually important to people -- as an escape.
From your expanded comments, I think one tends to form a pretty clear vision of what your taste is and what you find funny. And I agree with you. In fact, if I can confide a little without it being turned against me, I tend to probably be far more in line with your taste than with CG.
I don't know if you work in TV, or want to, or if you're just reading the blog for interest's sake, but here's where the dividing line happens:
There are plenty of times I'd like to fall back on and indulge my personal taste. But that's the viewer in me talking. That's the viewer's job.
The professional in me knows that not everything is going to be to exactly my taste, and part of my job is being able to appreciate and find the funny in things that wouldn't be my choice if I was to seek out entertainment on my own.
So I might not love Everybody Loves Raymond, but if I see one on an airplane, I'm going to laugh. Because objectively, not filtered only through my own taste, it's undeniably funny.
Part of cultivating professionalism is seeing beyond your own taste, and separating, as much as you can, your personal taste -- the entertainment you would seek out if it was up to you -- and objective taste.
This is very different from calling a real unfunny turd a flower-- but before you can grok that, you need to grok the fullness of the totality I'm talking about.
I've written before about things like Dane Cook that I find desperately unfunny, and the perspective is concern: it bugs me if something that lots of people like is not funny to me. Not for ego reasons, but for professional understanding.
Anyway, if you're just a viewer, none of that should be relevant to you. If you're trying to work in the business, it's something you're going to have to contend with eventually. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Agree totally about the Kids and SCTV and tres jaloux that you got to see Nardi's J'Accuse. I was still out in Vancouver.
Best.
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