Welcome to the debut of the “Truth Teller,” the truths you need to hear or debate amongst yourselves from John Kincade! The debut edition involves the TGIF sitcom, and it’s sure to offend someone.
TV shows during the 1990s might have a good reputation, but look closer…
Friends Stole The Concept
In 1993, a sitcom debuted that was fresh and different. This show featured six singles living in New York City trying to navigate their personal and love lives. It was a great original idea.
No, it didn’t involve Ross and Rachel. It was called Living Single! It was a sitcom featuring an African-American starring cast. A year later, NBC released Friends.
I wonder where they came up with the idea of a group of six singles in New York City facing very similar storylines. Both shows enjoyed nice runs, but Friends became truly iconic. The stolen concept never comes up, and Living Single! has also faded from most people’s memories.
Then It Was Stolen Again
A year after Friends ended, CBS stumbled upon a unique concept. Maybe it wasn’t so unique.
How I Met Your Mother featured a bunch of young people living in New York City sitting around discussing their complicated romantic situations with a dose of angst and comedy. There was the wise-cracking Chandler.
I’m sorry; I think his name was actually Barney. This was complete theft. How I Met Your Mother never reached the status of the show it stole its premise from. Second theft is not the charm.
The TGIF Sitcom Was Perfect For Simple Comedy Fans
The laugh tracks, the cliche storylines, and the similar casting were churning out of the factory. The shelf life of these shows is even worse! If you defend any of these shows as “funny,” you are just overly nostalgic for the 1990s.
It’s hard to face the truth. Friends was a ripoff, and these four other shows were downright brutal.
Full House
It’s cute if you’re in grade school, but they’re awful puns even if you’re 12. It could have been groundbreaking, but it fell into the same old family sitcom hug-it-out resolutions. Dave Coulier? Popeye wasn’t even funny in his own cartoons!
Perfect Strangers
“Hey, that guy from Beverly Hills Cop was so funny in that scene with Eddie Murphy! Let’s cast him in a sitcom!”
Bronson Pinchot deserved better, but he should have tossed that script in the river. It got him a solid payday, but it also cast him into obscurity because of the part.
Step By Step
Step By Step was basically The Brady Bunch with one divorced spouse. Patrick Duffy ended his Dallas run, and ABC wanted him to be on Friday nights. They paired him with the “Thighmaster” spokeswoman Suzanne Somers and gave each spouse three kids.
They created a ’90s version of The Brady Bunch. It featured one of the longest theme songs in TV history. I figure the executives knew that the longer the song was, the less we would have to watch the boring characters.
Family Matters
The concept was potentially solid, then the side gag Steve Urkel took over the show. The dad in a sitcom is not supposed to spend more time parenting the neighbor kid than his own. Then, when they run out of bad jokes, they created a machine that turns the geek into a stud? Awful.
