I don’t know what time it was when I finally fell asleep the other morning. Darc and I had stayed up all night – not deliberately – just talking, and one thing led to another … and then at some point we got on the subject of TV shows and sitcoms we used to watch back in the day. Mostly I think we were a little puzzled that we didn’t always find funny the same things that other people seemed to find hysterical. We talked about humor and how there are different kinds that appeal to different types, and I came to the opinion that sitcoms tried to appeal to the lowest common denominator with humor to appeal to the widest audience. For instance, we both hated Married With Children. It was a show that made both of us grind our teeth in frustration, and we didn’t even know each other during the years it was on. During our chit-chat, we ran down lists of shows as they popped into our heads, comparing notes and thoughts on each. I think both of us realized we spent a lot of time watching shows as kids that we didn’t really laugh at, but still wouldn’t let anyone change the channel, like … The Munsters.
Oddly enough, one of my favorite funny shows as a kid never made it into the conversation. Saturday nights were reserved for the Carol Burnett Show and it was always 90 minutes or an hour well spent. I realize now that some of the humor was above my head at the time, but funny is still funny and when I see clips on YouTube I laugh harder than I did when I was a kid. There was a time when comedians tried to make us laugh and not simply shock us with language and crudity. I miss those days.
Here’s a taste for those of you who may have missed that time altogether. For those who were there, it’s a nice trip down memory lane. Enjoy. 
~~Ness~~
In defence of Married… With Children, I think it’s ability to be so incredibly lowest common denominator is actually pretty smart and lofty, mentally. I think it requires a lot of intelligence to pull off that level of sheer mind-numbing stupidity. Every character on that show is a stereotype driven to the extreme. But underneath all the dirty jokes and cheap insults were characters with depth. The original writing staff on that show wrote some great episodes. The character of Steve (who didn’t last the entire run of the show, too bad) was really great. The show definitely suffered without that character.
“I think it requires a lot of intelligence to pull off that level of sheer mind-numbing stupidity.” I can only say this: I used to be married to that level of stupidity, and there wasn’t any intelligence to it at all. It was simply stupid and the sad thing was that it was a stereotype come to life, without depth of character. Maybe the writers had more intelligence and creativity, I’ll give you that, but one of the reasons I hated that show so much was because it was all too real life for me. It was bad enough to live it, but to see it on TV too only added insult to injury.
And that is why you two are a perfect couple. You laugh at the same things and talk to each other. Right about now those things seem like the most important things in a marriage.
Honestly, never having had it before, I think it feels like some of the most important things in a marriage to me too. People talk so much about differences and opposites attracting and how those things are necessary somehow for a marriage to succeed. I’ve found that the similarities give us a common ground from which to build and grow; and that to me is a strength. It’s something I would wish for every marriage.