The Ultimate TV Comedies Bracket -- Round One, Day Six
Skip to the end.
How many dominant routs are we going to have today? I can see at least two, but we might get even more! Or we could have two upsets. It’s all up to you so let’s get right to the vote!
(7) 30 Rock vs. (58) Family Ties: I mean, I like Michael J. Fox as much as anyone else, but Liz Lemon’s going to demolish Family Ties in this matchup, right?
30 Rock
Family Ties
(26) Spaced vs. (39) Enlightened: These shows have almost nothing to do with each other, but I just like the similarities in their titles. And admittedly, while I’ve seen all of Spaced — the show that brought us Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Edgar Wright before their films arrived — I’ve seen none of Enlightened. So sadly, I’m voting for Spaced, but I know there’s a passionate fanbase for the Mike White/Laura Dern show clipped below.
How do you vote?
Spaced
Enlightened
(10) Curb Your Enthusiasm vs. (55) Louie: If we did this bracket…say, eight or nine years ago, how much closer would the vote be? Though Louie always took a more cinematically stylish approach, there was plenty of similarity between the two shows, and Louie was arguably praised more by viewers and critics at the time. (And I count myself among the people who watched the show when it aired, so I’m not acting like I wasn’t an active observer.)
Now, of course, with the very disturbing revelations about Louis CK’s…uh…predilections, I feel like the vote is easy. I could see Curb winning either way, but I am sure Larry feels prett-ay, prett-ay, prett-ay good right now.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Louie
(23) Ted Lasso vs. (42) Modern Family: I think we can talk about exactly how successful Ted Lasso has been throughout all three of its seasons in the next round. That’s my way of saying that while I know Modern Family was very popular for a long time, I never found it terribly funny. (And it was a big headache in terms of trying to parse the mockumentary aspect.) For now, I believe in believe, even as I roll my eyes while typing that.
Ted Lasso
Modern Family
I voted for Curb because I think its highs (Palestinian Chicken, the whole Seinfeld reunion special story, the performance of The Producers) beat Louie's (probably the late night talk show arc). I can't really make it a vote against problematic people because, well, the last couple years haven't exactly been the kindest to a couple of the regulars on Curb either.
Ted Lasso vs. Modern Family is such a tough one because I just completely stopped caring about Modern Family after season 3 or so but on the other hand, Ted Lasso lost me like two episodes *into* its third season. Two shows that burned really bright for me for a little bit and then blinked out of existence. Voted Modern Family, though. Incredible ensemble.
I admit that I dropped off of Ted Lasso after the first season (thought it was fine but not essential, still don’t get the hype), but from what I heard about its last season, I don’t think it’s right to consider it a comedy. It’s at least on the same kind of dramedy level as The Bear. Still, I agree that Modern Family ran out of steam early and became exactly the show its critics claimed it was all along, so this is a tough one for me.
I’d also struggle to call Enlightened a straight comedy, but I love it so. It makes The Office’s attempts at cringe look absolutely wholesome, so I understand why it’s a tough sale, but I highly recommend it if you like Laura Dern. And who doesn’t?