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[Men_in_Boxes]

Seinfeld ended in 1998 with 76 million viewers watching the last episode.

Two and a Half Men starring Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer debuts in 2003 and quickly becomes Americas #1 comedy.

Can anyone explain this? What happened in those 5 years?

 

[SJRB]

Are we gonna pretend the first couple of seasons of Two and a Half Men wasn’t great comedy?

Can’t compare the two either way, completely different style of humour.

 

[YCoCg]

What happened in those 5 years?

9/11


Sorry that was too obvious.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Are we gonna pretend the first couple of seasons of Two and a Half Men wasn’t great comedy?

 

[GeekyDad]

Seinfeld ended in 1998 with 76 million viewers watching the last episode.

Two and a Half Men starring Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer debuts in 2003 and quickly becomes Americas #1 comedy.

Can anyone explain this? What happened in those 5 years?

Global brain damage?

 

[CGNoire]

Explosion of Reality TV circa 2000 diminished our collective IQ's.

 

[WhiteWaterM00se]

Friends, and Frasier were at their peak. Will & Grace and Everybody Lover Raymond hit their stride.

TV changed with the rise of “snarky” with the popularity of MTV show’s, South Park, Will & Grace, Raymond, Futurama, Scrubs, Curb your Enthusiasm, Family Guy.

 

[AJUMP23]

Winning.

 

[BlackTron]

From past personal experience, I don't trust people who hate Seinfeld.

 

[Papa_Wisdom]

 

[kittoo]

Seinfeld was peak comedy. Nothing has come close IMO.
And it was, at the same time, a masterclass in writing too.

 

[Punished Miku]

I think it was mass amounts of cord cutting. I remember watching Seinfeld and really enjoying it. Then I remember not having cable at all and seeing my grandma watch 2 and a half men when I went to visit.

 

[Soltype]

9/11


Sorry that was too obvious.

You're not entirely wrong, 9/11 changed american culture a lot more than people realize.

 

[Quasicat]

Jerry Seinfeld said in an interview that Seinfeld worked because of the cast and the consistency with the writing. Two and a Half Men was the same way for the first several seasons when the cast and the writing was consistent. It started to unravel once the show moved away from the original formula.

I think Seinfeld is better between the two, but Two and a Half Men has its moments until it started losing its cast and the writing team moved on to different projects.

 

[AJUMP23]

Y2K happened and that destroyed everything.

 

[StueyDuck]

you think that's bad, have you tried watching any sort of sitcom today like how i met your father.

Also OP you are skipping things great shows like Malcolm in the Middle and Scrubs which were in the early 2000s as well

 

[Scotty W]

The decline started in Seinfeld’s 8th season, when Larry David left. While it has a few great episodes, it is a big step down from 7.

 

[StueyDuck]

Seinfeld was peak comedy. Nothing has come close IMO.
And it was, at the same time, a masterclass in writing too.

I can see arguments for both seinfeld and friends depending on the person/age etc.

but lets not forget about one of the all time greats, only fools and horses. (unless this has to be american)

if we allowing adult cartoons then seasons 3- 8 of simpsons is still some of the funniest shit ever put to tv

 

[Ribi]

2 and a half men fucking sucked. It was awful TV and I wanted to walk into traffic anytime it was placed onto my TV

 

[Papa_Wisdom]

I can see arguments for both seinfeld and friends depending on the person/age etc.

but lets not forget about one of the all time greats, only fools and horses. (unless this has to be american)

if we allowing adult cartoons then seasons 3- 8 of simpsons is still some of the funniest shit ever put to tv

Or red dwarf.

 

[ADiTAR]

Will & Grace was also great. Started in 1998.

 

[demigod]

I have never watched a Seinfeld episode in my life.

 

[NeverYouMind]

Also OP you are skipping things great shows like Malcolm in the Middle and Scrubs which were in the early 2000s as well

Scrubs (2001-2010) was a consistently entertaining series. I liked it better than the misanthropic and cynical humor throughout Seinfeld (1988-1989). Could never bear to watch a full episode of Two and a Half Men (2003-2015) or The Office (2005-2013).

Personally, to me the last great comedy series was Taxi (1978-1983). It had the right mix of optimism and light-hearted humor.

 

[StueyDuck]

Scrubs (2001-2010) was a consistently entertaining series. I liked it better than the misanthropic and cynical humor throughout Seinfeld (1988-1989). Could never bear to watch a full episode of Two and a Half Men (2003-2015) or The Office (2005-2013).

Personally, to me the last great comedy series was Taxi (1978-1983). It had the right mix of optimism and light-hearted humor.

Taxi is great, I'd also throw cheers into that bucket.

Then like if you wanna venture out of that you can get shows like wings

 

[ahtlas7]

Seinfeld ended? I still watch it almost every day.

 

[Denton]

I enjoyed Seinfeld. I enjoyed Two and a Half Men (watched it for the first time few months back, actually). Kandi was the best.

Neither are as good as Red Dwarf or Curb You Enthusiasm though, as far as I am concerned.

And Lorre's best show is Young Sheldon (imagine my shock). Although I have yet to see Dharma and Greg.

 

[Highway Star]

King of Queens debut was Sept 1998
To me this show filled the gap when Seinfeld ended.

 

[TGO]

What the fuck is wrong with Two and Half Men other then then when Charlie left.
Season 1-8 was great and it wasn't that bad until the last two seasons
And I loved this woman R.I.P
She was hilarious
definitely someone I'd get along with real life

And obviously really loved Kandi, she might be dumb but she is so cute with it too

 

[Doom85]

9/11


Sorry that was too obvious.

 

[jason10mm]

Where does "Saved by the Bell" fit in this pantheon of TV comedy gods?

And don't even bring up Degrassi, we are all good pagans here

 

[Papa_Wisdom]

Where does "Saved by the Bell" fit in this pantheon of TV comedy gods?

And don't even bring up Degrassi, we are all good pagans here

Mmmmm kelly kapowski

 

[gaming_again]

at one point peak Frasier, Friends, Seinfeld, and ER were on at the same time.

I don't think Seinfeld will ever be bettered.

 

[gaming_again]

Or red dwarf.

I rewatched 1-6 recently. So good.

 

[Fart Knight]

 

[Papa_Wisdom]

I rewatched 1-6 recently. So good.

Smoke me a kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast!!

 

[*Nightwing]

 

[thefool]

Entertainment is a lot less funny that it was. We are going through a dark age, fun is absolutely not allowed.

 

[Pimpbaa]

Two and a Half Men had Megan Fox before she ruined herself with plastic surgery. She might have been underage, I’m not sure.

 

[T-0800]

I have never watched a Seinfeld episode in my life.

 

[Soodanim]

I have never seen the appeal of Seinfeld. It just isn't funny to me. I like comedies from before Seinfeld, and I like comedies after Seinfeld. I even enjoy what I've seen of Curb Your Enthusiasm, which deserves a special mention given the context. But Seinfeld? No thank you.

 

[GeekyDad]

Seinfeld was peak comedy. Nothing has come close IMO.
And it was, at the same time, a masterclass in writing too.

Well, it was about nothing, after all.

 

[bitbydeath]

How dare you OP.

 

[ManaByte]

The decline started in Seinfeld’s 8th season, when Larry David left. While it has a few great episodes, it is a big step down from 7.

The American sitcom peaked with Seinfeld.

 

[gaming_again]

Entertainment is a lot less funny that it was. We are going through a dark age, fun is absolutely not allowed.

Mainstream, yeah. Stand-up is better than ever imo. YouTube creators are putting out incredible skits, too.

 

[Rival]

Seinfeld is my favorite but I loved Two and a Half Men. At least up until Charlie left.

 

[ADiTAR]

Although I have yet to see Dharma and Greg.