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[Goodstyle]

Usually I'm against the arbitrary trashing of "white males" as practiced by some corners on the internet, but this is a thing I've been seeing way too often on TV shows.

Santa Clariat Diet
Trial and Error
Dirk Gently
The Grinder (which was cancelled before its time)
Love

And those are just newer shows I've been trying to watch recently, look at TV history to see way more. Watching the first 2 back to back is grating as hell. Listening to Olyphant in SCD, and then watching the main lawyer from Trial and Lawyer play the exact same character in a different setting is annoying.

There's too many of these white guys who are super squeamish, whine about everything, and then gather confidence to do something super ballsy out of nowhere which impresses their standoffish female love interest, only to return to being whiny weirdos. The worst part about them is that they seem so much like author self-inserts, probably the creator directing his fantasies and making them into a TV show.

And I'm not saying these shows are bad. I enjoyed SCD, and The Grinder should have never been canceled, but holy shit tv writers, find another type of character to centre your shows around. We don't need the same awkwardly talkative white dude whining about his non-problems every two seconds.

If this topic offended you, I'm sorry. I just feel like I've had it. Watching the first 2 eps of Trial and Error, and the main character is making me so mad. I've seen him a million times before, enough is enough! Find new ways to write this character. The Good Place did it with Chidi (I can't say more without giving it away), other shows can too.

 

[ZOONAMI]

I've literally never even heard of the shows you listed.

 

[SlimySnake]

I've literally never even heard of the shows you listed.

this.

 

[RoadHazard]

Well​, why are you watching all those shows then? There are plenty of other shows starring characters who are nothing like that.

 

[Ikuu]

Trial and Error was great.

 

[Robot Pants]

So bad tv shows no one watches.
What's the big deal?

 

[torre_avenue]

I've literally never even heard of the shows you listed.

Do you want a medal or something.

You could add "Big Bang Theory", "Monk", any police procedural starring a cop and someone who isn't a cop, and so much more.

It's a thing, I suppose.

 

[Jack Scofield]

So bad tv shows no one watches.
What's the big deal?

Santa Clarita Diet was good fun, you take that back!

OP, this reminded me of the main character in Hannibal. I don't know if he stays that way because I never watched past the first episode.

 

[SDCowboy]

Love is amazing. Great Netflix show.

 

[Trouble]

Here, I'll list some shows people have actually heard of.

- Seinfeld
- Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Scrubs
- Chuck
- Silicon Valley

 

[ZOONAMI]

So bad tv shows no one watches.
What's the big deal?

Yeah the follow up here is that I watch a shit ton of tv shows, are these like over the air network tv shows that are likely not worth anyone's time? Get some cable or something OP.

 

[KillerBEA]

I've literally never even heard of the shows you listed.

.

 

[Goodstyle]

Well​, why are you watching all those shows then? There are plenty of other shows starring characters who are nothing like that.

I'm not watching all, there will be drops. I watch a lot of TV in general, and these characters don't ruin the show as a whole as I said in my opening post. It's just a trope that shows up way, way, way too often.

 

[Fuchsdh]

I don't think some of the shows you listed, such as Santa Clarita Diet, actually fit into the mold of neurotic white guys.

That said, more broadly, I do think the neurotic characters (usually the white guy, but honestly it seems to crop up with other ethnicities just in supporting roles) is pretty annoying. I don't deal with those people in real life, why would I watch a show featuring them?

 

[a Master Ninja]

The majority of TV writers are neurotic white guys, and the first rule of writing is write what you know.

 

[freethoughtbubble]

Now that you mention it... Hm.

 

[norm9]

I wouldn't want to watch a neurotic palette swapped show either.

 

[Goodstyle]

Do you want a medal or something.

You could add "Big Bang Theory", "Monk", any police procedural starring a cop and someone who isn't a cop, and so much more.

It's a thing, I suppose.

Ya, a huge amount of tv shows are like this. I mostly listed newer shows to demonstrate the point that production of them is not slowing down one bit.

 

[entremet]

Those are some esoteric shows. Seinfeld and Curb are better examples but rather old.

 

[ZOONAMI]

Do you want a medal or something.

You could add "Big Bang Theory", "Monk", any police procedural starring a cop and someone who isn't a cop, and so much more.

It's a thing, I suppose.

Big Bang theory is terrible and Monk I've never gotten into.

The point is I watch a lot of tv and I don't really think this is some kind of prevailing issue. It's the golden age of television. There is a ton of stuff to watch.

And yeah I agree with Seinfeld and curb (Larry David is probably the definition of a neurotic white guy so it isn't surprising) but both are pretty dated now.

 

[sphagnum]

Love is an incredibly annoying show and I hate its protagonist.

 

[Kinyou]

Not sure there”s a single character in Dirk Gently who couldn't be described as neurotic.

 

[AoM]

Saw the title, and immediately thought Legion.

 

[ZOONAMI]

Saw the title, and immediately thought Legion.

Schizophrenic and neurotic aren't the same thing.

 

[Zen_Arcade]

Trial and Error was great.

This is the truth. Biggest surprise in a while.

 

[Baron von Loathsome]

The majority of TV writers are neurotic white guys, and the first rule of writing is write what you know.

Screenwriting major, can confirm.

 

[Brakke]

Dirk Gently books are good.

 

[Trouble]

Saw the title, and immediately thought Legion.

I guess. At least he's got a legit reason for being neurotic, though.

Schizophrenic and neurotic aren't the same thing.

Spoiler

He's not actually schizophrenic.

 

[DizzyCaffeine]

Plenty of TV shows out there, find something you'll enjoy.

Also, Love is about addiction and codependence, but whatever.

 

[HStallion]

I'm waiting for the show just called "Neurotic White Guys". It'll get 12 seasons

 

[Gorillaz]

The only show I know on that list OP put up was Love and that's beause Netflix always has that big ass spread for their new shows they sponsor on the main page and Love was there for like 3 weeks

 

[Shake Appeal]

There are too many [x] starring neurotic white guys, honestly.

 

[ZOONAMI]

I guess. At least he's got a legit reason for being neurotic, though.

Spoiler

He's not actually schizophrenic.

Yeah I know, but it's a hell of a lot more interesting than generally distressed white guy.

That's the other thing here, neurotic isn't a psychologically accepted term any more.

I don't necessarily see what the problem is with a white guy, or anyone else, being generally distressed. Usually all the other characters in a show with a "neurotic" white guy could also be described as neurotic.

 

[Hispanic! At the Disco]

Out of every show named in this thread, Seinfield is the only one ive seen more than one episode of (curb being the only other one ive seen at all).

Maybe you just like shows about neurotic white guys! ¯_(&#12484_/¯

 

[Saucestin_Roast]

Dear Neurotic White Guys.

But yeah maybe just find some other shows out there, OP. Don't keep ingesting kinds of TV shows you don't even enjoy.

 

[Trouble]

Yeah I know, but it's a hell of a lot more interesting than generally distressed white guy.

Most definitely.

 

[Oersted]

Here, I'll list some shows people have actually heard of.

- Seinfeld
- Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Scrubs
- Chuck
- Silicon Valley

Big Bang Theory and Boston Legal come to mind.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

Here, I'll list some shows people have actually heard of.

- Seinfeld
- Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Scrubs
- Chuck
- Silicon Valley

Even a mere mention of Chuck makes me want to rewatch the first two seasons.

Man, they were great.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

It's the writers.

Love Olyphant but you couldn't pay me to watch another second of Santa Clarita Diet. Found it to just be obnoxious and not even remotely funny.

I know exactly what you're talking about. This video nailed it when it lampooned how similar some of these shows are: https://youtu.be/nNRNCD-Xm5c

Spoiler

I like You're the Worst and Casual. But it's so true.

 

[Hubbl3]

Love is an incredibly annoying show and I hate its protagonist.

It really is.

It's a shame too because I really like Gillian Jacobs and I'd like her to find success after Community, but my god can I not stand her character in that show or the fuckstick protagonist. I tried watching season 2 and quit after the first episode.

 

[.JayZii]

That's because neurotic white guys are writing them.

 

[Oersted]

I'm waiting for the show just called "Neurotic White Guys". It'll get 12 seasons

Reminds me of this Mad TV classic

https://youtu.be/ZH6OUmsPA0I

 

[PixelatedBookake]

I think Big Bang Theory's popularity has something to do with this.

 

[Elegant Weapon]

I bet if someone else made this post, you'd call it arbitrary

 

[Chumley]

Love is an incredibly annoying show and I hate its protagonist.

I watched S1 but couldn't even get past the first ep of S2.

Gus is already really difficult to look at but his personality makes it unendurable.

 

[LosDaddie]

This:

I've literally never even heard of the shows you listed.

And also this:

I bet if someone else made this post, you'd call it arbitrary

Watch shows that you will enjoy, OP

 

[Team Alucard]

Male sitcom leads are universally terrible human beings.

I don't think I've ever seen one that I didn't want to punch in the face.

 

[Shredderi]

Male sitcom leads are universally terrible human beings.

I don't think I've ever seen one that I didn't want to punch in the face.

I have a really hard time trying to come up with a male sitcom lead that wasn't annoying/whiny/jerk/insecure and jerk because of it.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

I have a really hard time trying to come up with a male sitcom lead that wasn't annoying/whiny/jerk/insecure and jerk because of it.

Dan Conner.

 

[daviyoung]

So Woody Allen brand humour