MovieChat Forums > The Real O'Neals (2016) Discussion > It isn't offensive, and it isn't horribl...

It isn't offensive, and it isn't horrible

posted 8 years ago by hannahbtcgte
27 replies | jump to latest

Here are a couple of tips, if you are an easily offended religious person, don't watch this show. If you are an easily offended gay person, don't watch this show. If you are an easily offended anorexic person, don't watch this show. Actually, let's just sum it up and say that if you are that easily offended by anything, don't watch this show, and maybe you should avoid other shows as well, I mean jokes nowadays are so offensive, wouldn't want to risk getting triggered.
Also, if you aren't a fan of the show, that's fine, but some people (such as myself) do enjoy it, and there's no need to be a dick about the fact that you didn't happen to enjoy a sitcom. Yes, it does follow the same formula as other sitcoms, almost every sitcom follows the same formula, especially the ABC Family ones. This show never claimed it was trying to start a revolution, IT'S JUST A SITCOM. Some people find it funny and some people don't.

[–] acwoodcraft-1 8 years ago

I've seen every ep. so far and I like it. I realize that it's a sitcom and not really meant to induce any deep thought or change the world. I remember my own experiences a couple years ago, coming out wasn't nearly that funny. Although I can relate to a lot of Kenny's anxieties. It'll be interesting to see what they do with it when he gets a boyfriend.

[–] hannahbtcgte 8 years ago

Interesting points, I agree

[–] emncaity 8 years ago

No need to be a dick about the fact that you happen to love a sitcom either. Or to pretend that you're more evolved, or less offendable, or whatever.

I guarantee you there are people who love this show who, if they were watching anything with a roughly equal level of "offense" running in the opposite direction, would be picketing the networks and trying to get it shut down, calling people homophobic and retardedly religious, etc.

I think it's not such a bad show, and it gets many of the Irish Catholic details about right, in a hyperbolic-comedic way. But it's wrong to act like you have to be not "easily offended" to love the show, when the truth is you just have to be not easily offended only in this direction, not in the other.

[–] hannahbtcgte 8 years ago

You make some good points, I was annoyed when I wrote that post and I think I came across way more douchey and obsessed with the show than I really am.

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

IT'S JUST A SITCOM.

That is a pretty lazy excuse for everything thinkable. The creators have to take the responsibility for their creation. Art is allowed to offend, but the artist should at least have an idea *why* he offends people and not do it for mere entertainment of others*. So "it is just a sitcom" alone does not get him off the hook there.

Also boiling the question of whether a joke is acceptable down to whether it offends anyone does not really do it. Satire is meant to be offensive, so it will offend. Then there are jokes offending nobody, which are not necessarily okay. A racist joke won't become acceptable, even if no black people can hear it. A joke aimed at a politician is no problem (as long as it handles the implication of the politicans work rather than his person), even if this person breaks down into a puddle of tears.

*Which for me is given in this show: The fun poked at the gay son usually is about his problems and the interaction, and at no point ridiculing his sexual preference as such. The jokes are about the social interactions much more than about being gay. Which is a lot less lazy than to say "it is just fun so it must be allowed".