The Glass Teat, or How I Stopped Worrying and Started Watching Sitcoms Again.

Haven't watched any movies this week. Still got a few from last weekend's Blockbuster frenzy, though. So this weekend, some TV talk. Particularly, about the Genre That Won't Die (despite periodic declarations from the critical community that it has/is about to/should) - the sitcom.

As far as I can tell, my parents ONLY liked sitcoms (and Days of Our Lives, in Mom's case.) Granted, in the late 70s and early 80s, there were some terrific ones. We loved M*A*S*H, because it really was one of the greats. All In The Family was another favorite in our household (I'm pretty sure Dad wanted to BE Archie Bunker.) My folks loved Newhart in all his permutations. Cosby, Night Court, and Cheers WERE Thursday nights. My racist mother watched and apparently enjoyed The Jeffersons and spinoff-of-a-spinoff 227. I don't know how she felt about her kids loving Diff'rent Strokes, but she never stopped us watching it.

And after high school, and I moved out of the family home, it would be almost ten years before I watched another half-hour comedy with any regularity. South Park, for the record. Then Family Guy, when South Park stopped being as funny.

But about two years ago, my beautiful bride moved in with me, and before she did, I got a bunch of DVDs for us to watch. She was a big fan of House, so I got a season of it. Also 24, Psych, and Chuck. And, since we both liked Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan, I got the first season of How I Met Your Mother.

HIMYM, as it's known by people who don't want to type "How I Met Your Mother" a hundred times in one article, is the first live-action sitcom I've been into since... I don't know, Cheers? It's one of three that we watch avidly, and it's definitely my favorite. Mel probably prefers Modern Family (which I also love, and will get to,) and we both like Big Bang Theory (I'll get to that, too.)

p.s. Recommendations for other sitcoms to check out? We plan to check out Community sometime. And I don't care how funny "Raising Hope" is, it stars Garrett Dillahunt, and screw that guy.