After a few weeks of venting about the current state of entertainment, I would like to be complimentary and pay tribute to an absolute genius. Matt Groening.
This man, along with his amazing staff has created three of the funniest programs ever to hit TV, The Simpsons, Futurama, and King of the Hill.
The Simpsons seems to have been around forever and, while it has lost a bit of pace, it is still funny. The older shows, however, are the best, as funny as anything ever shown on TV. They are irreverent, yet still maintain a kind of human sweetness about them, and take on every sacred cow in our culture without ever becoming mean spirited. Religion, sexuality, politics ate all skewered by a cast of wonderful characters.
Futurama is a bit different. It is a bit harsher, but still just as funny. The humor is sometimes a bit tasteless and the characters are not as likable, but that is just fine. By setting the show in the far future, they are able to deal with the current trends in pop culture in such a manner without offending. The humor is quick and you need to pay attention to the dialogue or you'll miss a lot, but the show is a lot of fun.
And then, we have my favorite, King of the Hill. This show is delightful. I have known many guys who are just like Hank Hill, guys who love work, are meticulous craftsmen, emotionally repressed, and, while deeply caring about friends and family, are comfortable when maintain a distance in those relationships. Hank has set ways of doing things and he loves his routines. Change is not his friend and he resents upsets. Still, he can always be counted on to solve almost any problem. Loyal and reliable, he is the essence of the American working man and a wonderful creation.
All of these shows are still around and I urge you to enjoy them all.
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