Shark Bytes

Although I strontly disagree with the last poster's point of view, I am very happy that at least this page is getting some action. I have noticed that this board has been quite slow lately. Another board that has been pretty slow has been "Sitcoms Online". I have done all that I can think of to stimulate some conversation about the shows that I like, but have received very few responses. In any event, during the vast majority of the time that this show has been on the air, it has been my absolute favorite!

Apologies to the fans, but did anyone else experience actual pain from watching this? I sure did. It was about as painful as watching any given episode of Wings.

I know at least two major reasons I despise this show. First, to me, Paul Reiser ranks #2 in my Pantheon of the Unfunny (after Bob Saget and before the chevy chase-norm macdonald-kevin nealon 3-way tie for 3rd)

Second, I tend to dislike shows with a single person as producer, actor, director (God knows what other credits Reiser claimed in this one). These type shows always seem to be ego-guided and artificial, rather than a creative product from collaboration by a talented group.

I watched this show when it first aired and have every episode uncut either on DVD (first three seasons) or VHS (seasons four through seven). It started two of my favorite actors (Paul Resier who was best known as a stand-up comedian at the time and Helen Hunt who I've fantasized since she was a child actress - hey I was also a kid at the time.)

I loved the chemistry between the characters and supporting cast.

What made this sitcom unique is it was about two adults who were in love with each other. No kids, no absurd situations (she's not a witch, he doesn't have six ex wives who keep visiting, etc.)

The series was never good about internal consistency and was infamous about recasting new actors (Jamie went through three sets of actors who played her parents) but when the stories were good it didn't matter.

The first three seasons were extremely enjoyable for me. But then co-creator Danny Jacobson left to create "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place" (later shortened to "Two Guys and a Girl") and took much of the creative staff with him. That to me was the JTS moment - not because of a silly category like "Live, new child, birth, etc." but because of the creative changes.

The show changed from a story about DINKs (Dual Income No Kids) to Jamie trying to become pregnant and went into more and more absurd situations - going for the cheap laugh rather than the more sophisticated story where you get laughs along the way and an ending which makes it all come together.

I kept watching the show out of momentum and brand-loyalty but it wasn't the same. I was in the audience for the filming of one show and could see the ending coming a mile away - it was _THAT_ predictable.

I don't plan to get the later seasons on DVD, the VHS tapes I have are adequate if I want to watch those episodes.

Helen Hunt's movie career was taking off ("As Good As it Gets", and getting signed for "Castaway" and "What Women Want") and she wanted to concentrate on her movies. There were a couple of shows where she barely appears to accommodate her shooting schedules.

The creative staff wanted to end the show at the end of the sixth season, but NBC was desperate to keep MAY on the air. "Seinfeld" had just come to an end and NBC couldn't afford to lose another major sitcom anchor. So Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt each got $1 Million per episode for the final season. NBC should have saved their money, during the last season they were, for the most part, going through the motions although they did have a decent hour long finale.

And for those who asked during the last episode Mabel's narration does confirm that after Paul and Jamie broke up (in the 'future' after the seventh season) they ultimately got back together and lived happily ever after with an unscripted scene with Paul and Jamie and Mark and Fran in character in Central Park showing the two loving couples.

years later here is the truth...we thought J. Piven was the husband's cousin on Mad About You...if he was, too bad. If he wasn't, good for him. If he's on Entourage, OMG, can you say "Peter Principle"?
He's so bad.
Rainn Wilson deserved to win

I also have a vague memory of this episode. However, by the end of it, didn't Paul and Jamie end up back together? I felt pretty confident that the final episode ended on a positive note. However, if the rest of the series ever comes out on DVD, we will all get to reaquaint ourselves with that farewell episode and know for sure!

I liked this show until the final episode which is narrated by the daughter as an adult and reveals that Paul and Jamie had gotten divorced. What a major let down! Ruined the whole series for me.

This is the fourth time this evening that I have wittnessed a message that I had posted coming down in less than two hours! The first three were on the "Brady Bunch", "Caroline in the City" and "Facts of Life" pages of this site! However, for some reason, the one on the "Gimme a Break!" page is still up there. Go figure!

Just a quick comment to clarify, folks. By "last poster" I'm talking about the fellow before all of my posts, '5thbeatle'! I'd be completely out of my gourd to be talking about my own self! And you know I'm not out of my gourd yet!

I would say that, if there is such a thing as an eighth wonder of the world it is the fact that motherfuckers like the last poster exist! Wow!

Reading my last post, although it was written in the delirium of too much medication, it reminds me of Sesame Street again! I loved that show, especially the openness that Bert and Ernie were allowed to show in their relationship! That was very progressive for all those years ago!

Personally, I always had a thing for Bob on that show. He was a hottie! I sometimes think of him and Christopher Knight who played Peter Brady together, living with me in my little fantasy world. Oh, what a wonderful world that would be!

My last post on this page is one of a bunch that have been taken down in the last twenty-four or so hours. Anger about this is really gettting the best of me! At this point, I am really thinking that the idiot who likes to use me pen name has friends who work for this board and that he (or she) is able to pull some strings on the issue. However, who on God's green earth would want to be friends with a looser like this is really beyond me! However, I guess that, like a heard on a Sesame Street skit thirty-plus years ago, "it takes all kinds of people to make a world!

Just to clarify my last post, I wanted to make sure that everyone takes that from the right perspective -- I'm just commenting on the aesthetics of the womanly figure, not from a sexual point of view. I'd much rather have Paul Reiser in my bed than Helen Hunt any day (omg, just the thought of HH in my bed turns my stomach, sorry Helen!).

Of course, to add a comment to my comment, be sure to check out my comments over on the Caroline in the City page to see my comments about the completely adorable Malcolm Gets whom I would much rather bed than Paul Reiser any day. Mosey on over there and just read what I had to say about that little cutie...

I aggree with the last poster that Fran was a little on the bossy side. However, I do not know if I would go as far as calling her a bitch. As far as Jamie's bosom is concerned, I agree that she had quite a pair! She looked great in blouses or sweaters! Also, just like Fran she had a butt that looked pretty good in jeans. As far as Lisa is concerned, she tended to put herself down for being flat-chested. However, I thought that she had quite a few features that helped her look nice. I liked the color and style of her hair and I thought that her facial features were pretty attractive as well. Oh the memories!

I aggree with the last poster that Fran was a little on the bossy side. However, I do not know if I would go as far as calling her a bitch. As far as Jamie's bosom is concerned, I agree that she had quite a pair! She looked great in blouses or sweaters! Also, just like Fran she had a butt that looked pretty good in jeans. As far as Lisa is concerned, she tended to put herself down for being flat-chested. However, I thought that she had quite a few features that helped her look nice. I liked the color and style of her hair and I thought that her facial features were pretty attractive as well. Oh the memories!

I always thought that Fran was very sexy in the earlier episodes as well as Helen Hunt. I loved this show however, to me, Fran was the bitch. She was very bossy to Mark. If she was my wife and treated me that way, I would've left her also. Getting back to the sexy part, I loved when Jamie would where shirts that always exposed part of her belly!! Even when Lisa wore them too. On a different note: Does anybody know when and if their going to release the rest of the season"s? Email me at 5thbeatle@*******.net Thanks.

Smartboy- Helen Hunt's appearance began to change after the show Ally McBeal(sorry if the last name isn't right) became popular and actresses tried to look like the emaciated Callista Flockhart. I know actressess are under pressure, but when they give in and try to sell anorexia as a normal life choice, it's not something I want to see. I don't necessarily believe it was the network telling her to starve, I think she probably gave into her own fears of not being thought of as attractive or not being able to get work after the show ended. Either way, she looked really ill toward the end. Peace.