Following the precedent set by the brilliant Jackie Gleason, yet never remotely matching the genius, endless tv "comedies" trot out the tired "sloppy useless oaf married to the hot sassy lady" cliché.
The message? Ladies, you'd best keep yourself as attractive as possible while never expecting anything good out of men. After all, there seem to be an endless supply of sexy, capable, forgiving women out there, but every single man seems to be as slovenly, dopey, and sometimes downright dangerous as the next, so you better just get used to it.
But they've warped "The Honeymooners" formula. Did Ralph Cramden ever drive his bus up onto a sidewalk, killing dozens of people while he was distracted by a sandwich? Did Ed Norten neglect his sewer duties to go out drinking, causing a dangerous build-up of gas that resulted in an explosion?
No, our generation has honed the archetype into an antihero not only devoid of positive behaviors, but whose selfishness often results in harm to those around them. And it's supposed to be funny. We're supposed to root for him to disguise and get away with his misdeeds, and even when discovered (because, let's face it, he's waaaaay to stupid to manage a cover-up), he gets nothing more than an irritated scolding.
These shows are not only tired and relentlessly unfunny, they are insulting to both sexes, married life, and families. Writers, if and when stop striking, please strike this formula from your repertoire.
If the executives say, "You know what we need? Another show like 'According to Jim.' Can you make me one of those?" -- go back on strike. No one will blame you.
