article in The Onion

[Zoe Girl]

The most recent Onion newspaper I had had an article about how there are no poor or working class shows right now. I read it and it is a good description of what little I have seen on TV. Mostly that when things happen in a show the consequences are never really shown. Such as one show they talked about there are often car accidents by the family however the show does not point out that they are paying off accidents or pinching a penny because their insurance went up. Money seems to be a non-issue in so many shows and i have seen that for awhile. When i was a kid the shows like Roseanne or even All in the Family and that one with the kid who said 'Dynooomite' all had financial issues come up at times. People got sick and had medical bills, people lost jobs, young kids were starting out and learning what that means.

I don't know about anyone else but I see unreality around money as a HUGE issue. It seems that money is the last huge taboo subject. And having that as a taboo subject gets people into trouble. I am thinking about how no one talked about sex in certain eras and young people made some mistakes around that, now we are not really talking about money and I can see the same thing.

okay, talk amongst yourselves

[try2bfrugal]

Rosanne was great because it was more reality based. We we get a some unexpected money we still use the line from the show "tonight we are all going to Sizzler and everyone gets their own plate."

[SteveinMN]

You also see it in shows like "Friends" and "How I Met Your Mother" -- people hardly working and yet living with homes (apartments), clothing, and accessories far beyond what their screen jobs would justify. More unreality -- and it fosters the expectation that "everyone can do it".

[JaneV2.0]

That's why it's called escapism--it's a fantasy world.

Speaking of fantasy worlds, I've noticed nobody on Grimm worries about money. http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/artists/cherna/Cherna-lizard.gif

[Miss Cellane]

The one show I can think of that does portray a family that has real money problems is "The Middle." The mom just got laid off from her job. The dad works. The daughter just found out how much her dad makes, and decided to cancel a school trip that was important to her, because she couldn't let her parents pay for half of it (she was doing a school fundraiser to pay for the other half). They drive an older car, and last season, the mom got a new dishwasher for a Christmas present. They aren't starving, but it's clear that there isn't a lot of extra money to go around.

Of course, they eat take-out a lot and have cable TV, but I think they have had episodes where they tried doing without those for a while.

The kids misbehave, don't get along with each other and aren't perfect little darlings--the oldest boy wanders around in his boxers, the middle girl tries out for everything and never gets picked and the youngest boy has a few very odd tics and is in a "social skills" class.

I don't watch it, but "Two Broke Girls" at least has the premise that the two main characters don't have a lot of money.

JaneV2.0--I hear you about Grimm. They all live in nice houses, with nice cars and nice clothes. Nick's mom has no visible means of support, but she can jet around the world. But I still really like the show, because it has some imagination behind it. And there's Monroe.;)

[Kestra]

Yeah, Roseanne was great. It made my family look happier and richer in comparison, while still being similar to my own life. I was always super jealous of the girls having boyfriends and moving out at such young ages, though.

I don't watch much TV, but I do remember an episode of The Big Bang Theory, where Sheldon just pulls out a bunch of cash, as he hardly spends any money and I was like: "He's a simple liver! He's one of us!"
I always do notice movies and shows where the houses/apartments seem cost-appropriate for the situation. It is refreshing as it's not common to see, I agree.

[iris lily]

This is where parental "commentary" about the tv show is invaluable. My parents always poked fun at these kind of tv fictions. It helps us kids develop discernment.

Patricia Heaton's The Middle is a show about a working class family where money is tight. It's about the only network show I watch regularly any more.

[JaneV2.0]

...

JaneV2.0--I hear you about Grimm. They all live in nice houses, with nice cars and nice clothes. Nick's mom has no visible means of support, but she can jet around the world. But I still really like the show, because it has some imagination behind it. And there's Monroe.;)

In Grimm, everyone in Portland lives in a beautifully-restored early 20th-century house (not too far from the truth) and most of them are keeping a secret, or so it seems. Personally, I'm captivated by Captain Renard--even with his little skin condition--and Monroe reminds me of the guys I used to hang around with in high school. Appropriately, because they shoot all over my old hood.

The only family-oriented sitcom I ever watched was Frasier--I like adult fare. I remember Niles having some financial woes when his marriage blew up.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I totally see the point of the OP's post. I was thinking myself of the first episode of Mary Tyler Moore - back in 1970 - just showed my age I guess - where she first moves to Minneapolis. She gets a small studio apartment in an old building - which is what her salary would get her in real life - today she would have much more space and leather sofas with granite countertops in the kitchen and stainless steel everything. She has her interview with Lou Grant and does some mental calculations in her head if she can make it on what is being offered - I always liked that scene. It shows she's not all about the employer but is factoring economic reality in, too. Rob

[bae]

There's always The Jerry Springer Show...

[Zoe Girl]

OMG bae, if Jerry Springer was real life then I would be headed to a buddhist monastery right now.

Oh wait, 3 blocks from my is the bad strip and the stripper bar. I wish I had a secret camera most days I drive down that road. Of course 1/2 mile west is such an amazing historic neighborhood, thats the city!

[bae]

OMG bae, if Jerry Springer was real life then I would be headed to a buddhist monastery right now.


My wife ran a free family-law clinic for some years. From her accounts, and from the number of clients and partners of clients who decided my wife needed some sense beaten into her *too*, well, I consider Springer a documentary show :-(

[SimplyL]

I just wanted to add that Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons got me through a rough year, after husband and I transferred. (We were carrying a mortgage and paying rent). It was a humbling time for us.. and transition. We would not be where we were today had it not been for that hardship. Those two shows really helped keep things in perspective and were inspiring. Understand where you're coming from. Can say in terms of Reality programming (ala Housewives shows), there's a lot of smoke and mirrors there. It's an escape. However, under the surface, a strong portion of those individuals are far from affluent and sure - they may have the income coming in - but they're spending everything and then some that they make (and some have even been involved in BK, lawsuits, evictions, foreclosures, repo's, etc.)

As for our family, we watch Little House on the Prairie, Waltons, 19 Kids & Counting and enjoyed the Bates (friends of the Duggars).. Though the Bates/Duggars all have great businesses and TLC income, they are pretty humble and aside from all of the traveling that they do, live pretty simply, more in line with our lifestyle (with exception of the fact that we walk/bike a nd well, we have 2 kids, not 19) :) Still, I can watch them and not come away thinking, 'How obnoxious - the wife went on a $20,000 shopping spree for crap she doesn't need, I could live on that in a year!' Instead they'll show the DIL excited about her consignment shopping, or everyone working togethers to repair something on their homestead, a special dinner out/birthday party at home where maybe the child receives a new bicycle (nothing over the top). I can appreciate and get into that.

I really think that the era of that reality escape is coming to an end and the pendulum will swing in the other direction, where more sitcoms will reenter our viewing, hopefully more reflective of everyday families. And the same for any reality shows that are on. I don't care to watch this Honey Boo Boo show, however, there's one loose example of a family who certainly is not flashing cash and oppulence yet seems to be wildly popular amongst viewers for whatever reason. Maybe falling in line with that 'Roseanne' element that we seem to be missing on television in this decade?

[Tussiemussies]

I agree with the OP view of television. Although I stopped watching it a year ago most of the same shows were on. Certain shows I liked a little bit like Cupcake Wars or Love It or List it. They all were competitive which I don't believe in that frame of mind. --

[ToomuchStuff]

There's always The Jerry Springer Show...

Why did you have to bring that up? I had neighbors whose accomplished goal was to be on that show.

That said, thinking of the Onion as a newpaper, is the same as thinking of tv as generally real. I have only one show I watch, and have watched it since I was a child, minus the few years it was off the air. It is entertainment/escape from reality.