Who's the Boss? vs. Charles in Charge

Started by Brick Stonewood, 2015 Apr 17, 19:07:04

previous topic - next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Select Character:

Who's the Boss?
Charles in Charge
Go Down

Brick Stonewood

2015 Apr 17, 19:07:04 Last Edit: 2015 Apr 17, 19:09:17 by Brick Stonewood
This thread is for very serious people to very seriously compare two 1984 fish-out-of-water housekeeper sitcoms. General deconstruction of either show, or the genre as a whole, is perfectly welcome, but please attempt to frame it within the context of comparison when applicable. I know we all have strong feelings on this issue, but please try to keep discussion as civil as possible.

McSleuthburger

I mean everyone was ready to crown "Who's the boss?" with awards (Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes) but I think people those days were looking for something different in television than what they are now. Charles in Charge is way too underrated in my opinion. They keep asking "Who's the boss?" but I think is is pretty clearly to see. We know for a fact that it is not Danza, to be honest after Taxi his career went downhill. Then there is Judith Light who didnt even look like she was trying. But in this small workaday world we have this small glimmer of hope. That hope being Scott Baio. Who's character I think really spoke to the socioeconomic times. I mean to be a college student and having to work, just to have a place to live is pretty astounding. People dont give enough credit to how forward thinking it was because they never experienced it but think about how common that is today. People working just to live. That is why I think Charles is the boss in charge.
Ye-olde ex mod
You've just been McSleuthburgered!

Brick Stonewood

I will agree that Who's The Boss? definitely had an advantage over Charles In Charge in terms of marketing, and that helped the show a lot in terms of awards and recognition. But a lot of the underlying reason behind that is simply that Charles In Charge season 1 started him off with the Pembrokes in the first place. I don't know what they were thinking with that setup, but personally, I think when CBS tried to can it, they had the right idea at the time, and he'd have never started working for the Powells we all know and love if it hadn't been for that, so naturally it was off to kind of a rocky start, and a lot of viewers are hesitant to jump in during the second season after a show has already established itself as an average or possibly even sub-par series. Of course, it came back and made up for it later, but I don't think it would necessarily be out-of-line to say that it took a good amount of influence from Who's The Boss? when they finally sat down to give the series the kick in the pants it needed.

Hybrid

In terms of pop culture relevance I'd have to say Who's the Boss? is the clear winner here. The last time I heard anything about Charles in Charge was when an a Capella group made up of a bunch of background characters from Scrubs were singing the theme song. Wibby-the-Bibby got a whole episode of Community based around it.

As much as I like Scrubs, when you've been referenced in something as great as Community you know you've made pop culture immortality.

Fun bonus fact: Did you know Buddy from Charles in Charge went on to play Bibleman? Weird how things work out, huh?

Go Up