how would other sitcoms evolved after 30 years.

[gremlin]

was just thinking about how lotsw changed over the years with the times...notably the change in the use of language which was commonly accepted 30 years ago to what would be a complete nono today...bloody this and bloody that was a common feature used by compo and ivy and even clegg...and often with fags in their mouths, but i never heard anyone use the phrase "taking the pi **" in early episodes but there was certainly a use of it later said as "taking the wee wee".......but i digress slightly, what amused me was wondering how "steptoe and son" would have looked now had it lasted so many years, how do you think harold and albert would be behaving...and for that matter how would alf garnett appear today !!!

 

[wstol]

This is quite a complex topic, in a way.

For a start, some old programmes aren't shown now because they are deemed politically incorrect - yet many new ones are politically incorrect too. For example, compare It Ain't Half Hot Mum with the fairly recent Come Fly with Me. Both are funny. One is deemed racist, the other seems to get away with it.

Till Death Us Do Part was criticised for number of 'bloody's is one episode. You won't hear such a tame word in a typical programme now - it has to be the four letter stuff.

If Steptoe was re-made now, that would (not by my choice) have to contain more swearing, more violence, more depressing stuff.

Programme makers have their own idea on realism.

Derek is a new sitcom by Ricky Gervais. Quite good, though again relies on swearing. Sometimes programmes do work well with swearing, this actually being one. Yet it would also attract the extinct family audience if it cleaned up a bit.

To your question, how would Harold and Albert and Alf Garnett be behaving today?

Well, they were written by proper writers. No other writers took over. So it would depend entirely on who wrote it.

 

[gremlin]

i would not disagree with one word of that reply, it is a complex subject and may be worth pursuing...i was simply trying to look lightly, say for instance, at a scene from steptoe and son, being translated and shown today..

 

[wstol]

I suppose an up-to-date episode of Steptoe would have an aging Harold having to employ some Polish to help out with the business, and an even more aging Albert studying porn on the internet - 'you dirty old man!'.