I know that "funny" is relative - whatever tickles me off, would make another person frown or even angry but I still can't understand why The Marriage Ref, new reality show produced by Jerry Seinfeld, gets so much bad press and hatred. As the show which is geared toward the married couples, it offers the funny reassurance that no matter how out of hands things may get in your marriage there is always someone out there in even more puzzling and/or weirder situation. This show is not about looking too seriously at the marital problems but about all participants - the audiences, the couples who let their problems become public, and the panel of celebrities-advisers having good time.
I personally was more than surprised when I read all the negative comments about The Marriage Ref. To be accurate, I was not too excited about the whole idea before I caught the episode with Larry David, Madonna, and Ricky Gervais. That was hilarious. The best part was the interaction among the celebrities. They were natural and funny; they were themselves, and it worked beautifully. Larry David and Madonna bickering at the same show - now that's the match made in TV heaven...by a crazy angel. I want the show go on. It has potentials, and it is funny and enjoyable (at least for this viewer). Some couples, their problems, and the panel's reaction and discussions have became classics already. The couple with mother-in-low who dominates and smothers her 40+ son- psychiatrist's life and marriage. Larry's, Madonna's and Ricky's advices were priceless - talk to your mother three times a year and ban her from your house for the rest of the year. The couple with an iguana-pet that takes a wife's all time and devotion what makes her husband's understandably upset. Larry David's reaction was priceless, especially after it was revealed that the husband had brought the pet to the house. The Episode 3 with Martha Stewart, Cedric the Entertainer, and Jason Alexander - another funny 60 minutes. I was especially impressed by Jason Alexander. He proved to be very insightful, reasonable, thoughtful and funny guy. His remarks and advices to the couples and interactions with his partners were right to the point. I was entertained, I liked every minute of the show. I am looking forward for more and I hope that more viewers and critics will see what I see - a rare thing nowadays, a funny, witty, and very enjoyable TV reality show.
***Added on March 25, 10 after watching the re-run of the Episode 1 with Jerry Seinfeld, Kelly Ripa, and Alec Baldwin. ***
So, I've watched three episodes and I am a fan. I like all three because each of them has a lot of laughs, crazy, absurd and surreal situations as the footage of the couples from all over the country shows, and celebrities' discussions on the panel where they are relaxed and being themselves when faced with the situations one weirder then another. This evening the couple from Florida where the husband keeps his beloved Harley bike in the living room and refuses to move it out and also builds the shrine to Maria Kerry in the bedroom and can't take the eyes from his idol on the big screen TV, is the most surreal of all I've seen. There is also a cat that is creepily smart judging by the way it uses the toilet and with whom the husband seems to have a very close relationship. Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali would have updated their manifest of surrealism had they seen the tonight episode. The best, the funniest quote also belongs to the episode 1. The last couple on the show had the big disagreement about the husband's pet-dog, Zeus. Zeus constantly attacks the wife and bites her. He even bit 78-years-old mother of the wife. The husband tries to reason with the wife and tells her that the dog has been learning, and he is like a rebellious teenager. The husband says, "Remember when you were a teenager, what did you do? To which wife quite brilliantly replies, "I smoked; I hang out in the park. I did not bite people"
My verdict: The show is light, funny and entertaining. I have not gotten bored or annoyed. I was laughing tonight and I laughed while watching the previous episodes. The show is worth watching.
***Added on April 1, 2010***
Tonight show was a disappointment -not funny, predictable, and irritating. I did not like neither "panelists" nor the real couple with their stories. All subjects have been covered better in the previous episodes. I am changing my vote from 8 to 6
I personally was more than surprised when I read all the negative comments about The Marriage Ref. To be accurate, I was not too excited about the whole idea before I caught the episode with Larry David, Madonna, and Ricky Gervais. That was hilarious. The best part was the interaction among the celebrities. They were natural and funny; they were themselves, and it worked beautifully. Larry David and Madonna bickering at the same show - now that's the match made in TV heaven...by a crazy angel. I want the show go on. It has potentials, and it is funny and enjoyable (at least for this viewer). Some couples, their problems, and the panel's reaction and discussions have became classics already. The couple with mother-in-low who dominates and smothers her 40+ son- psychiatrist's life and marriage. Larry's, Madonna's and Ricky's advices were priceless - talk to your mother three times a year and ban her from your house for the rest of the year. The couple with an iguana-pet that takes a wife's all time and devotion what makes her husband's understandably upset. Larry David's reaction was priceless, especially after it was revealed that the husband had brought the pet to the house. The Episode 3 with Martha Stewart, Cedric the Entertainer, and Jason Alexander - another funny 60 minutes. I was especially impressed by Jason Alexander. He proved to be very insightful, reasonable, thoughtful and funny guy. His remarks and advices to the couples and interactions with his partners were right to the point. I was entertained, I liked every minute of the show. I am looking forward for more and I hope that more viewers and critics will see what I see - a rare thing nowadays, a funny, witty, and very enjoyable TV reality show.
***Added on March 25, 10 after watching the re-run of the Episode 1 with Jerry Seinfeld, Kelly Ripa, and Alec Baldwin. ***
So, I've watched three episodes and I am a fan. I like all three because each of them has a lot of laughs, crazy, absurd and surreal situations as the footage of the couples from all over the country shows, and celebrities' discussions on the panel where they are relaxed and being themselves when faced with the situations one weirder then another. This evening the couple from Florida where the husband keeps his beloved Harley bike in the living room and refuses to move it out and also builds the shrine to Maria Kerry in the bedroom and can't take the eyes from his idol on the big screen TV, is the most surreal of all I've seen. There is also a cat that is creepily smart judging by the way it uses the toilet and with whom the husband seems to have a very close relationship. Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali would have updated their manifest of surrealism had they seen the tonight episode. The best, the funniest quote also belongs to the episode 1. The last couple on the show had the big disagreement about the husband's pet-dog, Zeus. Zeus constantly attacks the wife and bites her. He even bit 78-years-old mother of the wife. The husband tries to reason with the wife and tells her that the dog has been learning, and he is like a rebellious teenager. The husband says, "Remember when you were a teenager, what did you do? To which wife quite brilliantly replies, "I smoked; I hang out in the park. I did not bite people"
My verdict: The show is light, funny and entertaining. I have not gotten bored or annoyed. I was laughing tonight and I laughed while watching the previous episodes. The show is worth watching.
***Added on April 1, 2010***
Tonight show was a disappointment -not funny, predictable, and irritating. I did not like neither "panelists" nor the real couple with their stories. All subjects have been covered better in the previous episodes. I am changing my vote from 8 to 6