I recently got into an argument with a friend trying to defend one of my new favorite shows. LOST. While explaining to him that it’s basically the reason I started a netflix account, he gave me a look. It was a I haven’t seen 2 minutes of the show but I’m going to formulate some kind of opinion on it look.
“LOST is just Gilligan’s Island on acid”, he condescendingly explained to me.
Here’s my take on this. It’s kinda funny, its kinda true. But you could make some sort of similar depreciating comparison for any good show. Nothing is 100% original, its all derived from something else. It’s really just a cheap way to criticize a show without saying anything of substance. And also a cheap way of pretending you’re being creative. Any show can be cut down using the “z = x and y” equation if you really wanna do the math.
Dexter – Wonder Years meets Jason
Damages – watching Memento and playing a game of Clue ( Frobisher, in the bathroom, with the pocket knife )
Project Runway – MacGyver with a period
Golden Girls – Tales from the Crypt meets Sex in the City
Mad TV – Saturday Night Live with cancer
Numbers – Sherlock Holmes with a calculator
How I Met Your Mother – Friends with a Bob Saget narration
The Mentalist – Mrs. Cleo gets a detective badge
Aside from using this cookie cutter template of insulting. What kind of functioning, comprehensive mind still uses the “… on acid” analogy? I would like to see this and the ” . . on steroids” retired. I get it, its a stronger version. You don’t need to reuse some remotely clever line you’ve heard a thousand times. Here, I’ll tell you what kind of guy uses the ” . . on acid” analogy.
He used to drive a fairly new Toyota pick up truck in high school. Now he drives a 97 Geo Prism with 3-4 bumper stickers on the back that say things like. . .
– “my otha ride is YO MAMMA!”
– “Give me beer and no one will get hurt.”
– “Honk to see finger!”
There are two empty 24 oz Monster energy drinks in the cup holders. He’s on his way to Target to buy a babyseat because his girlfriend is preggers. Every time he says Target he pronounces it with a soft g and silent t, then looks around to make sure everyone got it. Nickleback is blarring out of the high preformance stereo system he had custom installed. His mom is always talking about how she “survived the 60’s”. The last two preformers he saw live were Larry the Cable Guy and Kid Rock.