MovieChat Forums > Rhoda (1974) Discussion > What do you think?

What do you think?

posted 11 years ago by timeywimey701
4 replies | jump to latest

I love this show, I really do - my third favorite sitcom, after Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke. But, something that bothers me is that nearly all the male characters on the show are extremely annoying, in my opinion. I love Rhoda and Brenda and Ida, and it's always funny when Rhoda's pregnant friend comes (I can't remember her name) and some of her other women friends. But I thought Joe was kind of a jerk (though he and Rhoda did seem okay together). The most annoying to me are Johnny Venture and Nick Lobo. I can hardly stand watching episodes with them in it. Gary was tolerable, but I didn't like him too much. Mostly all the guys bother me...any of Rhoda or Brenda's dates (Benny, Lenny, etc.), and most of the other men except for Rhoda's father. Rhoda's boss in the later seasons is good, but most of the others bother me. I know there weren't this many annoying characters on MTM or DVD. What do you think?

[–] horizonbeach 11 years ago

What do you mean by annoying? That they acted stupid, that they weren't funny, that they were boring? There are characters on this show that I like better than others, but I don't know if I would call any of them annoying, per se. Lenny and Myrna were boring, Sally was abrasive, and Jack Doyle was just, IMHO, not funny or a great addition to the show overall. While I didn't especially enjoy any of these characters, I wouldn't say that they really annoyed me, more like I just sat through the parts that they were in and enjoyed the rest.

[–] timeywimey701 11 years ago

I mean all of that - they act stupid, they aren't funny, and they're boring. And they just irritate me in general and it's hard to sit through scenes with them. I just don't understand why they all have to act so weird and stupid. Can't Rhoda have any "normal" male friends?

[–] horizonbeach 11 years ago

No, because if Rhoda had any normal male friends then the expectation would be that she would become romantically involved with them and then we would have Joe and Rhoda all over again, which the writers didn't want or they would have just kept Joe. By being quirky, obnoxious, egotistical, etc. it guaranteed that the men in Rhoda's sphere would never become serious love interests.

At least that's my guess, I don't know, but it makes sense, doesn't it? Remember the episode where Rhoda met a guy named Mike played by Judd Hirsch? He was too normal, too much like someone that Rhoda would really want to date, so he had to go.

[–] pvd295 11 years ago

I agree with horizon. By keeping them 'quirky', they didn't become a love interest for Rhoda. BTW, Hirsh was the ORIGINAL choice to play 'Joe' back in 1974, but another commitment (I believe it was a Broadway play) kept him from the role.

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