![]() Liz: I’d love to see your census numbers that suggest that the demographic you describe represents “half the country,” because I think creating that concept is honestly unfair to the real existence of diversity within this country, even in the Midwest. Embrace the future by recommitting to the past: That’s what “The Ranch” is all about. Those curse words you call careless I call commendable. ![]() I mean, where else can you see something like this in the modern landscape of ultra serious dramas, superhero series and comedies all-too-concerned with stroking their stars’ egos? In an era where meta humor reigns supreme, “The Ranch” serves as a reminder of what television was built on - likable stars and laugh tracks - as well as what it can become. Maybe it’s because you don’t see him trying so damn hard to sell the character, the way Kutcher does.Īnd this leads me to my final point: For as much as I’d like to pretend this show is as simple-minded as it pretends to be, it’s hard not to watch five hours of “The Ranch” and not end up convinced it serves as commentary on the current state of television. I also confess that I kinda got into Danny Masterson’s laidback work as elder brother Rooster. Elliott is easily the standout performer, and I liked the chemistry between him and Debra Winger. Liz: Damn right you wouldn’t let him see it. He deserves both, and makes the most of his opportunity so much so that by the time the 10 episodes wrap, just one last look from the mustachioed mountain man brought a single tear rolling down my cheek - not that I’d ever let him see it. While I’d prefer to see Elliott acting out scenes written by the “Parks and Rec” crew, I’m so very glad to see this veteran character actor get what I hope is a big payday for his time in the spotlight. I, too, noticed the paraphrased rendition of Ron Swanson’s famous line about leafy greens, but it just reminded me of when Elliott guest-starred as the “other” Ron on “Parks”: a hippie who pushed peace and love as much as Ron advocated for war movies and solitude. Speaking more to your first point, it’s Elliott’s performance that really holds this thing together. There’s something charming about it and him something that’s obviously kept him working over the years, and it’s what keeps me from loathing his impersonation of a small town kid who peaked in high school. Kutcher who does more than his fair share to support it.) Yet his lightly-tinged rancher’s accent doesn’t irk me as much as it makes me giggle, shaking my head as he tries in vain to believably blend in as Sam Elliot’s second-born son. (God bless the great state of Iowa, though, as well as the kind and generous Mr. A problem you don’t seem to have?īen: Buying Ashton Kutcher as anyone other than Ashton Kutcher is a bit of a stretch for me. Meanwhile, even though I know Ashton Kutcher is from Iowa and didn’t have an upper-class upbringing, buying him as just a regular fella is more than a bit of a stretch for me. Even when Roseanne was one of the biggest stars on television, she was still believable as a working-class mom. And that’s a discredit to the great legacy of blue-collar sitcoms, especially classic series like “Roseanne.” “Roseanne” is maybe the best analog, but it featured some truly great writing and grounded performances. Really, the thing with “The Ranch” that I find genuinely troubling is the fact that it seems far, far too easy for any critical disagreement over the series to devolve into a red state vs. Liz: Dated jokes? How about jokes blatantly stolen from “Parks and Recreation,” like when Beau (Sam Elliott) calls a salad “the food my food eats”? That’s what I find offensive about the comedy, especially because with sharper writing it’d be easier to engage with the show’s positive qualities, like the attempt to let moments breathe and the interest in pushing what a multi-cam sitcom looks and feels like. It’s aimed at a demographic that may not even know what Netflix is - just like Sam Elliott’s character plainly states in the series - and, for that, I can forgive it a few dated jokes. While some of the humor may offend Netflix users looking for progressive, subversive comedy like that found on “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Master of None,” this is very much the CBS comedy of the Netflix universe. READ MORE: The 15 Netflix Original Series to be Excited About in 2016īen: I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say that particular joke struck my funny bone, but, yes, what you found offputting and facile, I found homey and pre-meditated. And yet apparently I’m alone on this score? Apparently you enjoy repartee like “That’s not the vagina I thought I’d be in tonight?”
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