10-05-2014, 06:53 PM
As a random aside, it IS possible for a sane, functional adult male to live his life in a pile of dirty underwear and Doritos. Or, in my husband's case, dismembered engine parts, random electronics and packets of biscuits. He understands the process of laundry and dish washing, but gets distracted before the 'putting it away' part of the process...
I always saw early Howard and his mother as an oddly co-dependent pair. They'd bitch and moan, but neither of them would ever seriously consider Howard moving out. It skirted the edge of dark comedy, but only worked when implied. The anvilicious writing kills the humour. As we've said, Howard was the one who paid the bills and organised the household before, he kept making the point that his mother lived with him, this downgrading him to henpecked sad sack is bizarre. And yes, a very tired and lame cliche. But then, this entire show not only runs on cliches, but on the dumbest, crudest versions of the same.
I always saw early Howard and his mother as an oddly co-dependent pair. They'd bitch and moan, but neither of them would ever seriously consider Howard moving out. It skirted the edge of dark comedy, but only worked when implied. The anvilicious writing kills the humour. As we've said, Howard was the one who paid the bills and organised the household before, he kept making the point that his mother lived with him, this downgrading him to henpecked sad sack is bizarre. And yes, a very tired and lame cliche. But then, this entire show not only runs on cliches, but on the dumbest, crudest versions of the same.