Did Anybody Watch Outsourced?

[Cap.Steamboat Willie]

It is hard to think what Hollywood thinks that America will think is funny.
(ouch my head hurts)

Remember ounce upon a time, the studios thought that a comedy series based on a WWII Concentration Camp would be a winner (Hogan's Heroes)...and it was!

I did not see the new show and have no desire to see it.

 

[Cap.Steamboat Willie]

It is hard to think what Hollywood thinks that America will think is funny.
(ouch my head hurts)

Remember once upon a time, the studios thought that a comedy series based on a WWII Concentration Camp would be a winner (Hogan's Heroes)...and it was!

I did not see the new show and right now have no desire to see it.

 

[FireDancer]

It is hard for me to imagine that ANYONE would think that this would be a show that would be fun to watch. How out of touch are the people who invested money in a show about people loosing their jobs.

Yeah, loosing your job, that is a real funny. Having to teach the person who is taking your job. That is even more funny. Real fun. It is so much fun for those employees who have worked for a company for decades, get fired so the company can hire cheap, incompetent overseas labor, and then have to find a job when they are in their 50's. I am just giggling away it is so funny.

Yeah. Funny show.

I hope the producer(s) are outsourced soon. Maybe they will think it is funny ....

Later,
Dan

I work in a call center, so I can't find a lot of humor in this show. And outsourcing itself has cost so many of my friends and family their jobs that the concept is just baffling. I don't think they stopped to take a look around and go, "Oh, wait a minute, there is a recession going on! Maybe this is a bad idea!" Save a few jobs, instead of **cough Dell cough* *Sniffle Citifinancial Sniffle**Gag AT&T Gag*. I have not been outsourced (yet!), but the humor to me is in poor taste.

Going by this logic then there could not be television shows about hospitals or medical staff (people know people that die and that could hit close to home), courts (a friend of a friend was wrongfully convicted so that hits close to home), shows that deal a lot with infidelity (my wife/husband cheated on me), or shows about divorced families (my parents were divorced and it is just too painful).

I find it a bit odd that there are so many people who think it is in poor taste to have a show about outsourcing yet none complain about medical shows. After all, sickness and death are far more serious then unemployment.

No matter what a show is about it is going to hit a bit close to home for someone. To say a show shouldn't be made because the subject matter hits close to home for you is hypocritical and inconsistent IMO.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Going by this logic then there could not be television shows about hospitals or medical staff (people know people that die and that could hit close to home), courts (a friend of a friend was wrongfully convicted so that hits close to home), shows that deal a lot with infidelity (my wife/husband cheated on me), or shows about divorced families (my parents were divorced and it is just too painful).

I find it a bit odd that there are so many people who think it is in poor taste to have a show about outsourcing yet none complain about medical shows. After all, sickness and death are far more serious then unemployment.

No matter what a show is about it is going to hit a bit close to home for someone. To say a show shouldn't be made because the subject matter hits close to home for you is hypocritical and inconsistent IMO.

I don't think and never said the show shouldn't have been made, but I do think it's poor timing. Maybe part of it is that it's a comedy. I'm not sure I entirely see the comparison between medical shows and Outsourced, but in general medical shows aren't comedies and don't try and make someone losing a loved one into something funny. Except for maybe Scrubs? But I've never seen that show so can't really comment.

 

[princessbride6205]

I Tivo'd the show and watched the pilot. I will have to check out the indie film version - sounds interesting. I thought the show was okay. I thought some of the cultural differences that arise in trying to explain the American novelties were interesting, but I don't see how those could be explored for more than a few episodes. There can definitely be a cultural and language barrier that is frustrating. Last Christmas Eve, I had the hardest time explaining the importance of Christmas presents arriving on time to the Shutterfly call center. It eventually got resolved satisfactorily but it took 2 different representatives and an hour on the phone explaining. (Gift did not arrive when scheduled, and the package tracking showed that my dad's gift was damaged and lost.)
Has anyone read "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris? I was reminded of a great chapter in there where he is in a foreign language class with students from a variety of cultures - and the way they try to explain to each other their cultural traditions in their non-native language is hilarious. Back to the show...
I think it's unfortunate for US workers and consumers that so many call centers have been outsourced to India, but it doesn't bother me that there is a sitcom about it.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Maybe it's just me because I manage a call center, but I just can't see this show making it. Personally, I really don't want to watch a show about people losing jobs here and the people who replaced them in India. Again, maybe it just hits too close to home for me, but I thought the beginning, with the empty room and someone throwing a brick through the window was kind of depressing, not funny. Plus I hate calling somewhere and getting someone in India that I can't understand. (cough, cough, Dell, cough)

I liked it, but I also was friends in High School with the guy who plays Gupta. We did a ton of plays together and such. It's strange listening to him do an accent.

I work in the IT industry and understand the issues with outsourcing and seen it hit home. But with a show like this, I look at it as... this is a TV show. It's a fish out of water comedy more about the culture clash than about the actual outsourcing.

I wonder if the economy was better OR if the show was about say Canadians or British or another country outsourcing, if people would think differently.

ALl view points are valid of course, I just choose to ignore the politics of it and watch it as a show similar to an Indian version of the Office (and there are some similarities definitely).

 

[yitbos96bb]

I don't think and never said the show shouldn't have been made, but I do think it's poor timing. Maybe part of it is that it's a comedy. I'm not sure I entirely see the comparison between medical shows and Outsourced, but in general medical shows aren't comedies and don't try and make someone losing a loved one into something funny. Except for maybe Scrubs? But I've never seen that show so can't really comment.

You aren't the only one who thinks the timing was bad for this one (even some of the cast were concerned about that)... honestly, if it fails, that will be why... BUT, it did do better ratings than 30 Rock and only 1 million less than the office.

 

[yitbos96bb]

It is hard to think what Hollywood thinks that America will think is funny.
(ouch my head hurts)

Remember ounce upon a time, the studios thought that a comedy series based on a WWII Concentration Camp would be a winner (Hogan's Heroes)...and it was!

I did not see the new show and have no desire to see it.

Seriously? If you are going reference something get it CORRECT!

Hogan's Heroes was about a POW camp, NOT a concentration camp. And before you say What's the difference, there are millions of Jewish desendants who can explain the HUGE difference.

Hogan's heroes worked because it showed the Germans as incompetents and the US as intelligent Heroes. It's what viewers wanted to see and it was popular.

 

[yitbos96bb]

I work in a call center, so I can't find a lot of humor in this show. And outsourcing itself has cost so many of my friends and family their jobs that the concept is just baffling. I don't think they stopped to take a look around and go, "Oh, wait a minute, there is a recession going on! Maybe this is a bad idea!" Save a few jobs, instead of **cough Dell cough* *Sniffle Citifinancial Sniffle**Gag AT&T Gag*. I have not been outsourced (yet!), but the humor to me is in poor taste.

To be fair, Dell did the majority of their outsourcing way before the recession... the majority of services was outsourced at least 5 years ago.

But yes its a tough thing to handle, and if that's what you'd focus on when watching it, you'd never be able to enjoy it. Makes sense for you not to watch.

 

[yitbos96bb]

It is hard for me to imagine that ANYONE would think that this would be a show that would be fun to watch. How out of touch are the people who invested money in a show about people loosing their jobs.

Yeah, loosing your job, that is a real funny. Having to teach the person who is taking your job. That is even more funny. Real fun. It is so much fun for those employees who have worked for a company for decades, get fired so the company can hire cheap, incompetent overseas labor, and then have to find a job when they are in their 50's. I am just giggling away it is so funny.

Yeah. Funny show.

I hope the producer(s) are outsourced soon. Maybe they will think it is funny ....

Later,
Dan

I've been in the hospital, had family members die, and it doen't prevent from watching medical shows. I've been the victim of crimes and known other victims and that doesn't stop me from watching cop shows.

Before you get angry at the producers or the people watching, remember that some people can separate the Socioeconomic and political issue with a TV show that uses it as a basis (to point out, it doesn't glorify the practice) and others can't. I know two rape victims, one can't watch any cop shows or scenes dealing with rape and one of them's favorite show is Law and Order SVU. Different people handle trauma differently.

This isn't a personal screw you from the producers. It's them trying to adapt a previous movie into a tv show. If you think its in bad taste, then the answer is obvious... don't watch. But this show isn't going to prevent or encourage more outsourcing nor will it change anything that already has happened. Simply don't watch and others will either agree or disagree with you.

 

[dmccarty]

No matter what a show is about it is going to hit a bit close to home for someone. To say a show shouldn't be made because the subject matter hits close to home for you is hypocritical and inconsistent IMO.

It would be in poor taste if the show made fun of the patients or if the show thought it was funny about someone being sick and dieing?

Which medical TV show made fun of people having cancer or being sick? I can't think of one but I do not watch any TV from the major networks. They have not produced anything worth watching in years.

So I am not hypocritical or inconsistent since I never made a comment on those shows. Much less watched one.

Later,
Dan

 

[slapwhitey]

I liked it, but I also was friends in High School with the guy who plays Gupta. We did a ton of plays together and such. It's strange listening to him do an accent.

I work in the IT industry and understand the issues with outsourcing and seen it hit home. But with a show like this, I look at it as... this is a TV show. It's a fish out of water comedy more about the culture clash than about the actual outsourcing.

I wonder if the economy was better OR if the show was about say Canadians or British or another country outsourcing, if people would think differently.

ALl view points are valid of course, I just choose to ignore the politics of it and watch it as a show similar to an Indian version of the Office (and there are some similarities definitely).

I'm with you on this one....except for being friends with "Gupta" although he is my favorite character.

I thought the show was funny and I will definitely keep watching. It's an interesting dynamic. I don't really find it offensive or in bad taste. It's just a sitcom to me.

Heck, years back when Kevin Smith made Clerks I was actually working as a Clerk and wasn't upset that he was taking shots at that industry. It was actually funny to me as I could somewhat relate. I understand that there are a lot of IT and call center departments being "outsourced" in the real world. There are industries all around us being relocated or shut down altogether whether it be the recession or simply going to the lowest bidder. It's not realistic to assume that these topics would be off base for television or cinema for that matter. I just think maybe this might be getting a little blow out of proportion.

On a side note, call me crazy, but I thought the brick toss and the pile of bricks beside his desk was hilarious.

 

[disneygirl 17]

I watched this and thought it was ok - probably won't make it as a sitcom though.

I will chime in with my outsourcing experience here - so half my department wa outsourced to India - they did such a terrible job that they brought all the jobs back to the U.S. It was nice to see it happen the other way around for a change.

 

[FireDancer]

It would be in poor taste if the show made fun of the patients or if the show thought it was funny about someone being sick and dieing?

Just like medical comedies use the medical field as a vehicle for comedy without making fun of the patients (for the most part) Outsourced is using the call center setting to make fun of the cultural differences without making fun of people losing their job.

Some people seem to have misinterpreted this show. It is not making fun of being outsourced, they are making fun of the cultural differences between Indian and the United States. Outsourcing is merely the vehicle by which the cultural differences are being introduced. That initial scene at the empty call center was a necessary part of the pilot to set up the premise of the show. Nothing more.