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"The Osbournes" (2002)

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74 comments in total

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Your Average Family, 5 July 2003

Author: sh33na from MidWest

It's nice to see the human side of this family, that they aren't much different from anyone else. I didn't know much about them before the show, vaguely remember Ozzy back in the '80s. I expected not to like it, but it's strangely attractive. If you get the chance to watch without the bleeps, it's a much better viewing.

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6 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Breaking every rule of the usually straight-faced, serious, ego-nourishing reality series, "Osbournes" takes the genre and has real fun with it., 26 June 2004
Author: howTVshouldbe from star range: 1 - 4, expanded to 5 for classics

Network: MTV; Genre: Reality/Comedy/Documentary; Content Rating: TV-PG (for strong language and suggested profanity, adult content, crude humor and suggested drug use); Available: DVD: Classification: Neo-Classic (star range: expanded 1 - 5);

Seasons Reviewed: Complete Series (4 seasons)

In "The Osbournes" MTV cameras follow the real-life family of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne which includes his ballsy, eccentric wife Sharon and their bratty, but strangely endearing children, Jack and Kelly, as they move into a new Beverly Hills home and proceed to go about the daily minutia of their lives. As the show proceeds we see Ozzy on tour, Kelly promoting her debut album, Jack heading in and out of rehab, Sharon behind-the-scenes of her short-lived talk show and the general family squabbles and disarray between them.

There may be a generation gap when dealing with a show like "The Osbournes". Above a certain age people just won't "get" the irony that smartly, expertly, wraps around the subjects and brings this show together. People will either be horrified seeing the legendary Black Sabbath front-man of their youth shuffling around the house or be horrified at the show's appearance of chaos, bleeped-out vulgarity and juvenile disrespect. It is that sense of humor towards its subjects, that ironically juxtaposes the antics of this Gothic clan in the packaging of a happy-go-lucky 50s sitcom (in which Ozzy is hilariously billed as "the Dad"), that makes "Osbournes" work spectacularly where so many other straight-up documentary shows fail. The fundamental premise - a real family in a show styled like a conventional sitcom - is brilliant.

An endearing aspect of the show is still that it allows us to see a celebrity behind closed doors doing every day choirs. There is a strange joy watching Ozzy making smoothies, walking the trash to the curb and running around looking for a cat in the bushes. It is exactly what a reality show should be. "Osbournes" breaks the usual rule-of-thumb that holds the reality genre as a whole back: real people just aren't very interesting. Other reality shows take pseudo-celebrities or people seeking their 15 minutes and give them a serious, ego-nourishing love note treatment; assuming we care as much as they do. Unlike these straight-faced documentaries, "The Osbournes" goal is comedy and - breaking the norm - the Osbournes themselves are actually fascinating to watch. This is true whether you love them or hate them, because the show is so tongue-in-cheek that our likeness of the show and Osbournes themselves are not mutually exclusive. And whether it is real or stage or simply edited to maximize the laughs (which it no doubt is, a round of applause goes to the show-runners stitching this thing together) - it is fun TV.

"The Osbournes" debuted as a massive hit in its first season. A summer of relentless hype that followed effectively helped MTV reduce their only semi-intelligent series to a fad. But the show as a whole is so much more than the novelty of bleeped out obscenities. It is an unconventional series about an unconventional family that radiates more love for each other than most supposedly "functional" TV families. I adore Sharon, who will say anything to anybody, Kelly's honesty, Jack who may or may not be a violent sleepwalker and Ozzy - who, even with his hilariously indecipherable speech and burned-out body, is still a truly bright and witty individual. More interestingly, after season 1 the whole thing becomes a twisted looking glass - a show about subjects whose lives are now being effected by the show they are on.

It didn't go the initially side-splitting way I wanted it to (there are few things funnier than Ozzy heaving a log through the neighbor's window), but life had other plans and the show was forced to deal with one real life family catastrophe after another, including Sharon's battle with breast cancer. In retrospect, it did so in a respectable and humorous way. There are dud episodes, usually the ones that find the family outside of the home or on vacation, and a lengthy, wildly homo-erotic wresting match between Jack and deadbeat house-guest Dill rank as a series low point. But there are many turns into true episodic brilliance: Kelly's feud with Christina Aguilera (and the hilarious about-face ending), Kelly's filthy first boyfriend, Bert, and the provocative, reality-bending, season 2 finale are favorites. The show swung back with a vengeance in the 4th season, one that leaves the entire family seemingly at a satisfying place in their lives.

Funny, strange, original, wacky, messy and even touching. "The Osbournes" is very likely the greatest thing MTV has ever stumbled on and a high for the reality genre - one that I suspect to be to self-righteous to pull off something like this again. Sometimes it was like putting yourself through a spanking machine, but I will go out on a limb and say that this show will be remembered. MTV has now moved on to masterpieces like "The Ashlee Simpson Show", but this 4-year video record was the first and will likely remain the best of its kind. It is more than a reality show, "The Osbournes" was a unique reality comedy that had fun playing with the medium at the same time.

Sharon, Ozzy, Jack and Kelly - thanks for sharing.

* * * ½ / 5

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5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Step aside Simpsons, Survivor, Fear Factor, and the whatnot!, 13 May 2002
Author: wishkah7 from Brooklyn, NY. (Where I'm from originally.)

Now this is a reality show that's actually fun to watch. Here we have 'Prince of Darkness' Ozzy Osbourne living his every day life with his wife, kids, and his pets. The Osbournes have quickly became not only an overnight sensation, but TV's new favorite family! My favorite Osbourne moments were when the TV repair man tried to fix Ozzy's TV, and all you can see is a video of one of Ozzy's old concerts! Also, when Sharon tried to urinate in a beer bottle! And who can forget the way Kelly and Jack always go at each other and the bulldog who kept 'doing it's business' on the floors? Let's not forget when Ozzy got mad about having bubbles in his concert! "I'm the Prince of *bleeping* Darkness!" The profanity is obviously edited out.

In real life Ozzy and Sharon are animal rights activists. Plus, I've heard The Osbournes have signed on for two more seasons, and their eldest daughter Amy will have a place on the show. The Osbournes have given me a whole new reason to watch MTV again. They may as well be the modern day Addams Family! This puts all those other reality TV shows and lame sitcoms out of commission! Long Live The Osbournes! At least they're real people!

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5 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
I like this reality show a lot =], 6 October 2005
Author: Jessica Kolk from Brazil

I don't know if the reality show is fake or real since the last episode of the Osbournes, but besides this doubt that intrigues me, I liked a lot the reality show. I mean, who never had the curiosity of watching the life of a famous actor/actress or singer,with all that glamorous life of living in a mansion in Beverlly Hills?And is even funnier to see one of your favorite rockstars, who declares himself to be the ''prince of darkness'' cleaning the dog's poop,since it is the kind of situation you never imagine him to deal with. The only thing I stay sad for ,is the fact that The Osbournes only has 4 seasons, and I would love it to have more. Now, I am just waiting the second and third seasons to arrive here in Brazil.( I already have the first one)

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
it's f---in' funny!, 30 January 2003
Author: Angela L from manila, philippines

Believe me, when I first heard about The Osbournes, I was rolling my eyes. Here goes another rich rock star, being trailed around by cameras. But after having seen several episodes, it's well worth it!

They say they are the picture perfect model of the disfunctional family, and that everyone in US can relate to them, and I agree (but not about the US thing, i'm from Asia)! All the cursing and screaming between Jack and Kelly, Kelly or Jack fighting with Sharon or Ozzy. Especially "disagreements" between Ozzy and Sharon are HILARIOUS. It makes me you think that your crazy family is not the only one in this world. Take away the silliness, and you've got a loving family.

Even though the show is *sometimes* a pain because of the frequent bleeping and Ozzy's hard to understand accent, I had fun watching this show. I didn't know how real this funny reality TV could be!

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Great and Entertaining Show!, 5 January 2003
Author: Claire (ozzgrl662@london.com) from Seattle, Washington

The Osbournes is one of the best shows I have ever seen! It's funny, watching Ozzy throw logs and hams at his neighbors, and watching him yell at the ocean for it to (what else) "F*** off!" so he can have a fire for his wife on the beach. Besides the "F*** you!" every 8 seconds, the Osbournes are a normal family. Ozzy and Sharon give sex talks, Jack and Kelly have curfews, and there are always moments where, after a temper tantrum, Kelly hugs her mum and tells her she loves her. I think this is a really great show, not only is it entertaining but it shows that celebrities are just normal people!!

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
You'll LOVE it or HATE it-- no in-between!, 1 July 2002
Author: burntSienna (cknettel@hotmail.com) from Minnesota

Just watching Ozzy and Sharon on the Tonight Show, I "got" it, where the buzz was coming from. I hadn't seen "the Prince of Darkness" since Ozzfest '98, where women had his name painted on various body parts. Now here he was with his arm around his non-bimbo fuschia-haired wife of 20 years, dressed in black but with a goofy smile. I couldn't understand half of what he was saying, but I found myself hanging on every garbled word. He was so funny, so endearing, in a way I can't explain! I found "The Osbournes" to be the same way--hilarious and fascinating and endearing, inexplicably. I think it's largely the surreal juxtapositions of seeing someone "larger-than-life" live. Just watching him DO anything, from interacting with his kids, limping around his yard looking for his cat, or sitting coloring a picture...keeps me grinning. There are a couple people that hate this show (my aunt, Bill Cosby) and can't understand its success (and that's OK). That is because they don't latch on to its irony. With this show, you either "get" it or you don't.

You'll probably know in the first 5 minutes which camp you belong in.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Best F*$#ing show on TV!, 26 April 2002
Author: rm91945 from Washington, DC

I must say that when I saw the promos for this show it looked *interesting*, but I thought SURELY I'd get bored after the first episode. Not true! This is the funniest darn show I've seen ever on TV, and that includes old favorites like Cheers, Frasier, Roseanne and Murphy Brown. Forget that it's the best show on cable, it's the best show on TV, period! And this from a 37 year old who should be ashamed of themself for watching something like this. :)

Funny, irreverant, rude, crude, disgusting (all the close-ups of the dog's poo). It's all of that, and more. I've never laughed as hard as I have over a family's problems like I have for the Osbournes champagne problems (Kelly losing Ozzy's gold card when she wasn't even supposed to have it, or throwing fruit and hams at their noisy next door neighbors). I also love the way Kelly went shopping in Beverly Hills with her mother wearing pink, fuzzy slippers. Only in Hollywood.

Then of course there was the episode where Ozzy is absolutely AGHAST that Sharon wants to use bubbles in his stage show. ("Bubbles! Oh come on Sharon! I'm Ozzy f*%$ing Osbourne! The prince of f*&$ing darkness man! I won't do it!"). Ozzy seems to bumble through every situation while Sharon lays down the law. That episode where he keeps wanting to leave when they are busting the kids for smoking pot and having fake ID's comes immediatley to mind.

This is reality television at it's best. Forget Survivor, Temptaion Island, Fear Factor and The Real World. Forget Must See TV on NBC on Thursdays, now it's Must See TV on MTV at 10:30 on Tuesdays. This is the new milenium of reality television! Watch this show! You'll be awfully glad you did.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
What More Can You Ask For., 21 April 2002
Author: Jordan (stifler1000@aol.com) from Miami Florida

The Osbournes is with out any doubt the best show on right now. The Osbournes is funny and entertaining. The Osbournes are not your normal family television show. What's radical about this show is it isn't staged. The Osbournes don't read off scripts. This show deals with real life situations. When the Osbournes use the F word it is funny because they say it and it some how makes you laugh. I think Jack is the coolest one on the show. He's not like Kelly (who goes out there and tries to make she look like a fool.) Although Kelly is the most funniest one on the show because she always the one who says the F word. So if you haven't watch The Osbournes on MTV. You are missing out on a very funny show. The Osbournes come on at 10:30 E.S.T on Tuesday's on MTV.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
It's Like Watching a Train Wreck, 11 April 2002
Author: FABabe from Rochester NY

Totally engrossing. As someone who is way beyond MTV's prime demographic (being firmly ensconced in the 35+ demo), I should be ashamed of myself for loving this show so much. It's one of the best 1/2 hours on TV. Ozzy is a total burnout who just also happens to have enough brain cells left be a loving husband and father. Sharon has enough brains for the both of them and you can see that she and Ozzy truly love each other and their kids. The kids are teenagers, albeit ones who grew up on a tour bus and take the occasional private jet now and again. All in all a typical family of four...four-letters that it. And that's part of the beauty of it. They deal with real family life in surreal circumstances. These are good people who happen to be "f**king mad" and the result is total entertainment. I wouldn't want to be a member of the family, but I'd certainly like to be one of the neighbors, and I promise I'll keep the music down.

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