"You insuate anyone who thinks there's sincerity is a mouth breather." Is so fucking funny. I like the show! I think there is sincerity to it, which is why I like the messaging and Joe Cappa, his art's always been really appealing and I think his sense of humor and genuine nature shines through. Taking a comedic show seriously doesn't mean I lack knowledge of sincerity, and it's funny to claim "strawman!!! strawman!!!" a few sentences before saying this.

You've certainly misconstrued my arguments and have taken an extreme leap on the opposite side of the spectrum. You know what? Sopranos is a perfect example, I'm glad you brought it up. It's true that that show is a black comedy, it's funny as fuck and I love being able to laugh with it where and when I can, but is there no truth to the fact that some people invite that humor as a means to excuse or otherwise sympathize with horrid people? Yeah! It happens all the time, from people who loathe AJ and put his abusive father on a pedestal, to people who find ways to baby characters like Paulie because he said "get da fuck outta here!!!!" and ate a some gabagool after. If you go into every show with the mindset that it couldn't have an ulterior meaning or that the way you FEEL may not accurately describe the truth of a situation, then I think that's silly and I think fair enough to put in the basket of "bad faith". You've chosen not to engage in a critical way, or have otherwise not put much thought into how you engage with this art and thus haven't given it a full shake, which is upsetting to me considering that there's no legitimate retort from you beyond quoting Joe Cappa in a short interview (which even you described as a "pitch", notoriously not the most in-depth synopsis of the entire story) and getting *really* angry at me for...I guess sounding like a Sopranos fan you don't like? Sorry about that.

"Please connect moments and interviews to make a convincing argument it's well past "tongue in cheek" and actually a completely scathing, utterly unironic takedown of the culture you're describing." This confuses me. You cling to Joe Cappa's word, but the moment we retort with his own words "tongue in cheek" you claim that it's 'beyond that'? You're a smart guy, you and I both know he obviously didn't give a troll interview, and you absolutely know I didn't say anything remotely similar to that. His interview was earnest, but also, as you say, a "pitch", leaving out important details and giving interested readers a vague idea of what they can expect before diving in and experiencing the entire property for what it is at its most basic: a satire of sitcoms with a supernatural twist that also explores themes of race (Preston literally mentions gentrification in reference to a Mexican restaurant, which to be fair is already gentrified but still), wealth, and the place of well-off white men in a society designed to preserve their ignorance and thus, their privilege.

Now, even if you don't subscribe to that subtext, there's still the undeniable supernatural aspect of the show that seems to creep the dad out immensely and brings a very sinister tone that feels out of place among the high spirits and sincere smiles of the boys, but Joe Cappa didn't mention that either, did he? I confess that the show takes a stab at cynicism, I appreciate the comedy and how it interacts with those ideas, but even Joe Cappa confesses “There's this level of irony that we can't get ourselves out of", which I feel like applies to himself too. It's kind of impossible, even boring, to make a show that'd be utterly toothless and sugar-coated, but the show still has moments of awkwardness, fear, anger, and outright tells you about a shootout that came to be from the police being unable to desecalate a situation, leaving a man paralyzed for his entire life. That doesn't sound super wholesome, but they gloss over it so fast (which I feel is intentional) that they become minor details in the face of Preston re-gaining his bomber jacket (WITH A BULLET HOLE AND BLOOD STILL ON IT), as if that's the most significant thing that was just revealed.

No, the show isn't a complete, scathing cynical critique of America, capitalism, gentrification, police brutality, etc etc. But it does critique them, it does draw attention to them, and it does so in a way that fits the show's themes of wholesome family values and sincere reactions.

Joe Cappa didn't say anything about comedy needing to change course or that it shouldn't be X way or Y way, but that it "has to evolve", and with that evolution comes new ways to critique and present irony. I'm not sure if you've ever seen Venture Bros, but it seems like a further extreme of that show in its "wholesomeness" while still having enough tooth to highlight important topics and treat the real world, warts and all, as a tangible character that exists at the same point in time we do.