To be fair, this show had some charming appeal.
But to be honest, it has a weak plot and it is preachy and cheesy. I could write pages about it's plot, but I'd rather not.
Diff'rent strokes was written in an era when critical thinking was uncommon. Most people only cared about the fact that a rich Caucasian businessman adopted two black kids from Harlem. Granted the show's debut in the 1970's, such a scenario would cause a shock to many viewers at the time. To express the shock factor in today's world, it would be the equivalent of a show about a homosexuals adopting children. Racial prejudice is still alive, but even in the 1970's it was sharper. Diff'rent Strokes ushered in a new school of thought, and a new way of portraying minorities in the media. As a result, no one cared about how flimsy (or even stupid) the plots were, so long as they were funny and broke down racial boundaries. On such grounds, I commend this show.
Personally, I feel like my IQ is dropping by one point every time I watch this show. It's so unrealistic. If one tried to relate anything about the real world to this show, they will find a severe discrepancy between fact and fiction. Like I said, it is charming, but part of it's charm derives from the flimsiness of the plots.
But to be honest, it has a weak plot and it is preachy and cheesy. I could write pages about it's plot, but I'd rather not.
Diff'rent strokes was written in an era when critical thinking was uncommon. Most people only cared about the fact that a rich Caucasian businessman adopted two black kids from Harlem. Granted the show's debut in the 1970's, such a scenario would cause a shock to many viewers at the time. To express the shock factor in today's world, it would be the equivalent of a show about a homosexuals adopting children. Racial prejudice is still alive, but even in the 1970's it was sharper. Diff'rent Strokes ushered in a new school of thought, and a new way of portraying minorities in the media. As a result, no one cared about how flimsy (or even stupid) the plots were, so long as they were funny and broke down racial boundaries. On such grounds, I commend this show.
Personally, I feel like my IQ is dropping by one point every time I watch this show. It's so unrealistic. If one tried to relate anything about the real world to this show, they will find a severe discrepancy between fact and fiction. Like I said, it is charming, but part of it's charm derives from the flimsiness of the plots.