These TV Characters Would Never Fly Today — And We All Know Why

Cancel culture’s impact on Hollywood can’t be over-stated. 

The woke revolution turned frothy award shows into grim lectures about inequality, racism and the savage GOP politician of the day.

The mainstream movie comedy is on the endangered species list, degraded by rules that don’t allow for ribald, R-rated shenanigans.

Television has partly escaped the cancel culture impact. See amazing TV shows such as “Better Call Saul,” “The White Lotus,” And “Game of Thrones.” Yet some classic TV show characters wouldn’t cut it in today’s woke world.

They’re too problematic, too flawed to pass muster in the modern realm, at least according to social justice scolds. It’s a good thing they arrived prior to 2015, since modern platforms and TV studios alike might nix them before they ever entered our living rooms.

Archie Bunker

Archie Bunker is the best example of this pattern. Carroll O’Connor’s patriarch in “All in the Family” A man from another era, loud and rude. 

He was, in short, a bigot. 

Yet O’Connor played him with such depth that audiences couldn’t help sympathizing with him despite that crusty exterior. That’s to show creator Norman Lear’s credit. The famously liberal Lear knew that making Archie a weekly punching bag for Meathead (Rob Reiner), his character’s progressive son-in-law, would crush the sitcom.

Just imagine pitching an Archie-like character today and not making him the show’s villain. It’s darn near impossible, but in the free-wheeling 1970s, those creative risks made for legendary shows.

It also delivered magical TV moments, like when Sammy Davis, Jr. planted a kiss on Archie’s cheek.

Michael Scott

Steve Carell’s Michael Scott proved the ultimate workplace villain via “The Office.” Carell was the boss of Dunder Mifflin (a Pa.-based paper manufacturer) in the American version of the British hit.

Although he meant well or tried to be a good person at all, the results were often poor or insulting. It was also hilarious.

Esquire was informed by Carell in 2018 why a new show wouldn’t include a character like Scott.

“I mean, he’s certainly not a model boss. A lot of what is depicted on that show is completely wrong-minded. That’s the point, you know? But I just don’t know how that would fly now. There’s a very high awareness of offensive things today — which is good, for sure. But at the same time, when you take a character like that too literally, it doesn’t really work.”

He’s right, and it’s a cowardly response from an artist who should be defending both the show and an iconic character.

The Fonz

Henry Winkler worked for over 40 years, with memorable appearances in Adam Sandler comedies. “Arrested Development.” Arthur Fonzarelli, the cooler than cool biker from Italy, is his iconic role. “Happy Days.”

Original production Considered ex-Monkee Micky Donlenz Winkler was the right man for the job, and it would have a profound impact on his career.

The Fonz, as they affectionately called him, was a skilled mechanic who knew how to navigate a garage. He also had high moral character despite being a thugs. Yet the women in his orbit couldn’t resist his greaser charms, and he made no secret of his womanizing ways.

This part of Fonz’s persona would be difficult to achieve today. A modern Fonz would actually be dressed down and emasculated to empower his cast.

Alex P. Keaton

The minds behind “Family Ties” pictured the show’s hippie parents, played by Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross, being the center of attention.

Michael J. was his co-star. Fox had other plans.

His Alex P. Keaton, conservative to the core, went from a supporting player to the sitcom’s breakout star. Sometimes that happens, and there’s little a show can do about it but lean into the zeitgeist. That’s what the team behind “Family Ties” did, making it one of the ’80s best sitcoms.

But, today, Alex would be forgotten. He was unabashedly conservative, a Reagan fanatic, and also a decent person.

While he could be a bit of a joke, the show made him lovable and good. Imagine a sitcom in 21st-century creating a Keaton-like conservative, and resisting the temptation to dress him down every week. His arguments would be shredded every week by Alex’s liberal parents.

Barney Stinson

Neil Patrick Harris’ time on “How I Met Your Mother” His success was a proof “Doogie Howser, M.D.” These days are no fluke. Harris wasn’t the main character in the clever sitcom, but his womanizing Barney Stinson rocked pop culture.

Barney taught us some fun catch phrases like “suit up!” And “legendary!” Harris can wallowing in his chauvinistic instincts. They even produced books that were said to have been written by the character.“Bro on the Go”). The performance was made even better by the fact that a gay man played such charismatic lady killer.

Except now Harris’ Barney is wildly “problematic.”

His Barney repeated

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