2 of 6

Write now Article Tools

My Name is Earl is secretly a morality tale. It hides expertly behind the comedy but as you examine the show there is really no doubt. From the premise to the characters every bit of this show is created to remind us gently that our actions really do matter. But how is it possible that a television show that has at least as many moral messages as those shows we grew up watching as children like The Waltons and Family Ties is on in the era of South Park, reality televising, and Super bowl adds that are more risque than anything you could see on basic cable twenty years ago. The answer is simple and complex.

The simple answer is that this show is funny. From the opening credits there is rarely more than a minute without something that at least makes you chuckle and it often makes me laugh out loud. With characters who would be as funny in any other sitcom. From the stupid brother to the angry ex wife these are characters we have seen before, and though they often have more depth than you would find in other shows it is the premise which makes them something new. I think in many ways it is the morality of the show which makes it as funny as it is. It is far easier to laugh at the horrible thins that Earl did because you know that in the end he will find some way to make it better.

On the more complex side, this show is far smarter than it appears at first. Behind the stream of jokes, which on many other shows would make me feel uncomfortable, but on "My Name is Earl" we can sense that there is a good reason for those stereotypes. This is a show which is using what we often consider unethical or uncouth and makes us look at it in a new way. Through the eyes of Earl we can examine racism, sexism, and most importantly how our actions effect people far more than we think.

It is the inter-connectivity of our lives which forms the core of most episodes of My Name is Earl. From ruining his father's chance to be mayor through general misbehavior to convincing a gay man that he has to stay in the closet, Earl has effected everyone around him. And now he has recognised that he has continued to effect them. But instead of making their lives more difficult and in return having his life more difficult because of their condition he has began to improve those around him, and every time one of those people Earl helps is a little happier so is Earl, and that is Karma.

Learn more about this author, Elton Gahr.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about TV show reviews: My Name Is Earl?
We want to hear your view. Write now!