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There is a slew of easter eggs in Raising Hope! I hope José can have a retrospective on that series, bridging the neatness between the two. Both are really great in the wholesome feeling.
What irks most about it is how it just..poof! ended it ☹️ I mean, I know it was a cancellation, so I guess…eff you person who canceled this amazing show!!! I hope they regret it. If there was ever a show that needed a reboot though…!
My Name is Earl is also one of a very few shows about a small town that actually feels like it was written by someone from a small town. Not just the culture, but even the consistent portrayal of the size. (Many shows like Smallville want to depict a small town, but constantly introduce shops and amenities that wouldn't exist in that town, just for the sake of a single episode's plot.)
Lana Lang being in high school yet simultaneously the owner and operator of a coffee shop is ridiculous. I know the characters need a place to hang but an Egyptian themed coffee shop in small town Kansas? Yeah I doubt that's gonna last long
Smallville also didn't understand the geography of Kansas. One of the first episodes, they go out to talk to "mountain man"... there are no mountains in Kansas, even the flint hills are questionable to call some of them hills. They were constantly making day trips from where ever Smallville was to Metropolis which is a port city.... also some times visible from Smallville, KS, a completely land locked state in the dead center of the continent. Even if we assume Metropolis isn't New York like it's implied to be, and say it's like Houston or something, that's still like a 10 hour drive from Kansas. Also after the 15th time of Clark warning them about the creep of the week being bad news, they'd stop of just accusing him of be jealous of the attention the creep was getting, and maybe believe him.
oh good lord. this was my main problem with Schitts Creek. It was purportedly about a small backwoods town, but the writers made it clear they only understood life in Hollywood. They put on a production of Cabaret starring all 12 townsfolk? They had a red carpet for Moira when she was in a movie? An upscale botique that sold eye lotions (and milk and plungers??) that was hugely successful in Pickuptrucksville USA? you know what I just hated that show lol
It's a small thing, but I always loved how Earl would reflexively close his eyes whenever he got his picture taken. Just one of those funny quirks the character has that doesn't really get highlighted, but makes them more endearing.
I always loved that bit cause i had My fair share of photos closing My eyes just for because the flash lmao, it was really Nice to see that small but prominent detail
What I love about this show is how it seems to have great affection for all of its characters. They may be trailer trash and daytime hookers, but they all have some good in them. In a comedy landscape where cruelty is commonplace, it made for a nice change of pace.
Honestly a great point, while it does go a bit iffy with some characters, it does show that they have value and skills that may not be noticed at first.
Yeah I agree. For quite a while it's been the norm to depict lower class/dysfunctional people in TV comedy, but this is one of the few from the era that feels like it was actually doing something constructive with the premise, and in a way that built on itself over time with its depictions of the various characters and their continual growth.
One way I loved how this show tackled community was the episode where Earl has to throw a funeral for a man he wronged, botching the funeral, being haunted by that guilt, and then bringing together a group of people who knew and loved that man through the online space that never really knew each other prior
I love you, Jose. This show was really influential for me. The theme that a scumbag could make amends and become better really resonated with me, and presented me with hope. I was a scumbag, from a line of scumbags. And I've spent my adult life trying to change and atone for my shit-baggery.
I loved this show when I was a kid/teenager, and it unironically helped shape my morality. Not in a literal karma way, but in the general sense of trying to do right by others.
Fun Fact: Jason Lee has be focusing his career on photography (specifically analog film and large format polaroid photography) and he's a damn good photographer.
he's also a very talented former pro skater! he had his own section in the legendary skate tape 'video days' which features future fine artist mark gonzalez, and directed by a young spike jonze.
This show always surprised me with how joyfully and gently it nudged the weirdness of the human experience. Emphasizing foibles and character flaws, but giving characters the opportunity to find how their self fit into their community. The writers were also great at have jokes hit you from out of nowhere.
a joke that I think about daily is in the montage of randy getting caught hiding who he really is to match various women, when he dates the jewish woman he comes out of the bathroom after a long time and goes "sorry, my foreskin got stuck in the zipper" ☠️
When I worked in fast food, we had a regular customer who would come in from time to time. It was our policy to ask for a customer's name after they order, to which he would respond, "My Name is Earl! Do you know that show?" As a huge fan of the show, I never forgot his name, or this memory. Nice guy, I hope he is doing well!
As far as I'm concerned, the ending Greg Garcia pitched in that reddit AMA is the canon ending I'd want for the show. It is the best conclusion for a person dedicating their life to doing good. Not to be shackled to it forever but just to become a better person and influence others to be better people.
Yeah at first I was like wtf? His got the list he should finish it. But after re-watching the entire show last week I actually love that idea for an ending. The purpose of the list was to grow, and by doing that he caused a ripple effect that made others want to grow to. Not to mention if they did that ending it could still be made into a movie or final season even though it's been 10 years since the show ended.
There's one big elephant in the room, nobody really wants to touch/address: The influence of Scientology on the show. The two main acts Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee are/were members of the church of Scientology. As well as prominent supporting roles/extras, like Giovanni Ribisi and Juliet Lewis. I don't know about the people in the background working on the show, like the writers. But I'm certain that Scientology had their hands on the show in one way or the other. Was he asked about it in any way at the AMA, on Reddit?
@@yannick245 The only impact I think it would of had was them not touching anything to do with scientology-like cults in the show as to not piss off it's two lead actors. Jason Lee said in an interview that he hadn't been involved in scientology in many, many years and that was back in 2016 so I would't be surprised if he stopped being a scientologist half way into Earl's run, he had a lot going for him at the time so distancing himself from them might of been a career move. It probably had a small impact on the show but not much, Scientologies beliefs wouldn't really interfere with a show like My Name is Earl
I watched 6 months ago on Hulu not expecting much of it, but Man did it surprise me, it was uniquely funny and absurd at the same time but in a good way. This show feels like a more likable and positive version of "It's Always sunny in Philadelphia.
There's one big elephant in the room, nobody really wants to touch/address: The influence of Scientology on the show. The shows creator Greg Garcia. The two main acts Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee are/were members of the church of Scientology. As well as prominent supporting roles/extras, like Giovanni Ribisi and Juliet Lewis. I don't know about the people in the background working on the show, like the writers. But I'm certain that Scientology had their hands on the show in one way or the other! _Edit: There's an article, published on The Guardian named "My name is L Ron Hubbard", by James Donaghy, who diggs a little into it._
@@PeterGriffin11 There's an article, published on The Guardian named _"My name is L Ron Hubbard",_ by James Donaghy, who diggs a little into it. Google it! You can still find it online.
That episode where it's revealed that Joy and Randy knew each other as children is this incredibly meaningful moment for me. Just this little wholesome ode to the childhood we left behind, of innocent kid crushes and simple joys. An incredibly portrait of nostalgia that grows in meaning the older I get.
Watching Jason Lee go from pro skater to top notch actor warms my heart. Always admired him when I was a skater, and I'm so happy to see how successful he was in a totally different arena.
One of the greatest shows ever. Certainly the best casting, in my opinion. I can't imagine a single character being played by a different actor. No matter how many times I've seen it, I always laugh out loud and get hit in the feels.
growing up my name is earl was the only show that actually felt like it showed what avg low income middle Americans are actually like without feeling like it was shitting all over the kind of people I spent my days with.
This! I grew up in a pretty rural southern community and everyone loved the show because it portrayed us, our problems and our stories, without making us seem like jokes or putting us on a pedestal like some other shows sometimes do.
I'm sure I'm not the only one that would love to eventually see a deep dive into Raising Hope. After you mentioned My Name is Earl in the last deep dive, I ended up rewatching Raising Hope and it's still excellent.
Seconded! Raising Hope was one of my favorite shows, and bears the honor of being one of the only comedies my mom not only tolerated, but loved and watched with me every week.
I love how Greg incorporated raising hope into the my name is earl universe as well, and bringing back some of the actors from my name is earl into the series as well like Jaime Pressley playing the next door neighbor of the chances
One of my favourite details is Earl pronouncing "illegitimate" wrong every time he says it throughout the show. It never fails to make me laugh. Probably my favourite show with a lot of nostalgia attatched to it.
I loved the bits of him always closing his eyes while getting a picture taken. I Always imagined the final shot of the show being him getting his picture taken with his list finished and you see his eyes opened
@@DarcyWalker Yes, it's such a great detail!! It reminds me of my cousin who also can't take a picture without blinking 🤣 That would be an incredible way to end it. I wish they would've finished it 😭
I loved the video, but mentioning how much he repairs his relationship with his father, but not mentioning the episode where his dad crossed an item off the list while he was in a coma belongs on your own list. I tear up every time he whispers that he never gave up on him. Most heartpulling moment in the whole show.
My mom passed away from breast cancer while the show was going on. The theme of an ordinary man trying to make up for the bad things he had done really touched me.
Jason Lee is such an enigma for the public eye. Anyone under 40 probably could pinpoint his voice if you ever hear it (I've heard it in a couple cartoons the kid of house watches for instance). He is an extremely popular but still heavily untalked about actor. Like, I never really hear people talk about him, and a lot of people probably can't remember his name half the time, but if he is on screen, you will be able to point him out.
I remember this show very vaguely but not enough to know how sweet the story was! Ps. Joy's style and fashion is such a serve those flowerlike hairpieces and ribbons ? Slay.
In a way Earl got his happy ending, his great reward, Dodge…. He always wanted his own son, & in the end that’s what he got, he wasn’t ever expecting it either, but the son he wanted most was right by his side. So, I’ve gotta say it was a satisfying ending for him, but we are left with Darnell’s story
This show was a very huge comfort show, I really love small details they put in for Earl as well, like how he closes his eyes in every picture or even having a sensitive tongue to spicy food, even that iconic face he makes when someone around him says something interesting, just adding mini details like that really made Earl feel more real and even relatable, I now sometimes find myself making a similar face whenever someone tells me something interesting, My Name Is Earl should at the very least get either another season or a movie, just one more time on the screen to wrap up Earl’s story.
This show was honestly one of the most important shows for me as a person. My mother owned the first season on dvd and I watched the heck out of that season. It made me want to be like earl and do my best to be a good person to everyone. Even as a very dumb pre teen, I saw how his actions made the small minded town such a better place and it really inspired me. I will always hold this show in a special place in my heart ❤
I've never seen that alternate pilot before, that's awesome. One underrated bit is earl only wins 100,000 dollars in the lottery but everyone acts like he won the powerball. Great little joke that is especially funny if you're from a small town
I found this show when I was pretty young, during a really painful time for my family. There was so much pain and hurt in that house. I started watching because it was funny. But as I watched, I found the framework of the kind of guy I wanted to be. I was young, I didnt know how to help anyone I cared for, and it killed me. But this show showed me that even if you don't really know what youre doing, you can still make your life and the lives of others better. I've carried that with me since then
I love that possible ending where Earl inspires more karma lists. The show already shows how good deeds touch others, it makes sense that his and Randy's constant mentions of and accomplishments from the List would inspire others to adopt the idea.
When I was in middle school, I watched this show every day when I got home. At the time, my mom was sick due to cancer and I had to stay somewhere else. My science teacher offered and she made me feel welcome. I get a big hit of nostalgia when I think about this show, and you just made those amazing memories come flying back. Great video my man!
Holy crap, I _just today_ watched the last episode of My Name Is Earl after putting it off for over a decade. What a somewhat alarming coincidence. "Look, Earl! Fancy smoke! Aww, it's making me sad!"
Me and my brother are almost a decade apart; the generational divide was very obvious throughout our upbringing. Regardless of that, we always had eachother's backs, regardless of consequence. One of the reasons why My Name Is Earl stuck so hard with me.
I remember growing up on this show and even watched the pilot when it aired. It was one of the first shows that made me realize as a kid that anyone could change and even taught me that even if the apology isn't accept that you can still at least make an effort to apologize or right the wrong. Even if you get told no and pushed away, which is reasonable, at the end of the day you know you did try when a lot of people don't bother. People lose faith in humanity too fast these days. There are people out there that really do want to change and honestly, this show makes me cry every time I do a full watch through and get to that last episode. I kind of wish we could have more shows like this again. We have so many of the same sitcoms and shows with the fake canned laughter, but this show was so funny and had a nice message. Earl did terrible things, but at the end of the day he does everything in his power to better himself even if it sucks for him at the end.
I was surprised that Jason Lee's skateboarding wasn't mentioned. He was a pro skater before he went into acting. Most relevant here is that just after the show ended, he played Coach Frank in the video game Skate 3, who speaks in a similar manner to Earl and also has a moustache.
Oh how I loved this show! Not only is it a good story with wild characters, it’s HILARIOUS. Just that visual of them trying to smoke the carrots reminded me of the joke and made me laugh out loud. I bought the first season on DVD and any time I was feeling down I’d put on a few episodes and it would always do the trick.
I also love how its a moral story, that is really creative and earnest and does not feel forced at all, because earl is damn likable in his misadventures. And Human. Extremely human. And why doing the right thing matter and not being the worst. And show why (while being hillarous)
I love that you included the Paley Center panel with the main ensemble. The prompt for the question was something along the lines of "What appealed to you (Jamie Pressley) about Joy, someone who is an abrasive person on the surface?" and the answer Jamie gave made me see Joy very, very differently. I love this show because you can tell that even at the show's relative low points, the cast is always working at giving long-term nuances to the character.
I've rewatched this show more time than I can count. Knowing that i can redeem myself while doing my best to help the community around me is the one of the reasons why I decided to go back to school and try to be the best version that I can be.
I wasn't sure if you were gonna do this one and I'm so hyped that you did. Earl felt special to me because it was often absurd but highly optimistic about it's world, even when it was a crapsack world. Always a comedy but it had a lot of heart to it too.
I actually got a little teary eyed by your descriptions of the show a couple of times. Very well done. I think I may have to binge that show again. Thank you for this.
This show started airing when I was in 5th grade. I watched it with my parents every week. Definitely formative media for me. It’s been a while since I last watched it, but I was an adult. I’m glad you included the “hole surgery” joke, one of my favorite in the whole show. Even with all the transmisogyny, I think MNIS was one of the most well-intentioned shows I’ve seen.
Growing up as a closeted transmaculine man, I didn't have a single good male figure in my life. I didn't realize how much this show influenced my outlook on life, and what kind of man I want to be. I'm not perfect and I've made my own list I can't always atone for. Yet just like Earl, I can always take steps to improve myself or try to help others improve their situation. Thanks for giving this series some love, it meant so much to little me
god, completely same boat. all of the male figures in my life fell short but this was airing as i was growing up and i always internalized how much i wanted to be like earl. what a great tv show, no idea it'd help with my transition so much
Fellow trans-masc with negative male figures growing up who watched this show! Growing up I couldn't really picture what kind of man I wanted to be (and still struggle with it tbh), but this show is a wonderful place to start. I grew up in a very small town myself like in the show (but even smaller lol) so it especially holds a place in my heart. Keep up the good work and stay safe friend!
I work in a grocery store and about a month ago I met the guy who plays kenny. Let’s just say I was so excited that I told him how much I loved this show. 2 weeks later I got his autograph. But when I met him he told me he’s as gonna meet with Greg Garcia about making a my name is earl movie.
I'm a simple man. I want one last My Name is Earl movie, just to close out the show. They already have a good enough premise. Remember they had one joke where Earl stole Christmas? Earl Saves Chrismas. "He's making a list, and checking it twice!"
I don't think its doable. Jason Lee left Scientology & Ethan Suplee is still part of it. It's part of Ethan's religion now that he has to shun Jason Lee.
As a Jose, the “as a Jose…” caught me completely off guard, very much a Spider-Man meme moment. I love having something playing on the background while I do other things, and found myself having to pause it, make lunch and just sit and watch. Great video and good job Jose.
I was so upset when this showed ended on a cliffhanger!!!! Never seeing it come to a conclusion is one of those things that will always make my life feel incomplete. It did feel like Raising Hope revisited My Name Is Earl at times, yet that show also seemed to end unceremoniously.
Man. There's something about these shows that's so comforting and wholesome. Even in Earl, where characters backstab and torment each other there's this underlying theme of love and respect. Basically, I want to live in the universes all the shows you've covered exist in.
This show must have inspired me more than I ever realised. I've spent the last couple years apologising to people I've hurt in the past, trying to become a better person. That scene with Earl begging his dad to believe he's changed is crushing, that's a very real experience. Thanks a lot for the video, i needed this. Off to go pay it forward.
God this show is such a nostalgia trip to me. I myself have a simplistic view of morality, and I think it was influenced by this show. It went off the rails towards the end, but there’s so much *good* throughout the thing. The story makes you feel better about people
Yep, its somehow a moral tale, feel good and extremely humanist. I mean how the show really shows the humanity and the value of it and doing the right thing. And very creative and fun while not being complicated. And reaffirming that humans are flawed but people and worth it, and can be so good. And somehow reminds me of terry pratchet, i guess the way how it really has a positive deep impact. Or that both have to lively imaginative world with endearable yet very flawed characters.
I absolutely love this underrated series and even bought the DVDs and watch it once a year. Earl despite having done some awful things in his life you find yourself rooting for him every episode as his heart is always in the right place, even though the 3rd season was a little weird with the coma storyline I still enjoyed it as Joy, Darnell, and Randy started doing Earl’s list for him which not only brought them closer together but also they seemed to appreciate how much effort Earl puts into doing the right thing. Hopefully if this show has the giant resurgence that The Office and Community has found than Earl can comeback and finally wrap the story up
Teacher Earl, GED, Job, The Trial, and Bad Earl are by far my favorite episodes, and have saved my life on several occasions. I can't thank this show enough for what it's done for me all these years.
As far as mainstream, primetime network sitcom of the 2000's goes, My Name Is Earl was definitely one of them. It had an amazing premise. And I still to this day believe that it has the *best* pilot episode I have ever seen, for *any* show. From my research, there were no unaired pilot episodes. So that makes it even more impressive. Because most pilots you see, are the 4th or 5th pilot they made, before they finally settled on everything. And even then, major plot points, and characters often get changed from the final aired pilot during the first season. So the fact that Earl changed nothing from the pilot is a testament to how great that pilot is. And the entire first season is great too. However, I do feel it fell off badly after the first season. Which is such a shame, because it had such an incredibly strong first season.
This is the first sitcom you’ve covered I’ve actually seen! I love this show, despite some parts maybe not having aged well. I’m glad that it’s qualities of redemption, hard work towards such, and the quirky qualities of the show, were something you also enjoyed.
I absolutely LOVE my name is Earl!! there are absolutely zero video essays about it and that makes me so sad. I adore this show and I just gobble up video essays about shows I love
Honestly they could totally do a reboot that’s 15/20 years later and answer questions while still finishing the story. We can see joy with a new husband and maybe she’ll be pregnant or have more kids haha and earl can finally have a house and maybe randy will have an S/O. Earl can still be working on his list with the original ending still in place. After 20 years of doing good his message made it around the globe and he’s made a positive change.
I really enjoyed this retrospective a lot! My Name is Earl was very near and dear to me, especially when it was on syndication a while back on TBS where it was my comfort show during college. I do think about the show even to this day, despite the fact that I hardly browse television anymore, so it was nice to look back on it and remember some of my favorite moments, the third season in particular certainly being a unique way of storytelling an entire arc.
The writer have a brief synopsis of the last episode, basically Earl found even more people he had wronged and started to think his mission would never end, but then before he gave up, several people who had wronged him previously came forward to make it up to him. They mentioned that they were doing this because they heard someone had been going around making up for past misdeeds to improve his life, and they found inspiration in that and tried to do good as well. Here Earl realized he had made the world and the people in it better, and knew he could stop and live his life. Would have been a tear jerker of a finale.
This has been SUCH a nostalgia dose. My name is Earl was such a nice show, part of good times for me and to my shame, I kinda forgot it. Like that cartoon you forgot existed until you're viscerally reminded by seeing the intro... now I gotta rewatch it :D
It would be cool if Netflix picked it up for 1 season in a similar way to how Dexter was later revisited, set in 2024 reflecting on the past 15 years and the end of his quest
They either had a crazy music budget or classic rock songs were super cheap to license back then because this show has banger after banger pretty much every episode.
The tunes they used to back up a scene moment were spot on and satisfying. Hearing "Black Betty" when Randy was doing his football upped my respect for the series and its creativity.
There was a second reference to My Name is Earl in Raising Hope, where a TV show mentions a man who has finished his long standing list to help out people that gets cut off prematurely. It is an odd reference because the show both implies it's a TV show, and a real thing, but my head canon is that in the universe of Raising Hope, My Name is Earl is based on a true story.
I’ve never been made this happy by a CZcams title in my life. I literally can say the words with the characters I have watched this religiously since I was a child
One of the continuity things that got me was when Earl and Randy were talking about which animal they would want to be and Earl said he wouldn't want to be a cat because he's allergic. Although in the cat lady episode he's handling a cat.
I always love these retrospectives. I greatly appreciate the insane amount of work that must go into these. Much respect, Jose, and I can only hope you get around to a Better Call Saul retro in the future.
Thank you so much for making these retrospectives!! They are amazing. I've now connected very deeply with the stories of characters from shows that I never would have even known existed if it weren't for your willingness to go to such efforts to analyze and talk about them in the way you have for years now. Thank you for that.
I just discovered your channel yesterday and all these deep dives are so good they are all making me cry! Damn I just want a day off work where I can watch one of these shows (golden girls, sabrina the teenage witch, any of these shows you've covered). Got me feeling all nostalgic 😢
my dad loved this show he used to watch everyday while it was on air, it’s cool seeing this little crossover between my favorite analysis channel and one of my dad’s favorite tv shows.
This was a fantastic series retrospective! I watched My Name is Earl with my sister after she bought the boxsets on sale at Vintage Stock a few years back. We both loved the series and were bummed it didn't get any sort of definite conclusion.
Extra note: in a throwaway line on Raising Hope, there's a tv announcer that covers Earl finishing his list
Odd he didn't mention it.
@@logandials it's a background line, and it was really easy to miss. Maybe 5 seconds.
There is a slew of easter eggs in Raising Hope! I hope José can have a retrospective on that series, bridging the neatness between the two. Both are really great in the wholesome feeling.
@@Grimfatex amen brother
No way
“Since Johnny was never gonna remember, it felt right that someone never forget.” Goosebumps. I miss this show so much.
That was amazing! I minimized the window at the exact time that this was said and read this comment.
agreed it was not only funny but could be really touching at times.
What irks most about it is how it just..poof! ended it ☹️ I mean, I know it was a cancellation, so I guess…eff you person who canceled this amazing show!!! I hope they regret it. If there was ever a show that needed a reboot though…!
@@jillyancardona3793 At least we got to hear directly from Greg Garcia how he wanted it to end, that's more than we get for most canceled shows.
I read this in Earl's voice LMAO
My Name is Earl is also one of a very few shows about a small town that actually feels like it was written by someone from a small town. Not just the culture, but even the consistent portrayal of the size. (Many shows like Smallville want to depict a small town, but constantly introduce shops and amenities that wouldn't exist in that town, just for the sake of a single episode's plot.)
Lana Lang being in high school yet simultaneously the owner and operator of a coffee shop is ridiculous. I know the characters need a place to hang but an Egyptian themed coffee shop in small town Kansas? Yeah I doubt that's gonna last long
Smallville also didn't understand the geography of Kansas. One of the first episodes, they go out to talk to "mountain man"... there are no mountains in Kansas, even the flint hills are questionable to call some of them hills. They were constantly making day trips from where ever Smallville was to Metropolis which is a port city.... also some times visible from Smallville, KS, a completely land locked state in the dead center of the continent.
Even if we assume Metropolis isn't New York like it's implied to be, and say it's like Houston or something, that's still like a 10 hour drive from Kansas.
Also after the 15th time of Clark warning them about the creep of the week being bad news, they'd stop of just accusing him of be jealous of the attention the creep was getting, and maybe believe him.
Idk why this is, but for some reason just now, I realized through your post that "metropolis" is just "city city"
@@Squeeky42069 And your comment just made me realize that too lol
oh good lord. this was my main problem with Schitts Creek. It was purportedly about a small backwoods town, but the writers made it clear they only understood life in Hollywood. They put on a production of Cabaret starring all 12 townsfolk? They had a red carpet for Moira when she was in a movie? An upscale botique that sold eye lotions (and milk and plungers??) that was hugely successful in Pickuptrucksville USA? you know what I just hated that show lol
It's a small thing, but I always loved how Earl would reflexively close his eyes whenever he got his picture taken. Just one of those funny quirks the character has that doesn't really get highlighted, but makes them more endearing.
It’s one of those things that occasionally enters my thoughts when I’m thinking about photography and mugshots.
There's the bit where he has to paste eyes from a magazine on his passport because he couldn't keep them open during the pictures being taken
I always loved that bit cause i had My fair share of photos closing My eyes just for because the flash lmao, it was really Nice to see that small but prominent detail
Yeah. Even the scenes with young Earl as a kid, they would show him closing his eyes during school photo and stuff. Really great consistency!
It's the ONE thing in the show I hated
What I love about this show is how it seems to have great affection for all of its characters. They may be trailer trash and daytime hookers, but they all have some good in them. In a comedy landscape where cruelty is commonplace, it made for a nice change of pace.
Honestly a great point, while it does go a bit iffy with some characters, it does show that they have value and skills that may not be noticed at first.
I mean there can stay hookers if there want to.
Yeah I agree. For quite a while it's been the norm to depict lower class/dysfunctional people in TV comedy, but this is one of the few from the era that feels like it was actually doing something constructive with the premise, and in a way that built on itself over time with its depictions of the various characters and their continual growth.
@@bigboi8028 thats what pressley meant by correcting political incorrectness
Well those in charge of the media are the top richest people who hate poor people
One way I loved how this show tackled community was the episode where Earl has to throw a funeral for a man he wronged, botching the funeral, being haunted by that guilt, and then bringing together a group of people who knew and loved that man through the online space that never really knew each other prior
That episode also has John Waters as the funeral home owner who loves doing weird and personal position for the dead funeral
@@patrickmitchell9068 I love seeing John Waters play characters that are the most John Waters characters ever.
agreed it helped to show how meaningful online communities can be.
That episode lives in my head rent-free...
@@patrickmitchell9068 Lmao just say "weird funeral home owner" and you'll just know it's John Waters
I love how many of the secondary characters becoming recurring throughout the show, makes the town feel more like a real place
Gay Kenny from the first episode is a great example of this. I just rewatched it recently and forgot how much he popped up throughout the show
@@Cherokeechuck9and the African guy and old voice box guy
And Patty the Daytime Hooker, One Eyed Mailman, plus TVs Tim Stack and the cop played by Mike O'Malley.
Jose said it perfectly that there is no "grand reward" for being a good person but if everyone around you is good then your world is a happy place.
That happy place is a grand reward.
I love you, Jose. This show was really influential for me. The theme that a scumbag could make amends and become better really resonated with me, and presented me with hope. I was a scumbag, from a line of scumbags. And I've spent my adult life trying to change and atone for my shit-baggery.
Hey man, proud of you 🤜🤛
@@Tatanka_Tactical thank you. I try harder to be better tomorrow than I was yesterday.
Good luck!
Me too! I actually went through detox binging this show.
I used to be a piece of shit. People can change.
I absolutely adore that the reason for Earl’s signature mustache is just Jason Lee saying “Trust me, I look REALLY funny with a mustache!” 😂
I loved this show when I was a kid/teenager, and it unironically helped shape my morality. Not in a literal karma way, but in the general sense of trying to do right by others.
Me too man 😅 crazy someone else was influenced by this masterpiece as a child
@@scumbagjesus999me 3 :)
I will always respect Jason Lee for being one of the few people to just walk away from the Church of Scientology.
unfathomably based
He left? That's so good.
Leah Remini did the same.
Leah tried got caught@@johgu92
He did?! I didn't know that. When I heard that he was scientologist, I lost all respect for him.
That's great news! Now I can like him again🤣
@@cwavt8849I’m not religious and I find Scientology to be comically insane but judging folks because of their religious beliefs is weird. Lol
Fun Fact: Jason Lee has be focusing his career on photography (specifically analog film and large format polaroid photography) and he's a damn good photographer.
he's also a very talented former pro skater! he had his own section in the legendary skate tape 'video days' which features future fine artist mark gonzalez, and directed by a young spike jonze.
I'm glad he's good at that and thriving somewhere else because those Alvin and the Chipmunks movies were not good for his career
awesome for him.
He started keeping a low profile, when he left Scientology.
@Tommy Fraz oh he left, thank goodness
This show always surprised me with how joyfully and gently it nudged the weirdness of the human experience. Emphasizing foibles and character flaws, but giving characters the opportunity to find how their self fit into their community.
The writers were also great at have jokes hit you from out of nowhere.
Exactly this.
a joke that I think about daily is in the montage of randy getting caught hiding who he really is to match various women, when he dates the jewish woman he comes out of the bathroom after a long time and goes "sorry, my foreskin got stuck in the zipper" ☠️
@@morgangunning30 Classic
When I worked in fast food, we had a regular customer who would come in from time to time. It was our policy to ask for a customer's name after they order, to which he would respond, "My Name is Earl! Do you know that show?" As a huge fan of the show, I never forgot his name, or this memory. Nice guy, I hope he is doing well!
As far as I'm concerned, the ending Greg Garcia pitched in that reddit AMA is the canon ending I'd want for the show. It is the best conclusion for a person dedicating their life to doing good. Not to be shackled to it forever but just to become a better person and influence others to be better people.
Agreed, it's such a good way to wrap it up
I just read the reddit post and I agree that would’ve been an excellent ending
Yeah at first I was like wtf? His got the list he should finish it. But after re-watching the entire show last week I actually love that idea for an ending. The purpose of the list was to grow, and by doing that he caused a ripple effect that made others want to grow to. Not to mention if they did that ending it could still be made into a movie or final season even though it's been 10 years since the show ended.
There's one big elephant in the room, nobody really wants to touch/address:
The influence of Scientology on the show.
The two main acts Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee are/were members of the church of Scientology. As well as prominent supporting roles/extras, like Giovanni Ribisi and Juliet Lewis.
I don't know about the people in the background working on the show, like the writers. But I'm certain that Scientology had their hands on the show in one way or the other.
Was he asked about it in any way at the AMA, on Reddit?
@@yannick245 The only impact I think it would of had was them not touching anything to do with scientology-like cults in the show as to not piss off it's two lead actors.
Jason Lee said in an interview that he hadn't been involved in scientology in many, many years and that was back in 2016 so I would't be surprised if he stopped being a scientologist half way into Earl's run, he had a lot going for him at the time so distancing himself from them might of been a career move.
It probably had a small impact on the show but not much, Scientologies beliefs wouldn't really interfere with a show like My Name is Earl
this show is criminally underratated, and im still mad it never got a proper ending
I watched 6 months ago on Hulu not expecting much of it, but Man did it surprise me, it was uniquely funny and absurd at the same time but in a good way. This show feels like a more likable and positive version of "It's Always sunny in Philadelphia.
There's one big elephant in the room, nobody really wants to touch/address:
The influence of Scientology on the show. The shows creator Greg Garcia.
The two main acts Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee are/were members of the church of Scientology. As well as prominent supporting roles/extras, like Giovanni Ribisi and Juliet Lewis.
I don't know about the people in the background working on the show, like the writers. But I'm certain that Scientology had their hands on the show in one way or the other!
_Edit: There's an article, published on The Guardian named "My name is L Ron Hubbard", by James Donaghy, who diggs a little into it._
@@yannick245 Are there any scientology ideas put into the show? It doesn't seem like it would be that relevant to bring up.
@@PeterGriffin11 There's an article, published on The Guardian named _"My name is L Ron Hubbard",_ by James Donaghy, who diggs a little into it.
Google it! You can still find it online.
Always gonna be upset abt that until they put out a good final.
That episode where it's revealed that Joy and Randy knew each other as children is this incredibly meaningful moment for me. Just this little wholesome ode to the childhood we left behind, of innocent kid crushes and simple joys. An incredibly portrait of nostalgia that grows in meaning the older I get.
agreed, watching joy give randy his little date was so sweet.
Seems like something Linklater would direct
Watching Jason Lee go from pro skater to top notch actor warms my heart. Always admired him when I was a skater, and I'm so happy to see how successful he was in a totally different arena.
One of the greatest shows ever. Certainly the best casting, in my opinion. I can't imagine a single character being played by a different actor. No matter how many times I've seen it, I always laugh out loud and get hit in the feels.
growing up my name is earl was the only show that actually felt like it showed what avg low income middle Americans are actually like without feeling like it was shitting all over the kind of people I spent my days with.
Yup, I felt the same too. It really felt completely different than anything else on TV.
Uh... Trust me the show was shitting all over those very people !
This! I grew up in a pretty rural southern community and everyone loved the show because it portrayed us, our problems and our stories, without making us seem like jokes or putting us on a pedestal like some other shows sometimes do.
Lol I was laughing at y'all, still do😂
Malcolm in the Middle had a similar feel.
I'm sure I'm not the only one that would love to eventually see a deep dive into Raising Hope. After you mentioned My Name is Earl in the last deep dive, I ended up rewatching Raising Hope and it's still excellent.
I feel like raising hope is such an underrated comedy! It’s one of my favorite shows ever but I rarely see other people talking about it anymore.
Seconded! Raising Hope was one of my favorite shows, and bears the honor of being one of the only comedies my mom not only tolerated, but loved and watched with me every week.
My exact thoughts. Both shows are excellent and I've rewatched both multiple times
I love how Greg incorporated raising hope into the my name is earl universe as well, and bringing back some of the actors from my name is earl into the series as well like Jaime Pressley playing the next door neighbor of the chances
I have that scene where that once character says "that is so macabre" etched into my mind for some reason.
One of my favourite details is Earl pronouncing "illegitimate" wrong every time he says it throughout the show. It never fails to make me laugh. Probably my favourite show with a lot of nostalgia attatched to it.
I loved the bits of him always closing his eyes while getting a picture taken.
I Always imagined the final shot of the show being him getting his picture taken with his list finished and you see his eyes opened
@@DarcyWalker Yes, it's such a great detail!! It reminds me of my cousin who also can't take a picture without blinking 🤣
That would be an incredible way to end it. I wish they would've finished it 😭
I loved the video, but mentioning how much he repairs his relationship with his father, but not mentioning the episode where his dad crossed an item off the list while he was in a coma belongs on your own list. I tear up every time he whispers that he never gave up on him. Most heartpulling moment in the whole show.
It's too bad that episode was cut from somme channels. Generally was an entertaining episode, alongside that and Carl becoming a bustman too.
This show has aged like a fine wine imo. It still holds up to this day
That was a shockingly wholesome backstory to the inspiration for the show, shoutout to Earl
My mom passed away from breast cancer while the show was going on. The theme of an ordinary man trying to make up for the bad things he had done really touched me.
As heartwarming as many of the episodes are the 'Cops' episodes will always be my favorite. They are just plain hilarious.
Hell yeah we get to see some of the dumb shit he used to do 😂 it is absolutely hilarious
Jason Lee is such an enigma for the public eye. Anyone under 40 probably could pinpoint his voice if you ever hear it (I've heard it in a couple cartoons the kid of house watches for instance). He is an extremely popular but still heavily untalked about actor. Like, I never really hear people talk about him, and a lot of people probably can't remember his name half the time, but if he is on screen, you will be able to point him out.
I grew up only knowing Jason Lee as either Underdog because he was the voice actor, and later Dave from Alvin and the Chipmunks.
He was also a damn good skater, apparently. Tony Hawk once bragged on his skills
@TheGlassesPro Not gonna lie, I never once put that together as a kid. 😂
Dogma anyone lol
He was also the basis for Chris Evans' character in Scott Pilgrim
I remember this show very vaguely but not enough to know how sweet the story was! Ps. Joy's style and fashion is such a serve those flowerlike hairpieces and ribbons ? Slay.
agreed i loved it growing up.
Same! I can’t remember much about but I remember liking it a lot and it’s heart warming to see how much it deserved it’s praise 🥰🥰🥰
It’s supposed to be trashy or whatever but every time I see it I’m just so in love with it.
In a way Earl got his happy ending, his great reward, Dodge…. He always wanted his own son, & in the end that’s what he got, he wasn’t ever expecting it either, but the son he wanted most was right by his side. So, I’ve gotta say it was a satisfying ending for him, but we are left with Darnell’s story
This show was a very huge comfort show, I really love small details they put in for Earl as well, like how he closes his eyes in every picture or even having a sensitive tongue to spicy food, even that iconic face he makes when someone around him says something interesting, just adding mini details like that really made Earl feel more real and even relatable, I now sometimes find myself making a similar face whenever someone tells me something interesting, My Name Is Earl should at the very least get either another season or a movie, just one more time on the screen to wrap up Earl’s story.
This show was honestly one of the most important shows for me as a person. My mother owned the first season on dvd and I watched the heck out of that season. It made me want to be like earl and do my best to be a good person to everyone. Even as a very dumb pre teen, I saw how his actions made the small minded town such a better place and it really inspired me. I will always hold this show in a special place in my heart ❤
Greg Garcia is really good at humanizing people that people look down on
I've never seen that alternate pilot before, that's awesome.
One underrated bit is earl only wins 100,000 dollars in the lottery but everyone acts like he won the powerball. Great little joke that is especially funny if you're from a small town
It's on the DVD set, I've seen it so many times.
I remember watching Earl every week with my parents it holds a special place in my heart sometimes we still quote the show by saying "Hey Crabman"
I found this show when I was pretty young, during a really painful time for my family. There was so much pain and hurt in that house. I started watching because it was funny. But as I watched, I found the framework of the kind of guy I wanted to be. I was young, I didnt know how to help anyone I cared for, and it killed me. But this show showed me that even if you don't really know what youre doing, you can still make your life and the lives of others better. I've carried that with me since then
This show was so good. Still pains me that it got cancelled. We just needed 1 more season to wrap it up ffs
agreed.
Kinda like Two and a Half Men (when Charlie Sheen left).
The writer's strikes episodes were painful, I wish they'd been able to do a hiatus and used the same episode count to do a decent ending.
All I want is is it not to say to be continued on the screen during the last episode cause it means there was more story that could have been told
I love that possible ending where Earl inspires more karma lists. The show already shows how good deeds touch others, it makes sense that his and Randy's constant mentions of and accomplishments from the List would inspire others to adopt the idea.
When I was in middle school, I watched this show every day when I got home. At the time, my mom was sick due to cancer and I had to stay somewhere else. My science teacher offered and she made me feel welcome. I get a big hit of nostalgia when I think about this show, and you just made those amazing memories come flying back. Great video my man!
With all of the reboots and reunion seasons of shows these days, My Name Is Earl deserves one.
Id like just a final season to portray that amazing ending they came up with.
Holy crap, I _just today_ watched the last episode of My Name Is Earl after putting it off for over a decade. What a somewhat alarming coincidence.
"Look, Earl! Fancy smoke! Aww, it's making me sad!"
I really miss this show. I'm glad the writers told us how it would have ended had they got the opportunity to complete it.
Me and my brother are almost a decade apart; the generational divide was very obvious throughout our upbringing. Regardless of that, we always had eachother's backs, regardless of consequence.
One of the reasons why My Name Is Earl stuck so hard with me.
20 minutes in and I'm bawling. This show was better than it had any right to be, and I almost forgot how much I loved it
If the ending that the writer said we never got happened, it would have been one of the best tv endings ever
I remember growing up on this show and even watched the pilot when it aired. It was one of the first shows that made me realize as a kid that anyone could change and even taught me that even if the apology isn't accept that you can still at least make an effort to apologize or right the wrong. Even if you get told no and pushed away, which is reasonable, at the end of the day you know you did try when a lot of people don't bother. People lose faith in humanity too fast these days. There are people out there that really do want to change and honestly, this show makes me cry every time I do a full watch through and get to that last episode. I kind of wish we could have more shows like this again. We have so many of the same sitcoms and shows with the fake canned laughter, but this show was so funny and had a nice message. Earl did terrible things, but at the end of the day he does everything in his power to better himself even if it sucks for him at the end.
I was surprised that Jason Lee's skateboarding wasn't mentioned. He was a pro skater before he went into acting. Most relevant here is that just after the show ended, he played Coach Frank in the video game Skate 3, who speaks in a similar manner to Earl and also has a moustache.
Oh how I loved this show! Not only is it a good story with wild characters, it’s HILARIOUS. Just that visual of them trying to smoke the carrots reminded me of the joke and made me laugh out loud. I bought the first season on DVD and any time I was feeling down I’d put on a few episodes and it would always do the trick.
I also love how its a moral story, that is really creative and earnest and does not feel forced at all, because earl is damn likable in his misadventures. And Human. Extremely human. And why doing the right thing matter and not being the worst. And show why
(while being hillarous)
@@marocat4749 I second everything you said.
This show is incredible. People sleep on it and take it at face value but fuck man, it can honestly hit deep.
I love that you included the Paley Center panel with the main ensemble. The prompt for the question was something along the lines of "What appealed to you (Jamie Pressley) about Joy, someone who is an abrasive person on the surface?" and the answer Jamie gave made me see Joy very, very differently. I love this show because you can tell that even at the show's relative low points, the cast is always working at giving long-term nuances to the character.
I've rewatched this show more time than I can count. Knowing that i can redeem myself while doing my best to help the community around me is the one of the reasons why I decided to go back to school and try to be the best version that I can be.
I wasn't sure if you were gonna do this one and I'm so hyped that you did. Earl felt special to me because it was often absurd but highly optimistic about it's world, even when it was a crapsack world. Always a comedy but it had a lot of heart to it too.
I've been looking for a retrospective on this show for SO long, I just rewatched it and I'm happy to have found this video
Earl becomes a force of change for the better, and that's what makes this show so special.
Man, I forgot how much I loved this show. It’s now on my list to go back and watch again. Thanks for this video! Very well done.
I actually got a little teary eyed by your descriptions of the show a couple of times. Very well done. I think I may have to binge that show again. Thank you for this.
This show started airing when I was in 5th grade. I watched it with my parents every week. Definitely formative media for me. It’s been a while since I last watched it, but I was an adult. I’m glad you included the “hole surgery” joke, one of my favorite in the whole show. Even with all the transmisogyny, I think MNIS was one of the most well-intentioned shows I’ve seen.
Growing up as a closeted transmaculine man, I didn't have a single good male figure in my life. I didn't realize how much this show influenced my outlook on life, and what kind of man I want to be. I'm not perfect and I've made my own list I can't always atone for. Yet just like Earl, I can always take steps to improve myself or try to help others improve their situation.
Thanks for giving this series some love, it meant so much to little me
god, completely same boat. all of the male figures in my life fell short but this was airing as i was growing up and i always internalized how much i wanted to be like earl. what a great tv show, no idea it'd help with my transition so much
Neither of you know what a man is or should be so you cannot proclaim anything about them.
Fellow trans-masc with negative male figures growing up who watched this show! Growing up I couldn't really picture what kind of man I wanted to be (and still struggle with it tbh), but this show is a wonderful place to start. I grew up in a very small town myself like in the show (but even smaller lol) so it especially holds a place in my heart. Keep up the good work and stay safe friend!
I work in a grocery store and about a month ago I met the guy who plays kenny. Let’s just say I was so excited that I told him how much I loved this show. 2 weeks later I got his autograph. But when I met him he told me he’s as gonna meet with Greg Garcia about making a my name is earl movie.
Shut.Up. That’s so awesome man!!!
Whenever Jose casually uploads after a month, im glad he isn't dead
the man is working
thank you for your oh so important input heisenberg
That's right: dead serious about forensically marathoning an elite US single-camera sitcom
Yo mista white you comment on every video i watch please leave my back yard
represent!
I'm a simple man. I want one last My Name is Earl movie, just to close out the show.
They already have a good enough premise. Remember they had one joke where Earl stole Christmas?
Earl Saves Chrismas.
"He's making a list, and checking it twice!"
I don't think its doable. Jason Lee left Scientology & Ethan Suplee is still part of it. It's part of Ethan's religion now that he has to shun Jason Lee.
Earl: "Randy... Those are poison!"
Randy: "How poison?"
This show is just stupid(ly great)! 😂
As a Jose, the “as a Jose…” caught me completely off guard, very much a Spider-Man meme moment. I love having something playing on the background while I do other things, and found myself having to pause it, make lunch and just sit and watch. Great video and good job Jose.
I was so upset when this showed ended on a cliffhanger!!!! Never seeing it come to a conclusion is one of those things that will always make my life feel incomplete.
It did feel like Raising Hope revisited My Name Is Earl at times, yet that show also seemed to end unceremoniously.
Man.
There's something about these shows that's so comforting and wholesome.
Even in Earl, where characters backstab and torment each other there's this underlying theme of love and respect.
Basically, I want to live in the universes all the shows you've covered exist in.
Whenever I'm in a rut or feeling like the world sucks I watch this show.
This show must have inspired me more than I ever realised. I've spent the last couple years apologising to people I've hurt in the past, trying to become a better person. That scene with Earl begging his dad to believe he's changed is crushing, that's a very real experience. Thanks a lot for the video, i needed this. Off to go pay it forward.
God this show is such a nostalgia trip to me. I myself have a simplistic view of morality, and I think it was influenced by this show. It went off the rails towards the end, but there’s so much *good* throughout the thing.
The story makes you feel better about people
Yep, its somehow a moral tale, feel good and extremely humanist. I mean how the show really shows the humanity and the value of it and doing the right thing.
And very creative and fun while not being complicated. And reaffirming that humans are flawed but people and worth it, and can be so good.
And somehow reminds me of terry pratchet, i guess the way how it really has a positive deep impact.
Or that both have to lively imaginative world with endearable yet very flawed characters.
I absolutely love this underrated series and even bought the DVDs and watch it once a year. Earl despite having done some awful things in his life you find yourself rooting for him every episode as his heart is always in the right place, even though the 3rd season was a little weird with the coma storyline I still enjoyed it as Joy, Darnell, and Randy started doing Earl’s list for him which not only brought them closer together but also they seemed to appreciate how much effort Earl puts into doing the right thing. Hopefully if this show has the giant resurgence that The Office and Community has found than Earl can comeback and finally wrap the story up
Teacher Earl, GED, Job, The Trial, and Bad Earl are by far my favorite episodes, and have saved my life on several occasions. I can't thank this show enough for what it's done for me all these years.
As far as mainstream, primetime network sitcom of the 2000's goes, My Name Is Earl was definitely one of them. It had an amazing premise. And I still to this day believe that it has the *best* pilot episode I have ever seen, for *any* show. From my research, there were no unaired pilot episodes. So that makes it even more impressive. Because most pilots you see, are the 4th or 5th pilot they made, before they finally settled on everything. And even then, major plot points, and characters often get changed from the final aired pilot during the first season. So the fact that Earl changed nothing from the pilot is a testament to how great that pilot is. And the entire first season is great too. However, I do feel it fell off badly after the first season. Which is such a shame, because it had such an incredibly strong first season.
This is the first sitcom you’ve covered I’ve actually seen! I love this show, despite some parts maybe not having aged well. I’m glad that it’s qualities of redemption, hard work towards such, and the quirky qualities of the show, were something you also enjoyed.
Definitely one of my favorite shows. Just a funny show that somehow is also philosophical. And yes the portrayal of small town America is spot on.
I absolutely LOVE my name is Earl!! there are absolutely zero video essays about it and that makes me so sad. I adore this show and I just gobble up video essays about shows I love
Honestly they could totally do a reboot that’s 15/20 years later and answer questions while still finishing the story. We can see joy with a new husband and maybe she’ll be pregnant or have more kids haha and earl can finally have a house and maybe randy will have an S/O. Earl can still be working on his list with the original ending still in place. After 20 years of doing good his message made it around the globe and he’s made a positive change.
A sequel would be interesting only because Ethan Suplee lost all his weight and got super in shape.
@@richborn6700 his character would still work as well now he's buff n fit
I really enjoyed this retrospective a lot! My Name is Earl was very near and dear to me, especially when it was on syndication a while back on TBS where it was my comfort show during college. I do think about the show even to this day, despite the fact that I hardly browse television anymore, so it was nice to look back on it and remember some of my favorite moments, the third season in particular certainly being a unique way of storytelling an entire arc.
I still think its one of the best shows TV ever got. It had a good premise, real stories, and genuine humor.
This show will always have a special place in my heart 💜
This and Quantum Leap will always be the shows that I'm really mad were unceremoniously cancelled. I really needed resolution on Earl though. 😢
I like to think Sam finally leapt home
@@tenebrousoul9368 so do I.
The writer have a brief synopsis of the last episode, basically Earl found even more people he had wronged and started to think his mission would never end, but then before he gave up, several people who had wronged him previously came forward to make it up to him. They mentioned that they were doing this because they heard someone had been going around making up for past misdeeds to improve his life, and they found inspiration in that and tried to do good as well. Here Earl realized he had made the world and the people in it better, and knew he could stop and live his life.
Would have been a tear jerker of a finale.
Could add Firefly to that list as well.
‘My Name is Earl’ walked so the Good Place and Ted Lasso could run
Nah it ran so they could walk
The amount of disrespect put on Earl with this comment smh...
Ted lasso is not good fam . Surface level af
Bro those shows are not anywhere close to Earl
A good try, buddy. I’m sure you meant well by it 😂
This has been SUCH a nostalgia dose. My name is Earl was such a nice show, part of good times for me and to my shame, I kinda forgot it. Like that cartoon you forgot existed until you're viscerally reminded by seeing the intro... now I gotta rewatch it :D
It would be cool if Netflix picked it up for 1 season in a similar way to how Dexter was later revisited, set in 2024 reflecting on the past 15 years and the end of his quest
This was such a great show; it's sad it was canceled.
One of my favorite shows! So glad this is getting a retrospective.
I LOVED this show as a kid. I really identified with Joy's arcs
So happy that you're doing this retrospective, this show was my weird comfort shows for so so long!!
They either had a crazy music budget or classic rock songs were super cheap to license back then because this show has banger after banger pretty much every episode.
The tunes they used to back up a scene moment were spot on and satisfying. Hearing "Black Betty" when Randy was doing his football upped my respect for the series and its creativity.
from a skateboard to the big screen to the small screen, what a journey
There was a second reference to My Name is Earl in Raising Hope, where a TV show mentions a man who has finished his long standing list to help out people that gets cut off prematurely. It is an odd reference because the show both implies it's a TV show, and a real thing, but my head canon is that in the universe of Raising Hope, My Name is Earl is based on a true story.
I’ve never been made this happy by a CZcams title in my life. I literally can say the words with the characters I have watched this religiously since I was a child
this show has a VERY special connection to me and seeing you review it makes me a VERY happy dude! thank you!
The casting was spot on. The guest stars were all fantastic.
One of the continuity things that got me was when Earl and Randy were talking about which animal they would want to be and Earl said he wouldn't want to be a cat because he's allergic. Although in the cat lady episode he's handling a cat.
Jose, thank you for doing "My Name is Earl." I miss this show so much!
I always love these retrospectives. I greatly appreciate the insane amount of work that must go into these. Much respect, Jose, and I can only hope you get around to a Better Call Saul retro in the future.
Thank you so much for making these retrospectives!! They are amazing. I've now connected very deeply with the stories of characters from shows that I never would have even known existed if it weren't for your willingness to go to such efforts to analyze and talk about them in the way you have for years now. Thank you for that.
I just discovered your channel yesterday and all these deep dives are so good they are all making me cry! Damn I just want a day off work where I can watch one of these shows (golden girls, sabrina the teenage witch, any of these shows you've covered). Got me feeling all nostalgic 😢
my dad loved this show he used to watch everyday while it was on air, it’s cool seeing this little crossover between my favorite analysis channel and one of my dad’s favorite tv shows.
This was a fantastic series retrospective! I watched My Name is Earl with my sister after she bought the boxsets on sale at Vintage Stock a few years back. We both loved the series and were bummed it didn't get any sort of definite conclusion.