Little Mosque On The Prairie Discussion (was: CBC to air comedy "

blueblood · January 10, 2007

Too funny, I just finished watched LMoTP and thought it was funny and feel it can only get funnier.
About time there was a counter to the obnoxious "terrorist" label that was wrongly forced upon Mulims.

As for the Canadians they depict, I meet them every day.

What about the obnoxious redneck label to western rural Canadians? That's a double standard is it not?

mikedavid00 · January 10, 2007

Too funny, I just finished watched LMoTP and thought it was funny and feel it can only get funnier.
About time there was a counter to the obnoxious "terrorist" label that was wrongly forced upon Mulims.

As for the Canadians they depict, I meet them every day.

Yes the Canadians get depicted in a negative light, the Muslims get depicted in a postive light.

People are accepting it.

Thus, the show has proven to be succsefully and will continue to brainwash Canadians like only the CBC can.

Catchme · January 10, 2007

The show is balancing the autrocious negative stereotyping existing out there in regards to Muslims, there is nothing wrong with that at all. And it does address negative attributes of Muslims as well, mocking themselves if you will.

Toronto was bashed more than the prairie red neck. :rolleyes:

newbie · January 10, 2007

Yes the Canadians get depicted in a negative light, the Muslims get depicted in a postive light.
People are accepting it.

Thus, the show has proven to be succsefully and will continue to brainwash Canadians like only the CBC can.

People, lighten up already. It's a bloody comedy for God's sake. Those who take the stereo-typing personally have real significant problems.

stignasty · January 10, 2007

What about the obnoxious redneck label to western rural Canadians? That's a double standard is it not?

Well there was that one really stupid/paranoid guy. The funny thing is that the more I read on these forums the more I'm inclined to believe that people like him exist.

geoffrey · January 10, 2007

The show is balancing the autrocious negative stereotyping existing out there in regards to Muslims, there is nothing wrong with that at all. And it does address negative attributes of Muslims as well, mocking themselves if you will.
Toronto was bashed more than the prairie red neck.

So it's the CBC's job now in Canada to balance everyone's views and make sure no one is offended.

Yikes, the mandate grows daily.

Electric Monk · January 10, 2007

Just watched it when I got home from work, I liked it. Production values were a bit low, but I'd rather have intelligent dialogue than expensive sets. Had a couple laugh out loud moments. The idiocy seemed to be fairly balanced, and most characters were "fairly" believable and likeable.

I told one of my Muslim co-workers about the show today, and I'm hoping he'll watch it and give me his impression.

Seems the sky isn't falling after all.

geoffrey · January 10, 2007

I wonder what the reaction would be if the show compared all Muslim women to prostitutes, or is that only fair to level against protestants (I am not protestant)?

Melanie_ · January 10, 2007

I thought it was mildly funny, some of the jokes made me laugh. The characters were safe, archetypal, exactly what you expected from a show like this. The show will eventually simply revolve around the relationship between the young hot Imam and the smart Canadian born daughter, if it lasts beyond the first few episodes.

M.Dancer · January 10, 2007

It was dreadful. And I was hoping it would be great....

margrace · January 10, 2007

Too funny, I just finished watched LMoTP and thought it was funny and feel it can only get funnier.

About time there was a counter to the obnoxious "terrorist" label that was wrongly forced upon Mulims.

As for the Canadians they depict, I meet them every day.

What about the obnoxious redneck label to western rural Canadians? That's a double standard is it not?

So what about Corner Gas, isn't it stereotyping also.

fellowtraveller · January 10, 2007

The best show on CBC last night has not been mentioned: 'Intelligence'. It is good enough that I don't understand why it is on CBC.

kimmy · January 10, 2007

The best show on CBC last night has not been mentioned: 'Intelligence'. It is good enough that I don't understand why it is on CBC.

I watched that for a bit following Mosque, and I thought what I saw of it was pretty cool, actually. I don't know the story or any of the characters and I can't speak to the writing or acting, but I was really surprised at the unconventional stylistic feel of the show.

The NBC show, "Friday Night Lights", is similar in that respect: unconventional camera angles and photography, steadi-cam and hand-held-looking footage, no background music, it has an almost documentary feel. The subject matter of the show might sound like standard fare, but the stylistic aspects are highly unconventional. And guess what... it's low rated. Viewers tuned in, found the style to be jarring and unsettling and scary, and said "I'd rather watch Dancing With The Stars". It's a pretty good show, but as they say in the comedy business, it's "too hip for the room."

So, that's probably why Intelligence is on CBC: because another network wouldn't have picked it up; the viewers would have tuned out because it's too different and too scary.

It was dreadful. And I was hoping it would be great....

Perhaps compared to the best shows or movies it might have been dreadful, but let's compare apples to apples. And in comparison to the (admittedly low) standard of the sit-com genre, Mosque wasn't bad. The creator of the show said that she didn't want to make a political statement, she just wanted to make a sit-com... and I think they've an ok job of that. It isn't a classic, but few sit-coms are.

-k

Fortunata · January 10, 2007

Intelligence is a good show. CBC's Dragon Boys was even better. I also liked This is Wonderland, it was the funniest dam thing especially the first season. Don't forget the Da Vinci shows. Even CBC can have good Canadian made shows, despite the fact that it is CBC.

mikedavid00 · January 10, 2007

People, lighten up already. It's a bloody comedy for God's sake. Those who take the stereo-typing personally have real significant problems.

I don't take it personally. I believe in stereo-types to an extent actually. I think we all do. What I object to is my tax dollars funding anti-Canadian stereo types that have no truth or merit. Like white Islamic converts marrying muslims for money, western radio show hosts being racist, RCMP being an evil entity that deports people to 'any country they like'.

Stereo-typing is simple and it works.

Saying that Jewish people 'all doctors and lawyers' is false, but in fact bares truth..

Saying that western radio show hosts are racisist and anti-Islamic is a lie and false.

Saying taht Canada has a 'Terrorism hotline' that is jam packed with calls from Canadians is a lie and is false.

Tese are an attempt to create false, negative stereo types on Canadians and my tax dollars are funding this.

I'm sick of the self hating, self disctucting, liberal agenda that goes on in this country. And yes I feel this is a direct result of Trudeau. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be having that show or this converstation.

BubberMiley · January 10, 2007

I wonder what the reaction would be if the show compared all Muslim women to prostitutes, or is that only fair to level against protestants (I am not protestant)?

It was a joke. Get over it. Yes, Muslims are known to have about the same sense of humour as you, so I guess they wouldn't be able to take a joke either.

mikedavid00 · January 10, 2007

The show is balancing the autrocious negative stereotyping existing out there in regards to Muslims,

So that's the job of the CBC now?

there is nothing wrong with that at all. And it does address negative attributes of Muslims as well, mocking themselves if you will.

It didn't address ANY negative issues with Islam. That was my problem with the show. It was pro-Islam, Anti-Canadian. That's the fact of the matter.

Toronto was bashed more than the prairie red neck.

No it was certainly not. There were 2 toronto jokes. The moral of the WHOLE show was that westerners are backwards and racist from the police to the radion show host to the politician.

What is your opinion on this clip?

Islam in the UK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1qmFEujEtk

BubberMiley · January 10, 2007

I don't take it personally. I believe in stereo-types to an extent actually. I think we all do. What I object to is my tax dollars funding anti-Canadian stereo types that have no truth or merit.

Again, how is CBC content really relevant to the discussion of whether or not we should have a public broadcaster? Naturally there is going to be content out there that someone doesn't like, be it fighting on Hockey Night in Canada, overtly christian dogma on Hymn Sing, or whatever. It's kind of irrelevant what they broadcast; you're just opposed to their receipt of tax money in general. So why do you avoid that issue and focus on criticizing their relatively innocuous content? Ultimately, I think, avoiding the real issue just hurts your argument.

Unless, of course, your motives are just to get people to watch CBC.

Remiel · January 10, 2007

I watched the few couple episodes of Intelligence. I liked it, but the show lacked compelling reason to want to keep watching the story unfold. There is no mystery, that I saw. Mystery makes for good viewing, and all the intrigue in the world is useless without it.

mikedavid00 · January 10, 2007

Well there was that one really stupid/paranoid guy. The funny thing is that the more I read on these forums the more I'm inclined to believe that people like him exist.

Dont' you see? The show is creating a false stereo type that you are believe in.

Let his message be an example to all of why I am visiously against this show.

Dude, you're being brainwashed by an agenda based organization and you don't even know it. You are attacking your fellow citizen and protecting islam in Canada. This is what the goal of the show's motive is.

There are no wild, paranoid hicks calling a terrorist hotline in Canada. There are no RCMP deporting muslims to any country they chose. There are no physical violence against islam in Canada, rather it's the other way arournd (Montreal incident reporter getting beaten).

The show is doing its job on you. This is concerning for me as a Canadian to see this happening in our country.

I really recommend everyone watch this just to see what we are saturating our country with:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1ymxQZ-DLE

Christian vs. Muslim population

1900 world population 26.9% 12.4%

1980 world population 30% 16.5%

2000 world population 29.9% 19.2%

2025 world population (PROJECTED) 25% 30%

Source - www.muslim-canada.org

newbie · January 10, 2007

What I see is right wing hysteria and paranoia. And as far as your tax dollars funding CBC, what about tax dollars (Provincial mind you) funding abortion? I think the VAST majority of viewers of Mosque realize it is only a comedy and not reflective of any Government ideology.

mikedavid00 · January 10, 2007

I told one of my Muslim co-workers about the show today, and I'm hoping he'll watch it and give me his impression.
Seems the sky isn't falling after all.

yeah it was a cozy friendly show. Islam in Canada. On TV. You can see, even try it!

what would your co-worker have to complain about? The show favored his people and was anti-Canada.

But hey, we're so used to self-hatred in this country and have almost no pride left so what the hey.

Canastan.

I beleive France will be an islamic majority in 2050, Lebanon, the once peaceful christians of the middle east are now an islamic majority of 60% with terrorists in control of parts of the country. Canada I beleive will be a majority also by 2080 or something, Europe will 10% islamic by 2020.

Wow they are talking about the CBC bumper sticker on the toronto radio station.

mikedavid00 · January 10, 2007

I wonder what the reaction would be if the show compared all Muslim women to prostitutes, or is that only fair to level against protestants (I am not protestant)?

I know.

That was simply a shot against Christianity. Depicting Christian women as prostitutes and Islamic women as righteous.

mikedavid00 · January 10, 2007

The creator of the show said that she didn't want to make a political statement

That's' actually not entirely true.

She's on record saying that she had an agenda to make the views of muslims in Canada better since 9-11. And what she is doing is obviously working seing as she didn't take one shot against Islam and litterally made the whole show in an anti-Canada style of humor which we are used to.

I feel at this point we are at war with a third world invasion of the west and a Liberal agenda to destroy Chirstianity, and family values.

I heard poeple saying this 10 years back and thought these guys were American right wing 'wackos'. But after this show, it's a sign. Those wacko's have done nothing but prove themselves to be right over the years.

We are fuding a Libearl organization out to destroy our religion and culture values.

Figleaf · January 10, 2007

... it can only get funnier.

That much I agree with. I don't think I cracked a smile through the whole episode. But then, how funny can you expect terrorism scares, racial profiling, sex-segregation, and bankrupt churches to be?

The show is obviously done inexpensively (not in itself a bad thing) and it may somehow find its comedic legs. But the theme has limited scope in a comedic environment. There are not that many story hooks to explore that don't slop over into distinctly unfunny areas. We can expect several weeks of pablum wherein the two clergymen heroically convince their respective bucolic herds to live in liberal harmony on one after another superficially rendered hot-button issue.

The only interesting character, in terms of creative risk-taking, is Yasser, an ethically expedient but essentially harmless small-businessman. If the series were redirected to put Yasser at the forefront, it might hope to be edgy and interesting. Instead, I expect the program will highlight the insufferable Imam and his love-interest, Whateverhernameis. We'll know the series is dead-on-arrival if they make the Christian padre into a benevolent charicature of Father Canada every episode. :puke:

One more prediction: one theme we'll see is the two prejudiced characters, the former Imam and the right-wing radio host, sharing the same ideas. Might be good for one or two episodes as an idea.