YMMV / The Lionhearts

• Anvilicious: "...But Some of My Best Friends Are Clowns" really hammers home its anti-bigotry message. To wit, the Lionheart family has new neighbors in the form of the Bells, Lana's old circus friends. When Bobo (the Bells' son) and Spencer (Leo's son) are beaten up by school bully Bruno, Leo confronts his parents, Butch and Betty, about their son beating up his son and his friend, Butch tosses him out of the house then goes on a rant about how all clowns are the same. After Butch beats Leo up, Shecky states his intent to teach Butch a lesson, which is followed by Lana telling him that "violence solves nothing" and how "[Bruno's] family has a problem, that's how bigotry stays alive; it's passed on from generation to generation". Towards the end of the episode, after the Bells reveal themselves as clowns to Butch and his family, Butch learns to accept them for who they are, and comments how "[he'd] just better learn to keep his mouth shut till he learns to be more sensitive".
• Audience-Alienating Premise: A show about a mascot that only appears in a logo? Yeah, good concept.
• Cult Classic: On the other hand, it has a surprisingly solid following, with many enjoying the convoluted concept.
• Hollywood Pudgy: Leo in "Leo's Diet" is chastised by Freddy for being too overweight to host the gala, and him gaining two pounds was enough to Freddy calling the Physical Fitness Fella, Schmeckle, in order for Leo to be fit enough to host the gala. Thing is, Leo looks exactly the same as he did in the preceding episodes, even after he's too tired to properly stand up to give his speech at the gala.
• Questionable Casting: What in the holy hell is William H. Macy doing in this show? Same goes for Betty White, Wallace Shawn and Harve Presnell among others.
• So Bad, It's Good: The show has a ridiculous concept and substandard writing, but it's so delightfully charming in its stupidity that you can't stop watching.
• Unintentional Period Piece: "Leo's Diet" revolves around Leo having to lose 10 pounds to give a speech for a gala celebrating MGM's 75th anniversary, dating the episode to 1998, when the company was celebrating their 75th anniversary (they celebrated their 100th anniversary some decades later). Leonardo Bartholomew is also a clear stand-in for Leonardo DiCaprio, at the time when DiCaprio was considered one of the hottest stars of the time.

---