my name is earl isn't rural america. Its losers who live in SoCal, in a tralier park. Its more Trailer Park Boys for America.
No, Corner Gas is the first 'rural' representation that's come the closet in comedy form I've seen. Its not dumbed down, it doesn't play on stereotypes. Its not flashy, nor is it really controversial.
There's been a couple rural dramas (Waltons, Green Acres, Dukes of Hazzard, Medicine Woman, Little House on the prairie) but nobody has done a comedy yet besides corner gas that doesn't dwell on redneck stereotypes (foxworthy, hee haw, heck even beverly hill billies). First comedy that doesn't show people from the rural areas as idiots/backward people.