The show totally played it straight with some very cringeworthy episodes in the early seasons. They started subverting it more and more as time went along.

Some of the stuff they stayed with for a very long time though. Al Borland was the butt of many jokes for not presenting as traditionally masculine, for his relationship with his mother, for being single, etc. At times it could be hard to watch, with Tim essentially bullying Al relentlessly. Of course everything is all great at the end of the episode but it rarely involved an apology from Tim!