I am a die-hard fan of Aaron Sorkin. I marvel at his ability to craft dialogue and admire the elegance with which he develops a story. His themes often resonate with and inspire me, and I find his characters and their relationships accessible on a very personal level. Thus, I've been eagerly anticipating the debut of The Newsroom, which I watched last night with my girlfriend*.
*We've been watching The West Wing together on DVD over the course of the last few months - we're in the middle of season 4 - and she is becoming a big Sorkin fan as well.
Having read quite a few less than stellar reviews of the show, or at least the first four episodes that have been made available to critics, I hoped to enjoy it but feared I may not. To my surprise, Aaron Sorkin and HBO presented an engaging, fast-paced, intelligent hour (or more) of programming. I can see through what I enjoyed to understand where the negative reviews are coming from, but at least in the first episode I disagree with them. And I don't mean to be resentful of the critics or to pile on the backlash against the backlash; rather, I'm glad I encountered their reviews because, if anything, they helped to temper my expectations for the show.
I loved Will McAvoy's blowup, and I loved his immediate reflection and reconciliation of his commentary even more. I loved the behind-the-scenes look at breaking a story - brought back fond memories of Sports Night, another Sorkin show I try to rewatch once a year if possible. I loved the twist at the end revealing that Mackenzie was in the audience. I even loved Sam Waterston being crazy, drunk Issac Jaffe.
The danger points for the show are evident. If Will, Mackenzie and company are retelling real stories and always getting them right at the expense of real news outlets and/or politic and media figures, they're going to come across as smug, fast. Sorkin will need to find a balance of his crew getting things right, getting things wrong, and getting things on par with everyone else, like he did in The West Wing. And he'll need to tone down the male chauvinism while staying true to the male-dominant culture of cable news and TV production. But most of all, The Newsroom will have to make us care about its characters**.
**To me, this was the biggest failing of Studio 60 - as sharp as the show was in some ways, I didn't find myself caring enough about the characters to invest in watching it.
My girlfriend's reaction to the show was that she liked it but wasn't sure she liked any of the characters enough to keep watching. Now unless the show is on Bravo and starts with the words "Real Housewives," she's not he TV junkie I am, but her point is insightful and valid. Through the first hour (or more) of The Newsroom, the character I find myself identifying with most is Jim Harper, AKA Tyler the creepy Indiana campaign volunteer who drives Josh, Toby and Donna to the train going in the wrong direction. Over time, that could prove problematic.
The critics are right, The Newsroom may not be the Sorkin masterpiece we hoped it would be. Then again, maybe it will be. One or four episodes is not enough to make that judgement, and I for one will be sticking around to witness the resolution.
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
How I Met Your Mother - Trilogy Time
I was half-watching How I Met Your Mother last night - because How I Met Your Mother merits no more than half-watching these days. Thankfully my sister, who was watching with me and paying slightly more attention to the episode, kept me straight on the time shifts. Overall, it was a weak episode - essentially an episode of How I Met Your Mother about how much How I Met Your Mother likes to play with time shifts - but not uneventful and surprisingly hopeful.
I've long assumed that the future wedding at which future Ted meets the future mother of his children is the nuptials of Barney and Robin. In fact, we know that Barney is the groom and Ted is his best man. But last night made me question that assumption.
Barney and Quinn work. The idea of Barney falling in love with a stripper is a bit clunky - it takes the lovable absurdity of his character a step too far - but Quinn's personality meshes so well with Barney's that it fails to distract me from enjoying their on-screen chemistry. I'm even starting to believe we might be saved from a dreaded Barney-Robin rekindling. Here's to hoping...
I've long assumed that the future wedding at which future Ted meets the future mother of his children is the nuptials of Barney and Robin. In fact, we know that Barney is the groom and Ted is his best man. But last night made me question that assumption.
Barney and Quinn work. The idea of Barney falling in love with a stripper is a bit clunky - it takes the lovable absurdity of his character a step too far - but Quinn's personality meshes so well with Barney's that it fails to distract me from enjoying their on-screen chemistry. I'm even starting to believe we might be saved from a dreaded Barney-Robin rekindling. Here's to hoping...
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Chuck vs. the Goodbye
In the two episodes, the two hours that served as the series finale last night, the audience relived the full gambit of emotions that Chuck took us through over five seasons. And while everything Casey, Morgan, Big Mike, Jeff and Lester, Alex, General Beckman, Mary Bartowski, Ellie, Captain Awesome and even baby Clara brought to the table satisfied our fondest memories of these characters, these two hours were about what Chuck was about all along... about a guy who fell in love with a girl the moment his eyes met her... and a girl who came to love a guy she never expected to fall for.
It was gut-wrenching watching Sarah be torn away from Chuck, stripped of her memory and consequently her love of him. It was agonizing as the climatic moments unfolded, and just like he did at the beginning of season 3, Chuck had to choose between being with Sarah and using his abilities, whether intersect-related or not, for a higher purpose. In both instances Chuck made the noble choice, and in both instances Sarah Walker fell harder for him as a result.
Through two hours of television we relived many of the adventures these characters have had over the course of five years in an artful and impactful way that shed new light to Chuck and Sarah's journey, especially their early years as his handler and her asset. Watching Sarah view her mission log and stepping inside her head as she fell in love with the Nerdherder who fell in love with her added a new dimension to their relationship, which hung in the balance.
I believe Morgan was right - that one magical kiss was all it would take to bring Sarah back to Chuck. Maybe that kiss didn't bring back all of Sarah's memories - maybe not instantaneously - but I believe it, along with the epic story of their love, brought Sarah back to Chuck and began the next chapter in their lives together. And with this chapter and all chapters after it, Josh Swartz, Chris Fedak and company have given control to us, Chuck's fans, to write the rest of the story for ourselves. It was a satisfying conclusion to what I have found to be the most satisfying show on television for five years.
In the end, I sat, I watched, and I was happy... just like Chuck.
Friday, January 27, 2012
the end
Chuck's primary conflict - to shed the baggage that prevents him from living the life we wants - is a struggle to which we all relate. The show came about at a time in my life when the foundation of my identity was rocked. I saw a lot of myself in the character, and consequently found a lot of myself while watching Chuck's journey these last five years.
That journey reaches its conclusion tonight as Chuck, the little show that could, finally says its goodbye. I'm looking forward to what promises to be an emotional two hours of television and preparing myself to say farewell to a cast of characters to whom I've grown so close. I'll no doubt be compelled to write about the series finale, and promise to do so promptly - I thank anyone who is interested in reading my closing thoughts on Chuck in advance. Enjoy tonight!
Monday, November 7, 2011
coming on strong
Through its first two season, The Good Wife was a hit-or-miss show from a critical perspective that did well but not exceptional in the ratings. Overall, I enjoyed it and found some episodes gripping. The Good Wife moved to Sunday nights for its third season, and while I have not paid attention to the impact on its ratings, I feel the show has come back much stronger than before.
I still don't care for the case-of-the-week approach to the legal battles of Lockhart-Gardner - it'd be much more engaging and realistic to have cases stretch out over the course of several episodes. The cases themselves have been intriguing, but what elevates the show for me is the periphery. The developing relationship between Alicia and Will, the tension between Alicia and Kalinda, the dynamic within the Florrick family and the sleuthing between Eli and Kalinda have added depth to the show in each episode so far this season.
Perhaps the shows transformation is a result of it freeing Alicia from her marriage and her devotion to keeping it together. Her new life is more interesting, and her character appears more confident and in control. Moreover, the change has also pushed Peter Florrick in new directions, given their children time to explore themselves, and is having an interesting effect on Will. I chuckle watching him bungle the relationship stuff - accidentally saying "I love you," the awkwardness around Alicia's son, etc. His character is usually so cool and calculating, but when it comes to Alicia he becomes clumsy and irrational - qualities most guys can relate to around attractive women.
Last season, it was clear that The Good Wife was going one of two general directions - Alicia and Peter reconciling completely or Alicia and Peter separating completely. It was intriguing to watch it unfold, and Kalinda's involvement in the plot came as a surprise, but the outcome was not unexpected. Conversely, this season The Good Wife could go in any one of dozens of directions. My impression is that the show is more interesting and better for it.
I still don't care for the case-of-the-week approach to the legal battles of Lockhart-Gardner - it'd be much more engaging and realistic to have cases stretch out over the course of several episodes. The cases themselves have been intriguing, but what elevates the show for me is the periphery. The developing relationship between Alicia and Will, the tension between Alicia and Kalinda, the dynamic within the Florrick family and the sleuthing between Eli and Kalinda have added depth to the show in each episode so far this season.
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| photo from cbs.com |
Perhaps the shows transformation is a result of it freeing Alicia from her marriage and her devotion to keeping it together. Her new life is more interesting, and her character appears more confident and in control. Moreover, the change has also pushed Peter Florrick in new directions, given their children time to explore themselves, and is having an interesting effect on Will. I chuckle watching him bungle the relationship stuff - accidentally saying "I love you," the awkwardness around Alicia's son, etc. His character is usually so cool and calculating, but when it comes to Alicia he becomes clumsy and irrational - qualities most guys can relate to around attractive women.
Last season, it was clear that The Good Wife was going one of two general directions - Alicia and Peter reconciling completely or Alicia and Peter separating completely. It was intriguing to watch it unfold, and Kalinda's involvement in the plot came as a surprise, but the outcome was not unexpected. Conversely, this season The Good Wife could go in any one of dozens of directions. My impression is that the show is more interesting and better for it.
Monday, September 26, 2011
the freedom of flight, or lack thereof
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| photo from ABC.com |
I marveled last night at how the flight attendants and the passengers simply boarded the Clipper Majestic, straight from the airport terminal. When the plane took off, there were no safety and security announcements, and all that was requested of passengers was that they find their seats and buckle up*.
*What was missing from the depiction of air travel in the 1960s was cigarette smoke. I imagine that in that era the plane would have been as cloudy as the San Francisco fog - or Don Draper's office. I actually applaud ABC for this omission, regardless if it creates an historical inaccuracy.
It struck me as being so foreign compared to today's airport security and safety precautions. When flying down to Washington, I took a cab to the airport at 6:45am to catch my 8:30am flight because I was worried about the long security lines that inhabit airports on Saturday mornings. And this afternoon, I resisted scheduling an additional school visit in Northern Virginia because I did not want to get caught in the overwhelming traffic on my way back to Dulles.
After checking in for my flight and printing my boarding pass, using an automated kiosk, I passed through one of about three dozen different security lines before taking an intra-airport tram to arrive at my gate. I passed through easily enough, but to the left and right of me were people being held back because they forgot they had a receipt in their pocket, or had a cast that would need to be hand-wanded.
We live in a different time, in a different world, in which stepping foot in an airport is both safer and scarier than it was in 1963. The end result is that it is far less romantic, and that soaring through the skies is far less poetic for us than previous generations. But as First Officer Ted Vanderway tells us in Pan Am, it's all part of natural selection.
Though the skies and even the stars are no longer mythical frontiers, uncharted territories remain for current and future generations to discover and explore. Looking back at where we've been,compared to where we are now, only serves to remind us that there is no limit to where we can go.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
oh what a night
The fall TV season kicked off in almost high gear this week, and if Monday night was any indication of what's to come the next 8 months, then my DVR and I are going to become quite close by next spring.
How I Met Your Mother began its seventh season with two episodes on Monday night. The first, "The Best Man," was just as inept as most of the previous four seasons of the show. There were some high points - Barney reconnecting with Nora on the phone, Cobie Smulders acting so well in that scene, and Ted actually seeming likable again. But those highs could not overcome the lows - particularly Ted (narrator Ted) continuously psyching out the audience (his kids). And I found that Lily felt forced to tell the gang of her pregnancy because she couldn't handle the pressure of being seen as not drinking to be utterly insulting.
"The Naked Truth" was a much stronger episode. Aside from Ted acting like seasons 3-4 Ted instead of seasons 1-2 Ted again, the episode had a strong plot and featured a terrific performance by Neil Patrick Harris as he successfully convinced Nora to give him another chance. Unfortunately, a sloppy piece of foreshadowing towards the end of the episode seemed to give it away that Barney is marrying Robin.
And what to make of Victoria's return? My initial instinct is to be psyched! She's the only likable woman Ted has dated on the show - aside from Mary the paralegal. But Ted is a far, far lesser man than he was when he dated her - clearly not deserving of being with her anymore. If the writers are going to put them back together, what's the endgame? There's a buzz on the internet that Victoria could still be the mother, but that's a tough stretch to make at this point. If anything, I can see Ted reconnecting with Victoria reminding him of leaving her and finally being with Robin, and pushing him back towards Robin - setting up a Ted-Robin-Barney love triangle, which would infuriate me just like this show usually tends to do.
Immediately following the season premiere of How I Met Your Mother was the series premiere of 2 Broke Girls. Though a little weak on the plot, the show had numerous laugh-out-loud moments for me, and has been added the DVR list. I watched the show with my sister, and we really enjoyed it.
CBS concluded Monday night with the season two premiere of Hawaii Five-0. This is a fun show that, while generally operating as a procedural, does a good job of keeping some ongoing plot elements alive. The first season finale coupled with this episode brought some of those elements to a close while opening up a host of others. I found it hard not to assume Terry O'Quinn was still John Locke - and that Daniel Dae Kim is not still Jin, and Marc Dacascos is not still the Chairman's nephew and that Scott Caan is not still Tweeter - but he's a fun actor to watch and a nice addition to the cast. And with Bianca Stratford turning heel, the sky is the limit for season two.
I watched Hawaii Five-0 on Tuesday, because my Monday night ended with WWE Raw. On the heels of an eventful Night of Champions PPV, it was interesting to see what direction the WWE is going to take heading into Hell in the Cell and Survivor Series. The firing of Miz and R-Truth was certainly an unexpected twist, and only helps to confirm my belief that there is a larger, lingering plot twist involving CM Punk, HHH and Kevin Nash yet to come. Overall, it was a very entertaining episode of Raw featuring some strong on mic performances and some good in ring work - even Cena was showing off some new moves.
How I Met Your Mother began its seventh season with two episodes on Monday night. The first, "The Best Man," was just as inept as most of the previous four seasons of the show. There were some high points - Barney reconnecting with Nora on the phone, Cobie Smulders acting so well in that scene, and Ted actually seeming likable again. But those highs could not overcome the lows - particularly Ted (narrator Ted) continuously psyching out the audience (his kids). And I found that Lily felt forced to tell the gang of her pregnancy because she couldn't handle the pressure of being seen as not drinking to be utterly insulting.
"The Naked Truth" was a much stronger episode. Aside from Ted acting like seasons 3-4 Ted instead of seasons 1-2 Ted again, the episode had a strong plot and featured a terrific performance by Neil Patrick Harris as he successfully convinced Nora to give him another chance. Unfortunately, a sloppy piece of foreshadowing towards the end of the episode seemed to give it away that Barney is marrying Robin.
And what to make of Victoria's return? My initial instinct is to be psyched! She's the only likable woman Ted has dated on the show - aside from Mary the paralegal. But Ted is a far, far lesser man than he was when he dated her - clearly not deserving of being with her anymore. If the writers are going to put them back together, what's the endgame? There's a buzz on the internet that Victoria could still be the mother, but that's a tough stretch to make at this point. If anything, I can see Ted reconnecting with Victoria reminding him of leaving her and finally being with Robin, and pushing him back towards Robin - setting up a Ted-Robin-Barney love triangle, which would infuriate me just like this show usually tends to do.
Immediately following the season premiere of How I Met Your Mother was the series premiere of 2 Broke Girls. Though a little weak on the plot, the show had numerous laugh-out-loud moments for me, and has been added the DVR list. I watched the show with my sister, and we really enjoyed it.
CBS concluded Monday night with the season two premiere of Hawaii Five-0. This is a fun show that, while generally operating as a procedural, does a good job of keeping some ongoing plot elements alive. The first season finale coupled with this episode brought some of those elements to a close while opening up a host of others. I found it hard not to assume Terry O'Quinn was still John Locke - and that Daniel Dae Kim is not still Jin, and Marc Dacascos is not still the Chairman's nephew and that Scott Caan is not still Tweeter - but he's a fun actor to watch and a nice addition to the cast. And with Bianca Stratford turning heel, the sky is the limit for season two.
I watched Hawaii Five-0 on Tuesday, because my Monday night ended with WWE Raw. On the heels of an eventful Night of Champions PPV, it was interesting to see what direction the WWE is going to take heading into Hell in the Cell and Survivor Series. The firing of Miz and R-Truth was certainly an unexpected twist, and only helps to confirm my belief that there is a larger, lingering plot twist involving CM Punk, HHH and Kevin Nash yet to come. Overall, it was a very entertaining episode of Raw featuring some strong on mic performances and some good in ring work - even Cena was showing off some new moves.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The Killing - You're complaining too much.
Finally, I managed to catch up on the last episodes of season one of The Killing, including its controversial finale. As many of you know, the first season ended in a bit of a cliffhanger - and to many, not in a good way. In the aftermath, many viewers, critics and would-be critics have been quick to voice their displeasure with the culmination of the first season.
Part of their frustration is justified. The show premiered with strong episodes but soon lost its way before throwing things together towards the end of the season.
But a large portion of the frustration seems illogical. I understand, I guess, that it bothers viewers that the season ended with ambiguity about who killed Rosie Larsen. But what caused anyone to believe that we would be finding that out definitively at the end of the first season? And why would we want to? I think the idea of The Killing carrying the case into the second season is far more appealing that starting over with a new case when it returns.
I'm not trying to defend the quality of the show - The Killing disappointed me as much as anyone else. But the absurdity of the outrage of there being a cliffhanger ending needs to stop. Be mad if you want that it wasn't a good cliffhanger in terms of execution. But continuing the story into season two was a smart move by the creative team behind the show, even if that creative team is not doing a very good job with the show.
Part of their frustration is justified. The show premiered with strong episodes but soon lost its way before throwing things together towards the end of the season.
But a large portion of the frustration seems illogical. I understand, I guess, that it bothers viewers that the season ended with ambiguity about who killed Rosie Larsen. But what caused anyone to believe that we would be finding that out definitively at the end of the first season? And why would we want to? I think the idea of The Killing carrying the case into the second season is far more appealing that starting over with a new case when it returns.
I'm not trying to defend the quality of the show - The Killing disappointed me as much as anyone else. But the absurdity of the outrage of there being a cliffhanger ending needs to stop. Be mad if you want that it wasn't a good cliffhanger in terms of execution. But continuing the story into season two was a smart move by the creative team behind the show, even if that creative team is not doing a very good job with the show.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Game on!
For the past two or three years, it's been my contention that Mad Men is the best show in TV, and Chuck is the most enjoyable show on TV. But as I prepare for the final three episodes of the first season of Game of Thrones - last night's episode is waiting patiently for me in my DVR - the HBO series is threatening to steal both crowns.
It's admittedly nerdy of me to envelope myself in a fantasy series like Game of Thrones. It's not a genre I typically enjoy, but when done right, fantasy offers amazing displays of creativity and storytelling - see The Rings, Lord of. Games of Thrones is such an example. The show fires on all cylinders. My admiration of it is surely an example of being a prisoner of the moment, but while most shows are on their summer hiatus, Games of Thrones sits atop of the throne as the best show on TV.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Chuck Versus the Family Volkoff
Chuck is not the best, though it is one of, but it has to be the most enjoyable show on television. "Chuck Versus the Family Volkoff" demonstrates why. It offers the rare mix of comedy, action, serious drama and romance that only Chuck can strike. This episode had me from the second Morgan and Casey mimic each other eating breakfast.
I'm fascinated and find myself on the edge of my seat as Ellie continues to inch closer to unveiling the truth about her father's work. Yet I do find it somewhat mystifying that she still doesn't know Chuck is the intersect, especially when everyone else in the free and not-so-free world seem to know. But this doesn't really bother me as it does serve a purpose in the show - though I hope that's a purpose it will at some point no longer need. For the time being, it's fun to watch the fairer Bartowski adopt her brother's sleuth-esque qualities.
This episode unfolds expectedly, but that's often not a bad trait for Chuck, then hits the viewer with the Volkoff setup and twist*. Who is Agent X? Is it Ellie? Are we angling for an Ellie/Vivian confrontation? Leaving out the oft-obligatory chick fight reference, that would work for me.
* This wasn't Timothy Dalton's best appearance of the season, but it was still a treat to have him back.
I'm fascinated and find myself on the edge of my seat as Ellie continues to inch closer to unveiling the truth about her father's work. Yet I do find it somewhat mystifying that she still doesn't know Chuck is the intersect, especially when everyone else in the free and not-so-free world seem to know. But this doesn't really bother me as it does serve a purpose in the show - though I hope that's a purpose it will at some point no longer need. For the time being, it's fun to watch the fairer Bartowski adopt her brother's sleuth-esque qualities.
This episode unfolds expectedly, but that's often not a bad trait for Chuck, then hits the viewer with the Volkoff setup and twist*. Who is Agent X? Is it Ellie? Are we angling for an Ellie/Vivian confrontation? Leaving out the oft-obligatory chick fight reference, that would work for me.
* This wasn't Timothy Dalton's best appearance of the season, but it was still a treat to have him back.
How I Met Your Mother - The Exploding Meatball Sub
I continue to watch How I Met Your Mother purely to marvel at how bad a television show it has become. Ten minutes in, "The Exploding Meatball Sub" is kinda disappointing me in that it's not altogether awful. Don't get me wrong, the Ted-Zoe relationship is agonizingly bad TV, Barney is merely a bit part in this episode (so far) after the writers initiated pertinent story arcs for his character in recent episodes, and the notion of Marshall and Lilly as the perfect couple* is disgraceful. But Robin's actually had some likable moments, Marshall quitting his job story arc shows some promise, and it appears we may thankfully be nearing the end of Zoe's role on the show.
Despite the annoyance of Lilly's meltdown and impromptu trip to Spain, it does raise valuable themes in the episode. Marshall quitting his job is not exactly responsible behavior for a grown man wanting to start a family. Simultaneously, he does need to be happy (or at least should be) if he's going to start a family, and it's good to see Marshall reconcile these points by the end. On the other hand, Ted having relationship goggles for Zoe brings the show back down to its usual level of crappiness in the end.
*Lilly's character was cute in the early seasons because of her naivety and humorous mix of innocence and raunchiness. Now she's an insufferable know-it-all who treats Marshall like a pet dog, not a husband.
I think I reached the point with HIMYM tonight where the show is just not bad enough. It's still trying to be meaningful and real, but I fear it's gone too far in the wrong direction to pull off those traits now or in the future. Instead, HIMYM may be better served by going for the so-bad-it's-good effect.
Despite the annoyance of Lilly's meltdown and impromptu trip to Spain, it does raise valuable themes in the episode. Marshall quitting his job is not exactly responsible behavior for a grown man wanting to start a family. Simultaneously, he does need to be happy (or at least should be) if he's going to start a family, and it's good to see Marshall reconcile these points by the end. On the other hand, Ted having relationship goggles for Zoe brings the show back down to its usual level of crappiness in the end.
*Lilly's character was cute in the early seasons because of her naivety and humorous mix of innocence and raunchiness. Now she's an insufferable know-it-all who treats Marshall like a pet dog, not a husband.
I think I reached the point with HIMYM tonight where the show is just not bad enough. It's still trying to be meaningful and real, but I fear it's gone too far in the wrong direction to pull off those traits now or in the future. Instead, HIMYM may be better served by going for the so-bad-it's-good effect.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
go Team Conan!
The late-night television feud between Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien absolutely captivated me the past couple weeks. I'd tune into the first 20 minutes of Conan - celebrity interviews really just don't do it for me - cause I was just amazed at how Conan was attacking Leno and NBC, and NBC let it continue on their network. I understand he was raking in the ratings doing it, but is anyone in America going to take Leno seriously when he returns to the Tonight Show? Sure celebrities will still appear on his show to promote their projects, though I imagine some will boycott due to loyalties to Team Conan. And old-school fans will still turn in to watch, but I can't help but feel that NBC has alienated the younger generations of TV fans from that show and possibly ensured that it will die out before there's another host ready to take over for Leno, again. And why this really hurts NBC is that their best non-reality shows appeal to a younger audience. The Office has risen to popularity among the generation of young adults entering the professional workforce for the first time, and in my opinion Chuck is the funniest and most inventive show on television, using an absurd secret agent subplot to depict ordinary, everyday emotional obstacles we all confront.
One absolutely great development spawned by the Leno-Conan feud is the rekindling of the Leno-Letterman feud. After watching the first 20 minutes of Conan, I'd usually late-night blogs to see if Dave was attacking Leno that night. I can only hope this continues and intensifies when Leno returns to 11:30, or 11:35 or whatever. I think it'll be a little bit like the Mavs-Knicks game over the weekend, but I'll enjoy every second of it.
And finally, the sad part of Conan's departure from NBC is the length of time he now must stay off the air. As a society, we have very short attention spans and I fret that Team Conan will lose all substantive momentum by the time he is able to return to the air - and for the record I favor the Bill Simmons plan for O'Brien: an hour long show airing at midnight on Comedy Central.
Monday, June 23, 2008
I'm obsessed with Smallville
My girlfriend, being an immense fan of the television series Smallville, urged me to begin watching and lent me her copies of the first 4 seasons so I could begin catching up to the 7th season just completed a couple weeks ago. For those of you unfamiliar with the CW show, Smallville depicts the maturation of Clark Kent as he experiences adolescence and young-adulthood coping with and mastering his exceptional abilities while grappling with and confronting the strange and unusual truth of his existence. Smallville carefully avoids being the story of Superman, or rather Superboy, and embraces the telling of the story of Clark.
After watching several episodes I was intrigued, but admittedly I reached a point where I confided in my roommate that if Clark Kent didn't start changing in phone booths and flying around soon I was going to lose interest. Thankfully, I was wrong.
I remember watching Christopher Reeves glide across the Metropolis skylines as a young boy wishing that I had the ability to do the same, but I know that many of the students I work with are a bit too young to have such memories. Thus, I've grown to appreciate how the story of Clark Kent has been brought into a contemporary setting to reintroduce the hero's secret identity to a younger audience. I also appreciate how we as its audience are being asked to identify solely - at least presently - with the mild-mannered Clark as opposed to the Man of Steel. While we can all dream of having super-strength and x-ray vision, it's not exactly easy to identify with these attributes. However, Clark's character traits and the personal conflicts he encounters are absolutely relatable. Though compounded by extraordinary circumstances, his battle to know himself and be himself to the greatest extent he can is not at all unlike the battles we all must fight to find our true selves and our places in the world, battles that continue and may become more or less difficult as we mature and embrace new challenges in life.
Smallville effectively completes - or is in the process of completing - the primary chapters of the Superman mythology. This intentional use of the word mythology is a point I want to stress. Numerous cultures around the globe have histories much longer and more extensive than that of Americans - or USAians to be precise. These cultures have adopted mythologies that romanticize and popularize the histories of their ancient societies. I've encountered the argument that the Lord of the Rings stands alone as a mythology for English culture, and I support it. Likewise, I support the notion that comics and our stories of superheroes are our Mythology. Inspired by the truly great stories cherished by other cultures, we've reinvented the characters and retold the tales in our own time.
I enjoy and applaud Smallville for updating and adding a new dimension to the mythology of Superman. I haven't caught up on the entire series yet - I'm really not even that close - but I'm committed to doing so and, knowing how the 7th season ended, eager to keep watching. However, some flying would be nice.
After watching several episodes I was intrigued, but admittedly I reached a point where I confided in my roommate that if Clark Kent didn't start changing in phone booths and flying around soon I was going to lose interest. Thankfully, I was wrong.
I remember watching Christopher Reeves glide across the Metropolis skylines as a young boy wishing that I had the ability to do the same, but I know that many of the students I work with are a bit too young to have such memories. Thus, I've grown to appreciate how the story of Clark Kent has been brought into a contemporary setting to reintroduce the hero's secret identity to a younger audience. I also appreciate how we as its audience are being asked to identify solely - at least presently - with the mild-mannered Clark as opposed to the Man of Steel. While we can all dream of having super-strength and x-ray vision, it's not exactly easy to identify with these attributes. However, Clark's character traits and the personal conflicts he encounters are absolutely relatable. Though compounded by extraordinary circumstances, his battle to know himself and be himself to the greatest extent he can is not at all unlike the battles we all must fight to find our true selves and our places in the world, battles that continue and may become more or less difficult as we mature and embrace new challenges in life.
Smallville effectively completes - or is in the process of completing - the primary chapters of the Superman mythology. This intentional use of the word mythology is a point I want to stress. Numerous cultures around the globe have histories much longer and more extensive than that of Americans - or USAians to be precise. These cultures have adopted mythologies that romanticize and popularize the histories of their ancient societies. I've encountered the argument that the Lord of the Rings stands alone as a mythology for English culture, and I support it. Likewise, I support the notion that comics and our stories of superheroes are our Mythology. Inspired by the truly great stories cherished by other cultures, we've reinvented the characters and retold the tales in our own time.
I enjoy and applaud Smallville for updating and adding a new dimension to the mythology of Superman. I haven't caught up on the entire series yet - I'm really not even that close - but I'm committed to doing so and, knowing how the 7th season ended, eager to keep watching. However, some flying would be nice.
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