television commentary
how to make a little more money (a tv commentary)
ok, I understand commerence. You give a dollar, I take a dollar. People watch your show, so I give you money for commercials, and you pay the budget and the seventeen ceo's.
Screw commerce. Am I defensive? Yes. I've seen too many good shows cancelled in my time.
Firefly is the topic. Do I, by defending this show, proclaim myself as a geek? If I do, you can hit the back button and leave; it's fine with me. Or, go to google and search for something you're interested in, because all you will find here is a television watcher's declaration.
Firefly, is a lovely show. It's not friends, and its not er. It's a little show about surrogate families, and honor, and greed, and whatever else it wants to be about. These subjects are not new on tv, I know, but that's not the point. The point is that firefly is good at getting to the central ideas while also playing with expectations.
Let me cite a counter example. Good Morning Miami. ((I pause here for dramatic effect))...
This show is a really good show to have around, because it demonstrates what's wrong with tv, in one easy (albeit moldy and unappealing) package. This show is pure demographic programming. This is worse than a celebrity vehicle, its a sitcom with no soul or intelligence whatsoever. A third grader could guess the next twist, or the next line, or the next... you get it. -- Good Morning Miama was touted by the head of nbc as "the show with a relationship which rivals that of ross and rachel", and he was talking to the people who buy commercials. That is a telling statement. I can understand when an exagerrated tagline is derived from a good show, that happens all the time, but this show was founded on that idea.. put into other words: exploit the viewing public's want of a happy ending until they can bear it no more. And, that is all. Throw in a dash of babbling supporting characters and neanderthal stumbling blocks, and you've got some tv worth its weight in hollow cliches. The characters are stupid and wooden (the nun should be shot for being insatiably moronic in dialogue) (the "guy in love" should be shot for being a whining weenie) (the "girl in love with a jerk" should be shot for having the complexity of a pornstar) (the contrived love triangle should be shot for being inept in every way) (the grandma can leave)... ah, but who cares about this stuff anyway? hey, it must be a good show, yaknow, it got renewed for the season...
(I pause for dramatic effect)
You know what didn't get renewed? I'll give you one guess.
(I pause for a shift in gears)
Sports Night was great tv. The characters were all well-rounded and believable. The humor was some of the most honest I'd ever seen in my life. When I laughed, it was rarely a "catch my breath" laugh. The laughs were recognitions of a truth told with a careful wit. The amount of real honesty in this show would have made oprah blush. Machoism was deconstructed, pain was realized, hope was found in little things. I could go on, but I won't. You get the point. The series is on dvd. It should still be on the air, but it's not. Who's fault is it? I don't know. But, he should be cancelled, see what it feels like. "no, sir, I'm sorry, but even though you've made us money, you're not making us enough. security will now escort you out, and I'll need your parking pass back also"
Firefly was cancelled. The creator is shopping the show around while it sits in limbo. It had real promise. Maybe sci-fi channel will pick it up and give it a new life, because it deserves to live on.
For every Firefly, there are six Yes, Dear's (don't get me started on that wannabe-on-nickelodeon-but-wanna-talk-like-mtv knyuck-less mush pile). I'm not telling you it's the greatest, just better than most of the crap out there. And the crap is up to my shoulders.
I saw an episode of friends this season. It was about phoebe's first meeting with her new boyfriend's parents. Her uncomfortableness was the night's fodder, and at the end her boyfriend surprisingly professed his undying love for her.
I saw of episode of will and grace this season, same night as above. Grace was having dinner with harry connick, and some strangers who turned out to be his parents. she suddenly got uncomfortable when she found out who they were. but, in the end, harry loved her anyway, and told her for first time (surprisingly).
I am no longer surprised. I am no longer interested.
-will |
