Monday Night Fights
I am a big TV fan. There, I’ve said it and I feel all the stronger for it. In my house, the TV goes on as soon as I get home and stays on until I fall asleep. I don’t always watch, mind. Lotsa times it functions more as a fireplace—comforting, bright, vaguely alive—than a usual means of entertainment. And that’s fine.
But sometimes comes Appointment TV. “House.” “Lost.” “Ugly Betty.” “Grey’s Anatomy.” “Men in Trees.” (Quite a night, Thursday.) “Ghost Whisperer.”
And, on Monday, something a little different. “Heroes”. Vs. “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
I say versus because even though both those shows are on NBC and are obviously not in the same time-slot, it’s still a throwdown. Because “Heroes” respects its viewers and “Studio 60”, oh what the hell, let’s just say it, Aaron Sorkin, that massive chunk of flagrant self-indulgent wretched refuse, does not.
“Heroes” is charming. It amuses, it challenges, it makes you go Whaaaa…? It has really organic interactions amongst characters, it gives presents to its fans (George Takei as Hero Hiro’s daddy, bigtime mogul, with a license plate that read NCC-1701. Oh, the fangasms!). That’s how you inspire loyalty. And it’s paying off big for the show.
“Studio 60”, on the other hand, or again, I should say Sorkin, doesn’t. It never misses an opportunity to show us how much better its puffed-up peacock creator is than we lowly peasants are. NOT. It insults us with vomitous plotlines: wacko Danny stalking his TV-studio boss Jordan, upon which she gives in all cutesy and passes him a note saying “I’m crazy about you!”. Crazy being the operative word. And the dialogue, oh my God and Goddess, the dialogue. If you thought “West Wing” was pretentious and annoying, I’m telling you, the sludge here will make your head explode.
And yet I watch both, and will continue to do so. Because “Heroes” is so very, very good, and Sorkin…well, I just want to see how very, very bad he can get. Not so much like watching a car crash as like watching a fifty-car flaming pileup on an ice-slick road in a crap blizzard. Only better.
I could go on and on. But I won’t. If you want, go check out the forum thread for S60 (or any other show you fancy) on my favorite website of all time,www.televisionwithoutpity.com . The posters there rise to blissful heights of vituperation, all of it richly deserved. You'll enjoy yourself. Promise.
But sometimes comes Appointment TV. “House.” “Lost.” “Ugly Betty.” “Grey’s Anatomy.” “Men in Trees.” (Quite a night, Thursday.) “Ghost Whisperer.”
And, on Monday, something a little different. “Heroes”. Vs. “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
I say versus because even though both those shows are on NBC and are obviously not in the same time-slot, it’s still a throwdown. Because “Heroes” respects its viewers and “Studio 60”, oh what the hell, let’s just say it, Aaron Sorkin, that massive chunk of flagrant self-indulgent wretched refuse, does not.
“Heroes” is charming. It amuses, it challenges, it makes you go Whaaaa…? It has really organic interactions amongst characters, it gives presents to its fans (George Takei as Hero Hiro’s daddy, bigtime mogul, with a license plate that read NCC-1701. Oh, the fangasms!). That’s how you inspire loyalty. And it’s paying off big for the show.
“Studio 60”, on the other hand, or again, I should say Sorkin, doesn’t. It never misses an opportunity to show us how much better its puffed-up peacock creator is than we lowly peasants are. NOT. It insults us with vomitous plotlines: wacko Danny stalking his TV-studio boss Jordan, upon which she gives in all cutesy and passes him a note saying “I’m crazy about you!”. Crazy being the operative word. And the dialogue, oh my God and Goddess, the dialogue. If you thought “West Wing” was pretentious and annoying, I’m telling you, the sludge here will make your head explode.
And yet I watch both, and will continue to do so. Because “Heroes” is so very, very good, and Sorkin…well, I just want to see how very, very bad he can get. Not so much like watching a car crash as like watching a fifty-car flaming pileup on an ice-slick road in a crap blizzard. Only better.
I could go on and on. But I won’t. If you want, go check out the forum thread for S60 (or any other show you fancy) on my favorite website of all time,
posted by Patricia Kennealy Morrison | 12:33 PM
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