So I watched the Desperate Housewives finale.
My relationship with this show this season has been a bit of a roller coaster. I started off cautiously optimistic and quickly descended to furious. That diverged into a long period of being vaguely depressed and nauseated whenever I read spoilers, and then something amazing happened. I read the spoiler that Porter was going to impregnate Julie, and it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Basically, it finally clicked that this show had become so ridiculously stupid that it was not worth wasting any more emotional energy on.
It was freedom.
I spent the rest of the season still reading spoilers just to keep up with what was going on. I had already decided that I'd watch the final episode since I no longer really cared. I won't lie, though, I was definitely happy to hear that Tom finally dumped Jane and that he and Lynette would reunite in the finale. It remained whatever smidgen of trepidation that might have remained.
The most interesting thing, I think, is that this is probably the most objective review of this show I'll ever give. A lack the emotional attachment does great things for removing a bias. So here we go.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
21 Moments
Parks and Rec Season Four in 21 Moments
In an attempt to keep myself from watching the season four finale of Parks and Recreation early, I decided to rewatch all of season four. And then, because that wasn't enough, I decided to make a post of twenty-one of the most awesome moments/best lines/reasons this show is so amazing. There is one from each episode this season.
This has proved to be a great distraction. Also, I hope this goes to prove that if you don't watch Parks then you should. Because, as Leslie would say, it's freaking awesome.
“I’m Leslie Knope”
As I posted earlier this year, in a TV season that started off breaking up my favorite couples, Parks and Rec blew every other show out of the water. And while the breakup scene still makes me cry every time I watch it, the scene transcribed below is another beautiful encapsulation of just why Ben and Leslie are perfect for each other.
Monday, February 13, 2012
5 Reasons
I have watched Parks and Rec since the night it premiered. I liked The Office and Amy Poehler, so it seemed like a safe bet at the time. Little did I know that by the mid-point of its second season, it would end up being one of my favorite shows; that by the time season three's "Ron and Tammy: Part Two" ended, it would be the show I looked forward to most every week. I am hooked on this show, and I can't sing its praises enough.
Of course, that doesn't mean I won't take a stab at it. Here we go!
5 Reasons Why Parks and Rec Is My Favorite Show
1. It Makes Me Happy
Watching Parks and Recreation is like experiencing all of my favorite comforts in one half hour block of television. It's like being all wrapped up in my coziest sweater and eating warm brownies while snow is falling outside. I never have any doubt in my mind that I'm going to be just a little bit happier after watching this show than I was before, and I honestly can't say that about any other show I've ever watched.
2. It's Hilarious
Another credit that I can give to Parks and Rec that I can't give to other shows is that it always makes me laugh. I'm talking about really laughing--not a smile; not a chuckle; not a thought of, "Oh, that's kind of funny." I belly laugh at this show at least once a week, and I'm hard pressed to remember an episode that hasn't elicited that response at least once. Two weeks ago it was at the picture of Sam Waterston that Leslie posted as a picture of an ideal man (I laughed so hard at that that I had to rewind to hear what I missed); in the same episode, Andy's antics alone made me laugh out loud at least two other times. Best of all, those things continue to be funny no matter how many times I view them. I've watched the "Bobby Newport evil voice" scene in "Campaign Ad" at least a dozen times now, and I still crack up every single time. The comedy in this show is always spot on, from sight gags to one-liners to the character's reactions. And what makes this truly remarkable is...
3. It Gets Better with Age
I could--and have--made the argument that most shows jump the shark after season four. At the very least, I can pinpoint the downward turn in a lot of shows to right around that time. Now, granted, Parks and Rec is only in its fourth season now, and two of its seasons were significantly abbreviated. However, each season has gotten progressively better, building on the previous year while managing to keep things fresh and interesting. And most importantly...
4. The Characters Have Room to Grow
I really can't praise the show enough for this. The problem I think a lot of shows run into, particularly comedies, is that they latch on to one funny aspect of the character and then turn that trait into the dominating force. Suddenly the character becomes all about that one idea with no room for growth or development because that would eliminate the "funny." Unfortunately, that often also kills the thing that was funny in the first place (ie: Barney on How I Met Your Mother). Parks and Rec kills it on this front.
Just look at Leslie. From the start, that overwhelming funny trait is how intense she is (about everything). However, the writers have allowed her to progress from a character whose intensity was quite often to her detriment (see "Canvassing" or "Boys' Club") into one whose passion allows her to bloom (see "Harvest Festival" or "Li'l Sebastian"). What is great is that every so often we still get to see "steamroller" Leslie (as Ann so kindly called her) while also seeing Leslie acknowledge that as something she needs to work on. The character has really blossomed over four years of the show, striking a perfect balance in the extremity of her defining personality trait.
I guess what this boils down to is that Parks and Rec doesn't turn its characters into caricatures (which, let's face it, is all too easy to do). They can be zany, but then pull back into reality in a moment's notice; they're hilarious, but at the same time heartbreaking. I am constantly impressed by the fact that the writers walk this line so well, and I hope they continue to do so in the future.
5. The Continuity Kicks Ass
Let's face it: my dream job would be getting to track continuity for television shows. I could sit there and watch and rewatch and note character quirks and timelines until my brain melted, and I would be the happiest person on earth. It drives me crazy when shows can't seem to keep track of what they say week to week (Desperate Housewives, I'm looking at you). So the fact that Parks and Rec kicks ass at continuity is a dream come true for me. Last week alone, we had a callback to the fact that Ben is pretending to "get" the Li'l Sebastian thing, he bought Leslie a waffle necklace for Valentine's Day (which she later wore in the episode), and they referenced Ron's birthday and hatred of surprises from season three. I swear, someone must actually be paying attention on this show. Multiple people, perhaps. In fact, it's like the writers actually like their show and their characters, and that they respect the audience (who would have guessed that would be all it takes?).
Bonus: 6. It's Not Afraid to Let Its Characters Be Happy
Yeah, TV, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's refreshing, and it's a lot of what contributes to number one. Every once in awhile, it's just really nice to see people being happy, pursuing their dreams, and not getting caught up in needless drama or conflict. So thank you, Parks and Recreation, for bringing that into my life once a week. Please don't ever stop.
Of course, that doesn't mean I won't take a stab at it. Here we go!
5 Reasons Why Parks and Rec Is My Favorite Show
1. It Makes Me Happy
Watching Parks and Recreation is like experiencing all of my favorite comforts in one half hour block of television. It's like being all wrapped up in my coziest sweater and eating warm brownies while snow is falling outside. I never have any doubt in my mind that I'm going to be just a little bit happier after watching this show than I was before, and I honestly can't say that about any other show I've ever watched.
2. It's Hilarious
Another credit that I can give to Parks and Rec that I can't give to other shows is that it always makes me laugh. I'm talking about really laughing--not a smile; not a chuckle; not a thought of, "Oh, that's kind of funny." I belly laugh at this show at least once a week, and I'm hard pressed to remember an episode that hasn't elicited that response at least once. Two weeks ago it was at the picture of Sam Waterston that Leslie posted as a picture of an ideal man (I laughed so hard at that that I had to rewind to hear what I missed); in the same episode, Andy's antics alone made me laugh out loud at least two other times. Best of all, those things continue to be funny no matter how many times I view them. I've watched the "Bobby Newport evil voice" scene in "Campaign Ad" at least a dozen times now, and I still crack up every single time. The comedy in this show is always spot on, from sight gags to one-liners to the character's reactions. And what makes this truly remarkable is...
3. It Gets Better with Age
I could--and have--made the argument that most shows jump the shark after season four. At the very least, I can pinpoint the downward turn in a lot of shows to right around that time. Now, granted, Parks and Rec is only in its fourth season now, and two of its seasons were significantly abbreviated. However, each season has gotten progressively better, building on the previous year while managing to keep things fresh and interesting. And most importantly...
4. The Characters Have Room to Grow
I really can't praise the show enough for this. The problem I think a lot of shows run into, particularly comedies, is that they latch on to one funny aspect of the character and then turn that trait into the dominating force. Suddenly the character becomes all about that one idea with no room for growth or development because that would eliminate the "funny." Unfortunately, that often also kills the thing that was funny in the first place (ie: Barney on How I Met Your Mother). Parks and Rec kills it on this front.
Just look at Leslie. From the start, that overwhelming funny trait is how intense she is (about everything). However, the writers have allowed her to progress from a character whose intensity was quite often to her detriment (see "Canvassing" or "Boys' Club") into one whose passion allows her to bloom (see "Harvest Festival" or "Li'l Sebastian"). What is great is that every so often we still get to see "steamroller" Leslie (as Ann so kindly called her) while also seeing Leslie acknowledge that as something she needs to work on. The character has really blossomed over four years of the show, striking a perfect balance in the extremity of her defining personality trait.
I guess what this boils down to is that Parks and Rec doesn't turn its characters into caricatures (which, let's face it, is all too easy to do). They can be zany, but then pull back into reality in a moment's notice; they're hilarious, but at the same time heartbreaking. I am constantly impressed by the fact that the writers walk this line so well, and I hope they continue to do so in the future.
5. The Continuity Kicks Ass
Let's face it: my dream job would be getting to track continuity for television shows. I could sit there and watch and rewatch and note character quirks and timelines until my brain melted, and I would be the happiest person on earth. It drives me crazy when shows can't seem to keep track of what they say week to week (Desperate Housewives, I'm looking at you). So the fact that Parks and Rec kicks ass at continuity is a dream come true for me. Last week alone, we had a callback to the fact that Ben is pretending to "get" the Li'l Sebastian thing, he bought Leslie a waffle necklace for Valentine's Day (which she later wore in the episode), and they referenced Ron's birthday and hatred of surprises from season three. I swear, someone must actually be paying attention on this show. Multiple people, perhaps. In fact, it's like the writers actually like their show and their characters, and that they respect the audience (who would have guessed that would be all it takes?).
Bonus: 6. It's Not Afraid to Let Its Characters Be Happy
Yeah, TV, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's refreshing, and it's a lot of what contributes to number one. Every once in awhile, it's just really nice to see people being happy, pursuing their dreams, and not getting caught up in needless drama or conflict. So thank you, Parks and Recreation, for bringing that into my life once a week. Please don't ever stop.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
A Brief History
So despite what you all may think, my (unhealthy?) love of television extends back much further than Desperate Housewives. And as I was lying in bed last night thinking about how I should really post an update about how I've been dealing with quitting DH cold turkey, my mind instead started to drift through the myriad of obsessions I've had over the years. And then because it was 3am and I was half-asleep, I thought that it would be a splendid idea to actually write about it, and somehow twelve hours later, even now that I have been awake and functioning like a rational adult for hours, it still seems like a good idea. So here we are.
A brief history...
Obsession One: Sesame Street
I have great parents. My wonderful mother stayed home with me as a child and gave me attention and read books to me and did lots of other wonderful, stimulating activities. And one of those things was to let me watch Sesame Street. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe if I had never seen Sesame Street, I would have grown up to be one of those people who watches whatever happens to be on when I have time to pick up the remote. I'll honestly never know.
How obsessed could a child be with Sesame Street, I'm sure you're asking yourself. For me it was a habit ingrained into my everyday routine. As in, every day I would wake up in the morning, stumble into my parents' bedroom, turn on the TV and watch Sesame Street. And then I'd watch the same episode again at noon. And then again when it came on in the afternoon. I was like a robot programmed to know when Cookie Monster would be appearing on my television; I had to watch.
And then, of course, came the infamous Christmas Eve on Sesame Street incident, which my mother still tells with some strange form of affection every year. When I was three (three!), my parents sat down and watched Christmas Eve on Sesame Street with me. Of course, as soon as it ended, I demanded to see it again (yes, even at three, I was a compulsive re-watcher). As it was the late 80s, though, we didn't even have a VCR yet, and my poor mother was forced to tell me that I couldn't watch again. This resulted in me sobbing uncontrollably at my parents' inability to let me see Big Bird any time I wanted (and probably unconsciously motivated them to let me have full access to the VCR and blank tapes later in life). I was crushed. My parents should have realized then that TV was going to play a big role in my life.
Obsession Two: The Care Bears
Three years after the disaster with Sesame Street, my new passion was watching The Care Bears. I watched it every day before I went off to kindergarten. I even had several stuffed animal Care Bears, and I forced my dad to play Care Bears with me on a regular basis. The entire game revolved around me being in "Care-a-Lot" (aka the top bunk of mine and my brother's bunk beds) while my dad had to live in dreary NoHeart's Castle (the bottom bunk) and try to snatch my Care Bears as I dangled them about like helpless bait. The hero, Swiftheart Rabbit (my favorite Care Bear, who I still have to this day), was never able to be caught due to her swift prowess, and thus it was always up to her to rescue the others. She never failed.
Clearly I had already begun incorporating TV into my real life.
Anyway, the show. One morning, I sat down to breakfast, ready to enjoy another half an hour of adventures when, to my horror, The Care Bears didn't come on. Anxiously, I called for my mother, desperate for her to explain this unacceptable change in my daily routine. "Fix it!" I demanded. "Make them put it on!"
Unfortunately, that day I learned my first lesson in the uncontrollable nature of television programming schedules. It turned out that The Care Bears was cancelled (or at least taken off the air--it was probably well into reruns at that point). My feeble, six-year-old mind couldn't handle this information, and I was reduced to tears. Again.
For the second time in my life, TV had garnered a disproportionate, emotional reaction from me.
Obsession Three: Tiny Toon Adventures
My Tiny Toons obsession began when I was about ten or eleven, although I had been watching the show regularly for years. I don't know what changed, but suddenly I was waking up early on Saturday just to see the reruns on Nick. I watched How I Spent My Summer Vacation so many times that I could recite it line-by-line. And I did. Sometimes when my brother would camp out on my bedroom floor (we had our own rooms by then), I would lie there reciting the movie to him until he fell asleep. When we went to the movie rental store, I would pick out old episodes of Tiny Toons instead of something new, despite the fact that it was constantly on TV. I was obsessed.
I don't have any particular memory of how this obsession died out. Entering my tween years, it must have naturally petered out. It was nothing as dramatic or life-altering as the Care Bears tragedy, and I think the truth is that I probably just outgrew the show.
Especially considering that my next obsession was The X-FIles.
Obsession Four: The X-Files
I discovered The X-Files when I was thirteen. My parents were away for the weekend, my cousin was babysitting, and a rerun came on late that Friday night. I watched, enraptured. I couldn't get enough. I had to have more.
I began watching reruns whenever I had the chance. After school, before bed, on weekends. I would tape them on days I had things going on and couldn't be home to watch. I flipped through the TV Guide, figuring out which episodes were on when, if I had seen the episode or not, if it would be one I'd like. I started to keep track of every episode in a notebook, rating whether or not I liked it and why, and even assigning it a grade. At one point, I could list every episode title in order, a feat my brother admired as much as he thought I was insane. It was beyond any other obsession I had had previously.
I was in eighth grade when this started. Middle school was nothing you could pay me to experience again, so like any miserable little girl, I used The X-Files as a coping method. I would sit in Spanish class, trying to figure out how many hours it was until the new episode on Sunday night. I would reimagine scenes in my head, using it as a way to kill time whenever I was bored in school. Describing it this way sounds somewhat pathetic, but I think obsessing over this show was my first foray into real analytical thinking. I was dissecting and interpreting The X-Files long before To Kill a Mockingbird came along. Fortunately, I can say that things got much better once I was in high school, but this new trick was already ingrained in me: TV can still be entertaining even when you're not actually watching it.
The X-Files was also the first show that introduced my to fanfiction. I had a blessed half hour home alone every day now that I was in middle school. I'd rush to our computer, wait fifteen minutes for the dial-up to connect, and then spend my last fifteen minutes perusing the wide world of stories I had discovered on the internet. I was the first time I realized I wasn't alone. Other people loved this show too. Other people tried to make the experience last longer than one hour a week.
I was hooked.
The X-Files obsession lasted until my junior year of high school. I stuck with the show through season eight, and then quit after the season nine premiere. By then the show had shifted focus from the main characters (David Duchovny wasn't even on the show anymore), and I found my interest waning as well. I did tune in for the last episode, of course. I still remember getting home that night (I'd had a banquet at school), popping in my tape into the VCR and lying on the living room floor to join Mulder and Scully on one last adventure. It was surprisingly satisfying.
Since then, my obsession has subsided. Occasionally, I still read X-Files fic (although I have never written one). I own all nine seasons on DVD (a Christmas present one year). I went to see the new movie when it came out a couple of summers ago. And I still get a warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I watch an episode--nostalgia. It was my first grown-up TV obsession.
Obsession Five: Charmed
I discovered Charmed while in the hospital recovering from surgery after my senior year of high school. There were reruns on TNT about five times a day, and since there was nothing else to do but lie in a bed all day, I watched. I can honestly say, it was love at first sight. The show resonated with me the same way The X-Files did; I was hooked.
Things started off in the same way: me collecting and noting random pieces of information (on my computer now); still dissecting and analyzing the show far beyond what a normal viewer would; discovering fan sites that I checked on a daily basis for updates. Charmed was different than The X-Files in some ways, though. For one thing, my sister got into it too, so I finally had someone's ear to talk off. For another, I really made my first foray into the world of fanfiction.
I had dabbled in a few fanfics before, but they'd been mostly ways to kill the time or fill some hole I'd noted in a book or movie. I initially approached Charmed fanfic as a reader, but quickly discovered that the stories out there were not what I wanted to read. It felt like I didn't have a choice: if the internet wasn't going to provide what I wanted, then I'd have to do it myself. In my spare time, I began dabbling in writing fic for the Charmed universe. My first year college roommate wrote fanfic as well, and suddenly a habit I had been keeping secret for so long didn't seem quite so horrifying. I enjoyed it. It challenged me in a lot of ways, and it was a lot of fun.
Eventually, I joined a sorority. Our meetings were on Sunday nights, and I was back to popping in a tape and rushing home to watch after we were done. I stuck with Charmed all the way to the bitter end. It was my first experience with a show breaking up my favorite couple; my first experience with long, drawn out separations; my first experience rationalizing characters and their motivations (when they seeminingly had none). In retrospect, it was good prep for Desperate Housewives.
My love of Charmed lasted beyond the end of the show. In fact, it didn't dim until Desperate Housewives came into my life in a blaze of glory.
Obsession Six: Desperate Housewives
So here we are: the present. Like my other great TV obsessions, this one began when I inadvertantly caught a rerun and was instantly hooked. Unlike previous occasions, though, this time I had the power of DVDs: I went out and rented the first four seasons and watched them in a matter of two weeks. By the time the fifth season started back up (this was during the spring hiatus), I was completely caught up and had probably watched every episode two or three times.
Again, I was obsessed.
And now, almost three years later, I'm slowly weening myself off of the show. In some ways, it feels like The Care Bears all over again (circumstances beyond my control). I'm still writing fanfic because I enjoy it even if I no longer enjoy the show. And yes, secretly I'm still hoping that Tom and Lynette will resolve their problems, and I can see this show out in its last season.
But the truth is that I know there will probably be a new show on the horizon...There always is.
Interesting Fact: All three of my favorite shows (The X-Files, Charmed and Desperate Housewives) air(ed) their new episodes on Sunday (at least by the time I started watching). Thus, Sunday night has been probably my favorite night of the week since about 1997.
Coming up soon..."How I Quit Desperate Housewives (In Ten Easy Steps)" Well, there might not be ten, but it just sounds so nice...
A brief history...
Obsession One: Sesame Street
I have great parents. My wonderful mother stayed home with me as a child and gave me attention and read books to me and did lots of other wonderful, stimulating activities. And one of those things was to let me watch Sesame Street. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe if I had never seen Sesame Street, I would have grown up to be one of those people who watches whatever happens to be on when I have time to pick up the remote. I'll honestly never know.
How obsessed could a child be with Sesame Street, I'm sure you're asking yourself. For me it was a habit ingrained into my everyday routine. As in, every day I would wake up in the morning, stumble into my parents' bedroom, turn on the TV and watch Sesame Street. And then I'd watch the same episode again at noon. And then again when it came on in the afternoon. I was like a robot programmed to know when Cookie Monster would be appearing on my television; I had to watch.
And then, of course, came the infamous Christmas Eve on Sesame Street incident, which my mother still tells with some strange form of affection every year. When I was three (three!), my parents sat down and watched Christmas Eve on Sesame Street with me. Of course, as soon as it ended, I demanded to see it again (yes, even at three, I was a compulsive re-watcher). As it was the late 80s, though, we didn't even have a VCR yet, and my poor mother was forced to tell me that I couldn't watch again. This resulted in me sobbing uncontrollably at my parents' inability to let me see Big Bird any time I wanted (and probably unconsciously motivated them to let me have full access to the VCR and blank tapes later in life). I was crushed. My parents should have realized then that TV was going to play a big role in my life.
Obsession Two: The Care Bears
Three years after the disaster with Sesame Street, my new passion was watching The Care Bears. I watched it every day before I went off to kindergarten. I even had several stuffed animal Care Bears, and I forced my dad to play Care Bears with me on a regular basis. The entire game revolved around me being in "Care-a-Lot" (aka the top bunk of mine and my brother's bunk beds) while my dad had to live in dreary NoHeart's Castle (the bottom bunk) and try to snatch my Care Bears as I dangled them about like helpless bait. The hero, Swiftheart Rabbit (my favorite Care Bear, who I still have to this day), was never able to be caught due to her swift prowess, and thus it was always up to her to rescue the others. She never failed.
Clearly I had already begun incorporating TV into my real life.
Anyway, the show. One morning, I sat down to breakfast, ready to enjoy another half an hour of adventures when, to my horror, The Care Bears didn't come on. Anxiously, I called for my mother, desperate for her to explain this unacceptable change in my daily routine. "Fix it!" I demanded. "Make them put it on!"
Unfortunately, that day I learned my first lesson in the uncontrollable nature of television programming schedules. It turned out that The Care Bears was cancelled (or at least taken off the air--it was probably well into reruns at that point). My feeble, six-year-old mind couldn't handle this information, and I was reduced to tears. Again.
For the second time in my life, TV had garnered a disproportionate, emotional reaction from me.
Obsession Three: Tiny Toon Adventures
My Tiny Toons obsession began when I was about ten or eleven, although I had been watching the show regularly for years. I don't know what changed, but suddenly I was waking up early on Saturday just to see the reruns on Nick. I watched How I Spent My Summer Vacation so many times that I could recite it line-by-line. And I did. Sometimes when my brother would camp out on my bedroom floor (we had our own rooms by then), I would lie there reciting the movie to him until he fell asleep. When we went to the movie rental store, I would pick out old episodes of Tiny Toons instead of something new, despite the fact that it was constantly on TV. I was obsessed.
I don't have any particular memory of how this obsession died out. Entering my tween years, it must have naturally petered out. It was nothing as dramatic or life-altering as the Care Bears tragedy, and I think the truth is that I probably just outgrew the show.
Especially considering that my next obsession was The X-FIles.
Obsession Four: The X-Files
I discovered The X-Files when I was thirteen. My parents were away for the weekend, my cousin was babysitting, and a rerun came on late that Friday night. I watched, enraptured. I couldn't get enough. I had to have more.
I began watching reruns whenever I had the chance. After school, before bed, on weekends. I would tape them on days I had things going on and couldn't be home to watch. I flipped through the TV Guide, figuring out which episodes were on when, if I had seen the episode or not, if it would be one I'd like. I started to keep track of every episode in a notebook, rating whether or not I liked it and why, and even assigning it a grade. At one point, I could list every episode title in order, a feat my brother admired as much as he thought I was insane. It was beyond any other obsession I had had previously.
I was in eighth grade when this started. Middle school was nothing you could pay me to experience again, so like any miserable little girl, I used The X-Files as a coping method. I would sit in Spanish class, trying to figure out how many hours it was until the new episode on Sunday night. I would reimagine scenes in my head, using it as a way to kill time whenever I was bored in school. Describing it this way sounds somewhat pathetic, but I think obsessing over this show was my first foray into real analytical thinking. I was dissecting and interpreting The X-Files long before To Kill a Mockingbird came along. Fortunately, I can say that things got much better once I was in high school, but this new trick was already ingrained in me: TV can still be entertaining even when you're not actually watching it.
The X-Files was also the first show that introduced my to fanfiction. I had a blessed half hour home alone every day now that I was in middle school. I'd rush to our computer, wait fifteen minutes for the dial-up to connect, and then spend my last fifteen minutes perusing the wide world of stories I had discovered on the internet. I was the first time I realized I wasn't alone. Other people loved this show too. Other people tried to make the experience last longer than one hour a week.
I was hooked.
The X-Files obsession lasted until my junior year of high school. I stuck with the show through season eight, and then quit after the season nine premiere. By then the show had shifted focus from the main characters (David Duchovny wasn't even on the show anymore), and I found my interest waning as well. I did tune in for the last episode, of course. I still remember getting home that night (I'd had a banquet at school), popping in my tape into the VCR and lying on the living room floor to join Mulder and Scully on one last adventure. It was surprisingly satisfying.
Since then, my obsession has subsided. Occasionally, I still read X-Files fic (although I have never written one). I own all nine seasons on DVD (a Christmas present one year). I went to see the new movie when it came out a couple of summers ago. And I still get a warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I watch an episode--nostalgia. It was my first grown-up TV obsession.
Obsession Five: Charmed
I discovered Charmed while in the hospital recovering from surgery after my senior year of high school. There were reruns on TNT about five times a day, and since there was nothing else to do but lie in a bed all day, I watched. I can honestly say, it was love at first sight. The show resonated with me the same way The X-Files did; I was hooked.
Things started off in the same way: me collecting and noting random pieces of information (on my computer now); still dissecting and analyzing the show far beyond what a normal viewer would; discovering fan sites that I checked on a daily basis for updates. Charmed was different than The X-Files in some ways, though. For one thing, my sister got into it too, so I finally had someone's ear to talk off. For another, I really made my first foray into the world of fanfiction.
I had dabbled in a few fanfics before, but they'd been mostly ways to kill the time or fill some hole I'd noted in a book or movie. I initially approached Charmed fanfic as a reader, but quickly discovered that the stories out there were not what I wanted to read. It felt like I didn't have a choice: if the internet wasn't going to provide what I wanted, then I'd have to do it myself. In my spare time, I began dabbling in writing fic for the Charmed universe. My first year college roommate wrote fanfic as well, and suddenly a habit I had been keeping secret for so long didn't seem quite so horrifying. I enjoyed it. It challenged me in a lot of ways, and it was a lot of fun.
Eventually, I joined a sorority. Our meetings were on Sunday nights, and I was back to popping in a tape and rushing home to watch after we were done. I stuck with Charmed all the way to the bitter end. It was my first experience with a show breaking up my favorite couple; my first experience with long, drawn out separations; my first experience rationalizing characters and their motivations (when they seeminingly had none). In retrospect, it was good prep for Desperate Housewives.
My love of Charmed lasted beyond the end of the show. In fact, it didn't dim until Desperate Housewives came into my life in a blaze of glory.
Obsession Six: Desperate Housewives
So here we are: the present. Like my other great TV obsessions, this one began when I inadvertantly caught a rerun and was instantly hooked. Unlike previous occasions, though, this time I had the power of DVDs: I went out and rented the first four seasons and watched them in a matter of two weeks. By the time the fifth season started back up (this was during the spring hiatus), I was completely caught up and had probably watched every episode two or three times.
Again, I was obsessed.
And now, almost three years later, I'm slowly weening myself off of the show. In some ways, it feels like The Care Bears all over again (circumstances beyond my control). I'm still writing fanfic because I enjoy it even if I no longer enjoy the show. And yes, secretly I'm still hoping that Tom and Lynette will resolve their problems, and I can see this show out in its last season.
But the truth is that I know there will probably be a new show on the horizon...There always is.
Interesting Fact: All three of my favorite shows (The X-Files, Charmed and Desperate Housewives) air(ed) their new episodes on Sunday (at least by the time I started watching). Thus, Sunday night has been probably my favorite night of the week since about 1997.
Coming up soon..."How I Quit Desperate Housewives (In Ten Easy Steps)" Well, there might not be ten, but it just sounds so nice...
Monday, October 3, 2011
Desperate Housewives: The Breakup - Edition One
"Secrets That I Never Want to Know" and "Making the Connection"
In my opinion, the only reason for this Tom/Lynette breakup is to give the couple new, fresher storylines. Otherwise, what is the point, right? With that in mind, I've decided to go through the breakup so far and assess the writers' success at changing things up for this couple.
The premiere started off establishing a multitude of things in direct contradiction with the finale. Tom and Lynette hadn't told the kids about the separation; despite the fact that they vowed to tell the kids before anyone else, apparently they blabbed the truth to the entire neighborhood; Tom moved to Bree's (correct me if i'm wrong there) instead of to the apartment he claimed was available to him. Although I could give the writers the benefit of the doubt and believe that this was logical given Lynette's fears, I'm more inclined to believe this was all for the sake was wacky, hilarious hijinks. And, don't get me wrong, while I loved watching both of them smack their feet off Bree's sprinkler system, it wasn't enough to convince me that the writers were already trying to backtrack from where they left this couple at the end of the previous season.
On top of that, the entire plot was reminiscent of the first couple of episodes of season six. At the beginning of that season, Lynette was determined to keep her pregnancy a secret, even from the kids. Tom went along with her somewhat unwillingly. Of course, it secretly turned out that Lynette was freaking out about the pregnancy, and the premiere ended with Tom shouting some sense into her. Eventually, they told the kids. This time around, Lynette was freaking out about telling the kids (and thus giving Tom the chance to actually leave the street), Tom was somewhat unwillingly going along with the plan, and it ended with him yelling some sense into her. Then they told the kids.
I pity anyone who didn't see this coming from a mile away. Even with that unexpected reunion midway through the episode, it was obvious how this one was going to end.
Speaking of, for me, the reunion between the characters was the one moment that really worked in this episode. Felicity Huffman and Doug Savant acted the hell out of that scene. It was really lovely to see the characters acting like their old selves, even if it was just for two minutes. And that kiss was basically out of this world in terms of what we've seen from these characters before. As they were doing their run of shame the following morning, I couldn't help but think that the thought of them getting off on a secret relationship and sneaking around for the better part of the first season would be a more interesting plot than what was inevitably around the corner.
Actually, despite the slightly repetitive plot, the main failure of this episode for me was how underdeveloped the character motivation was. Why was Tom suddenly a pleasant, likable human being again, after basically being angry, cold and distant at the end of last season? Why was Lynette so terrified to let Tom go farther than across the street, and yet when he finally offered to work on their problems, she shut him out? None of this was clear to me. It's still not. Don't get me wrong, I have my theories and rationalizations, but the show has not made it explicitly clear to me where the characters are coming from.
Finally, I was incredibly disappointed that we didn't get to see Tom and Lynette tell the kids about separation. Even though I was vaguely dreading that moment all summer, it was also the moment with the most potetial for drama and emotional connection; then it didn't happen. Talk about disappointing. Still, I walked away from the premiere feeling pleasantly surprised.
I cannot say the same of episode two.
So remember how I said at the beginning of this reflection that this breakup should be taking the characters in new and exciting directions? "Making the Connection" proved to be the exact opposite of this. In fact, I'd go so far as to call it "You're Gonna Love Tomorrow Part Two."
To refresh everyone's memories, the Tom and Lynette plot of the season five premiere revolved around Tom refusing to discipline the teenage twins. Lynette got pissed, manipulated the situation to try to force Tom to react how she wanted, and it ended with the two of them finally talking like rational adults and agreeing to get on board with how to raise their kids.
Wait...so...take out "teenage twins" and replace with "teenage Parker" and you have the exact same plot of "Making the Connection"! I kid you not. Tom refused to play the bad guy with the kids, Lynette tried to call him on his bullshit, and when he responded like a petulant child, she resorted to manipulating him. Finally, at the end of the episode, they sat down together and worked through this problem like grown-ups.
As if that wasn't bad enough, this plot further grated on my nerves by having this couple basically pinpoint the exact reason they're apart, agree to resolve it, and then NOT GET BACK TOGETHER! I mean, honestly, the only reason they are apart (at least given what we've seen/been left to infer) is because they are in the middle of one giant power struggle and can't let things go and compromise. At the end of the episode, they not only acknowledged this, but they agreed to stop doing it! Why? Seriously? For what other reason are they still separated? How many times are we going to have to watch them realize this before they get back together?
I had read before this season started that Lynette is going to go through big changes this year; that she's going to have to come close to losing everything to realize that she needs to change. If I'm supposed to be blaming her for this separation, though, I'm not. Both characters are acting moronically. It's incredibly frustrating to watch, and if I didn't love Tom and Lynette so much, they'd be annoying the hell out of me. My sister, who always liked the characters, but didn't ever feel the emotional connection I did, can't stand them right now. On the other hand, I am too busy blaming the writers for this mess to let myself hate these characters; I refuse to just because we're in the midst of this incredibly frustrating plot.
And incredibly frustrating is the only way I can describe it so far. We haven't learned anything new about the characters yet. The character motivation is basically nonexistant. The characters have already acknowledged the root of the problem, but I'm sure we'll have to watch them realize that another ten times. Given what we've seen thus far, I'm not looking forward to going much further into this season.
I'm still holding out hope that this plot will be resolved by the winter hiatus. Aside from the mystery arc each season, this show notoriously does not drag out plots. By episode ten, I feel that there are basically three options for where the characters will be: 1) they'll be reunited/close to it; 2) they'll agree to call it quits for good; or 3) Tom will be killed off in some tragic accident (hey, it is the last season). Given that it's the final season, I suppose it could go in any direction, but I still have enough faith in this show to believe these characters will reunite. Deep down, I have the hunch that all four women are going to get a happy ending.
Episode Ratings (based solely on Tom/Lynette):
"Secrets That I Never Want To Know" - B
"Making the Connection" - D-
In my opinion, the only reason for this Tom/Lynette breakup is to give the couple new, fresher storylines. Otherwise, what is the point, right? With that in mind, I've decided to go through the breakup so far and assess the writers' success at changing things up for this couple.
The premiere started off establishing a multitude of things in direct contradiction with the finale. Tom and Lynette hadn't told the kids about the separation; despite the fact that they vowed to tell the kids before anyone else, apparently they blabbed the truth to the entire neighborhood; Tom moved to Bree's (correct me if i'm wrong there) instead of to the apartment he claimed was available to him. Although I could give the writers the benefit of the doubt and believe that this was logical given Lynette's fears, I'm more inclined to believe this was all for the sake was wacky, hilarious hijinks. And, don't get me wrong, while I loved watching both of them smack their feet off Bree's sprinkler system, it wasn't enough to convince me that the writers were already trying to backtrack from where they left this couple at the end of the previous season.
On top of that, the entire plot was reminiscent of the first couple of episodes of season six. At the beginning of that season, Lynette was determined to keep her pregnancy a secret, even from the kids. Tom went along with her somewhat unwillingly. Of course, it secretly turned out that Lynette was freaking out about the pregnancy, and the premiere ended with Tom shouting some sense into her. Eventually, they told the kids. This time around, Lynette was freaking out about telling the kids (and thus giving Tom the chance to actually leave the street), Tom was somewhat unwillingly going along with the plan, and it ended with him yelling some sense into her. Then they told the kids.
I pity anyone who didn't see this coming from a mile away. Even with that unexpected reunion midway through the episode, it was obvious how this one was going to end.
Speaking of, for me, the reunion between the characters was the one moment that really worked in this episode. Felicity Huffman and Doug Savant acted the hell out of that scene. It was really lovely to see the characters acting like their old selves, even if it was just for two minutes. And that kiss was basically out of this world in terms of what we've seen from these characters before. As they were doing their run of shame the following morning, I couldn't help but think that the thought of them getting off on a secret relationship and sneaking around for the better part of the first season would be a more interesting plot than what was inevitably around the corner.
Actually, despite the slightly repetitive plot, the main failure of this episode for me was how underdeveloped the character motivation was. Why was Tom suddenly a pleasant, likable human being again, after basically being angry, cold and distant at the end of last season? Why was Lynette so terrified to let Tom go farther than across the street, and yet when he finally offered to work on their problems, she shut him out? None of this was clear to me. It's still not. Don't get me wrong, I have my theories and rationalizations, but the show has not made it explicitly clear to me where the characters are coming from.
Finally, I was incredibly disappointed that we didn't get to see Tom and Lynette tell the kids about separation. Even though I was vaguely dreading that moment all summer, it was also the moment with the most potetial for drama and emotional connection; then it didn't happen. Talk about disappointing. Still, I walked away from the premiere feeling pleasantly surprised.
I cannot say the same of episode two.
So remember how I said at the beginning of this reflection that this breakup should be taking the characters in new and exciting directions? "Making the Connection" proved to be the exact opposite of this. In fact, I'd go so far as to call it "You're Gonna Love Tomorrow Part Two."
To refresh everyone's memories, the Tom and Lynette plot of the season five premiere revolved around Tom refusing to discipline the teenage twins. Lynette got pissed, manipulated the situation to try to force Tom to react how she wanted, and it ended with the two of them finally talking like rational adults and agreeing to get on board with how to raise their kids.
Wait...so...take out "teenage twins" and replace with "teenage Parker" and you have the exact same plot of "Making the Connection"! I kid you not. Tom refused to play the bad guy with the kids, Lynette tried to call him on his bullshit, and when he responded like a petulant child, she resorted to manipulating him. Finally, at the end of the episode, they sat down together and worked through this problem like grown-ups.
As if that wasn't bad enough, this plot further grated on my nerves by having this couple basically pinpoint the exact reason they're apart, agree to resolve it, and then NOT GET BACK TOGETHER! I mean, honestly, the only reason they are apart (at least given what we've seen/been left to infer) is because they are in the middle of one giant power struggle and can't let things go and compromise. At the end of the episode, they not only acknowledged this, but they agreed to stop doing it! Why? Seriously? For what other reason are they still separated? How many times are we going to have to watch them realize this before they get back together?
I had read before this season started that Lynette is going to go through big changes this year; that she's going to have to come close to losing everything to realize that she needs to change. If I'm supposed to be blaming her for this separation, though, I'm not. Both characters are acting moronically. It's incredibly frustrating to watch, and if I didn't love Tom and Lynette so much, they'd be annoying the hell out of me. My sister, who always liked the characters, but didn't ever feel the emotional connection I did, can't stand them right now. On the other hand, I am too busy blaming the writers for this mess to let myself hate these characters; I refuse to just because we're in the midst of this incredibly frustrating plot.
And incredibly frustrating is the only way I can describe it so far. We haven't learned anything new about the characters yet. The character motivation is basically nonexistant. The characters have already acknowledged the root of the problem, but I'm sure we'll have to watch them realize that another ten times. Given what we've seen thus far, I'm not looking forward to going much further into this season.
I'm still holding out hope that this plot will be resolved by the winter hiatus. Aside from the mystery arc each season, this show notoriously does not drag out plots. By episode ten, I feel that there are basically three options for where the characters will be: 1) they'll be reunited/close to it; 2) they'll agree to call it quits for good; or 3) Tom will be killed off in some tragic accident (hey, it is the last season). Given that it's the final season, I suppose it could go in any direction, but I still have enough faith in this show to believe these characters will reunite. Deep down, I have the hunch that all four women are going to get a happy ending.
Episode Ratings (based solely on Tom/Lynette):
"Secrets That I Never Want To Know" - B
"Making the Connection" - D-
Monday, September 26, 2011
TV Breakups
"You're never going to satisfy everybody all the time. The best chance you have to satisfy most of the people most of the time is to be true to the characters, make them consistent and then try to show people who were invested with something that you're messing with that you understand that they are invested in it, and you are too, and you have a plan, and if someday they stick with the show, they'll be happy. That's the idea." - Mike Schur, co-creator of Parks and Recreation
Since May, the TV Powers That Be (PTB) have broken up three of my favorite couples on television. On Desperate Housewives, it was Tom and Lynette. On Pretty Little Liars, it was Spencer and Toby. And just last week, Parks and Recreation broke up Ben and Leslie. As you can imagine, this has left me slightly downtrodden, devoid of any couple to really root for and love. However, I've also become slightly numb to the situation. Perhaps for the first time since Tom and Lynette separated, I am actually able to look at these breakups objectively and analyze them like a rational human being. So that's exactly what I plan to do.
The Circumstances
Desperate Housewives
Tom and Lynette's breakup was the messiest of the bunch. After pushing Tom into a new job, Lynette seemingly couldn't stand his sudden burst of self-confidence, his bragging, and his newfound control issues. On the other side, Tom found himself fed up with Lynette's inability to compromise or relinquish power. This led to many screaming matches that were never resolved. Eventually the two went away on a trip to try to work out their problems, but spent the entire weekend sniping at each other and, for Tom's part, being moody and sulky. When they got home, they decided the best thing would be to separate to work on their problems.
Pretty Little Liars
After seemingly abducting the girls' therapist, "A" threatened to kill the doctor unless the girls did exactly as she said. For Spencer, this was a demand to keep Toby safe. Given that Toby's breaks were mysteriously tampered with earlier in the episode, Spencer immediately assumed that "A" was behind this, and that the only way she could keep him safe was to break up with him. This led to a heartbreaking scene where Spencer dumped Toby with little to no explanation, leaving him confused and upset and her an inconsolable mess.
Parks and Recreation
Leslie was approached about running for city council, her dream for years, and knew immediately that this meant breaking up with Ben, who she'd been secretly dating for weeks. The scandal of dating her boss would have ended her campaign before it started, so Leslie felt she had no choice. After several failed attempts to dump Ben, he ended up doing the deed: he had figured out that Leslie planned to run for office and, knowing what it meant to her, let her go so she could fulfill her dream.
My Interpretation
As Mike Schur said about Ben and Leslie's breakup: "...our approach to Leslie and Ben was that we were going to try as much as we could to let the characters dictate their actions. We didn't want them to do anything that seemed too forced, or we were doing it because it was convenient to us...when it's just two people, and they're about to make out with each other, and then the doorbell rings and there's a telegram and one of them just inherited 50 million from a rich uncle and they have to go collect the will and that keeps them apart for 2 years... it has nothing to do with who the characters are. It's less effective to me than when things are emerging out of deeper circumstances or out of the characters themselves."
For me, this quotation sums up the most honest television breakups. For a breakup to be believable, for the audience to be on board with that breakup and support it (or at the very least, understand it), the character motivation has to be clear. Ultimately, the root of the breakup has to come from some place that the audience clearly understands.
Ultimately, this is what made Leslie and Ben the most believable breakup. It was clear from the first episode that holding a political office had always been Leslie's dream. For her to give that up for anyone would be unthinkable for her character. The fact that Ben knew this as well only added to the poignancy of the moment: he cared about her enough to let her go. Even as I was watching this unfold, I found myself at peace with the decision. There was no turmoil, just an appreciation of how intelligently this was written.
To the other extreme, Toby and Spencer's breakup was rooted entirely in circumstances beyond their control. In a classic soap move, a combination of blackmail and martyr complex led to their breakup and left one character completely in the dark about what was really happening. Even though it was believable that Spencer would do this, the breakup still seemed a bit out of left field. After all, it only took one accident to convince Spencer that Toby's life was in danger; I think that if the writers had taken the time to build up the apparent danger over several episodes, Spencer's fears would have been more meaningful and understandable. As it was, there wasn't even a clear indication that "A" messed with Toby's breaks.
To some extent, I feel that this was an example of the writers deciding that Spencer and Toby should break up and then working backward. However, since the heart of this show is a murder mystery, blackmail comes with the territory. It was only a matter of time before "A" somehow messed with Toby and Spencer. That is the crux of Pretty Little Liars; no one is happy for long. For that reason, this couple's breakup was understandable, even if I didn't entirely agree with it.
For me, the most unbelievable breakup was Tom and Lynette. There is no doubt in my mind that this breakup did not grow organically; the writers decided to break up this couple and then contrived circumstances to rip them apart. As a result, the reasons for the breakup were not only inconsistent, but also sloppily explained. Not once did the show give a reason for Lynette's immediate 180 about Tom's new job. Most of the things Tom accused Lynette of had little basis in what we knew of the character and her relationship with her husband. And there was no indication of why this was the straw that broke the camel's back. I have heard people say that this "just happens"; that one day couples can just tire of one another and their issues. However true that may be in reality, I find that it makes for poor television. Character motivation is too important to leave up to the viewers' vague interpretations. If nothing else, that at least should be clear. In this case, it never was explicit.
When I first watched the Tom and Lynette breakup back in May, I contributed most of my anger and frustration to the fact that I truly love this couple. Despite what I may have thought of how the writers handled the situation, I still thought that it was mostly my bias: I could not look at this couple in a calm, rational way.
Ben and Leslie really became my replacement couple for Tom and Lynette toward the end of the season. The more Tom and Lynette fought, the more I needed an outlet in a new couple; as a result, I became almost as obsessed with Ben and Leslie. I spent the summer fearing that they would break up as well, leaving me with nothing to look forward to in the new television season (a fact only compounded when Toby and Spencer broke up, something I did not see coming from a mile away). I approached last Thursday night with a reluctance and a twinge of dread.
You can imagine how surprised I was to find that despite my tears, I almost celebrated the Leslie/Ben breakup for how beautiful and poignant it was. There was no confusion; I wasn't left questioning why this happened or overanalyzing the decision. And it was in that moment that I realized the true heart of the problem on Desperate Housewives was not my bias. In fact, had Tom and Lynette's breakup been written with anywhere near the grace and intelligence of Ben and Leslie's, I might have actually be rooting it on.
Ultimately, the writing sells the breakup.
In closing, I'd like to end with one last quote from Mike Schur. One that I think accentuates the difference between great television writing and sloppy television writing.
Question: So you were never just trying to break them [Ben and Leslie] up.
Answer: "No. Greg's [Daniels, creator of The Office] thing on The Office, which I give him total credit for, was once Jim and Pam got together, he was like, "Why would they ever break up? It doesn't make sense. They're soulmates." What are you gonna do, have another woman come in? You've just watched Jim pine for Pam for years, and Pam's had this sudden realization that she's loved Jim forever, and it would be crazy to have Jim's ex from high school turn up, and suddenly Pam's jealous. It happened on our show, too. We married off Andy and April, which was our will-they-or-won't-they couple for a while, and the only reason I felt comfortable with that because we were replacing them with Leslie and Ben. You need those kinds of long-term relationships to give people something to root for, as they say. And in no way, shape or form was I thinking, "Oh, now we have to break up Leslie and Ben," because I've seen happy relationships work very well on lots of other shows. But in this case, a logical place for them to run into a bit of trouble was this storyline we wanted to do, so we took advantage of it."
And there you have it. Happy relationships can work. And ultimately, that is my hope for all three of these couples some day.
Since May, the TV Powers That Be (PTB) have broken up three of my favorite couples on television. On Desperate Housewives, it was Tom and Lynette. On Pretty Little Liars, it was Spencer and Toby. And just last week, Parks and Recreation broke up Ben and Leslie. As you can imagine, this has left me slightly downtrodden, devoid of any couple to really root for and love. However, I've also become slightly numb to the situation. Perhaps for the first time since Tom and Lynette separated, I am actually able to look at these breakups objectively and analyze them like a rational human being. So that's exactly what I plan to do.
The Circumstances
Desperate Housewives
Tom and Lynette's breakup was the messiest of the bunch. After pushing Tom into a new job, Lynette seemingly couldn't stand his sudden burst of self-confidence, his bragging, and his newfound control issues. On the other side, Tom found himself fed up with Lynette's inability to compromise or relinquish power. This led to many screaming matches that were never resolved. Eventually the two went away on a trip to try to work out their problems, but spent the entire weekend sniping at each other and, for Tom's part, being moody and sulky. When they got home, they decided the best thing would be to separate to work on their problems.
Pretty Little Liars
After seemingly abducting the girls' therapist, "A" threatened to kill the doctor unless the girls did exactly as she said. For Spencer, this was a demand to keep Toby safe. Given that Toby's breaks were mysteriously tampered with earlier in the episode, Spencer immediately assumed that "A" was behind this, and that the only way she could keep him safe was to break up with him. This led to a heartbreaking scene where Spencer dumped Toby with little to no explanation, leaving him confused and upset and her an inconsolable mess.
Parks and Recreation
Leslie was approached about running for city council, her dream for years, and knew immediately that this meant breaking up with Ben, who she'd been secretly dating for weeks. The scandal of dating her boss would have ended her campaign before it started, so Leslie felt she had no choice. After several failed attempts to dump Ben, he ended up doing the deed: he had figured out that Leslie planned to run for office and, knowing what it meant to her, let her go so she could fulfill her dream.
My Interpretation
As Mike Schur said about Ben and Leslie's breakup: "...our approach to Leslie and Ben was that we were going to try as much as we could to let the characters dictate their actions. We didn't want them to do anything that seemed too forced, or we were doing it because it was convenient to us...when it's just two people, and they're about to make out with each other, and then the doorbell rings and there's a telegram and one of them just inherited 50 million from a rich uncle and they have to go collect the will and that keeps them apart for 2 years... it has nothing to do with who the characters are. It's less effective to me than when things are emerging out of deeper circumstances or out of the characters themselves."
For me, this quotation sums up the most honest television breakups. For a breakup to be believable, for the audience to be on board with that breakup and support it (or at the very least, understand it), the character motivation has to be clear. Ultimately, the root of the breakup has to come from some place that the audience clearly understands.
Ultimately, this is what made Leslie and Ben the most believable breakup. It was clear from the first episode that holding a political office had always been Leslie's dream. For her to give that up for anyone would be unthinkable for her character. The fact that Ben knew this as well only added to the poignancy of the moment: he cared about her enough to let her go. Even as I was watching this unfold, I found myself at peace with the decision. There was no turmoil, just an appreciation of how intelligently this was written.
To the other extreme, Toby and Spencer's breakup was rooted entirely in circumstances beyond their control. In a classic soap move, a combination of blackmail and martyr complex led to their breakup and left one character completely in the dark about what was really happening. Even though it was believable that Spencer would do this, the breakup still seemed a bit out of left field. After all, it only took one accident to convince Spencer that Toby's life was in danger; I think that if the writers had taken the time to build up the apparent danger over several episodes, Spencer's fears would have been more meaningful and understandable. As it was, there wasn't even a clear indication that "A" messed with Toby's breaks.
To some extent, I feel that this was an example of the writers deciding that Spencer and Toby should break up and then working backward. However, since the heart of this show is a murder mystery, blackmail comes with the territory. It was only a matter of time before "A" somehow messed with Toby and Spencer. That is the crux of Pretty Little Liars; no one is happy for long. For that reason, this couple's breakup was understandable, even if I didn't entirely agree with it.
For me, the most unbelievable breakup was Tom and Lynette. There is no doubt in my mind that this breakup did not grow organically; the writers decided to break up this couple and then contrived circumstances to rip them apart. As a result, the reasons for the breakup were not only inconsistent, but also sloppily explained. Not once did the show give a reason for Lynette's immediate 180 about Tom's new job. Most of the things Tom accused Lynette of had little basis in what we knew of the character and her relationship with her husband. And there was no indication of why this was the straw that broke the camel's back. I have heard people say that this "just happens"; that one day couples can just tire of one another and their issues. However true that may be in reality, I find that it makes for poor television. Character motivation is too important to leave up to the viewers' vague interpretations. If nothing else, that at least should be clear. In this case, it never was explicit.
When I first watched the Tom and Lynette breakup back in May, I contributed most of my anger and frustration to the fact that I truly love this couple. Despite what I may have thought of how the writers handled the situation, I still thought that it was mostly my bias: I could not look at this couple in a calm, rational way.
Ben and Leslie really became my replacement couple for Tom and Lynette toward the end of the season. The more Tom and Lynette fought, the more I needed an outlet in a new couple; as a result, I became almost as obsessed with Ben and Leslie. I spent the summer fearing that they would break up as well, leaving me with nothing to look forward to in the new television season (a fact only compounded when Toby and Spencer broke up, something I did not see coming from a mile away). I approached last Thursday night with a reluctance and a twinge of dread.
You can imagine how surprised I was to find that despite my tears, I almost celebrated the Leslie/Ben breakup for how beautiful and poignant it was. There was no confusion; I wasn't left questioning why this happened or overanalyzing the decision. And it was in that moment that I realized the true heart of the problem on Desperate Housewives was not my bias. In fact, had Tom and Lynette's breakup been written with anywhere near the grace and intelligence of Ben and Leslie's, I might have actually be rooting it on.
Ultimately, the writing sells the breakup.
In closing, I'd like to end with one last quote from Mike Schur. One that I think accentuates the difference between great television writing and sloppy television writing.
Question: So you were never just trying to break them [Ben and Leslie] up.
Answer: "No. Greg's [Daniels, creator of The Office] thing on The Office, which I give him total credit for, was once Jim and Pam got together, he was like, "Why would they ever break up? It doesn't make sense. They're soulmates." What are you gonna do, have another woman come in? You've just watched Jim pine for Pam for years, and Pam's had this sudden realization that she's loved Jim forever, and it would be crazy to have Jim's ex from high school turn up, and suddenly Pam's jealous. It happened on our show, too. We married off Andy and April, which was our will-they-or-won't-they couple for a while, and the only reason I felt comfortable with that because we were replacing them with Leslie and Ben. You need those kinds of long-term relationships to give people something to root for, as they say. And in no way, shape or form was I thinking, "Oh, now we have to break up Leslie and Ben," because I've seen happy relationships work very well on lots of other shows. But in this case, a logical place for them to run into a bit of trouble was this storyline we wanted to do, so we took advantage of it."
And there you have it. Happy relationships can work. And ultimately, that is my hope for all three of these couples some day.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Premiere Week: Day Two
New Girl
I had read so many good things about this show, and I'm happy to say that the premiere far exceeded the hype. I was laughing out loud the entire time, and I already have an emotional connection to some of the characters. I'm going to call right now that this will be my favorite new show of the season.
So the basic premise of the show is that Jess catches her boyfriend cheating on her, and ends up moving with three guys looking for a roommate. They take her in mostly because Schmidt finds out her best friend is a model (which sounds kind of gross, but in reality Schmidt is actually pretty endearing). After seeing Jess cry while watching Dirty Dancing in an incessant marathon format, the boys take her out so she can find a rebound hookup. She does, but the guy turns out to be a jerk and stands her up, at which point the guys meet up with her and seranade her with one of the best versions of "I've Had the Time of My Life" I've ever heard.
What really makes this pilot wonderful are all of the little moments. For me, Jess' quirky behaviors--bursting into song at random times, dancing incredibly goofily, and spouting ridiculous pickup lines--made me instantly love her character. The fact that she is a bit of a dork, and perfectly okay with it, is refreshing. And maybe it hits home with me because sometimes I will break out in incredibly lame dance moves while in the hallway at school (my students have caught me and laughed), but seeing a character that also isn't afraid to be a little out there is fun for me.
As far as the guys go, all three are great. Coach made me laugh (he had a line about not being able to take an interest in jeggings that slayed me); Schmidt was strangely adorable despite his douchebag tendencies; and Nick was honestly sweet, attempting throughout the episode to deal with his breakup with a long term girlfriend. I have as much interest in the male characters as the female lead, which is wonderful.
Finally, the little things in this show really added up. The douchebag jar (like a swear jar) was one of the most amazing things I've seen in a long time. I love that. Dirty Dancing references (as I discussed last night) make my day. And the guys absolutely butchering "I've Had the Time of My Life" was brilliant. If you like off-beat, quirky shows, this one is definitely for you. I already can't wait to see the next episode.
Grade: A+
Parenthood
This technically premiered last week, so this is already episode two. But since it's fresh in my mind, this is the one I'll break down. For my own sanity, I'm going to break it down by plot.
Max Starts Mainstream School
This was incredibly well done. I don't know if people realize how good Max Burkholder is at playing an austitic child, but I'd really like to give him some props. I've had autistic students, and he is fantastic at portraying the mannerisms and behaviors of a kid with asbergers. Tonight was no exception. The first scene in class was brilliant. I loved his attempts to make friends (with unfortunately little success). The end, when Jabbar and his buddies came to ask Max for advice, was heartwarming. It was wonderful to see someone appreciate, even admire, Max for who he is.
Along with that, the show looked at Kristina's frustrations as a mother. I constantly find Kristina's struggles with these issues to be compelling. There is something about her borderline desperation to see her kids succeed that I love; it's heartbreaking, but at the same time endearing; it's so obvious how much she loves her kids. I liked that the teacher pointed out that Kristina is going to have to let go of some control. That should be an interesting arc for her character to take this season (and I can only imagine it will be to varying success).
Legal Woes
Wow. I cannot remember the name of Haddie's boyfriend. My sister and I still refer to him as Vince (the name of his character on Friday Night Lights). So I guess that's what I'll continue to call him here. I don't have much to say about this, honestly. Haddie is one of my least favorite characters; I often find her shallow. Then I remember that she's a teenage girl, and I try to cut her some slack. Tonight was a great example of that. All through the episode, I was frustrated with Haddie's lack of understanding of the seriousness of Vince's legal situation. It wasn't until the very end, when Vince confessed that he'd be lost without her, that I was struck by what a big burden that is on the shoulders of a seventeen-year-old. But that's part of why I love this show; it can turn your perceptions of things in an instant.
Ha! Alex! I knew if I thought about it long enough his name would come to me.
Sarah and Mr. Cyr
I love Sarah. I love Mr. Cyr. I love them together. Is that specific enough?
The bedroom scene where he hid from her father was amazing.
The end of the episode, when Sarah's true reason for her reluctance to date him came out (Amber and her feelings about the situation), was brilliant. Granted, I often find Amber and Sarah's scenes to be some of the most interesting (and nine times out of ten they're the ones that make me cry). I'm glad that this wasn't treated overly dramtically either. Amber had a crush on him two years ago. It's appropriate and logical that she would be over it, and I'm glad they're not trying to drag out a plot point that has long since passed its expiration date. Other shows could take a lesson from that. IT IS OKAY TO LET YOUR CHARACTERS GROW!
(Whoops, my bitterness is showing.)
Julia and the Coffee Girl
Confession: Julia is my favorite character. I wish she got more screen time. I think she and Joel are adorable, and they're one of my favorite married couples on TV right now. And if you haven't watched this show, here is one of the reasons why I love them: Joel knows Julia so well. His ability to see through her translucent ruse was amazing; he knew that she was going to ask the coffee girl about adopting her baby, and of course he was right. I also love how they balance one another, Joel a calming force to Julia's impulsivity and passion.
Anyway, even though it was obvious that Julia was going to break down and ask about the baby, it was still horrible how callous the girl's "no" was. Of all the moments tonight, that one hit me the hardest.
Adam and Crosby's Business Venture
I don't have much to say about this. They amused me. I'm glad they're going to be working together. I hope that Adam doesn't act like too much of a jerk.
Overall, this was a good episode. It didn't make my cry (last week did), but it was still really enjoyable.
Grade: B+
Well, that's it for tonight. I wimped out on Glee, mostly watching it in mute and turning on the sound for the musical numbers. If I'm honest, that's the part of the show I like best anyway. The rest is a jumbled mess of some of the worst character motivation and development I've ever seen. *Sigh*
Tune in tomorrow for Up All Night and Modern Family.
I had read so many good things about this show, and I'm happy to say that the premiere far exceeded the hype. I was laughing out loud the entire time, and I already have an emotional connection to some of the characters. I'm going to call right now that this will be my favorite new show of the season.
So the basic premise of the show is that Jess catches her boyfriend cheating on her, and ends up moving with three guys looking for a roommate. They take her in mostly because Schmidt finds out her best friend is a model (which sounds kind of gross, but in reality Schmidt is actually pretty endearing). After seeing Jess cry while watching Dirty Dancing in an incessant marathon format, the boys take her out so she can find a rebound hookup. She does, but the guy turns out to be a jerk and stands her up, at which point the guys meet up with her and seranade her with one of the best versions of "I've Had the Time of My Life" I've ever heard.
What really makes this pilot wonderful are all of the little moments. For me, Jess' quirky behaviors--bursting into song at random times, dancing incredibly goofily, and spouting ridiculous pickup lines--made me instantly love her character. The fact that she is a bit of a dork, and perfectly okay with it, is refreshing. And maybe it hits home with me because sometimes I will break out in incredibly lame dance moves while in the hallway at school (my students have caught me and laughed), but seeing a character that also isn't afraid to be a little out there is fun for me.
As far as the guys go, all three are great. Coach made me laugh (he had a line about not being able to take an interest in jeggings that slayed me); Schmidt was strangely adorable despite his douchebag tendencies; and Nick was honestly sweet, attempting throughout the episode to deal with his breakup with a long term girlfriend. I have as much interest in the male characters as the female lead, which is wonderful.
Finally, the little things in this show really added up. The douchebag jar (like a swear jar) was one of the most amazing things I've seen in a long time. I love that. Dirty Dancing references (as I discussed last night) make my day. And the guys absolutely butchering "I've Had the Time of My Life" was brilliant. If you like off-beat, quirky shows, this one is definitely for you. I already can't wait to see the next episode.
Grade: A+
Parenthood
This technically premiered last week, so this is already episode two. But since it's fresh in my mind, this is the one I'll break down. For my own sanity, I'm going to break it down by plot.
Max Starts Mainstream School
This was incredibly well done. I don't know if people realize how good Max Burkholder is at playing an austitic child, but I'd really like to give him some props. I've had autistic students, and he is fantastic at portraying the mannerisms and behaviors of a kid with asbergers. Tonight was no exception. The first scene in class was brilliant. I loved his attempts to make friends (with unfortunately little success). The end, when Jabbar and his buddies came to ask Max for advice, was heartwarming. It was wonderful to see someone appreciate, even admire, Max for who he is.
Along with that, the show looked at Kristina's frustrations as a mother. I constantly find Kristina's struggles with these issues to be compelling. There is something about her borderline desperation to see her kids succeed that I love; it's heartbreaking, but at the same time endearing; it's so obvious how much she loves her kids. I liked that the teacher pointed out that Kristina is going to have to let go of some control. That should be an interesting arc for her character to take this season (and I can only imagine it will be to varying success).
Legal Woes
Wow. I cannot remember the name of Haddie's boyfriend. My sister and I still refer to him as Vince (the name of his character on Friday Night Lights). So I guess that's what I'll continue to call him here. I don't have much to say about this, honestly. Haddie is one of my least favorite characters; I often find her shallow. Then I remember that she's a teenage girl, and I try to cut her some slack. Tonight was a great example of that. All through the episode, I was frustrated with Haddie's lack of understanding of the seriousness of Vince's legal situation. It wasn't until the very end, when Vince confessed that he'd be lost without her, that I was struck by what a big burden that is on the shoulders of a seventeen-year-old. But that's part of why I love this show; it can turn your perceptions of things in an instant.
Ha! Alex! I knew if I thought about it long enough his name would come to me.
Sarah and Mr. Cyr
I love Sarah. I love Mr. Cyr. I love them together. Is that specific enough?
The bedroom scene where he hid from her father was amazing.
The end of the episode, when Sarah's true reason for her reluctance to date him came out (Amber and her feelings about the situation), was brilliant. Granted, I often find Amber and Sarah's scenes to be some of the most interesting (and nine times out of ten they're the ones that make me cry). I'm glad that this wasn't treated overly dramtically either. Amber had a crush on him two years ago. It's appropriate and logical that she would be over it, and I'm glad they're not trying to drag out a plot point that has long since passed its expiration date. Other shows could take a lesson from that. IT IS OKAY TO LET YOUR CHARACTERS GROW!
(Whoops, my bitterness is showing.)
Julia and the Coffee Girl
Confession: Julia is my favorite character. I wish she got more screen time. I think she and Joel are adorable, and they're one of my favorite married couples on TV right now. And if you haven't watched this show, here is one of the reasons why I love them: Joel knows Julia so well. His ability to see through her translucent ruse was amazing; he knew that she was going to ask the coffee girl about adopting her baby, and of course he was right. I also love how they balance one another, Joel a calming force to Julia's impulsivity and passion.
Anyway, even though it was obvious that Julia was going to break down and ask about the baby, it was still horrible how callous the girl's "no" was. Of all the moments tonight, that one hit me the hardest.
Adam and Crosby's Business Venture
I don't have much to say about this. They amused me. I'm glad they're going to be working together. I hope that Adam doesn't act like too much of a jerk.
Overall, this was a good episode. It didn't make my cry (last week did), but it was still really enjoyable.
Grade: B+
Well, that's it for tonight. I wimped out on Glee, mostly watching it in mute and turning on the sound for the musical numbers. If I'm honest, that's the part of the show I like best anyway. The rest is a jumbled mess of some of the worst character motivation and development I've ever seen. *Sigh*
Tune in tomorrow for Up All Night and Modern Family.
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