Wednesday, June 16, 2004
It Sucks to be Philly
Congratulations to Larry Brown for finally winning himself an NBA championship. Too bad he did it for the wrong city.
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Julia vs. The Rest of the Television Watching Public
Ah yes. The rankings for this seasons shows have come out. The ten most popular shows of the 2003-2004 season were:
1. American Idol (tuesday)
2. CSI
3. American Idol (wednesday)
4. Survivor All Stars
5. Friends
6. Survivor -- Pearl Islands
The Apprentice
8. ER
9. CSI: Miami
10. Everyone Loves Raymond
So how does my taste compare with that of the rest of the country? glad you asked. There were 162 prime time shows this season, this is where my shows ranked:
10. One Tree Hill (137)
9. Letterman (not ranked)
8. That 70s Show (47)
7. Sex and the City (not ranked)
6. Arrested Development (107)
5. Scrubs (42)
4. Gilmore Girls (126)
3. Joan of Arcadia (46)
2. The OC (53)
1. Everwood (122)
1. American Idol (tuesday)
2. CSI
3. American Idol (wednesday)
4. Survivor All Stars
5. Friends
6. Survivor -- Pearl Islands
The Apprentice
8. ER
9. CSI: Miami
10. Everyone Loves Raymond
So how does my taste compare with that of the rest of the country? glad you asked. There were 162 prime time shows this season, this is where my shows ranked:
10. One Tree Hill (137)
9. Letterman (not ranked)
8. That 70s Show (47)
7. Sex and the City (not ranked)
6. Arrested Development (107)
5. Scrubs (42)
4. Gilmore Girls (126)
3. Joan of Arcadia (46)
2. The OC (53)
1. Everwood (122)
Monday, June 14, 2004
Dan Morris Can't Read Anna Karenina
A few years ago, Dan and I got into an argument (a friendly, theoretical one, don't worry) about Oprah's book club. It was right after Jonathan Franzen had publicly refused to be part of the Book Club, and so Oprah had to take The Corrections off her list. Dan said that he could never read a book that Oprah had chosen because people shouldn't be taking their reading cues from Oprah. Plus, if I remember correctly, I think he really hates the idea that when Oprah suggests a book, sales of the book shoot up, and people with no interest in books are reading it. I, on the other hand, think bringing literature to the masses is a great thing. I also felt that one day Oprah was going to choose a book that Dan really wanted to read, but stubbornly, Dan won't be able too. Well, I hope he has already read his Tolstoy, because according to the Daily News, America's favorite book club leader just added him to the list.
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Top Ten Shows of the 2003-2004 Television season
There was this Talk of the Town piece in the New Yorker right around New Year about the permeation of top 10 lists. Of-course, it argued, top 10 lists for things like movies, books, records are just silly. How can you judge one piece of art to be the "best" of the year and another to be the "second best?" All serious, artistic people I have ever spoken to share this view. Well, nevertheless, I love top 10 lists, arbitrary as they may be. And so, with the season practically over, this is my top 10 shows of the 2003-2004 television season.
Note: I am judging this season only. So the West Wing, which a year ago would be #1, is not on this list. Also, I have no cable. If I did, the list would probably be very different.
10. One Tree Hill: Sigh. The writing on this show sucks, all the characters are stick figures, moreover, they are obnoxious stick figures. And yet, I found myself watching this stupid show every Tuesday. I guess this is a testament to the greatness of the teen soap. Lucas finding Haley's hat in Nathan's car and feeling betrayed, Lucas sleeping with a girl we later discover is the mother of Jake's child, Brooke's near pregnancy, the melodramatic showdowns, even when the writing is practically incoherent, this stuff is great.
9. Letterman: I would not be watching Letterman if I had cable. But since I do, I am surprised by how amused I am by all of Letterman's antics: the costumes his poor assistant has to wear, fairly amusing; will it float? very funny; the whole thing with the kid who fell asleep during the Bush speech, great; Bif Henderson bits around town, hilarious.
8. That 70s Show: I fail to see the appeal of Ashton Kutcher. Really, he is not that hot. And his character on That 70s Show is so over the top and annoying, as is his buddy Fez. The two girls can be shrill. I like Hyde but sometimes his slacker asshole shtick can be annoying. But how awesome is Eric Foreman? He is the ultimate geeky hero. Plus, the show can be really funny.
7. Sex and the City: I know I said I had no cable, but this show is so great, and so often repeated, and on Time Warner On Demand, and I do have friends with cable, that I have managed to see a bunch of them anyway. If did have cable, it would probably have ranked even higher.
6. Arrested Development: I want to say the humor of this show is Seinfeldian. But the show really isn't like Seinfeld at all, for one, it is about something. And yes, while in both shows the characters are narcissistic and selfish, in Arrested Development not all the characters are assholes all the time, plus, at its core, Arrested Development is the story of a family dealing with a real issue, in absurd ways. Yet, they seem similar because both are very reflective of their times. Its a cliche idea by now, but Seinfeld was perfect for a time when the nation was prosperous and peaceful. The biggest issue was if the president lied about sex. Seinfeld fit that mood. Nothing important happened. The characters were completely comfortable in all important ways (health, wealth), and thus could care about the most trivial things. In our own times, there are huge things to care about: terrorism, war, corporate scandals. And yet, we continue to focus on the incredibly silly, Janet Jackson's breast, which movie starts are having kids, getting tons of plastic surgery. Arrested Development reflects that perfectly. The family is dealing with a real crisis, patriarch in jail, potential financial ruin, and yet, in the midst of their real troubles, continues to focus on the silly, Michael stealing Marta from Gob, Buster's affair with Liza Minelli, Lindsay's husband being a never-nude. The main character, Michael, exists as our own torn voice. He is the normal one in the family, the voice of reason, and yet he cannot help but get involved in his family's harebrained ideas. As someone who freaks out about Iraq at noon, and read US Weekly at 6pm, I can totally relate. While Arrested Development's poor rating seem to imply that I am the only one, I would like to think this isn't true, and that many simply have not discovered it. This is me, keeping my fingers crossed.
5. Scrubs: What does a good sitcom need? Likeable, distinct, slightly over the top characters? Check. Good actors to portray them? Check. Witty dialogue? Check. Funny situations? Check. Enough sweetness to be properly escapist? Check. Romance? Check. Excellent.
4. Gilmore Girls: The show isn't really good with the whole "plot" thing. Really, nothing happened for a good half a season. And Lorelai and Rory seriously started getting on my nerves. They must be two of the most unacknowledged selfish characters on TV (as opposed to say the characters on Arrested Development that are written to be selfish). Yet, even without plot, this is one of the funniest, easiest to enjoy shows on TV. And when the plot finally gets going, it is really really good, and I can't help but root for the selfish Rory and Lorelai. But what really makes the show, are some of the best secondary characters in all of television: Emily and Richard, Lane, Paris, Luke, Sookie, even Kirk. Sympathetic, three-dimensional, their stories often make the show the sweet, sad, and moving entertainment that is. Because the show's spotlight is not on them, they don't have to be nearly as perky, perfect, or as self-centered as the mother/daughter duo. They get to be real people, flaws and all, making their problems all the more poignant.
3. Joan of Arcadia: The God character is great. He is exactly what I would hope God would be if he "were one of us." He is funny, sometimes sarcastic, exasperating, but ultimately benevolent and all-forgiving character I have always imagined. The other characters are fantastic too. They are written with huge flaws (as opposed to the Gilmore Gals who I don't think are supposed to be self-absorbed). Kevin is bitter and kind of an asshole, Will can be hard-headed, Joan is a total flake, and Luke, well I love Luke, but he is a geek who rarely asserts himself and instead becomes moody and uncommunicative. Bring on strange tasks, crimes, and good ripples, and well, damn it, it's good. I guess the only reason it is not ranked higher is that it doesn't capture my imagination quite like the top two shows. But that does not mean you shouldn't be staying home Friday night watching it.
2. The OC: At some point this reason, when I was hating Marissa with the burning passion of a thousand suns, I started to become impressed. Man, if I hate a character this much, the show must be onto something. Josh Schwartz took the Soap Operatic angst of a Dawson's Creek (I know the common analogy here is 90210, but it has just been too long for me to properly remember) and the humorous witty dialogue of Gilmore Girls to bring the prime time drama to a new level. Unfortunately, he also decided to adopt the manic pace of a daytime soap. I guess I should be thankful there is plot (see Gilmore Girls), but the incredibly fast pace makes the show lose much of its emotional punch. I mean as annoying as Oliver was, he just came and went. The whole arc was like 6 episodes. It was hard to really care about the ramifications for Marissa and Ryan, especially when they got back together again a few episodes later. The Julie sleeping with Luke, same problem, sure Marissa will get upset, but she will just be upset about something else a few episodes later. The only heavy emotional punch was the last episode when Ryan left Newport Beach, and the writers had to dissolve the premise of the show to get it. Then, again this show is funny and engrossing, so whatever.
1. Everwood: The one thing Everwood does not lack is emotional punch. The show knows how to give it. Starting with the shock of Colin's death and ending with the shock of Madison's pregnancy, this show really knows how to tug at your emotions. It is alternatively sweet, funny, and really sad. I have to say I miss the fights between Ephram and Andy from last season, but in their place, I got the funny scenes between Ephram and Bright. I dislike Madison. And my biggest complaint is that sometimes the show is just too sad. But its a small price to pay for a show this good.
Note: I am judging this season only. So the West Wing, which a year ago would be #1, is not on this list. Also, I have no cable. If I did, the list would probably be very different.
10. One Tree Hill: Sigh. The writing on this show sucks, all the characters are stick figures, moreover, they are obnoxious stick figures. And yet, I found myself watching this stupid show every Tuesday. I guess this is a testament to the greatness of the teen soap. Lucas finding Haley's hat in Nathan's car and feeling betrayed, Lucas sleeping with a girl we later discover is the mother of Jake's child, Brooke's near pregnancy, the melodramatic showdowns, even when the writing is practically incoherent, this stuff is great.
9. Letterman: I would not be watching Letterman if I had cable. But since I do, I am surprised by how amused I am by all of Letterman's antics: the costumes his poor assistant has to wear, fairly amusing; will it float? very funny; the whole thing with the kid who fell asleep during the Bush speech, great; Bif Henderson bits around town, hilarious.
8. That 70s Show: I fail to see the appeal of Ashton Kutcher. Really, he is not that hot. And his character on That 70s Show is so over the top and annoying, as is his buddy Fez. The two girls can be shrill. I like Hyde but sometimes his slacker asshole shtick can be annoying. But how awesome is Eric Foreman? He is the ultimate geeky hero. Plus, the show can be really funny.
7. Sex and the City: I know I said I had no cable, but this show is so great, and so often repeated, and on Time Warner On Demand, and I do have friends with cable, that I have managed to see a bunch of them anyway. If did have cable, it would probably have ranked even higher.
6. Arrested Development: I want to say the humor of this show is Seinfeldian. But the show really isn't like Seinfeld at all, for one, it is about something. And yes, while in both shows the characters are narcissistic and selfish, in Arrested Development not all the characters are assholes all the time, plus, at its core, Arrested Development is the story of a family dealing with a real issue, in absurd ways. Yet, they seem similar because both are very reflective of their times. Its a cliche idea by now, but Seinfeld was perfect for a time when the nation was prosperous and peaceful. The biggest issue was if the president lied about sex. Seinfeld fit that mood. Nothing important happened. The characters were completely comfortable in all important ways (health, wealth), and thus could care about the most trivial things. In our own times, there are huge things to care about: terrorism, war, corporate scandals. And yet, we continue to focus on the incredibly silly, Janet Jackson's breast, which movie starts are having kids, getting tons of plastic surgery. Arrested Development reflects that perfectly. The family is dealing with a real crisis, patriarch in jail, potential financial ruin, and yet, in the midst of their real troubles, continues to focus on the silly, Michael stealing Marta from Gob, Buster's affair with Liza Minelli, Lindsay's husband being a never-nude. The main character, Michael, exists as our own torn voice. He is the normal one in the family, the voice of reason, and yet he cannot help but get involved in his family's harebrained ideas. As someone who freaks out about Iraq at noon, and read US Weekly at 6pm, I can totally relate. While Arrested Development's poor rating seem to imply that I am the only one, I would like to think this isn't true, and that many simply have not discovered it. This is me, keeping my fingers crossed.
5. Scrubs: What does a good sitcom need? Likeable, distinct, slightly over the top characters? Check. Good actors to portray them? Check. Witty dialogue? Check. Funny situations? Check. Enough sweetness to be properly escapist? Check. Romance? Check. Excellent.
4. Gilmore Girls: The show isn't really good with the whole "plot" thing. Really, nothing happened for a good half a season. And Lorelai and Rory seriously started getting on my nerves. They must be two of the most unacknowledged selfish characters on TV (as opposed to say the characters on Arrested Development that are written to be selfish). Yet, even without plot, this is one of the funniest, easiest to enjoy shows on TV. And when the plot finally gets going, it is really really good, and I can't help but root for the selfish Rory and Lorelai. But what really makes the show, are some of the best secondary characters in all of television: Emily and Richard, Lane, Paris, Luke, Sookie, even Kirk. Sympathetic, three-dimensional, their stories often make the show the sweet, sad, and moving entertainment that is. Because the show's spotlight is not on them, they don't have to be nearly as perky, perfect, or as self-centered as the mother/daughter duo. They get to be real people, flaws and all, making their problems all the more poignant.
3. Joan of Arcadia: The God character is great. He is exactly what I would hope God would be if he "were one of us." He is funny, sometimes sarcastic, exasperating, but ultimately benevolent and all-forgiving character I have always imagined. The other characters are fantastic too. They are written with huge flaws (as opposed to the Gilmore Gals who I don't think are supposed to be self-absorbed). Kevin is bitter and kind of an asshole, Will can be hard-headed, Joan is a total flake, and Luke, well I love Luke, but he is a geek who rarely asserts himself and instead becomes moody and uncommunicative. Bring on strange tasks, crimes, and good ripples, and well, damn it, it's good. I guess the only reason it is not ranked higher is that it doesn't capture my imagination quite like the top two shows. But that does not mean you shouldn't be staying home Friday night watching it.
2. The OC: At some point this reason, when I was hating Marissa with the burning passion of a thousand suns, I started to become impressed. Man, if I hate a character this much, the show must be onto something. Josh Schwartz took the Soap Operatic angst of a Dawson's Creek (I know the common analogy here is 90210, but it has just been too long for me to properly remember) and the humorous witty dialogue of Gilmore Girls to bring the prime time drama to a new level. Unfortunately, he also decided to adopt the manic pace of a daytime soap. I guess I should be thankful there is plot (see Gilmore Girls), but the incredibly fast pace makes the show lose much of its emotional punch. I mean as annoying as Oliver was, he just came and went. The whole arc was like 6 episodes. It was hard to really care about the ramifications for Marissa and Ryan, especially when they got back together again a few episodes later. The Julie sleeping with Luke, same problem, sure Marissa will get upset, but she will just be upset about something else a few episodes later. The only heavy emotional punch was the last episode when Ryan left Newport Beach, and the writers had to dissolve the premise of the show to get it. Then, again this show is funny and engrossing, so whatever.
1. Everwood: The one thing Everwood does not lack is emotional punch. The show knows how to give it. Starting with the shock of Colin's death and ending with the shock of Madison's pregnancy, this show really knows how to tug at your emotions. It is alternatively sweet, funny, and really sad. I have to say I miss the fights between Ephram and Andy from last season, but in their place, I got the funny scenes between Ephram and Bright. I dislike Madison. And my biggest complaint is that sometimes the show is just too sad. But its a small price to pay for a show this good.
