Recently I was considering which TV shows are truly my favorite. I am a man who is certainly guilty of claiming that something is my "favorite" far more times than there are open positions for such an honor. But I am a man of passion and I don't feel guilty for such things. But recently I truly assessed modern telivsion and which shows have my attention. Sure, network TV has a few gems; In my opinion currently The Office, Lost, Smallville and Grey's Anatomy are television shows that are either truly funny, well written, or simply extremely captivating. But then I compared these shows with those that pervade the premium channles HBO and Showtime, and there truly is no comparison. I do not believe it is necessary for there to be graphic violence or language for a show to be good. But I do believe the censorship of network TV makes its writers feel trapped creatively. This can be seen in the sheer creativity and unique plotlines of these premium channel shows. To help you grasp the types of shows I am talking about it is important to know which shows I am considering when discussing this topic. The four shows I consider elite in the scheme of ALL current television including network, cable, and premium, all come from premium channels. They are as follows in no particular order: Entourage (HBO), Dexter (Showtime), Weeds (Showtime), Californication (Showtime). These four shows are truly the pinnacle of modern television. Entourage began as a man's Sex and the City, and it was great even at that point, but as its 5th season has concluded it has grown and developed a unique sense of plot and struggle. Californication certainly satisfies the writer's side of my life (I've referenced it in previous blogs if you're curious) but it is extremely well written, and has a sense of character development unlike anything I have ever seen save Dexter, which is in its own unique category. I can't explain what is so special about Dexter without ruining it so if you know nothing about it I simply recommend you take time to check it out. Then comes Weeds. A perfect blend of comedy and drama. Never has a show had me laugh so hard, and care so much about its characters at the same time.
But this isn't supposed to be a review of these shows, at least that's not what I had originally intended. What I am really trying to stress is the fact that these shows are given free reign over their content, allowing them to flow wherever the story takes them creatively. As a result the shows are able to span a much more wide base of plot and conflict. Sure some may be controversial but that's life. That's what these shows are trying to mirror or comment on in the first place. Our life is not censored, and neither are these four elite shows, and I think it is that simple fact that has allowed these shows to sky-rocket and propel their actors and actresses to begin dominating the Emmy's over those on network TV (See Mary Louise Parker and David Duchovny).
something strikes a chord- you can relate to in almost every single aspect. A song, a movie, a TV show. Last night, Californication did just that for me.
Protagonist Hank Moody was having flashbacks of his life and his love for his love interest, Karen, and the show concluded with a letter he had written to her after they first met. The words in the letter almost directly apply to my feelings for someone in my life. The letter read as follows...
"Dear Karen,
If you're reading this, it actually means I worked up the courage to mail it, so good for me.
You don't know me very well, but if you get me started I have a tendancy to go on and on about how hard the writing is for me. But this, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to write. There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it.
I met someone. It was an accident. I wasn't looking for it. I wasn't on the make. It was a perfect storm. She said one thing, I said another. Next thing I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life in the middle of that conversation.
Now there's this feeling in my gut; She might be the one. She's completely nuts, in a way that makes me smile. Highly nuerotic. A great deal of maintainence required. She is you, Karen. That's the good news. The bad is that I don't know how to be with you right now and that scares the shit out of me. Because if I'm not with you right now, I have this feeling that we'll get lost out there. It's a big bad world full of twists and turns and people have a way of blinking and missing the moment, the moment that could have changed everything.
I don't know what's going on with us and I can't tell you why you should waste a leap of faith on the likes of me. But damn, you smell good, like home. And you make excellent coffee, and that's gotta count for something, right?
Call me
I'm faithfully yours,
Hank Moody"
Here's the video
As Eddie Vedder wailed the poignant lyrics of Pearl Jam's "Nothingman" in the background, David Duchovny, narrating as Hank Moody, a writer in LA, went on about his soul mate. His words are feelings to which anyone who has ever been truly in love can relate- feelings of confidence and self conciousness collide into one. You're so sure and unsure at once. But the bottom line is, despite the mess of questions, you know. You just know. You don't care what the circumstance is, what odds may be against you. You'll do whatever it takes. Moody knows. Love knows. I know. His letter struck a chord in me that I won't forget, the same way anyone else feels when they hear something that could have very well come from their own mouth. Moody's words may as well have been mine. The only words I would replace in his entire letter are the handful of "Karens" That name is reserved for someone else in my letter.
