Previously, in 2010…The Best

25 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment

by marisacarpico in Previously, on Television... Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Before I reveal my pick for the Best Television Show of 2010 and resume regularly posting “Previously, on” articles next week, I want to address a few things. Though I’ve only written articles on a few series for this project, there were many engaging and solid shows in 2010, especially on cable. Thanks to networks like HBO, Showtime, FX and more recently AMC, cable has become a place where people expect to find quality television. Since cable networks are not broadcast freely, they are not subject to as many restrictions by the FCC. Thus, their shows are allowed to be a bit racier and edgier than your average broadcast network’s. For cable programming, creativity and a unique view are what set shows apart and that often allows them to address issues in a more open and sometimes realistic way then broadcast networks.

This year alone I was engrossed by a number of cable programs. The latest season of AMC’s Mad Men was arguably the show’s best, what with its lovable yet hatable anti-hero Don Draper becoming somehow both more controlled and more self-destructive. Likewise, the same network’s The Walking Dead, even with only six episodes to its first season, managed to introduce a varied and layered cast of characters all while giving audiences disgusting and horrifying zombies. My cable standout, however, was Showtime’s Dexter. I devoted the month of August to blasting through every season and became completely hooked. I was at once terrified and enthralled by how the show’s writers continually and fearlessly push the story. Not only do they write the unexpected, but also the exact plot twists I think can never be allowed to happen. Can’t imagine Dexter’s life without his wife Rita? Watch Rita go in one of the most poignant television deaths of all time only to be spellbound the next season when Dexter connects with a woman who allows him to find his humanity again. For me, strong, daring writing and believable, vibrant actors characterize each show. But they’re not the Best.

The Best show has all of the characteristics of a cable program—daring writing, brilliant actors who embody their characters, strong production values and its most distinguishing feature, the most wickedly breakneck pacing of any show on network television. The Best show of 2010 is….

The Vampire Diaries

Damon, Elena and Stefan showing just how much sexual chemistry can exist in a love triangle

I first declared my love for The Vampire Diaries back in May when it aired probably the best finale of last season. At the time, I applauded TVD’s willingness to continually take risks with every storyline and this second season has not only sustained that drive, but heightened it. Every episode progresses the story along at such an exciting yet believable pace that they all seem like season finales. The Vampire Diaries has managed to burn through as much story in half a season as it would take many dramas at least a season if not more to present. Unlike something like Lost or Bones or even CSI:NY, when TVD hints at something, it doesn’t wait until a season finale or sweeps to address it, it plunges headlong into that conflict and shocks you with how brilliantly it can forward a storyline. Like the great cable shows I mentioned above, it has a focused vision, but rather than keep that pace going for a truncated 13 or even six episode season, it does it for a full 22.

Perhaps the two most interesting developments this season have been the appearance of the evil vampire doppelganger Katherine (played with terrifying allure by Nina Dobrev) and Caroline’s (played with delicate charm by Candice Accola) progression from sweet, insecure cheerleader to kick-ass yet selfless newly turned vampire. Though the show often delights in literally exposing its attractive young male cast, the female characters are the real driving force behind The Vampire Diaries.

Nina Dobrev as Katherine Pierce

Dobrev’s Katherine loomed over the first season like a dark specter, always threatening to come to the small town of Mystic Falls and wreak havoc on our beloved characters. Katherine was the vampire who turned our human heroine Elena’s saintly vampire boyfriend Stefan (Paul Wesley) and his mischievous brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) into vampires back in 1864. Initially, Katherine was only shown in flashback and I couldn’t imagine how the writers could bring such a dangerous character into the fold. As written, Katherine was pure evil, ruthless in both violence and selfishness. How could they possibly bring in such a volatile character without completely throwing the whole TVD world into chaos? Not to mention the strain on Dobrev, who plays both Katherine and her doppelganger Elena. And yet they did it anyway and that was the last time I ever underestimated just how daring The Vampire Diaries can be.

Katherine has certainly created utter bedlam in Mystic Falls this season and watching Dobrev play her each week with such delectably sinful relish has made it a joy. Katherine’s capacity for evil is precisely what makes her so fascinating. The changes she draws out of every character have brought the show to a new level of excellence. Stefan spent much of the first season as the monster with a heart; he was not only the perfect boyfriend but also a model vampire who abstained from human blood. But there’s just something about Katherine that brings out the predator in him.

Katherine and Stefan in "Masquerade"

During the seventh episode “Masquerade,” Katherine confronts Stefan trying to force him to give her an item. Dobrev and Wesley have always had a sweet and romantic chemistry as Elena and Stefan, but when Dobrev becomes Katherine, everything changes. Suddenly love and hatred intermingle to create these sexually charged and dangerous scenes that nearly put a stop to the whole show. During the scene, as the characters dance, Katherine casually swings between threat and flirtation and Stefan buries the attraction that surely must exist by exhibiting nothing but disdain. It’s never completely clear whether Stefan’s hate is really just twisted love, but it will be fascinating to see where these characters end up. As Katherine once responded to Stefan’s declaration of hate: “That sounds like the beginning of a love story, Stefan, not the end of one.” Just when Stefan thinks he’s in control, Katherine reminds him and the audience just how cruel she can be by brutally killing another character. It is precisely Katherine’s unpredictability and her heedless regard for human life that make her such a compelling force onscreen and she is the perfect manifestation of the writers’ willingness to constantly push the story even if that means killing characters.

That willingness to kill even the most beloved characters is part of what makes The Vampire Diaries so daring. It is truly a show where it seems nobody is safe and that sense is what makes it so thrilling. Katherine has killed a number of characters this season, but her most shocking and horrifying kill was Elena’s friend Caroline Forbes. While watching Katherine prowl around like a dangerous predator has been entertaining, Caroline’s transformation from neurotic, vapid teenager to brave, selfless vampire has been my favorite part.

Vampire Barbie aka Caroline Forbes

In Season 1, Caroline basically embodied the stereotype of a blonde cheerleader. She was jealous of Elena, petty, insecure, selfish, but you still wanted to root for her. Though she rarely said or did the right thing, she meant well. In the May finale, Caroline’s life hung in the balance when she fell into a coma after being injured in a car accident. At the time, the development was more distressing for what her death would mean to her boyfriend Matt (Zach Roerig) than any serious concern for her. When the second season started, her condition hadn’t improved and in order to save her, Damon gave her some of his blood because in TVD’s world, ingesting vampire blood can heal humans. However, it’s also one of the steps in turning someone into a vampire. So, just to show the characters and viewers she meant business, Katherine killed Caroline and started her transformation into a vampire.

Once before a character had turned into a vampire only to die a few episodes later because she couldn’t control her bloodlust. It seemed impossible that Caroline, who barely had the self-control to avoid saying something insulting in every conversation, could survive as a vampire. However, Caroline has not only met that challenge, but become perhaps the most fascinating character on the show. As Caroline has struggled with becoming a monster, she has found her strength. Something about becoming a vampire—whether it is her commitment to retaining her humanity or perhaps the simple knowledge that she no longer needs to be neurotic since she will be young and beautiful forever—has allowed Caroline to evolve into a brave and selfless hero.

In the TVD world, when someone becomes a vampire, their personality traits intensify and while Caroline’s jealousy and neuroticism took over for a time, eventually the fierceness of her love for others became her defining trait. The most important example of Caroline’s growth is her relationship with Tyler Lockwood (a surprisingly good Michael Trevino) who recently triggered his family’s werewolf curse when he accidentally killed a classmate. Like Caroline, Tyler spent much of last season as little more than a stereotype. He was the dangerously aggressive jock who cruelly abused everyone who cared about him, but also like Caroline, becoming supernatural changed him for the better. Caroline, identifying with Tyler’s fear and not wishing him to struggle alone, decided to help him through his first full moon transformation in the most recent episode “By the Light of the Moon.” It was truly one of the most horrifying and emotionally poignant plot developments the show may ever produce.

Caroline and Tyler

Unlike the werewolves in Twilight who transform in a burst of fur, werewolves on The Vampire Diaries experience a painful, hours-long process that turns them into animals stripped of anything but the desire to kill. Though Caroline knew werewolf bites could kill vampires, she stayed with Tyler throughout his transformation. As Tyler endured hours of excruciating pain and let out one gut-wrenching scream after another, Caroline comforted him. She held him as he writhed in pain and refused to leave even though each minute she stayed put her in more danger. Gone was the selfish Caroline of Season 1 and the vampire that replaced her was giving, compassionate and devoted. Even when Caroline finally left as Tyler completed the transformation, she sat outside the door crying his name only wishing she could do more to help. And in the moments after he had returned to human form and she rushed back in to hold him as he wept, it was evident how that shared experience will connect Tyler and Caroline forever.

There have been tiny hints of a possible romance between them for weeks. Not just in scripted moment mind you, but in the palpable chemistry between Candice Accola and Michael Trevino as well. They are stunning together and their performances this season are exactly what keep me so riveted. The fidelity of feeling they portray and the brilliant writing that allows them to create it are unparalleled. Though Matt broke up with Caroline weeks ago, there is still the possibility of a relationship between them, but after watching Caroline and Tyler connect on such a profound level, I doubt that can happen anymore. Caroline and Tyler have shared an experience Matt simply can’t understand. These characters found their humanity the moment they stopped being humans and they found it together. They need each other because their relationship is the only thing stopping them from giving into their monster instincts. It is a lovely and moving part of the show and let’s face it, how could I resist a Romeo and Juliet type of love story between a vampire and a werewolf? I cannot wait to see where the writers take that storyline and how Accola and Trevino play it.

Well, there you have it. That’s my choice for the Best show of 2010 and I will stand by it until the end of time. Not a single show has consistently given me such excitement and intellectual stimulation each week and I think it’s a shame that nobody has taken notice. If The Vampire Diaries were on HBO or AMC, the quality of the writing and acting would make it a shoe in for Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. On the one hand, I’m sad that the fact that TVD airs on The CW keeps people from taking a chance on it, but maybe it’s also what allows it to be so great. Since it’s on The CW and the creators know nobody takes them seriously anyway, they write with creative abandon. The only way to get people to acknowledge a CW show is to write the best damn program possible and that’s exactly what they do. They have nothing to lose so they go for broke. So I encourage anyone reading this to take that chance because I promise The Vampire Diaries will not disappoint.

Previously, in 2010…Bones

18 Jan 2011 1 Comment

by marisacarpico in Previously, on Television... Tags: , , , , , , , ,

This post is devoted to my pick for the Most Disappointing show of the year: Bones.

Booth, Bones and the "other woman" Hannah

Bones
When Bones aired its divisive 100th episode last April, I defended it wholeheartedly. The episode was romantic and tragic and I completely accepted the idea that forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (the constantly surprising Emily Deschanel) wasn’t ready to take a leap of faith with her FBI agent partner Seeley Booth (a solid David Boreanaz) and believe in the possibility of love. Skip ahead a month to the finale and I was willing but wary of the direction the story was headed. Maybe a little time apart would finally help Brennan understand how much she really did love Booth.

When the current season started I knew what was coming. Rumors of a new and very serious girlfriend for Booth had floated around the internet for months. Plus that’s just the way dramatic television works. What better way for a character to realize they are in love than to see the object of their affection in love with someone else. The “other woman” character is never easy to portray, especially when the central couple is so beloved, but I hoped Bones would be able to meet the challenge. Thus far, that has not been the case.

When it comes down to it, there are a number of problems with Booth’s new girlfriend, Hannah Burley (Katheryn Winnick). First is a question of chemistry. I’m not sure I buy the character’s chemistry with either Booth or the rest of the cast. Winnick has certainly played the part with a surprising amount of complexity and managed to make Hannah somewhat likable, but there’s just a spark missing in her scenes with Booth that can’t compete with the chemistry that permeates every moment Booth and Brennan spend onscreen. I don’t mean to unnecessarily criticize Winnick in this situation, rather I think the fault lies in the writing.

For weeks the characters and actors have tried to sell Hannah and Booth’s connection, as well as some silly friendship between her and Brennan, as deep and real. However, rather than show the strength of those relationships, the writers simply have the characters say over and over that the relationship is real. Not that there haven’t been a few moments where the connections have seemed genuine. However, each time one of those moments happen, it’s as if the writers undercut their own work. On the one hand, they want the audience to believe in the Booth/Hannah relationship, but each time they write a scene to show the fidelity of their connection, they write a stronger scene between Booth and Brennan.

Perhaps the best example of this came in the episode where Hannah attempted to connect with Booth’s son Parker. Despite having trouble dealing with children, Hannah finally manages to get Parker to open up and the episode ends with Booth, Hannah and Parker having lunch with Brennan. Parker talks excitedly about something Hannah has showed him when suddenly he begins to brag about Brennan directly to Hannah, first asking her to bring up some obscure fact and then asking if they can all swim in her pool. Though the moment shows Hannah has managed to create some measure of rapport with Parker, his admiration for Brennan—especially the fact that it’s meant to impress Hannah—clearly suggests that his connection to Brennan is far stronger. It’s as if the writers are saying through Parker that Hannah can never replace Brennan in Booth’s life. And if the writers can’t convincingly write it, why should the audience believe it?

While Hannah herself is representative of the show’s many problems this season, the real problem is Booth. Nary an episode passes without Booth insisting to anyone in earshot that he is in love with Hannah and he is completely over Brennan. It’s as if Booth is trying to convince himself just as much as he’s trying to convince the audience. From the beginning I found it almost absurdly unbelievable that Booth, who had spent so long loving Brennan, could get over her so easily. I know a lot can happen in seven months, but even in TV land how could someone be that deeply in love and completely move on seven months later? That’s called denial ladies and gentlemen.

However, not only is there an element of denial to Booth’s conviction that he is over Brennan, but more stunningly, a hint of aggression. Each time a character asks him how he’s coping with working with Brennan again he brusquely insists he no longer loves her and doesn’t wish to continue the conversation. However, his aggression is most clear in his interactions with Brennan. During the season premiere, “The Mastodon in the Room,” Brennan asks Booth, after he asks first, if he’s found anyone special and the almost defiant way that he talks about Hannah and says their relationship is “serious as a heart attack” displays not only that sense of aggression and defiance, but suggests that it sparks not only from his denial but from a desire to almost punish Brennan by insisting how happy he is.

This is never clearer than in the most recent episode, “The Doctor in the Photo,” in which Brennan finally realizes she missed her opportunity to love Booth. When Brennan, hoping he may still love her, cries to Booth that she wishes she had been brave enough to forward their relationship, he responds by saying he’s with Hannah now and that she is not a “consolation prize.” Boreanaz uses an almost defensive and slightly accusatory tone while delivering the line, as if Brennan had directly said, “I’m better than her and you will never love her as much as you love me.” It’s telling that though Brennan never mentions Hannah, Booth’s first reaction is to defend his decision. Surely he must be doing so more for his own good than Brennan’s.

However, Booth’s cruelest moment comes moments later when he asks Brennan if he can call anyone to be with her after his rejection. When Brennan rejected Booth in the 100th episode she comforted him, but in the reverse moment Booth decides to go home to Hannah, enforcing just what Brennan decided to give up through her rejection and thereby punishing her with loneliness. Deep friendship and caring has always characterized Booth and Brennan’s relationship and for him to uncharacteristically sacrifice that friendship indicates just how truly the writing and progression of the relationship has gone awry. Booth just wouldn’t do that.

Despite disappointment, I will continue to watch Bones—despite horrifying rumors of a proposal in Hannah and Booth’s future. I just hope that the writers finally stop being afraid of a Booth/Brennan relationship and take the story to its natural next step. If they don’t, I’m not sure I will still care when they do.

I’ll be wrapping up my series soon with my pick for the Best Television Show of 2010. It might be a bit of a surprise, but let me tell you right now, there are few shows on television with as much daring and intelligence. Hope you’re ready.

Previously, in 2010…Hawaii Five-0 and Community

16 Jan 2011 1 Comment

by marisacarpico in Previously, on Television... Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My series on 2010’s Best and Worst Television last covered Glee and after writing about all that bitter disappointment, I thought I’d lighten the mood again. Today I’m going for a double whammy of two of the most entertaining entries in my weekly line-up: Hawaii Five-0 and Community.

Hawaii Five-0's Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan

Hawaii Five-0
I usually like to have at least one light, procedural crime show in my line-up to sort of balance out my typically drama-heavy television week. Up until the current season, CSI: NY filled that void, but since my favorite character, Stella, left when actress Melina Kanakaredes rightfully decided to exit the rather thankless role for better opportunities, I needed something new. Enter Hawaii Five-0.

The way I see it, Hawaii Five-0 is basically a show devoted to beauty, whether it be of the human form or nature. Sure the absurdly attractive Five-0 team solves an outrageously implausible crime each week, but that’s just icing on the cake really. The appeal of the show, and really that of most crime procedurals, is the formula. Each week viewers can tune in knowing that the team will discover some out of the ordinary crime and Steve McGarrett (the gorgeous Alex O’Loughlin) and Danny “Danno” Williams (the hilarious Scott Caan) will banter like an old married couple while the beautiful Hawaiian landscape lounges behind them. The formula itself comforts and entertains because it always meets expectations and allows viewers to engage in the action without requiring them to actively think about any type of mythology. Certainly, Hawaii Five-0 succeeds in executing a formula, but the writing and acting quality truly distinguish it.

Somehow in the midst of the crimes and the images of beaches, the writers and actors have managed to create an intriguing central relationship in McGarrett and Danno. From the pilot, they are set up as opposites. McGarrett is the shoot-first-ask-questions-later tough guy and Danno is the quick-witted straight man. From that personality conflict comes a natural argumentative quality that makes their interactions sound more like a Howard Hawks romantic comedy than a police partnership. While O’Loughlin plays the tough guy well, the real star is Caan.

I’ve been a fan of Scott Caan, son of actor James Caan of the Godfather films, ever since I saw the delightful piece of trash, Into the Blue, in which he almost saved the film through sheer charisma. In fact, he was the main thing that first interested me in Hawaii Five-0 and he certainly hasn’t disappointed. While McGarrett can be rather one note, each week Caan manages to make Danno an interesting and complex character. Though Danno, via Caan’s perfect comedic timing, often infuses the show with dry, ironic humor he also delivers much of the show’s heart through his relationship with his daughter. Danno may be a tough cop, but he’s also a loving father and a caring friend. Typical cop drama characters tend to be easily defined by one trait. On the original CSI, Gil Grissom was cop-philosopher devoted to the truth. On Law & Order, Jack McCoy was the ruthless prosecutor. Danno continually defies solid definition and it’s what makes him and the show such a delightful surprise.

The cast of Community

Community
I was recently converted to Community this season after critical praise finally convinced me to tune back in. I originally watched the Community pilot when it first aired because I’m a huge fan of Joel McHale on The Soup. I’ve pretty much watched The Soup from the beginning and I was so excited to see a sitcom finally showcase his dry, biting humor. While McHale delivered all I wanted and more in the pilot, I found the supporting characters mostly uninteresting and in some cases annoyingly over-the-top archetypes. Abed (Danny Pudi) was especially problematic. His nerd stereotype with what seemed like Asperger’s Syndrome was so overused in those first few episodes that I simply couldn’t stand to continue watching.

Imagine my surprise to discover, upon watching the Season 2 premiere, that not only had Abed’s social ineptitude been toned down, but all of the characters had been refined into subversive variations on archetypes. As the season has progressed, Community has continually surprised me in its ability to skewer and parody pop culture while somehow still making its own characters interesting. Community manages to be just as meta and critical of pop culture norms as The Soup while not allowing itself to reduce its characters to those same norms.

The episode that made me a Community devotee for life was the brilliant Halloween episode entitled “Epidemiology,” which was essentially a zombie movie parody. Every moment of the episode was a brilliant mockery of the zombie movie formula. McHale’s Jeff was the self-serving ass who is punished when he’s bitten. Good girl Annie (the terrific Alison Brie) figured out how to save her fellow students, but turned zombie anyway in a shocking zombie bust through wall moment. The show even mocked the horror movie standard of having an animal jump out and scare the heroes for no reason by having a feral cat jump across the screen multiple times and even having the characters comment on the absurdity of that moment. I watched about 20 horror movies that month and seeing such a perfect send up of the genre was an absolute joy.

Though the episode exploited the archetypes the characters represent, it also furthered their development. The Abed and Troy (Donald Glover) relationship is especially important in this respect. Dim, popular Troy and nerdy Abed have developed an unlikely friendship and their relationship took a serious leap in this episode. They coordinated costumes with Abed as the Alien and Troy as Ripley from Aliens. Troy initially thought the costumes were great, until he was ridiculed and ignored by a group of girls. So he decided to dress as a vampire, which to him is a type of Dracula. By doing so, Troy essentially tried to deny his nerdy qualities and therefore turned on his friend. By the end of the episode, Troy and Abed are the only characters left and in order to save everyone, Abed sacrifices himself so Troy can go on. It is the ultimate act of friendship and Troy, realizing that he was a fool to turn on Abed, takes up his Ripley costume once again to save his friends. The moment not only refers to the moment in the film, but shows Troy’s growth. He has accepted who he is and because of that he has become not only a better friend, but a more admirable person.

With such fantastic episodes this fall I expect nothing but the best from Hawaii Five-0 and Community and I’m sure that’s exactly what they will continue to deliver. My next two posts will be my choices for the Best and Worst Television of 2010. Hope you’re excited.

Previously, in 2010…Glee

16 Jan 2011 2 Comments

by marisacarpico in Previously, on Television... Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I began my review of 2010’s Best and Worst Television yesterday with a look at the stellar seasons my two favorite dance competitions had. After that love-fest I feel like being a little mean so let’s go with one of this year’s big disappointments: Glee.

Rachel and Kurt Singing "Get Happy/Happy Days are Here Again"

Glee
I’ve been a big defender of Glee from the beginning. From the moment the pilot aired, I knew it was something special and while the show has had some great moments, after a season and a half, my overwhelming feeling toward the show is disappointment. It should be perfect. At its best Glee has an enormously talented cast, solid production standards and smart, witty writing. At its worst it’s preachy and uninventive and unfortunately a lot of the second season’s episodes have had those qualities.

I could sum up my problems with the show via two characters: Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) and Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer). I’ve written before stating my thoughts on why I think the writers have greatly mishandled Rachel’s personality—and Michele’s talent for that matter—but the show’s second season has added a new flavor of discontent. As I mentioned previously, I’ve always found it odd that Rachel would give Finn (Cory Monteith) the time of day. Sure he’s the popular jock, but he’s also a bit of a fool who has never been as aggressively over-achieving or confident as Rachel. Certainly opposites attract, but why these opposites?

On some level Rachel seems more attracted to the idea of Finn than the actual man. More than anything Rachel is a lover of pop culture and its archetypes and expectations, so surely some of her attraction to Finn must be rooted in her pleasure in thinking that their very relationship fits into one of those archetypes. She’s the unpopular girl who, against all odds, gets the popular boy. When understood from that perspective, it seems unsurprising that Rachel could love Finn. It is precisely because Rachel believes in Finn’s potential to be her ideal that she can look past his shortcomings and simply accept who he is. Finn, however, does not afford Rachel the same luxury.

During the final two episodes before the hiatus, Finn broke up with Rachel because she had essentially cheated on him with Puck. Rachel, in response to Finn lying about a previous liaison with Santana, had made out with Puck hoping to take some small manner of revenge on Finn. While Rachel eventually forgave him, Finn could not forgive Rachel’s deliberate act of retaliation. While I’m not saying Rachel’s infidelity is justified, considering the number of times Finn has made mistakes it seems almost hypocritical. Finn’s anger highlights perhaps the biggest difference between them. On the one hand, all of the mistakes Finn has made have sparked from passiveness and fear of confrontation, while Rachel’s have come directly from her decisions to act. It is precisely Rachel’s intent and decisiveness that Finn cannot abide. Finn has always struggled with what he perceives to be the dramatic qualities—her jealousy and vindictiveness—in Rachel’s personality and her decision to hurt him is what he truly cannot accept, so instead he refuses to deal with her. Surely a character as fascinating and unique as Rachel deserves better. Yes, she is abrasive and rude, but at least she accepts who she is and lives according to that knowledge.

While many fans and critics seem to enjoy the Kurt Hummel character, to me he represents just about everything I dislike about Glee. Though Kurt’s struggle to live as an out gay man despite societal pressures can be touching, his storylines often seem too cloying. I speak mostly of show creator Ryan Murphy’s drive this season to give the show a sort of afterschool special quality. Kurt’s storylines are the biggest expression of this tendency and that is perhaps why I find him so tiresome. Though it’s important to emphasize equality and acceptance, Kurt’s occasionally aggressive and often preachy brand of superiority is especially problematic. I’ve written before about my dislike for Kurt and while my concerns about his aggression were addressed in a recent episode I now find Kurt’s holier-than-thou attitude even more aggravating. Last season, Kurt had so vigorously pursued Finn that the latter reacted by hurling anti-gay slurs. While that behavior was by no means forgivable, Kurt failed in that instance to see how his own actions had led to the situation. Kurt is chronically unable to acknowledge his own self-centeredness and the episode where Kurt and Finn’s parents marry displayed the extent to which that was true. Everything from the parents’ vows to Finn’s struggle to accept that his mother was remarrying was centered on Kurt and once again the character seemed to come out as a saint. Though Kurt plays at being a complex character he is simply one thing: the pious martyr looking down on his peers. Certainly television shows should strive to make a point, but that doesn’t mean they should do so in a melodramatic and simplistic way.

Though I have numerous complaints with Kurt and Rachel there was one development late in the season that showed promise. I’ve always found it rather odd that these two self-centered diva characters weren’t friends. Some of that surely sparked from the fact that they are each other’s main competition for solos in the group since they have similar range. However, when Kurt faced some tough times this season it was Rachel who came for comfort. Perhaps the highlight of their friendship was the moment they recreated Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland’s mash-up of “Get Happy” and “Happy Days are Here Again.” It was truly magical and represented the promise Glee has. There was no dancing and no plot point being played out through the song, just pure unadulterated singing. Moreover, it was especially powerful because it gave the characters a chance to seriously embody the two icons who they most resemble. Rachel, in essentially mimicking Streisand’s persona, and Kurt, by copying such a gay icon like Judy Garland, carry on their legacy while also making it their own. It is positively one of the show’s greatest numbers and if the writing in the rest of the season can be this strong Glee may just redeem itself. Below I’ve pasted a video from some genius person on YouTube that combines both the Glee performance and the original from The Judy Garland Show. Enjoy and look for my next post soon.

Previously, in 2010…

15 Jan 2011 1 Comment

by marisacarpico in Previously, on Television... Tags: , , , , ,

And we’re back! As you can see it’s been a while since I’ve posted a TV recap and I think my loyal readers deserve an explanation. Here’s the abbreviated version. First a move that took me from 189th Street in Manhattan to Avenue P in Brooklyn then a month on 16th Street in Manhattan followed by yet another stint on Avenue P that all ended in permanent residence in Bushwick. Next came the 2010 Election Season, which basically had me working full-time—sometimes six days a week for over 50 hours—for a few months. The next thing I knew it was January 2011 and I hadn’t written a single word since July. With the coming of winter TV hiatuses I decided it was time to end mine.

However, before I look ahead to all of the great TV to come, I want to acknowledge some of the great television that happened in 2010 (as well as a couple of massive disappointments.) So I’m going to post a few articles on the shows that stood out to me this year. Let’s start with the THE GOOD.

Lauren and Pasha's Argentine Tango

So You Think You Can Dance/Dancing with the Stars
Probably the most unfortunate side effect of my hiatus is that I didn’t get to recap the latest seasons of my favorite dance shows. Let’s start with SYTYCD. Though the new format initially seemed a problem I was shocked by the quality of dancing. It actually might be my favorite season yet. The final two dancers, Kent Boyd and Lauren Froderman, especially impressed me. Once my beloved Alex Wong exited due to injuries, Kent and Lauren quickly became my favorite dancers on the show and delivered arguably the best performances of the season. Lauren was especially surprising considering I’d been so disappointed with her earlier in the season. About halfway through the season, Lauren danced a hip-hop routine with all-star Twitch that was so hard-hitting yet somehow sexy that it was shocking that this goofy cheerleader could pull it off. (I’ve pasted the link below since embedding isn’t allowed.)

She’s positively on fire in that performance and her ability to match Twitch’s skill came as a complete shock that was just a hint of the incredible skill and energy Lauren could deliver on the dance floor. She was unstoppable no matter the dance style and while that routine certainly became one of the season’s highlights, arguably Lauren’s best routine was an Argentine Tango with Pasha. Part of Lauren’s appeal as a dancer is her ability to express a casual sexuality without making it trashy. This was never more apparent than in that Argentine Tango near the end of the season. The chemistry is incredible between Lauren and Pasha in the performance and you can almost see the passion radiating from them. I’ve always loved the Argentine Tango and I have to say this will probably always remain my favorite.

While I loved Lauren and fully thought she deserved to win, I also loved Kent Boyd and though he didn’t quite deliver as consistently, when he delivered he was hard to beat. My favorite routine of the season came on one of the final performance episodes when Kent danced a contemporary routine with all-star Allison to my favorite song, “Sundrenched World,” by my favorite artist, Joshua Radin.

Kent struggled with bringing gravity to his performances throughout the season and this was the dance that showed the audience just how much he’d grown as a dancer. Kent’s unscripted choice to say “Get off of me,” at the end of the dance was a shocking expression of his commitment to the routine. His passion is utterly stunning to watch and even without knowing the storyline, the pain and anger Kent and Allyson infuse into their performances make it clear we’re watching a couple slowly implode. It was the type of routine that elevates SYTYCD from reality competition show to art.

Jenougher's Argentine Tango

Just as interesting, if less impressive, as SYTYCD was this season of DWTS. I’m going to forget the whole Bristol Palin debacle—which was absolute heaven for this lover of the absurd twists celebrity and pop culture can sometimes take—and focus on Jennifer Grey’s big comeback. Grey, who played the iconic role of Baby in Dirty Dancing, was an absolute delight to watch each week and she was a phenomenal dancer to boot. It was pretty much obvious from the moment it was announced that Grey was paired with two-time winner Derek Hough that she would win the season, but who knew that journey would be so utterly enthralling? The 50-year-old Grey struggled with injuries throughout the show’s run and her commitment to the show and sincere thankfulness for being given the opportunity to dance was incredibly endearing. But more importantly, she could DANCE. Pretty much every performance she gave was a highlight, but my favorite was her fierce and technically strong Argentine Tango in Week 4. It was everything an Argentine Tango should be: fun, sexy and powerful.

I had never seen Dirty Dancing before seeing Grey’s comeback (I know, travesty), but you bet I watched it after and I’m glad DWTS reminded people what a delightfully luminous presence Grey can be.

That’s all for now, stay tuned in the next few days to see my other picks for the best and worst television of 2010.

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