Monday, December 1st, 2008

Brown: Television has an upside

Not all TV falls into ‘wasteland’ identity

Believe it or not, there is some actual solid content on television these days.

By Jesse Brown (Contact)

Thursday, August 30th, 2007

Some people hold on to the belief that television is a virtual wasteland. They surf the channels on their TV sets and find reruns of favored sitcoms from their past and reality crap that airs so heavily now on music channels like VH1 and MTV (although a few are actually entertaining). But this perspective of “nothing but crap on the television” is narrow. If only they would expand their vision, they would find that television is in one of its richest eras, with many great shows to offer.

Of course, by expansion, to view some of television’s hidden gems that air on such channels, more money would have to be spent to plow its treasures. Shows like “The Sopranos,” “Sex and the City,” “Six Feet Under” and “Entourage” have opened up the possibilities of making shows that feel new, exciting, and engaging on channels like HBO, Showtime and FX, where they could get away with certain indiscretions. It has recently been revealed to me, by friends, that television has a lot to offer to someone who is looking for entertainment. You just need to look more closely.

Showtime’s series “Weeds,” currently in its third season, is one of the best comedies television has to offer and is rich with complex and human characters. A widowed mother decides to sell marijuana so she can sustain her family’s way of life in suburban California. The show is a view of hypocrisy that winks at us all, but this show adores its hypocrites, making it a laugh riot. When you have Kevin Nealon as City Council member Doug, pothead and in charge of running the town’s budget, you can’t help busting out with laughter. “Weeds” also has its master actors who bring more dramatic flair to the table like Mary-Louise Parker, who turns in an award-winning performance every episode as widowed pot dealer mother Nancy Botwin, and Romany Malco, who plays against the stereotype of a pot dealer, making his character smarter with a knowledge in botany and business tactics. He is so charismatic and untapped by movies; his role as Jay in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” alone gives him the right to tap into whatever he wants.

The FX series “Rescue Me” is not only one of the funniest shows on television but is also the most psychologically complex. Denis Leary’s dramedy about the heroism of firefighters in a post Sept. 11 world looks closely at the firemen of the show who dealt with the terrorist attacks and their lives after. It’s got a slew of funny characters, but it’s also high on its drama with its love affairs, betrayals, and the characters’ sexual orientation. Leary is so gifted at writing and acting that he could bring in the really intense moments and chuck out the laughs like he’s not even trying.

Channels like HBO, Showtime, and FX do produce their share of engaging television, but basic channels like NBC and ABC have certainly stepped up to the plate. While there are all you “Grey’s Anatomy” fanatics out there, these channels produce shows that are just as engaging, like “Desperate Housewives.” NBC’s lineup for Thursday night includes “My Name is Earl,” “30 Rock,” “The Office” and “Scrubs,” My personal favorite, “Heroes,” airs on Monday nights.

So enough with the griping of “nothing ever good comes on television,” because I assure you there is. You just need to venture out and find the show or shows that hook you.

Brown is a Tulsa, Okla., junior in journalism.

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