TV!

[icepixie]

I know one of you people would like to take on the task of addicting me to Gilmore Girls. See, now that I've finished rewatching all the seasons of Northern Exposure that I consider my personal canon, I'm looking for shows with similar qualities. (Yes, Twin Peaks is at the top of my Netflix queue. I don't know why I didn't watch it earlier. And I tried a couple episodes of Men In Trees, which is billed as NX-meets-Sex & the City. Yeah, well, it's way more S&C than NX, and I can't stand that show. Hence being unable to make it through a complete episode of this series without rolling my eyes and changing the channel.) The TV Tropes Wiki, a fascinating site in its own right, cites both GG and NX under the category of "Quirky Town."

My question is, how quirky? And what's the show about, besides, "Single mother in small town; massive UST with some guy named Luke"? (I know nothing about this show beyond what I've gleaned from skimming y'all's posts about it over the years. Well, that and the fact that whoever plays the daughter bears a remarkable resemblance to Sasha Cohen.) I've never been able to get into a show about high school students, so I'm wary of that angle. And I get the impression that this season took the express train to hell. Should I bother if it'll all end badly?

I'm willing to try out a variety of shows in order to find one or two to fill the NX void in my life. I'm already a fan of Wonderfalls and Ballykissangel, and neither Corner Gas nor Ed are on DVD in any way that I can access them, so in absence of those particularly good candidates, I'm looking for suggestions. Broadly, the three things I'm looking for most, singularly or in combination, are:

1.) Quirky characters/quirky town
2.) Magical realism (this can include dream sequences)
3.) Stories obviously written to make English majors happy. Basically, writing that's already excellent, but also with a penchant for metaphor, symbolism, and/or quotation from and allusion to literary/philosophical/mythological works. The ability to play games like "Spot the Jungian Archetype" can only be a plus.
...4.) Okay, the UST and ensuing 'ship doesn't hurt.

...This means I should really give Buffy a fifth try, doesn't it? I don't know what my problem is with that and Angel. I don't actively dislike them; I just can't get into them. Firefly was a near thing as well.

Anyway, if you know of something I should try, let me know. Perhaps Slings and Arrows? I've heard good things about that one...

Book and movie suggestions along these lines are welcome as well!

(Okay, now that I've actually taken steps to make use of my unemployed free time, surely I will get a dozen calls offering employment, my dead-in-the-water freelancing career will take off, and I'll start racking up volunteer hours. This is the rule of the universe.)

Comments

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Oooh, Slings and Arrows! I'm about to watch it myself, so I'll report to you on it. It's supposed to be fantastic.

I'm something of an anomaly because I've never been able to get into GG--I also have the prejudice against high-school/teenaged-character shows, but what bugged me about GG was that it seemed too self-consciously (and maybe unjustifiably) clever and cute. But people's mileage obviously varies.

Have you seen Dead Like Me? I always think of it as being in the same category as shows like NX and Wonderfalls and Twin Peaks. And it's wonderful.

[icepixie]

Oooh, Slings and Arrows! I'm about to watch it myself, so I'll report to you on it. It's supposed to be fantastic.

Oh, do tell, yes. I've heard nothing but good about it. And apparently it's even made die-hard slash fans like a het 'ship, so it must really be something special. ;)

I'm something of an anomaly because I've never been able to get into GG--I also have the prejudice against high-school/teenaged-character shows, but what bugged me about GG was that it seemed too self-consciously (and maybe unjustifiably) clever and cute.

I watched half an episode today before I had to get ready for choir, and I had the same thought. The witty banter between Lorelai and Rory seemed very obviously scripted; no one comes up with rejoinders and sarcasm that quickly. But maybe I just caught an off episode? I loved that same kind of stuff when Maddie and David did it on Moonlighting, so I hold out hope.

Have you seen Dead Like Me?

I saw the first two episodes a couple years ago, not long after Wonderfalls was canceled. I wanted to see it after I'd heard that Bryan Fuller basically created two series with the same-ish premise, figuring one of them had no chance anyway. *g* It didn't really grab me at the time, but I always meant to try a couple more eps. Is there a particular season that's better than the others, or should I just go back to episode three?

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

I'm somewhat relieved to hear you agree with me, because I was afraid I'd get flamed for my minority opinion. :) I can see why people like it; it's just not my thing. And as you say, that kind of banter can work on a lot of shows--I loved the constant banter on M*A*S*H, for example, and I always compare GG to The West Wing... except with a cast of characters that have no reason to be so articulate.

I haven't seen the full run of Dead Like Me, actually, so I can't quite speak to the overall quality arc. But I started from the beginning and went from there, and got hooked maybe midway through the first season. It grows on you slowly.

[icepixie]

I'm somewhat relieved to hear you agree with me, because I was afraid I'd get flamed for my minority opinion. :)

Awww! You're safe from my flist, promise. We're in a no-flame zone. *g*

I always compare GG to The West Wing... except with a cast of characters that have no reason to be so articulate.

I can deal with characters who shouldn't be so articulate still being that way; by all rights, Chris on NX really shouldn't exist, and yet he does, and I love him, so. But the feeling of the banter was just a little off. It was just that tiny bit too fast and too perfect. It lacked a certain...sincerity, maybe. Too much the writers putting words in a character's mouth rather than the character spouting off independently.

I haven't seen the full run of Dead Like Me, actually, so I can't quite speak to the overall quality arc. But I started from the beginning and went from there, and got hooked maybe midway through the first season. It grows on you slowly.

Hmmm. Okey-dokey, I'll give it another try, then.

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Also: I feel the same way you do about Joss Whedon's shows. Firefly came closest to the mark for me, and I appreciate that all of his shows are good, but somehow I can't get that emotionally engaged.

[icepixie]

Oh thank god, someone else who doesn't worship at the Altar of Whedon! I was starting to wonder if I was the only one...

[nickless.livejournal.com]

but what bugged me about GG was that it seemed too self-consciously (and maybe unjustifiably) clever and cute.

I know I'm in the minority because I second this opinion. I could never get into GG because the dialogue was *too* quick and witty. Amusing, sure, but it was always so rapid-fire and "oh no, I think of all this instantly and effortlessly! And it's not just me, it's every single person I interact with, every single time we speak!" It always seemed fake. But, that's just my personal opinion.

And, ummm, Alexis Bleidel's head always seemed way too big for her body. Freakishly so. Especially when she wore anything that bared her shoulders. *slinks off*

Becca, I can't think of any positive recs at the moment, but I'll let you know if I do!

[icepixie]

Amusing, sure, but it was always so rapid-fire and "oh no, I think of all this instantly and effortlessly! And it's not just me, it's every single person I interact with, every single time we speak!" It always seemed fake.

That was the impression I got from the half an episode I managed to catch today before rehearsal. I'll give it a few more episodes; I know that rapid-fire pace of banter can work, because it works perfectly on Moonlighting. I might've just caught a bad ep.

And, ummm, Alexis Bleidel's head always seemed way too big for her body. Freakishly so. Especially when she wore anything that bared her shoulders. *slinks off*

I can see that. She also has a weird, stilted way of talking that bugs.

Becca, I can't think of any positive recs at the moment, but I'll let you know if I do!

'Kay! Thanks! :)

[nickless.livejournal.com]

I know that rapid-fire pace of banter can work, because it works perfectly on Moonlighting.

Yeah - maybe it bugs me more here because it seems to permeate every single interaction, and so many of them involve teens who, let's face it, are on average not the most eloquent people I've ever run across. It just never allowed me to sit back and just enjoy what they were saying - I always get too stuck on the unrealistic pace of the dialog. 'cause dude, that would be like a whole town of Cordes, and I can't see how the universe would *not* implode with that.

Sure, give me a talking blue plant and I'm fine; make the dialog too formulaic and I'm crying "Unrealistic! Fake!" Pffft.

[icepixie]

Yeah - maybe it bugs me more here because it seems to permeate every single interaction, and so many of them involve teens who, let's face it, are on average not the most eloquent people I've ever run across.

Mmmm, yes. And they say it so fast, it's like there's not enough time to inject the proper emotion or tone.

Although in the whole episode I watched today, that style of dialogue fit a lot better on Luke and Lorelai than it did between her and Rory, or Rory and her friends. They seemed to slow it down a bit as they played off each other, or something.

Sure, give me a talking blue plant and I'm fine; make the dialog too formulaic and I'm crying "Unrealistic! Fake!" Pffft.

Heh. Same here.

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Amusing, sure, but it was always so rapid-fire and "oh no, I think of all this instantly and effortlessly! And it's not just me, it's every single person I interact with, every single time we speak!"

Exactly! It just didn't make sense to me. The way I've describe the issue to people is: it's like The West Wing, except in (a liberal's wet dream of) politics, it's at least semi-plausible for so many people to be that articulate. In some random town with ordinary people? Not so much.