Sex and the City, Part One: Carrie the Protagonist

Regardless of your opinion of Sex and the City, there is no denying its cultural impact at the turn of the century. This writer happens to love the show and has decided to devote this corner of teh interwebz to discussing the larger themes that made the show unique and quite clever in its prime. I have seen this series many times over and it is time to put that obsessive knowledge to good use. I will be talking about the entire series, one DVD disc at a time. I welcome comments and discussion, provided it is more intelligent and thought-out than "Those women are ugly" and "Sarah Jessica Parker has a horse face." I will delete you so fast you won't even be certain you left a comment. I love this show and have written this column not to convert you; only to celebrate that which I enjoy. This piece covers Season 1, episodes 1-6.

How does a writer draw a casual reader or viewer into the realm of fantasy? How does someone relate to a world in which they will never dwell? They need a character just like them, someone to whom they can relate. They need a sympathetic protagonist. A relatable main character is the single most important facet of good fantasy. And Sex and the City is good fantasy. This is a series set in a fantasy version of New York; a world of clubs, clothes and wealthy men likely to never be experienced first-hand by the show’s legion of fans. This world could be off-putting due to the very nature of its inaccessibility and decadence. Carrie Bradshaw spends on a pair of shoes what some spend on a month’s rent. Yet women consistently rank her as the character most like them. This dichotomy is arguably the reason for the show’s success. The balance Carrie manages between fairy tale lifestyle and audience surrogate is the key to this particular fantasy’s popularity.

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Links I Like: A Hell of an Essay on Television Today

As always, the AV Club has put out another piece that made me really stop and think. This one talks about the past and present of television and how our viewing habits have changed and/or lagged when it comes to keeping up with them. I found this piece particularly engaging because I saw a lot of myself in it; serialized television is definitely my bread and butter-my raging Law and Order addiction aside. I love reading about the stuff I watch as much as I enjoy writing about it and this piece also includes a laundry list of prominent critics everyone should check out.

It also got me thinking; I would love a writing partner for occasional pieces that mimic this one's format. Do you love or hate the stuff on TV and in the theatres? If it's not you, does someone you know feel that strongly? Do either of you want to write? Email me and we'll talk. This is all just tiny little zygotes in my brain at the moment, but I would love another voice to bounce ideas off of from time to time.

Intriguing Preview Corner: Boardwalk Empire

If HBO is anything, it is a guaranteed place for some quality original television. The Wire, The Sopranos, Sex and the City (stay tuned to this site for a comprehensive analysis of this show coming soon!), Deadwood, etc. Now we have a new show, Boardwalk Empire, and it looks quite intriguing. Major talent from The Sopranos and Scorcese directing. It also has Gretchen Mol, a personal fave, starring.

Plus there's Omar! So many reasons to check this show out.

The Three Best Comedies You're Not Watching

Better Off Ted

Awkward name aside, this is THE show for all of the displaced Arrested Development fans. Screwball dialogue, tight writing, running gags and ridiculous characters come together into one dynamite package. Seriously, there's only a handful of episodes left before ABC officially pulls the plug on this one so hurry up and catch them while you can. Watch the latest episode right now! It's one of the best. And if you want to continue with this fantastic show, here's the best episode of the series to date, in my opinion.


How I Met Your Mother

It's somehow very fitting that your grandparent's favorite channel, CBS, is using the most routine sitcom format to turn the genre on its head. The traditional three camera sitcom may be looked down upon these days as a symbol of a vapid, lowest common denominator art form, but How I Met Your Mother shows what it can be when it's at its best. This decade's Newsradio, HIMYM uses the set and pacing of the format to showcase gags involving blocking that are damn near impossible on the seemingly now standard one camera show. Neil Patrick Harris has brought a ton of focus to the show, but the entire cast gels as a proper ensemble. Last week's episode was a series high. Plus, we get NPH singing and dancing!

Community

Speaking of ensembles, the newest member of NBC's dynamite Thursday night comedy line-up shows us all how it's done. Joel McHale anchors a cast of losers, loners, and general misfits as they share a community college Spanish study group. The writing has gotten so sharp that any combination of cast members can be placed together and the chemistry still sparks. But where this show really shines is in the meta-humor. Watch as the show explains to you why it is funny; not only on its own but within the larger pantheon of television history. My personal favorite is the Halloween episode, a smart and self-aware take on a sitcom tradition.

Watch, enjoy, and spread the word! Great network television is rare so we need to support what little there is.

Announcement: Live-blogging the 2010 Golden Globes

I will be live-blogging the 2010 Golden Globe Awards, this Sunday. The awards begin at 8pm EST on NBC, but I will have some initial thoughts up around 7:30/7:45. Expect opinions on the nominees, the winners, the fashion, the drunken acceptance speeches, and the glory that is this year's host, Ricky Gervais. I will even respond to any comments in somewhat real time. Expect the comments to get snarkier as I get drunker during the evening.

Any Richmond area friends that would like to to imbibe and watch the drinkiest awards show of the season with me are welcome. Your comments may even be immortalized for the 10 or so person blogosphere I encompass.

Are you ready for this?