Get Herald RSSHave you ever seen one of those cartoons where an oafish main character spends so much time watching television that he leaves a permanent butt-shaped imprint on his favorite spot on the couch? It is with some measure of pride that I attest to being able to identify at least three specific instances of such characters, and thus count myself among their ranks.
I'm an inveterate television junkie. I can tell you precisely when each of my favorite shows (along with all the ones I can't stand) appears, and my work schedule is strictly regimented around what's airing at any given time.
I once decided not to go see Barack Obama speak because "Survivor" was on. I think I'm starting to take root in my sofa, which only reminds me of the episode of "Nip/Tuck" where an obese woman becomes grafted to her couch.
There was once an era where I might have been embarrassed to admit this. Not long ago the best TV had to offer was dreck like "Everybody Loves Raymond" and shows in a similar vein. These days, though, with the increasing prominence of basic and premium cable programming, the powers that be have been able to turn shows of every genre into an art form.
For every idiotic game show or competition like "Deal or No Deal," there are two critically acclaimed entries like "The Amazing Race" or "Project Runway" to take its place, and more relaxed decency standards on non-network stations allow shows to push the envelope to create both edgier comedy and drama.
It's no coincidence that I write about television this week. The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, and although at the time of this writing the winners had not yet been announced, the nominees alone proved to be historical in nature.
For the first time, a basic cable show (two of them, in fact) has been nominated for Outstanding Drama Series. What is really special about these nominations is the fact that basic cable has long been stuck in the wasteland between the money and audiences of the networks and the money and cachet of premium channels like HBO - before recently, basic cable had never had the money, the potential audience or the creative free license to put together anything worth watching.
A handful of channels, however, have changed that. On the backs of its legion of syndicated crime dramas like "Law & Order," "Cold Case" and "Without a Trace," TNT has rolled out its own lineup of original police and legal thrillers.
Shows like "The Closer" and "Saving Grace" have earned awards and critical acclaim, and the network has even attracted talent like Steven Bochco, the creator of some of the first series to bring legit edgy credentials to the small screen. Amidst the constant reruns of "Castaway" and "Ocean's Eleven," TNT has carved a niche for itself as the pioneer of high-quality cable dramas.
TNT's precedent helped to pave the way for FX's "Damages" and AMC's "Mad Men," the two basic cable dramas nominated for the most prestigious Emmy this year.
Both shows are founded on the immense talent their respective networks have attracted: "Damages" stars five-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close and a Ted Danson far removed from his "Cheers" and "Becker" days, and "Mad Men" is run with an iron fist by one of the minds behind "The Sopranos."
What really makes the shows special are the liberties basic cable allows them to take. "Damages" tells the story of the shady goings-on at a high-power law firm with graphic violence and a timeline so convoluted it would give "Lost" fans a headache, and "Mad Men" operates through a slow, simmering burn that, although it would probably get the show canceled within a few weeks at a regular network, makes the ultimate payoff that much sweeter.
Last but not least amongst the veritable pantheon of shows that have revitalized the wasteland of basic cable comes my personal favorite, "Battlestar Galactica." A re-imagining of the schlocky '70s series of the same name, the new series uses space as a backdrop for commentary on very modern issues of spirituality, military power, political corruption and our right to life.
Who would have ever imagined that a show about humans locked in a mortal struggle against evil robots would win a Peabody Award or be declared the best show on TV by Time magazine?
Ultimately, though, it isn't critical acclaim that is needed to keep these shows afloat. Programs like these need viewers, who are sometimes hard to come by. So, I ask of you: Don't watch "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Only by watching more sophisticated fare can we get TV executives to further push the envelope. Hopefully in the long run we'll be able to make the days of bad television feel remote.
Stop eating people's old French fries, Adam Cambier '09! Have some self-respect - don't you know you can fly?
