Pop Culture Curmudgeon

The Return of Happy TV

I like dark shows. Porbably more than the average person.

I loved the seedy underbelly of the small Pacific northwest town Twin Peaks.

I couldn’t get enough of the depressing and violent near-future depicted in Strange Days.

But even I have to throw up my hands sometimes and say, “Please show me some color, some light, some happiness.”

Pushing Daisies (RIP) gave me some of that. I ended each episode feeling happier than when I started.

I’ve got a few current shows I go to for the happy. Gossip Girl and 90210 amuse me with their ridiculousness. And Castle thrills me with the rapport between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic as they solve sometimes grisly murders.

My number one go-to happy show, though, is Glee. It’s exuberance is infectious. I don’t always like the songs they sing. In fact, I rarely like musical performances in my TV shows and movies. I don’t always like the characters or the choices they make. But it is all put together in a package that can’t help but make me smile.

What about you? Are you in love with Glee, or do you dismiss it as an over-hyped, over-sold disappointment? Do you prefer your TV to show stark, gritty reality; dark depravity; lighthearted, feel-good fare; or some combination of all of these elements?

Unlike

Tags: 90210, castle, glee, gossip girl, nathan fillion, stana katic

Uncategorized | Jennifer Roland | September 24, 2009 10:00 am

2 Comments

By katie71483, September 25, 2009 @ 12:02 pm

Jen, we like a ridiculous amount of the same tv shows.
I love LOVE! Glee. It is quickly becoming one of my can’t miss shows. Thank goodness it isn’t up against Supernatural, FNL or Chuck. I think I’d cry
This week’s episode was priceless! With all the crazy, you’d think it would just be ridiculous. Instead it leaves a smile on my face every time. It’s not just the songs, the dialogue is great too. The one thing that kind of bothers me is that all of the main female characters are crazy. I know everyone has their quirks but must they all be so extreme on the show?

I love GG, mostly for Blair and Chuck. They are so over the top!

Castle has a really great chemistry between all of its actors, not just Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic although I love them together. The relationship he has with his daughter and mother is just as authentic. The episode where he takes his daughter shopping for her prom dress was perfect.

I also like Burn Notice for sheer escapism and the characters in My Boys feel like people I really know.

[Reply]
Jennifer Roland Reply:
September 25th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
It’s really frightening! Thankfully, we know that there is at least one other person out there with good taste.

[Reply]