THE BEST WRITING

A few friends of mine and I have been talking about really good writing lately, and I feel like I keep referencing television. But it's true! So much good (heart-wrenching, make you squirm cuz it's so good) writing is on TV these days. Here's what I've been watching in the past two months:

Sons of Anarchy

Katy Sagal!! I've loved her since "Married with Children" and she's fantastic here - a really tough, balls-out matriarch. This is an intense show - shifting alliances, changes of heart, and some cold murder. Still, at the heart, it's an exploration of no longer fitting into your clan, and what you're willing to do to change that situation, either from the inside out, or by leaving. Also, Charlie Hunnam, who plays the protagonist, Jax Teller, is really good looking. See?

Doesn't he make you want to join an outlaw bike club? Also, the actor that portrays Happy (a club member) owns a tatto shop in Oakland called Evil Ink. The website comes to you straight from 1994. Turns out Happy's a real-life member of Oakland's Hell's Angels.)

Downton Abbey

I know everyone and their mother is watching this show... so you probably know what it's about. Just in case you need a recap, here's a handy dandy rap! Season two dragged on a bit too long, non? A little too much with the Bates/Ana storyline? Whatever - I'm just excited that a Crawley estate wedding is going down starting season 3!!! By the way, I think this is the strongest showing of independent and capable females I've seen on TV in a while... and it's occurring in the early 1900s. Curious how that worked out.

Chappelle's Show

I'm so glad Amazon Prime put this up for free streaming. I was 18 when this show came out and I've only ever seen individual sketches on YouTube before, so I've been amusing myself this past weekend by catching up. I'll admit - I think some of the sketches hold up better than others; when the show is on, it's really on... but when there's a lot of reliance on special effects, it doesn't necessarily gel (like the sketch in season one about celebrities endorsing random products).  I can see why Chappelle once said that sketch comedy wasn't his favorite form; I think he's funnier and more acute when he's able to tell a story - it's why Block Party worked so well, it's why recurring characters and themes on Chappelle's Show are still identifiable today, and it's why his stand-up performances are so solid.

Ringer

This show is such good camp. Everyone on the show is evil, or clueless. It's great! People randomly die, disappear, and assume other people's identities. No one is an innocent. The show is smart in its plot twists, although it isn't exactly high brow. It's the kind of tightly-written mystery "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" wanted to be.

I know there are lots of other good shows out there, but I'm limited to what I can (legally) stream online or check out at the library. Whoever is scratching up all those Futurama DVDs at the AAPL we need to talk. Not cool.

Also, I should probably note in full disclosure that I still watch Gossip Girl and Hart of Dixie. I can't help it. Seriously.

xo, t