Tonight's episode of "24," airing the night before an historic inauguration, gave us scenes of black folks being beaten, threatened with death, and thrown in cages. Yikes. I'm not accusing the show of racism because I understand the narrative's logic, but American history and culture condition us Yanks to be extra-sensitive to certain visual associations. When Morpheus breaks free of his handcuffs in "The Matrix," for example, it's obvious what such an image conveys (especially since all the Agents in the Matrix are white).
So while the makers of "24" couldn't possibly have known, a year ago, that the broadcast schedule would plop this episode in front of the public on the very eve of the inauguration, the result is no less awkward for the scheduling snafu.
_
Marathon
11 years ago
2 comments:
Actually, last year's story-line was deep-sixed (which explains Surnow’s being brought back into the fold this season--a year after the writer’s strike and the star’s incarceration for a DUI in which he actually served out his sentence quietly), and they did know when the episode would air as FOX makes it a point of selling Madison Avenue on both “24” and “American Idol” carrying Mondays through Wednesdays starting in January of each year with no re-runs to interrupt their momentum during the upfront presentations each May in New York. You can set your calendar by these two shows and their time periods as they are the linchpins of FOX’s whole schedule. During the beginning of the season, they count on the baseball playoffs and World Series.
Did they know Obama had won when this episode was shot? I don't know that for a fact, but the first episode was shot in October and this one is the fifth. It was probably shot after the election, but by then there was no way to make any changes. Also, why would they? In the strange world of Hollywood, any press is good press unless you are Mel Gibson.
I used to work as a mid-level Network executive in both Research and Scheduling, so I know a thing or two about seeing the money-driven bottom line through the mess that is the byzantine Nielsen ratings system. How fair is it that they are the only game in town while using antiquated technology to gather their TV show making and TV show killing ratings?
Hey Andy, there is so much out there to watch; although, you might have to dig through the offerings of some other countries. I love “The Amazing Race” and “Survivor,” so I find myself watching international versions from other countries. “The Amazing Race Asia” (the contestants must speak English) is actually better than the original now, and the Philippine version of “Survivor” has come up with some really unique twists to the game. For dramas, England has come out with some really great ones in the last few years. There’s “Robin Hood,” “Jekyll,” “Bodies,” “Viva Blackpool,” “Bad Girls,” “Survivors,” “Merlin,” “Life on Mars,” “MI-5,” “Wire in the Blood,” etc. Their comedies have been really good as well with the original “The Office,” “Coupling,” “Green Wing,” “My Family,” “Worst Week of My Life,” “Manchild,” etc.
Do you like mini-series? Last year’s “John Adams” was extraordinary on so many levels. Then there are the great shows that so many missed the first time around like the great god instructing/questioning fantasy, “Wonderfalls,”, Joss Whedon’s old west vision of the future in “Firefly,” and the through the looking glass masterpiece that is “Farscape.” Also, HBO and David Milch’s re-visitation of the old west in “Deadwood” was dead on. Then, there was Ron Moore’s pre-BSG work, “Carnivale” which was like nothing I had ever seen on TV before. His work in “Star Trek: DS9” helped to make that series second only to the original among the more hard core Trekkies with its darker tone and complex stories along with its perfect cast which was topped off by Avery Brooks.
Sorry for taking up so much of your space here Kevin, but if you get a chance I’d like to know your take on “Wonderfalls.” There are only 13 whimsical episodes of this wonderful take on god and mental stability.
By the way, did you see the Obama cover of the New Yorker that raised such a fuss this summer?
John from Daejeon
dang, john, you should blog about t.v.
seriously!
Post a Comment