Contemporary (?) TV series...

Some observations : On television productions - What works for me

We don't get commercial TV here. Our internet connections generally too slow to allow for the current high definition streaming services like Netscape. Sorry Disney, I refuse to pay for a subscription for a 'service' I can't effectively use - then pay again to watch a single film (case for 'Black Widow' which I would have paid $20 to view at home). So I have become an active pirate of free downloads of older programs, lower quality. Obviously seriously 'behind the times'. Although this has included a lot of movies, over the last couple of months our evening viewing has been working through one per night of several series. I am most interested in solid writing and solid acting. Aaron Sorkin, Joss Whedon, Barbara Hall.

One of these is Grey's Anatomy.
I have always liked medical related drama (remember E.R. from 20 years ago?). This week we hit season 7 episode 18, 'Song Beneath the Song'. 

Now I appreciate that many viewers at the time were thrown by the style developed over several previous years of episodes. To state my own bias, my limited exposure to the inner workings of theatre and actors has made it clear that the vocal abilities required in that trade does in fact lead may actors to have basic, if not quite good, singing voices. (One of my favourite Buffy episodes was 'Once more with Feeling'.)

Truthfully, given the story arc leading into 'Song Beneath the Song', I was already emotionally invested. 

Then you hit the critical surgical procedure crisis, underpinned by 'How to Save a Life' (originally by the Fray)

 

The version seen above is a clip straight from the episode, the action and dialog foremost. For the cast music alone (with lyrics). 

This sequence in the episode is so strong, it is hard for me to imagine that producer / writer Shonda Rhimes did not have it in mind as the core of that story right at the inception. I have to admit, that piece did (and continues) to break me up.

We are working through right now the far lesser known 'The Nevers', created by Joss Whedon. Despite the controversy about Whedon's behaviour on set, I have enjoyed (viewed as favourites) almost everything Whedon has created. (I had already seen the first Part one grouping of six episodes, it took a long while to find an effective download for the balance, a total of only one season / 12 episodes unfortunately.)

Although older, and something I had viewed in entirety before, the fourth series in rotation right now is Barbara Hall's 'Madam Secretary', which ran originally from 2014 - 2019. Into season five, which aired Fall 2018 through Spring 2019, it becomes more and more clear that imagined formal statements issued by lead character Elizabeth McCord (as US Secretary of State) are direct commentaries of the antics of then president Donald Trump. There are direct echoes here of Arron Sorkin's writing for 'The West Wing' (which remains one of, if not the most, favourite series dramas of mine).

 

Taken altogether, especially given the quite different settings and themes of these three currently viewed programs (and considering past favourites including The Expanse, Firefly, Defying Gravity, The Newsroom), I started wondering just what is was about these particular fictions that impact me so deeply.

It is clear on reflection that what makes these series 'work' for me is a combination of excellent writing combined with effective actors. Actor' ability is especially important for the science fiction settings. If the actors themselves do not believe the characters, no amount of special effects or elaborate props can make the story seem 'real'. (Why gave up on 'The Madelorian' after the third episode and was extremely displeased with the pathetic attempt of 'Halo'.)

For the modern drama, it remains much the same. Because of the strength of the performances, those characters seem 'real'. The writing is complex and nuanced, with issues illustrated with weight (even in the case of 'Grey's Anatomy', where face it, the personal relationships of late 20's somethings are the flow). In the case of the political stories, I just want so much for those people to be behind the workings, not the clown car we actually do have in control. Jed Bartlet for President (which actually was a real, if tongue in cheek, movement during the second George W. Bush election in 2004).

Another core quality to so many (if not all) of these series is the obvious fact that the creators and writers, despite the narrow vision of controlling senior executives, are driven by a story they want to tell. Not merely just placing bums in the seats and so appeasing short attention spans of the mass of viewers. (See any of the recent crop of Disney's Marvel Studio for an obvious example of failures in writing, acting and pure pursuit of dollars.)

I am reminded (often) by Kelly that 'They are not making these for you.' Given my activities to circumvent paying subscriptions (despite the clear fact they are not functional here) or movie tickets (Honestly, almost consistently 'I'm glad I did not pay for that turkey' results) (1), this is most certainly a fair criticism.

 

1) However, given my current income effectively is only 3/4 of the current minimum working wage in Ontario, I expect a bit more for what works out to two hours 'income' for that movie ticket (considerably more considering the cost of gas to even get me the 150 km up and back to the closest movie house).