|
EDITORIAL
A Retrospective:
The WB
Under
the Influence of WB-itis
By
Keith Helinski
I started
watching the WB in 1998 with the big Dawson’s Creek
series premiere. Before I knew what was coming, I fell under the
influence of WB-itis. What can I say; I am a sucker for melo-dramas
with movie/music references! I’ve seen shows come and go (Popular,
Glory Days, Roswell), I’ve seen shows I haven’t
really gotten into until the second or third season (Gilmore
Girls, Smallville, 7th Heaven), and I’ve seen
shows where I started watching the first episode from its
premiere up to now (Dawson’s Creek, Everwood).
From the small town clichés and tough issues adolescents go
through in a pretext of an hour-long show, I present a
retrospect into the world of the WB.
Shows That Are Entertaining...
7th Heaven:
Through the hour-long version of “Full House”—the redundant
issues and morals that are presented—and the annoyance of
Mackenzie Rosman (Ruthie) the show isn’t that bad. I do have a
problem with the show after a while, which is why I don’t watch
too much of it or I will have a mental breakdown. There are
moments, mind you. And when do you have two cast members from
the Star Trek galaxy without a Star Trek
reference? Some of the issues are heartfelt (racism, suicide,
sex), some are silly (herbal pills), but it’s mainly a feel-good
show.
Everwood:
I really like this show. Add comedy with drama without making it
too kiddy (7th Heaven, for example!) sells. I always
admire Treat Williams so it’s great to see him in a main cast
role. The boyfriend in a coma subplot is a little daytime soap
opera, but somehow it works. I will admit I did shed some misty
moments at a few parts, though I laughed at a few parts as well.
If this show grabs like it has for the next two years (meaning,
if it doesn’t become a cliché), then I will buy the entire
series. It’s amazing how powerful some the episodes can get.
It’s drama like never before.
Gilmore Girls: I wasn’t too keen at first regarding this show,
considering the title has “girls” in it. My first thoughts were
this is going to be a sappy chick show. Boy, was I wrong. It’s
about a sarcastic mother, a charming gal I wish I knew, a
clichéd small town I wish I were in, and a dysfunctional family
that makes my relatives sane (well, almost sane). Wow, what a
show! I laughed more with this show than I have with most
sitcoms. It produces more laughs than sappy moments, basically
making fun of the idea of a cheesy cliché small town. Lauren
Graham and Alexis Bledel are great together. I rave every time
there are two characters talking to each other without
spoon-feeding what they are talking about. It’s real and raw. If
I still go crazy over this show after this upcoming season (4),
then I will “probably” buy the entire series someday.
Smallville:
I hated this show when it first came out. Come on, Lex Luther
and Clark Kent are friends? It seemed unrealistic. But as I
think for a moment, is Superman really realistic? Not really. I
accidentally sat down one day and watched an episode from season
two and fell in love at that moment. From there I downloaded the
last season off Kazaa and was blown away with the show. I became
Superman-obsessed once again. Although some story lines are
corny (for example: second show from the first season, a bug boy
who goes crazy after a rejection from Lana). But beneath the
corny story lines it’s refreshing to see writers create
something old in a new way. The movies/comics/spin off’s never
explored the emotions Clark Kent went through in wake of
discovering his special powers.
While Warner
Bros. is struggling to get the new Superman movie in
order, I believe that if the WB sticks by the Smallville
show they have possibilities to carry it on to film. But that’s
just a crazy idea from a fan. What do I know?! Some comic
references do get annoying after a while (not to mention—a very
clever send off of “Hulk” in the beginning of the third season.)
But overall I still admire the show and am very much hooked in
the Smallville frenzy. It’s sure enough that the series
will fit in very nicely before “Superman: The Movie” and
“Superman 2” in my DVD collection!
Dawson’s Creek:
People have asked me why I liked this show back in the days. And
people still wonder why I am Dawson’s Creek-crazed after
all these years. Well, it’s because Katie Holmes is breathtaking
and I myself have a personal connection to the show. Under the
“who’s going out with who” and soap opera story lines, this show
is basically about an aspiring filmmaker named Dawson Leary. And
while I may not admire all that the guy has done, I do somewhat
relate to him—being a movie-buff/Spielberg fanatic. My room is
also full of Spielberg posters. My beliefs in movies are the
same: faithful hero of the show. Oh, and did I mention Katie
Holmes is hot? So those who rant on Dawson’s Creek for
being a chick show and how the sex overplays everything, which
is not the case here, require a medical check-up or something.
Sure the soap opera angles get annoying after a while, but I see
this show as nothing more than about a filmmaker on a quest for
his dreams. Dawson’s Creek ended its run this year.
Shows That
Didn’t Last…
Popular:
I will admit that I had interest in this show when it first
appeared. The girls were hot (immature, yes), and the popular
vs. the outcasts goes on at every school. But then it got too
“Jerry Springer”-ish (Popular girl becomes sisters with outcast
girl because their parents are getting married.) Why didn’t it
work? Call it a lack of interest and plot flow! For its short
but sweet title that relates to everyone it did had potential,
but it was horribly produced.
Glory Days:
I liked this show. I don’t understand why it didn’t work out. I
mean, the pilot was brilliant; Kevin Williamson wrote it. Why
was it canceled? The real reason: The pilot made no sense to the
rest of the show. If you set something up for it to be explained
later then it would work. But having loop holes so deep that
it’s confusing gets the “rejected” stamp. If the writers had
actually connected the loopholes then it would had worked out,
at least to some degree. Now Glory Days rests with the
forgotten shows that will remain locked in a vault forever.
Roswell:
I recall watching this show for one main reason; the title. It’s
about damn time there is a show about the Roswell incident. As
the series went on so did my brain cells. How dare the WB for
making a real event (believe what you want) into a soap opera.
It was like watching Titanic all over again, though at
least that movie was believable. I won’t list the flaws of this
show since there are so many to name, but I will say that once
WB dumped it on UPN’s doorstep it got worse!
Birds of Prey: I was attracted to the idea. Catwoman and Batman had
an affair and they have a child. The idea was intriguing, not to
mention great for marketing purposes. Why didn't it work out?
Well, the pilot itself was confusing. The special effects were
as awful as “The Crow: Stairway to Heaven” (yet another rejected
show, but not from the WB). Also, the cheesy punch lines that
happen to be a third rate rip off to “Dark Angel” made matters
worse. I wish the writers would do a Bruce Wayne prequel (like
Smallville) or something. Do it already! It can’t be any
worse than Birds of Prey, right?!
Shows That Just
Got Here…
One Tree Hill: Two high school students who hated each other become
brothers over a back-story involving their parents some years
ago. This could be a guess. but isn’t that the same damn thing
in “Popular”? Chad Michael Murray (who’s a regular WB-et)
finally has his own show for once! It’s good to see Craig
Sheffer again (although the character he plays is a “Some Kind
of Wonderful” part for him!) After watching the pilot it is very
catchy indeed. It’s a great drama, but the rap could be toned
down just a tad!
Tarzan:
The marketing looks like a cheap Calvin Kline commercial. I’m
not much into the “ape-man” but I had to catch the pilot anyway.
I can’t tell if this is going to be a cheesy “Charmed”, a
successful “Smallville”, or a trashy “Birds of Prey.” It’s noted
that the special effects are beyond obvious of “fake-ness.” The
acting isn’t the greatest either. The story line is worse than
even Disney’s animated version. And to top it off, the
interaction between Jane and Tarzan isn’t even romantic. It will
take a lot more than “from the producer of Spiderman” to
save this show.
Sitcoms, Ehh…
I don't care
for the WB sitcoms. You have “Reba” who is annoying. You have
“Sabrina,” who died along time ago on TGIF's doorstep. And let’s
not forget the college-fest version of Candid Camera (i.e.
“Jamie Kennedy Experiment”). Wow, a handful of sitcoms that all
have nothing interesting to show. The only thing that’s worthy
of your attention is “What I like About You.” Amanda Bynes is
funny on rare occasions.
The Bottom
Line…
Something tells
me my love for the WB isn’t a fad (like TGIF for example). It
started with a connection to Dawson’s Creek and from that
point it just grew. In a society that has unintelligent
“come-and-go” shows, it’s refreshing to see a network stay
committed with feel-good and drama shows. I am a sucker for melo-dramas
and sideline (not slapstick) humor. And as long as the WB keeps
this formula going I see no reason for the network not to last a
very long time.
TOP
|
