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Posted: |
Feb 27, 2008 - 4:25 PM
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By: |
Eric Paddon
(Member)
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Oddly enough, Neo this is an area of partial disagreement for us. I liked watching HSB in the 80s when it was on, and I do agree, it completely shattered the template of cop dramas with story arcs and more negative views of things. But revisiting the series on DVD a year ago (S1 and S2) I have to admit I found myself underwhelmed. I think my biggest problem was that HSB tended to start a trend where when you tune in a dramatic series, in the end *everyone* is going to be presented to us as dysfunctional in some way. Even Henry Goldblum, who started out as the most stable family-man in the group was given an affair and divorce in S2 as if it was just "Okay, now we have to make Henry go through these travails to give his character some attention." To me, "realism" over time goes out the window if we can't be given the picture of some people who aren't battling alcoholism or other demons in life and who do have well....normal lives away from their work.
Important as HSB is, I have to admit, I still have a greater preference for the simpler, straightforwardness of a "Dragnet" or "Adam-12" or a "Law And Order" in its first couple years (which owes more to the "Dragnet" template) when it comes to watching a police drama.
I won't cause nastiness to erupt between us by explaining in detail why Veronica never made my Yum list. 
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Posted: |
Feb 28, 2008 - 9:12 AM
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By: |
SheriffJoe
(Member)
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I SO loved this show...watched it religiously and even had an odd flutter in my heart for Veronica Hammel, who for me was the epitome of class. Every character represents an archetype, from Travanti's father figure, to the bad boy, the good boy, the other woman...name it and it was there. Superior writing in a "new" format. Groundbreaking indeed!
Eric, I agree with you completely that this show represented a certain dark sided reality, in that ALL humans are flawed in some way, even the good ones...that there is no such thing as perfection (even in fiction) and that, to create drama, one must explore all facets of the dark side of every character.
Is this a good thing? In moderation, that works, I think. When EVERY show feels it needs to do this...not so much.
Not to change the subject, but...oh crap...so, to change the subject briefly...this is why I think the writing on Deep Space Nine was so good. Again, the archetypes. Again, the dark side character explorations...only with them, many of the characters CAME from the dark and showed positive aspects of their personalities in detail.
And, like HSB, at least for me...it worked.
Joe
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Sharps, we couldn't have echoed your eloquence any better where
is categorically concerned (you do thoroughly trump us, however, as we hadn't even contemplated the admirable use of Archetypes which abounds throughout the show - and, indeed, Bochco's work).
We can also empathize with Eric's comfortability quotient re the shows he mentioned (as there's certainly something to be said for a simpler - not simplistic - overview).
Yet it's precisely the gorgeous grays about the human condition which we'd suggest elevates (and KEEPS) the series the transcendent trail-blazer it is, was and brilliant beacon it'll always remain.
Part of our profound frustration during the Hollywood experience is (then) not only were there just three networks to ply your wares - ABC, CBS and NBC - but if you struck out at all three for whatever reason, that was the whole ballgame.
And if, say, some found your scripts eminently worthy but far too "complicated" - meaning they didn't proceed in a linear fashion and the deliberatedly diverse uncolor-coded characters were composed of the complexity we all are heir to that couldn't be neatly wrapped up in 48 minutes - you were really (try totally) outta luck.
So when Bochco and Kozoll - after years of paying their craftsmanship dues writing for Universal (Columbo, etc.) - decided they wanted to finally follow their artistic instincts and create something that didn't blindly (or cowardly) follow all "the rules", it was a breath of freedom heretofore virtually unknown (that NBC was in the ratings pits at the time and needed to take all the chances it could come upon - don't forget, Cheers was also part of this renaissance - can't be underestimated, either. Wherever you are, thank you Brandon Stoddard and, especially, Grant Tinker).
Now, our father (as we may or may not have mentioned) was a policeman in Philadelphia for almost 30 years and it's not too much of a leap to imagine the validation and pride he felt watching the show because it courageously showed that cops ARE PEOPLE, not just automatons in blue uniforms.
That was what so terrific and thrilling (among much marvelous else); no one had feet of clay but everyone was both honorably human and could be transcendently divine.
Those of us who are syllable-slingers take for granted the vast panorama of options available now that simply wasn't possible over a quarter-century ago: the marketplace is FAR more flexible, inviting and hungry for material that doesn't so much "push the envelope" as recognize it doesn't even exist (The Sopranos, anyone?).
Which is why our admiration for Steven Bochco
far exceeds anyone else in the entire entertainment industry.
[ By the bye, are you aware Michael Kozoll worked on this from one of your favorite influences? ]
Great Minds Department:
Oh, and does that mythical symbol of rebirth of yours
represent what we think it does? ... 
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I hate to say, she hasn't aged well. She looks a lot like Morticia Addams here.
You are SO close, Greg! In fact, Hamel played LILY MUNSTER in a MUNSTERS television movie in 1995!
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