Wednesday, April 08, 2009

I love tv ~ sad edition


Oh, network executives, why dost thous torment me so?

Rumor has it that yet another one of my favorite shows, in this case NBC's quirky, clever and much under appreciated Life, is poised to get the ax after tonight's season finale. This makes me very, very sad. And frankly, I blame you.

I don't know what you're watching or doing or reading while you should be watching my...wait, you haven't turned off the TV to read, have you? What the...that is what commercials are for! I swear, I don't know what is wrong with you people.

Anyway, whatever you're up to, you're
not watching this endearing little gem of a cop show, and that is truly a shame. For me.

Damian Lewis plays Charlie Crews, a cop back on the job after having been framed for a heinous crime, and possibly the only redhead I've ever had a crush on. Charlie did some seriously hard time before his release from prison, from which he emerged a changed man, richer in both spirit (the result of Buddhist study) and bank account (the result of millions in settlement money). The mystery of who framed Charlie and why forms the overarching back
story
to each week's crime du jour, but it is Lewis' performance as a man torn between a reawakened joie de vivre and an equally compelling lust for vengeance that is a pure pleasure to behold as, week by week, we see the struggle play with controlled ferocity in Charlie's dreamy blue eyes. Add Sarah Shahi as Charlie's hot but troubled partner Dani Reese, and Adam Arkin as Charlie's fallen ex-CEO of a roommate in performances nuanced, sympathetic and eminently believable, and you've got one pretty entertaining hour of television. Not to mention writing that contains one of my favorite conversational exchanges on TV in recent memory:

"You can't always get what you want," Charlie tells his captain, played with schlumpy earnestness by Donal Logue.

"What do you want?"

"I want a peaceful soul. I need a bigger gun."

My sentiments exactly. I feel ya, Charlie. That's Life.

5 comments:

Cynthia said...

"What do you want?"

"I want a peaceful soul. I need a bigger gun."


Now, that's writing. I love it and wish I'd heard about this show earlier. Hopefully, I can find it on Hulu. It sounds so very me.

Robbie said...

If it's not on Bravo I don't watch it. Network TV killed my joie de vivre somewhere between the on again off again shenanigans of Jericho and Lipstick Jungle. Although, I have found myself quite fond of many a redheads so perhaps Netflix can hook me up with this one. :-D

Robbie said...

PS I keep forgetting to mention how much I love the tags on your posts ~ just in case you thought no one noticed. You have such a grand sense of humor!

MzAmy said...

Ahh...Life. I watched this show ALL the time. But, they changed days or time slot or something (on my network). And then i Lost touch....so, fine, blame me. but, I was and still am a fan of the show. great witty writing. great red head. I hear ya...

I am sad to see it's being pulled.
:(

Sydney said...

If anything, I am trying to watch less TV and get off the computer too...

I have seen the ads, I have wanted to look. But even my husband said, I don't want to get addictied to any new shows.

We watch Survivor, The Amazing Race, DWTS, The Bachelor, BB (though less all the time of those two), True Blood, Dexter, Rescue Me, Ugly Betty, Mad Men, Friday Night Lights, In Treatment, Heroes, Nip/Tuck and Project Runway to name a few. And RuPaul's drag race!

He loved Jericho (I didn't) and was crushed it got canceled. I liked Lipstick Jungle... We both loved Rome, and that new show with the guy who played the Roman solider, set in modern day, when he was teleported through time... oh what was it called? Point is, all those were canceled.

Sex in the City, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under -- all gone.

I feel your pain.

Ak, We could probably add Life! Friday Night Lights is still kicking for sesaon three and they were canceling and moving it every few weeks. Can a writing campaign ensue?