Life as high school - freaks, geeks, and Friday Night Lights
If adult life is REALLY a replay of high school, this guy would not be the least bit happy. Even though there are some high-school-like-moments in every day adult life, I'd like to think we have progressed somewhat.
One of my honest-to-God theories of TV script writing and creation is that really good writers are still trying to figure out high school and/or they were the geeks or outliers who never were accepted in the upper clique/caste system.
In fact, I think some of the greatest TV shows in my lifetime ARE shows based on high school, many of which totally jumped the shark when the kids went to college.
Witness: Freaks and Geeks - an INCREDIBLE show which practically proves my TV theory all by itself, In fact it was so damn good, that it, like Arrested Development, drew few viewers, proving that the great American public (unlike readers of this and other fine blogs) is somewhat moronic.
My current frame of reference is 'Friday Night Lights'. I hadn't paid much attention to this show until the other night when NBC ran a 'FNL' marathon. Holy acne-cream, that show is GOOD. The writers clearly understand high school boys: somewhat neanderthal wanna-be hunters and collector warriors who respond chiefly to two primal forces: sex and meat. The dialogue is pitch-perfect and the writers don't skimp on the female high-school world either.
Other Hall of Fame High School Shows: Happy Days, Beverly Hills 90210, Buffy, Dawson's Creek, DeGrassi Junior High (ok, i'm stretching the years a bit) and Veronica Mars. So far, Veronica Mars hasn't been destroyed by her collegiate days, but I do think the show is a little weaker.
I don't think the TV writing world can even grasp college...I mean, how many GOOD college shows have there been? Does Felicity even count?
One of my honest-to-God theories of TV script writing and creation is that really good writers are still trying to figure out high school and/or they were the geeks or outliers who never were accepted in the upper clique/caste system.
In fact, I think some of the greatest TV shows in my lifetime ARE shows based on high school, many of which totally jumped the shark when the kids went to college.
Witness: Freaks and Geeks - an INCREDIBLE show which practically proves my TV theory all by itself, In fact it was so damn good, that it, like Arrested Development, drew few viewers, proving that the great American public (unlike readers of this and other fine blogs) is somewhat moronic.
My current frame of reference is 'Friday Night Lights'. I hadn't paid much attention to this show until the other night when NBC ran a 'FNL' marathon. Holy acne-cream, that show is GOOD. The writers clearly understand high school boys: somewhat neanderthal wanna-be hunters and collector warriors who respond chiefly to two primal forces: sex and meat. The dialogue is pitch-perfect and the writers don't skimp on the female high-school world either.
Other Hall of Fame High School Shows: Happy Days, Beverly Hills 90210, Buffy, Dawson's Creek, DeGrassi Junior High (ok, i'm stretching the years a bit) and Veronica Mars. So far, Veronica Mars hasn't been destroyed by her collegiate days, but I do think the show is a little weaker.
I don't think the TV writing world can even grasp college...I mean, how many GOOD college shows have there been? Does Felicity even count?
