Wednesday 10 November 2010

Author Spotlight Week - Michelle Levigne shares her favorite TV Series


Favorite TV series .... current or old?

Old series .... M*A*S*H -- after BJ and Col. Potter joined the cast. The writers explored a lot of issues, dealt with real questions of ethics and responsibility. Before those 2 characters joined, most of the episodes were ... stupid, focused on sex and drinking and flouting authority whenever possible. After ... the characters grew and changed. I liked how Margaret changed, her relationships, her friendships with the nurses. I liked how Hawkeye learned to play nice, to get off his high horse and listen and let Col. Potter teach him about what really matters. All the characters were good people with rough edges, thrown together in a horrid situation, and trying to do some good. I can still remember how life effectively STOPPED short on campus, when that last episode of M*A*S*H aired. Every single TV in every single dorm was watching it. (Okay, almost every TV was tuned to Luke and Laura's wedding, too, but honestly ....) That says something about the pervasiveness of a show that has something to say to everyone.

I was always irritated that I never got a chance to propose a script to the producers. I was a drama student, still learning screenwriting, but I had ideas!

4 comments:

  1. Michelle, I loved watching MASH as a kid. I can't recall any specific episodes, but I recall the characters and the impressions they made on me. Awesome show.

    Smiles
    Steph

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  2. Hi, Michelle, fancy seeing you here.
    I'm more of a Star Trek fan, but I agree with you on Mash. Good characters bring readers and viewers into the drama.

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  3. Michelle,

    I've never been much of a T.V kind of gal-- outside was always calling. :) However, my husband is another story! He still watches old episodes of MASH

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  4. LOL, when the final MASH episode aired, I was teaching junior college. I asked my students if they wanted me to hurry through that night's material in order to watch how the series ended--I think the vote was unanimous!

    I believe that was the last sitcom I ever watched. The plots and dialogue on so many of them just are boring, and IMO they aren't funny. Not like MASH was.

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