josephlovesit over at Geek Down recently did a post about one of his favourite TV shows, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. In truth, it's the latest in a long series of television-related posts, stretching back a while.
Personally I really like the idea of treating TV as a culture equivalent to music. As it's something I have a great deal of interest in, I'd add in literature. The best forms of each culture are all items of smart entertainment, whether it be a good album, a good book or a quality TV show. At the same time, the band, the author or the series all provide a focus for the shared enjoyment of the many of the one thing, the kind of ideal that turns something from entertainment into culture. Basically, it's culture if it's worth talking about, and telling other people about. (Can you tell I'm not a media studies student yet?)
I mostly use YouTube for looking at music videos, rather than fat kids making themselves look stupid (but if you want to see that, I recommend you go here). As such, the Friday Video is more than likely going to be the latest single from some hip, new-ish band, but equally it should encompass a broad range of audio-visual culture.
Also, this is the emo-est thing I've seen in a while.
Skins, by the way, is a British teen comedy-drama on E4/C4 (the channel that likes to shock!). The first series was introduced by a similar trailer which you can see here. Skins is really rather good, even if it is just the middle-class adaptation of the much better series Shameless, now on its fourth series, created by the same producers (but a different writer) set in a Manchester council estate (whereas all the characters in Skins are college-age suburban kids). Not surprisingly, Skins seems to be quite popular amongst all the college-age, suburban kids I know (including myself). But Shameless really is much funnier.
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Skins Series II The Uncut Trailer!
Song: Nude by Radiohead
5 comments:
Thanks for the link, Gabba.
After reading this, I watched the three parts of the series 2 premier that were posted online so far and I enjoyed the show quite a bit. But now I'm wondering what happened to Tony in series 1, as the episode didn't really give any context/recap (which I think is pretty awesome, making it more interesting to get drawn in). Luckily I found series 1 online, so I'll probably get to watching that soon. Compelling stuff! I think I have a soft-spot for shows of this nature.
you're welcome.
Well, Tony's in a coma (to say why might be a kind of spoiler - let's just say it's for a kind of mundane reason). That's kind of referenced in the trailer, with him lying underwater...
you should maybe look up 'Skins Series 1 Finale' on YouTube, it's put up a bunch of times. The whole cast burst out into song - not in a campy musical fashion, but in a kind of surrealist/naturalistic way. I think it's pretty amazing, although my friend says it's stolen from the film Magnolia. (Never seen it, so I can't comment)
Yeah, I would be a bit suspiciosu of the term 'comedy-drama' (any US equivalents, btw?) but Skins/Shameless are definitely compelling, to use your word. It's really hilarious sometimes, but they work through a lot of dramatic issues and plot arcs. Skins in particular actually. If you find it, you should definitely check out Shameless as well; it deals with more social/family issues, whereas Skins is more about the emotional angst of rich kids (just my interpretation!). It's all good though. Glad to get someone interested!
PS, just heard this for the first time. What do you think of the Season 5 version of the Wire theme? Steve Earle?! Pretty white, eh!
Yea, what was cool about the episode I watched was how dancing/music was incorporated into it in a way that didn't make it like a musical. I would like to see Magnolia sometime. I gotta get my PT Anderson viewership up, haha.
I'll look for Shameless too. It's probably on the site I found Skins at. Sad to say I don't know any good US teen dramedies. But in terms of teen dramas, I do like Friday Night Lights a lot.
That new Wire theme is funny, 'cause like you said it's 'pretty white' and then there's this cheesy amateurish drum loop in there and weird compression on the guitar, so it's trying to be more gritty. For whatever reason, I would imagine David Simon had a part in choosing it, haha.
hey anon, I like your jazz blog.
joseph -
just read the AVC review of the last Friday Night Lights episode, definitely sounds like a very good show. Not sure how I'd like watching something about American football, though!
would you consider House a dramedy (like a dromedary, but less humps)? Of course it's a procedural as well, but I really like the show (only on season 3 here at the moment however).
The Wire has a lot of great music in it. I was just watching the Season 4 episode last week where Colvin takes the corner kids out to dinner, and he's playing Billie Holiday in the car. Just another expression of culture, I guess.
Anyway, I reckon I'll do another TV post next weekend; but I'll get back to the music for the moment...
I had the same thoughts about FNL, but it's pretty easy to forget that you're even watching a football-centric show. It ends up turning into an interesting microcosm for some more universal stuff. Patton Oswalt talked about the show in a Pitchfork feature here that made me want to watch it.
I've actually not seen House, but I've talked to people who have thought it was pretty funny. Not sure it's up my alley, but I may see it eventually.
I really like that "YestoJazz" blog too! It's got some essential stuff I'm missing.
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