(2005) "Gilmore Girls" recipe for success
By Joanne Ostrow
Denver Post TV Critic
"Gilmore Girls" remains a funny and wise exercise in cross-generational dysfunction and forgiveness. True, the snappy dialogue is sometimes too cute for its own good. And the undiminished immaturity of a mom 16 years older than her daughter begins to wear thin. Still, the characters are so well drawn and their interactions so emotionally laden, we buy it.
This week, as a reconciled Emily and Richard (the marvelous Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann) renew their wedding vows in upper-crust fashion, the celebration doesn't go so smoothly for daughter Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and granddaughter Rory (Alexis Bledel).
The essentially sweet nature of this series means it gets neither the media play nor the ratings of flashier dramas or edgier reality fare. It will never compete with "CSI" or "American Idol." But "Gilmore Girls" has found a comfortable niche.
If only the same moderate success could be attained by a couple of other delicate dramas, "Jack & Bobby" and "Veronica Mars," the best hours of TV you're not watching. Both are well-written and terrifically cast dramas that should appeal across the age spectrum. Both are worthy of wider acceptance, but they're ratings-challenged. And both are probably cursed by being labeled endearing rather than edgy, gruesome or terrifying.
"Jack & Bobby," 8 p.m. Wednesday on the WB, cleverly plays with time and imagines future presidential history, in the context of studying family dynamics and character building. The framing device doesn't overwhelm the essentially personal stories of adolescence and, yes, family values. Creator Greg Berlanti ("Everwood") has set an ambitious agenda, nothing less than an exploration of ethics and morality.
So far, we know that geeky chess player Bobby (Logan Lerman) will grow up to be the president and that track star Jack (Matt Long) will die young. We know that their mom (Christine Lahti) is an opinionated proto-feminist college history professor whose husband deserted the family. And we are accustomed to hearing from future presidential aides how episodes in Jack and Bobby's boyhoods shaped their values and, effectively, the country's future. We also know that the ratings are anemic - and that "Jack & Bobby" inherited the time slot from hell. Opposite "Alias" on ABC, "The West Wing" on NBC and the gargantuan "American Idol" on Fox, it can't get arrested, let alone elected. Here's hoping there are enough supporters taping "Jack & Bobby" to encourage the WB to move it to a protected slot.
"Veronica Mars," 8 p.m. Tuesday on UPN (KTVD-Channel 20), starring the luminous Kristin Bell as the smart, sassy teen detective in the seaside town of Neptune, dares to discover dark corners in the young woman's personality. Veronica is a high school student blessed with smarts and cursed with a messy family history, including a mother who deserted for unknown reasons. Enrico Colatoni is superb as her gumshoe dad Keith Mars, the former sheriff. This week, in "Lord of the Bling," they're on the missing-persons beat, searching for the daughter of a hip-hop musician played by Anthony Anderson ("Barbershop"). Percy Daggs II is winning as Veronica's hip cohort Wallace. Jason Dohring (familiar from guest roles on "Cold Case," "The Division," "Boston Public") is under-appreciated as sly wise-guy Logan Echolls, Veronica's foe. Starting Feb. 22, the series should get a boost from guest star Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") who could become a permanent cast member. Hannigan plays Trina Echolls, the struggling-actress daughter of Neptune resident movie star Aaron Echolls (Harry Hamlin), and stepdaughter of his wife, Lynn (Lisa Rinna, Hamlin's real-life wife). That means Trina is the half-sister of Veronica's nemesis Logan. Whether that boost brings ratings health to this overlooked gem remains to be seen.
- Submitted by pippi virgin (Trisha)
Denver Post TV Critic
"Gilmore Girls" remains a funny and wise exercise in cross-generational dysfunction and forgiveness. True, the snappy dialogue is sometimes too cute for its own good. And the undiminished immaturity of a mom 16 years older than her daughter begins to wear thin. Still, the characters are so well drawn and their interactions so emotionally laden, we buy it.
This week, as a reconciled Emily and Richard (the marvelous Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann) renew their wedding vows in upper-crust fashion, the celebration doesn't go so smoothly for daughter Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and granddaughter Rory (Alexis Bledel).
The essentially sweet nature of this series means it gets neither the media play nor the ratings of flashier dramas or edgier reality fare. It will never compete with "CSI" or "American Idol." But "Gilmore Girls" has found a comfortable niche.
If only the same moderate success could be attained by a couple of other delicate dramas, "Jack & Bobby" and "Veronica Mars," the best hours of TV you're not watching. Both are well-written and terrifically cast dramas that should appeal across the age spectrum. Both are worthy of wider acceptance, but they're ratings-challenged. And both are probably cursed by being labeled endearing rather than edgy, gruesome or terrifying.
"Jack & Bobby," 8 p.m. Wednesday on the WB, cleverly plays with time and imagines future presidential history, in the context of studying family dynamics and character building. The framing device doesn't overwhelm the essentially personal stories of adolescence and, yes, family values. Creator Greg Berlanti ("Everwood") has set an ambitious agenda, nothing less than an exploration of ethics and morality.
So far, we know that geeky chess player Bobby (Logan Lerman) will grow up to be the president and that track star Jack (Matt Long) will die young. We know that their mom (Christine Lahti) is an opinionated proto-feminist college history professor whose husband deserted the family. And we are accustomed to hearing from future presidential aides how episodes in Jack and Bobby's boyhoods shaped their values and, effectively, the country's future. We also know that the ratings are anemic - and that "Jack & Bobby" inherited the time slot from hell. Opposite "Alias" on ABC, "The West Wing" on NBC and the gargantuan "American Idol" on Fox, it can't get arrested, let alone elected. Here's hoping there are enough supporters taping "Jack & Bobby" to encourage the WB to move it to a protected slot.
"Veronica Mars," 8 p.m. Tuesday on UPN (KTVD-Channel 20), starring the luminous Kristin Bell as the smart, sassy teen detective in the seaside town of Neptune, dares to discover dark corners in the young woman's personality. Veronica is a high school student blessed with smarts and cursed with a messy family history, including a mother who deserted for unknown reasons. Enrico Colatoni is superb as her gumshoe dad Keith Mars, the former sheriff. This week, in "Lord of the Bling," they're on the missing-persons beat, searching for the daughter of a hip-hop musician played by Anthony Anderson ("Barbershop"). Percy Daggs II is winning as Veronica's hip cohort Wallace. Jason Dohring (familiar from guest roles on "Cold Case," "The Division," "Boston Public") is under-appreciated as sly wise-guy Logan Echolls, Veronica's foe. Starting Feb. 22, the series should get a boost from guest star Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") who could become a permanent cast member. Hannigan plays Trina Echolls, the struggling-actress daughter of Neptune resident movie star Aaron Echolls (Harry Hamlin), and stepdaughter of his wife, Lynn (Lisa Rinna, Hamlin's real-life wife). That means Trina is the half-sister of Veronica's nemesis Logan. Whether that boost brings ratings health to this overlooked gem remains to be seen.
- Submitted by pippi virgin (Trisha)
posted by MissCoffee @ 7:40 p.m.
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