madeofglass.com

a collection of reflections by people i have known

sunday night television: a review of two parts

jan 07
2008
02:43am

by tripp

This evening we watched the first two episodes of season 5 of The Wire and the first two episodes of the new American Gladiators. I want to write some kind of compare and contrast here, but the words might fail me. I will press on.

The Wire:
Some people say it is the best show ever to grace the television. I can’t go that far.* I can say that it is the best show currently on TV — of course, I say this knowing that Lost is set to return in a few weeks — and that The Wire will be wrapping a few weeks before Lost finishes. The new season doesn’t disappoint; there are plenty (and almost, perhaps, too many), callbacks to previous seasons and episodes. Some are in jokes, some aren’t. I’m going to miss the hell out of this show when it is over.

But the ending of the second episode. Holy shiiiiiiiiit. We finished watching and the 5 of us (Roxy, John, Mike, Kurt and I) seem to be in agreement with what is happening, but the logic, the turn made to head in the direction that it does…It confounds me. I can’t wait to see where it goes but man oh man.

Oh and if you aren’t watching this show, you’re a fool. Get season 1 and get to it.

* Mainly because the words “best” and “show” are too loosely defined — how does one factor in genres, years on air, length of the episodes and other fluctuations? It doesn’t really matter.

American Gladiators:
Another return, this one of a show around 15 years old. It doesn’t appear to have changed one drop from then, which might be a blessing or it might be a curse. This is, hands down, the most homo-erotic show I have seen in years. Maybe ever.

This is Hellga:
Hellga

She is one of the new female gladiators.

Then there is Titan, who spent both episodes flexing and looking so gay I really wasn’t sure what I was watching:
Titan

Finally, there is Wolf, who is this feral man-beast. Scary is my only adjective for him:
Wolf

It is one tomorrow night again; if you need brainless TV that both destroys your faith in humanity while allowing you to laugh at meathead idiots — this is the show for you. I do wonder what the gladiators did before getting on TV. What their day job is. I can’t fathom.

4 great hours of TV at opposite ends of the spectrum. And, sadly, perhaps, both are highly recommended.

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