My World is My Stage

So one of the shows I got in to when I finally got HBO (I know, I know, but I never made enough money to pay for it. Thank God I can now #GeorgeJeffersonStrut) was their original series How to Make it in America. Set in NY, which generally would make me not like a show, the series chronicles the life of two mid-20somethings looking to stake their spot in America. Their medium: CRISP, a fashion label specializing in classy, urban wear. We see the ups-and-downs of starting a company, trying to find your own way, and making something that will outlast yourself ALL WHILE being in a world full of love, family, and America.

HBO announced that they would discontinue the series. This article talks about the level of outrage that exists amongst the shows fans. The series Facebook page is filled with comments from upset fans. I even tweeted my displeasure (please excuse the grammatcial mistakes as I was fairly intoxicated #TweetingUnderTheInfluence). I even signed the petition to bring the show back (do these things ever make an impact?!)

Like I said in my Tweet, I think this show really spoke to a generation of young persons out there. More specifically, and selfishly, it spoke to me and I’m sad to see it go. It was an accidental find and one I am so glad I did (It would definitely go in my collection of the events that make me the person I am today from my last post). It’s the second show of the most recent TV series that I watched that got canceled (“The Playboy Club” was the first #OnlyGodCanJudgeMe) and it will mark the third show in my TV repeitoire that won’t be on next year (“Desperate Housewives” rounding out the trio #OnlyGodCanJudgeMe). 

I don’t watch a lot of TV. I never really have time for it with all the shit I try to squeeze in to 24 hours but when I do I either like to mindlessly devour sports and sports talk, watch crappy, but interesting character-driven shows, well-written sit-coms, or have my understanding of self pushed. “How to Make it in America” did the latter on every episode in its brief run. Not sure how/what I’ll replace it/with.

I’ve talked about how I love Modern Family all over my twitter account and on my other blog. I can’t help it. I think it is wonderfully written, so poignant, and most of all, funny as hell! What more can one want from a TV show?

Well that’s just it. Modern Family gives you all of that, plus some. It is the epitome of diversity. And it’s just not diverse for diversity’s sake. It makes an honest attempt to normalize the differences in the characters but ultimately shows the true humane nature of each person. Clichés and stereotypes are used to drive to claim the universality of their situations. 

The storytelling revolves around an extended family. The family’s patriarch has remarried a younger, sexy Columbian woman (Sofia Vergara) and has taken in her 13 going on 30 son. Sofia V.’s character is the same age as the patriarch’s daughter, a middle-aged, married woman with three average children and a propensity to be a control freak. Her husband, the “cool dad” is constantly emasculated but always finds a way to prove his worth. The main patriarch’s other child is a successful lawyer, whose gay partner and him have adopted a Korean child. They both struggle as young parents of a minority child as well as being a gay couple with a child.

While it could be so easy to make these characters caricatures, the show drives hard to make each person well-rounded and dynamic. You can never peg a character as a type, because the show constantly challenges you by adding another dimension to the character or plot. It’s as well-written as a TV show can be (just imagine how great this could be if it was a play!!).

I don’t want to give ABC any free advertisement (shit they not trying to promote my brand) but I do have to give props when I see fit. I wish there were more shows that can do what Modern Family does, and do it as well. If you don’t watch the show, check it out on Hulu or ABC.com. It comes on weekly, Wednesdays at 9:00 PM on ABC.