Shockingly Bad Television

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I'm going to assume that no one here actively watches "Boston Public." But I thought I'd warn you all anyway: even if you're terrifically bored and you're really only flipping channels while you make dinner, do not stop there -- you might be exposed to the sight of former New Kid Joey McIntyre impersonating an English teacher. I am going to have nightmares.

― nabisco (nabisco), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 03:38 (twenty-three years ago)

"I-LOVE-YOU spells girrrrrrrl. You arrrrrrre. Cool wicked awwwesome..."

― mark p (Mark P), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 03:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Friend of mine really likes this show. I hope she doesn't like it for him.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 03:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Nabisco, was it that one episode that implied some sexual tension between a teacher and a student?

― mark p (Mark P), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 03:45 (twenty-three years ago)

*sarcasm detector explodes*

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 03:55 (twenty-three years ago)

He said something like: "I'm sorry, Becky, but you should have thought of that while you were writing your paper. It has no thesis statement and it wanders aimlessly." Imagine Joey McIntyre saying this.

― nabisco (nabisco), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 03:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, wait. I guess it could've been the one where the principal stood his ground.

― mark p (Mark P), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 04:02 (twenty-three years ago)

This is in the overly-earnest meets overwrought-slapstick David E. Kelley mode of prime time television, it's a sight not to behold. I hate hate all the predominant modes of "quality" television: the Ally McBeal/Boston public style, the self-imporant endless-steadicam-shot one-catharsis-every-ten-minutes style of E.R./West Wing, and the herky-jerky would-be-verité oh-so-street-smart nonsense of Law and Order/etc. It's to the point where I feel like tossing a brick at my TV. I prefer most sitcoms to all of the "serious" "intelligent" "edgy" dramas that win Emmys (exc. Will and Grace, which is funny enough but is the gay version of a minstrel show).

I have to give The Sopranos credit, for all its faults, for transcending these modes.

So, yeah, this show STINKS HORRIBLY. It has an odd habit of pairing up teachers with sexy high school students, too. Ick.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 04:05 (twenty-three years ago)

(P.S. I'm waiting for all the Sopranos rip-offs to make even that show's style completely academic and unbearable. Or maybe they exist already, and thankfully I haven't discovered them.)

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 04:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Amateurist, I'll bet you'd change your tune if you saw that one Boston Public episode where that student overcome adversity.

― mark p (Mark P), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 04:08 (twenty-three years ago)

(And poor grammar.)

― mark p (Mark P), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 04:12 (twenty-three years ago)

You're forgetting that other one where they have to deal with complicated racial subtexts.

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 04:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Is that the one where the overtaxed and put-upon principal furrows his brow?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 05:02 (twenty-three years ago)

I like the ones where the teacher almost goes too far to try and reach his/her students.

Really. I do.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 05:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh you mean that one episode where someone crossed the line!

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 05:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Is the new drug cartel show "Kingpin" going to be the Sopranos-rip that Amateurist foresees?

Check this blurb out:

"Kingpin follows the life of a drug lord and his Mexico-based trafficking operation. The antihero is Yancy Arias, who plays the head of a Mexican drug cartel struggling to keep his business afloat. He faces pressure from both a Drug Enforcement Agency [DEA] agent (Angela Alvardo) and his wife (Sheryl Lee). Steven Bauer, Ruben Carbajal, and Brian Benben also star."

― Stuart, Tuesday, 14 January 2003 13:13 (twenty-three years ago)

David E. Kelley is Satan, I thought that this was already established.

I was sooo happy that Girls Club was cancelled after only one episode, since it looked like a hydra-headed McBeal and I read that the characters used "lesbian" to insult another character. WTF? Does the man live in 1983?

― Nicole (Nicole), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 13:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Brian Benben also star

This is precisely where he deserves to be.

David E. Kelley is Satan

Turn off your TV and BE HEALED!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 15:47 (twenty-three years ago)

I actually (accidentally) saw that first episode of "Girly Lawyer." (Okay okay: it has whatshername who was Claire on 90210 in it, and I was trying to demonstrate to someone why she has the best jawline in the western world.) Anyway it was very, very bizarre: the whole thing was like a 12-year-old girl's fantasy of what growing up and being a lawyer might actually be like, which in itself could have been okay if it weren't trying to actually be serious at the same time. I think this is the biggest problem with all David E. Kelley shows: he sets up these frothy ridiculous trashy premises but instead of just letting you enjoy them as such he takes them absolutely seriously and tries to make you weepy about them.

― nabisco (nabisco), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 16:59 (twenty-three years ago)

you are all insane. this show is great. we went to the movies last night and were sad when we got home and realized we had missed it.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 17:07 (twenty-three years ago)

Boston Public unites my generation (due 2 the time it's on) tho i Don't watch it.

― naked as sin (naked as sin), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 19:09 (twenty-three years ago)

I like the ones where the seemingly cold, autocratic Vice Principal turns out to really care about the students.

― nickn (nickn), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 23:10 (twenty-three years ago)

I like watching BP so I can laugh at all the good-looking teachers who apparently have planning periods that last all day and never have to do any grading.

It's not particulary offensive nor engaging. Good background for cleaning the house.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 23:25 (twenty-three years ago)

five years pass...

Having seen Dale Winton rather awkwardly yell 'BRING ON THE WALL!!' about eight times has made me want to kill myself.

― You are wrong (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 24 September 2008 01:06 (seventeen years ago)

^^^^^

― fREETIME (wilter), Wednesday, 24 September 2008 01:07 (seventeen years ago)

BBC One aims to be the UK’s most valued television channel, with the broadest range of quality programmes of any UK mainstream network. The channel is committed to widening the appeal of all genres by making a range of subjects accessible to a broad audience. BBC One is committed to covering national and international sports events and issues, showcasing landmark programmes and exploring new ways of presenting specialist subjects.
– BBC One remit

Clearly there is room in this remit for overweight celebrities jumping through polystyrene.

― You are wrong (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 24 September 2008 01:09 (seventeen years ago)

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