The Joys of Bad TV

TV sucks. In such a good good way.

As you know, my life is a little complicated these days, and thanks to the people around me, I'm getting by quite well. I'm doing my best to do what I need to do in order to get better. But sometimes,  thinking about it is too much, doing anything is unhealthy, and doing nothing is impossible.

Those are the moments when what I really need is a little escape, to a land where chemistry and true love exist (and sometimes we have to wait breathlessly to see it happen), where the good guys really do win (eventually), nobody ever needs to pee (unless the plot requires a heart to heart or a gunfight in the bathroom), and everything always gets wrapped up by the end of 25 or 45 minutes. Aaah. So satisfying, when reality is so confusing, and my life refuses to wrap itself up in any way whatsoever.

I especially love watching shows filmed and based in Toronto. There's something about being able to recognize the setting that makes the shows more appealing. Because, really, lets face it, shows based in Toronto have a slight tendency towards being not quite as 'good' as those of our American cousins. But they're so much fun. Besides, knowing where the characters are connects me to them in a deeper kind of way.

The thing about Canadian TV shows though, at least the ones aimed at adults, is how incredibly unrealistic they are, even though they are influenced by the documentary style that permeates Canadian film. I also enjoy watching the same actors play guest roles in all the shows - there is only so much active talent in Toronto, I guess. Really, though, it just adds to that lively juxtaposition of reality and fantasy...
When else do you get to see a succubus, werewolf or telepath running around downtown, usually driving along Lakeshore? Or wonder if the door to that house on Palmerston is going to take Erica on yet another learning experience through her past? Or, my current favourite, watch the SWAT team take action against the, you know, hundreds of terrorist attacks, kidnappings and hostage takings in our city with a murder rate of 61 last year (Ok, ok, the real reason I like to watch Flashpoint is Hugh Dillon - once the teensy bit wild lead singer of the Headstones and star of Hard Core  Logo - now playing the solidly serious conservative sniper dude trying to balance work and family - such a fun contrast).

Yes this is how I spend my time when I am too tired to do anything else. I watch shows. I start with the pilot of any given series, and thanks to the wonder that is the interweb, I make my way through, enjoying every last, boring, ridiculous, over-the-top moment. For the most part. I love watching the characters and relationships between them develop. I enjoy intricacies of group dynamics. I guess when it comes down to it, I like feeling like I'm getting to know them.

TV is a rather intimate medium, being that we bring it into our homes, often watch on our own, and the stories are ongoing, therefore engaging us in a long term relationship. A good show will allow the characters to develop over the years, the formula to shift, and, at times, the focus to change, all without losing the chemistry that keeps us watching. That's really hard to do, which is why most shows don't. But the ones that do, well those are definitely worth following through the seasons.

I have to say that after so many years of not really watching TV, or following any shows, it's nice to be able to do that again. It's a sweet sweet escape.