That said, I shouldn't find it hard to find something to write about. I still read alot. I still watch a fair amount of TV. Unfortunately, alot of the TV that's inflicted on me isn't exactly by choice. Take an avergae saturday night, for example. Being a family man I have the choice of either going to a different part of the house or living through the excruciating torture of "Strictly Come Dancing" and "The X-Factor" (Oh and don't get me started on the forthcoming return of "I'm a Celebrity, starve me to death in the Australian outback!!!!").
Yup, there's a great deal of crap that gets watched on my telly by my wife and daughter. "Gossip Girl", "Grey's Anatomy", "Glee", etc, etc. Some of it is even genre crap that, on the face of it, you'd think I'd be more receptive to (Hello "The Vampire Diaries", I'll be covering you and your twinkly "Twilight" brethren and actual decent blood-shirtsty vampires in a forthcoming blog!), but generally if it's crap, I'll call it that.
However, just occasionally my missus strikes upon a little nugget of gold. In amongst all that chick drama comes a little programme that could. Something hidden away (more than likely on SkyLiving) that we blokes will more often than not ignore, but is actually worthy of our attention.
"Drop Dead Diva" presents the life, or more precisely afterlife, of vapid blonde model Deb who dies in a car accident and at the gates of St. Peter is judged 'shallow' and manages to get herself sent back to earth in the body of Jane, a recently deceased, brilliant, plus-size lawyer. With the assistance of her very-own guardian angel, Fred, and Deb's friend Stacy, who are the only people who know her true identity, Deb integrates herself into Jane's life and along the way learns lessons about life, love, identity and the old maxim about beauty only being skin deep.
"Drop Dead Diva" isn't a show that revels in it's genreness (Is that even a word?), nor does it dwell on it. The genre aspects are a tool to tell its stories and explore its themes rather than the raison detre of the show. In many respects it comes across as a modern chick-lit era take on Quantum Leap crossed with Ally McBeal, without a dancing baby or cigar-smoking hologram, but more than making up for it with its own brand of oddness. Indeed, stretching the Ally McBeal comparison further it's refereshing to see an attractive curvy leading lady in the guise of Brooke Elliott as opposed bag of bones Calista Flockhart. (Harrison Ford may go for that, but I sure don't!)
Elliott is surrounded by a strong supporting cast of generally unknown or half-know actors who, in the best traditions of these ensemble shows, have their moments to shine and often do without distracting the audience from Deb (as Jane's) journey. This isn't to dismiss them. The ongoing B-plots and relationships (Fred the Angel loves Stacy and Stacy ends up cheating on him, Deb as Jane works with her former fiancee, Grayson, who she holds a torch for, the boss and the other hot-shot female lawyer seem to have an on-and-off thing, etc etc...) are just as well-drawn and important as the primary plots.
Given that the vast majority of the shows that my beloved other half watches have me silently yearning for an asteroid to put me out my misery Drop Dead Diva makes a pleasant change. A relaxed and funny show that I can, secretly, enjoy with the wife as a guilty pleasure.
No comments:
Post a Comment