Yesterday I did one of my favorite things in the world. I went to this giant outdoor used book store--seriously, it has a series of outbuildings--and I bought a ton of used books. So happy! As I stood at the checkout, I eavesdropped on a conversation between two young women working the "till." They were discussing a certain series regarding Shades of Gray and how concerned they were by the message these books conveyed to young women (and heck, older ones too). They couldn't wrap their brains around why these books were so popular, and how they even got published. Used bookstore snobs. Love 'em!
Anyway, in my infinite wisdom as a feminist academic I said, "I've just come to accept that these people (who like "X") are from, and on, another planet. We are not on that planet." Now this attitude is not apathy talking. My mission in life is to bring people to my planet! No, I'm really not a proponent of John Gray (or Christian Gray for that matter). I just know that people who like Charlie Sheen, think that there's a difference between "rape" and "forcible rape," and care about the Kardashians are not on my planet. Could they be someday? Maybe.
I can pretty much guarantee that these people are not on Planet Bunheads. At this point, very few people reside on Planet Bunheads--far too few, in fact. Even my cool sister and feminist stepdaughter both responded with "You want me to watch that?" when I tried to convince them to give this truly awesome, witty and wonderful show a chance. The show, written and created by the queen of witty pop culture banter, Amy Sherman-Palladino, just aired its summer finale on ABC Family last night and I cried a little. Because I thought that it was canceled. Because almost all the shows I love get canceled far too quickly. (In fact, this line is my partner's mantra when we watch Bunheads. A truly amazing scene unfolds, and his next breath is "they are going to cancel this show. It's too good). I found out that they're giving the show 8 more measly episodes to air in 2013 (whereas FX promised that a**hole over at Anger Management 90 episodes), but I think Bunheads deserves much, much more. Here's why:
1. The Characters are Likeable and Full of Joy
Unlike a certain multiple Emmy-nominated series written and created by L. Dunham, the humiliations that these young (and older) women endure are always tempered by laughter, sensitivity, compassion and thoughtfulness. These characters are flawed too. Michelle Sims (played by Sutton Foster) is somewhat of a flibbertigibbet in the Lorelei Gilmore mode, and does dumb things sometimes, but laughs at herself, helps others, and actually cares and thinks about other people. Her helpfulness is at times misguided, but she has really good friends and a really big heart. That's why when Michelle accidentally maced all the bunheads performing the Nutcracker for their big summer recital you still love her. Yes, you read that right; macing dancers and Nutcracker during summer are just a couple of reasons why the show is so great.
2. The Show is about Friendships and Relationships between Women
Bunheads has guys in it, and they are often considered romantically. Yet truly, this show is a woman's world and these guys just happen to live in it. The show repeatedly passes the Bechdel test, even though it spends all of its time with hetero women (not as queer or racially diverse as I'd like, but I'll give it some time). How many shows do you know that kill off the main love interest in the first episode to make way for the important relationship, the one between two women? Yes, teenage girls do develop crushes and flirt with boys, but these are side plots to the more crucial pathways their close friendships take. Really, boys feel like they are on the side.
3. There's not that much Dancing
I suppose that ABC Family, with all those weirdly popular "other planet" dance shows on the air (and Glee), thought the best way to market their show--one that is 90% talking and 10% dancing (at best)--was to make people think it was like all that other stuff out there. It's NOT. The last time I watched Glee it was on an airplane, and I thought to myself, this show is nothing but a bunch of song-and-dance numbers with the occasional line of dialogue to keep it together. Well, think of Bunheads as its other planet opposite.
For a television show that takes place in a quirky goofball California town that centers on a dinky dance school, you'd expect much more dancing. Instead, when there's dancing, it's a "Paper" vs. "Plastic" ballet with an evil checkout clerk in the lead, or The Nutcracker with "rats" filling in for "mice" and represented as Wall Street guys in suits. And one cannot forget the fore-mentioned macing of the dance students mid-Nutcracker. When they return to the stage, they are literally crawling around on the floor, blinded. What's not to love?
4. The Dialogue is Sharp, Sassy, and full of Pop Culture Goodness
Everyone has a hey-day--you know, a very formative period in terms of pop culture. Mine was in the 80s, and so was Amy Sherman-Palladino's (she's a year older), so I just get her references...Yet she also channels 30s screwball comedies, Fred and Ginger movies, and worries about Khaleesi's dragons (GOT), while still sticking in an homage to Footloose, Heathers, and all the other good stuff floating around in the ether. You know, stuff from OUR PLANET. She even has Fred and Ginger do a quickie dance to a cover of the Muppets' "Rainbow Connection" and it did not make me want to puke. Really. And I've got a pretty hair-trigger gag reflex on most things.
So you might be thinking, legitimately at this point, Dark Iris, what planet are you on?? And for that matter, where is the darkness? Well, it's true that I sometimes surf cuteroulette. I am a closet mush-head. But don't forget about the MACING.
So here's some idea of what planet I am on. You too may be a resident here, or visit on occasion. These are some of the beloved shows that were canceled on me (in no particular order). I still mourn their loss.
FIREFLY
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| Gina Torres as Zoe on Firefly |
TWIN PEAKS
Speaking of game-changing television, David Lynch and Mark Frost's creepy dramedy about a nice little mill town in Washington State has no peer. If you haven't seen this show, and you have a taste for the bizarre, then you have to visit with Agent Dale Cooper and try to uncover who killed Laura Palmer. In the meantime, you'll encounter the log lady, the Black Lodge, The Red Room, Nadine's silent curtain runners, Waldo, Alfred, and the sick underbelly of small town life as only David Lynch can reveal it. One of my absolute favorite moments, early on, occurs when Agent Cooper tweaks Sheriff Harry S. Truman's nose in the middle of their investigation. Why? Not sure, but it has endless rewatch potential. Meep!
BETTER OFF TED
Sure, Portia de Rossi is amazing on Arrested Development, but she really and truly shines on Better Off Ted as Veronica, the executive in charge of the research & development (R & D) team at Veridian Dynamics. Each episode always included a commercial or two for the giant conglomerate, emphasizing the company's soullessness in ever creative ways. This show is even smarter than the British The Office, and that's saying something. The show is named after Ted, and he contributes the voice-over or addresses the camera directly, but he has nothing on Phil and Lem, the brilliant creative team that grows fake food and creates a device that cryogenically preserves Phil, kind of. As someone on IMDB succinctly asked, "Why the crap wasn't this show a massive hit??" Why indeed.
PUSHING DAISIES
Only Bryan Fuller (Wonderfalls, Dead Like Me) could come up with a show where a young, handsome pie-maker can bring things back to life by touching them, but only for a minute, before someone or something drops dead in order to maintain balance. Oh, and this handy skill allows Ned (Lee Pace) to not only bring back his murdered childhood neighbor, Anna Friel, but also allows him to solve crimes with the help of Chi McBride (who is awesome in everything). The show also has Kristin Chenoweth and Swoosie Kurtz, and looks like one stepped into Wonderland or Oz, and then never saw a mirror or ruby slippers again. And it's narrated by Jim Dale, who reads the audio versions of the Harry Potter books and contributes beautifully to this contemporary fairy tale. This show is the perfect mix of sweet on the outside, and dark on the inside.
THE MIDDLEMAN
Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales) is just an artist trying to pay the bills at an office temp job when she's attacked by a gigantic, slimy, multi-eyeballed creature. She doesn't panic, and is then recruited by the titular Middleman (Matt Keeslar) to fight against all sorts of zany comic book evil. This wonderful show full of pop culture references and deadpan humor debuted on ABC Family in 2008 and lasted a mere 12 episodes. And really, this is the ultimate family show. It's even anti-profanity!
Now do you see why I fear for Bunheads' health on the same network? Welcome to my planet.
