2008 Woodie Awards
Primetime Thursdays Return
For Better or Worse, It's the Same Old Song
Annmarie Granstrand
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Thomas Jefferson once deemed: "Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom." And I think if T.J. was around today, he'd take one look at that box his whippersnapper grandchild would call a television and say, "Gee, Jim Halpert's got it right." Like most level-headed Americans, I use primetime programming as a moral compass. In the first episode of The Office's fifth season, all kinds of issues were tackled: body image, self-discipline, sanctity of marriage, and even the singing of "The Little Drummer Boy" during Ordinary Time. Overall, honesty proved to be the overarchring theme of Thursday evening.
In some places honesty was prevalent, like Andy's love for Angela. As Angela continues to place hurdle after hurdle in the way of his wedding plans, Andy took a deadpan look at Angela and lovingly proclaimed that he would marry her anywhere. (Why she didn't accept his first idea of getting married at The Breakers in Newport, I don't know.) Another great moment of sincerity was when Andy confessed, "Andy Bernard does not lose contests. He wins them. Or he quits them because they are unfair."
Hailing from the Garden State, parkway rest stops will always hold a special place in my heart. I can only hope that when David Wright proposes to me some few years from now it's on the GSP around Exit 140, pouring buckets of rain and romance like it did for Pam and Jim. Jim's always had a knack for knowing just when to throw caution to the paper shredder and unabashedly act on his goofy sincerity.
While Michael Scott forced the branch to take a hard look at the number one killer of Americans, "obeastity," Stanley triumphed over all. He concluded his weight-loss summer with a Tommie Smith fist pump and acceptance of the fact that despite the Scranton branch's loss, he's just going to take those extra vacation days anyway. Now that's honesty even more refreshing than brushing your teeth in Niagra Falls.
Now, if you'd prefer the smoke screen of running in dramatic circles, do switch to ABC's Grey's Anatomy. It only took the first commercial break for my housemates and I to decide this was the last time we would give a rat's rear end for the lot of them. The show that thrives on the same self-centered yammering of beautiful people week after week has finally broken me. I optimistically searched and searched for some semblance of humanity on a program that centers on a hospital, a place where people should be healed and made healthy. The irony of it is, those who help others attain physical health are emotionally the sickest of all.
In some places honesty was prevalent, like Andy's love for Angela. As Angela continues to place hurdle after hurdle in the way of his wedding plans, Andy took a deadpan look at Angela and lovingly proclaimed that he would marry her anywhere. (Why she didn't accept his first idea of getting married at The Breakers in Newport, I don't know.) Another great moment of sincerity was when Andy confessed, "Andy Bernard does not lose contests. He wins them. Or he quits them because they are unfair."
Hailing from the Garden State, parkway rest stops will always hold a special place in my heart. I can only hope that when David Wright proposes to me some few years from now it's on the GSP around Exit 140, pouring buckets of rain and romance like it did for Pam and Jim. Jim's always had a knack for knowing just when to throw caution to the paper shredder and unabashedly act on his goofy sincerity.
While Michael Scott forced the branch to take a hard look at the number one killer of Americans, "obeastity," Stanley triumphed over all. He concluded his weight-loss summer with a Tommie Smith fist pump and acceptance of the fact that despite the Scranton branch's loss, he's just going to take those extra vacation days anyway. Now that's honesty even more refreshing than brushing your teeth in Niagra Falls.
Now, if you'd prefer the smoke screen of running in dramatic circles, do switch to ABC's Grey's Anatomy. It only took the first commercial break for my housemates and I to decide this was the last time we would give a rat's rear end for the lot of them. The show that thrives on the same self-centered yammering of beautiful people week after week has finally broken me. I optimistically searched and searched for some semblance of humanity on a program that centers on a hospital, a place where people should be healed and made healthy. The irony of it is, those who help others attain physical health are emotionally the sickest of all.
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