I spent a good part of the day watching three TV shows: Rubicon, Mad Men, and Terriers. All 3 are low-rated cable shows and 2 of the 3 (Terriers and Rubicon) seemed destined for non-renewal. Still, this was not a wasted day. I love all 3 of the shows, and the common denominator seems that of the lovable loser.
This is the hero or anti-hero who stands for something. Who, in the words of Omar on the Wire, has a code. Both Terriers and Rubicon trace the stories of brilliant but flawed men who try to unravel a vast conspiracy, but ultimately fall short. Mad Men seems the exception, but it too is populated by flawed characters who beat back unsuccessfully against the winds.
The first I remember noting this theme, and admiring, was watching Cool Hand Luke as a kid. Here was a man who stood against the system for no good reason and was killed for it. In hindsight, the rebellion seems stupid (at least in Terriers and Rubicon there are motives to expose corruption and protect innocent lives) and the Christ imagery incredibly offensive and heavy-handed. Still, it made an impression on a kid and I've noticed my sympathy for noble failures ever since.
No comments:
Post a Comment