Monday, May 12, 2008

Best Thing to Happen to TV

This is going to sound awful, but the writers' strike may have just been the best thing to happen to tv in a long time. Now, taking two months off and sitting in rerun/game show hell may have just made me all the more appreciative of the writing on a real series, but I don't think that is it. While I don't believe a pen (or pencil) actually was pressed to the paper, or a finger to the keyboard, during the writers' strike, I also don't believe the writers stop the most important part of the creative process from happening... their imagination did not go on strike. I am going to go out on a limb and say it was actually heightened by the strike because they had such a limited time to come back and prove themselves before finales.

I have seen some of the best individual episodes and best storyline arcs in years come out in the last 2 months since the writers have been back at work. I am truly enjoying tv again. Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but improvement helps as well.

This evening's House was engaging, imaginative, and suspenseful. I can't wait to see next week's episode. I have felt that way several times in the last week as I watched episode after episode of beloved shows which have redeemed themselves and proven why the writers deserve all and more that they held out for.

This season has also proven to be the season of the women. From Survivor's female alliance to Women's Murder Club and the two shows with exactly the same premise Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle women have taken over the airwaves. This year is all about Girl Power and I am loving it. While I don't enjoy all the women's shows that have come out, I completely embrace the idea of them. The best of the shows are the ones that don't use sex to push the women to the top, hence why I prefer WMC to CM or LJ.

So what are your thoughts post strike. What have you seen improvement in and what needs to be shown the editing room floor before next season?