By way of observing the universality of TV criticism, here’s a piece by a well-known reviewer where I’ve switched shows: Before I add my voice to the din that’s discussing where “Buffy” may have gone astray, let’s first take half a second to acknowledge the obvious: This is one of the best dramas on television, with writing so intelligent and dialogue so strong it laid the groundwork for the current generation of great TV dramas. Furthermore, while most TV writers are willing to grapple with vampires or cheerleading as little as is necessary to make it through the next predictable courtroom or autopsy scene, Whedon has taken on incredibly difficult subject matter with enthusiasm, presenting the bizarre twists and turns of policymaking with humor and no small amount of suspense. Of course now we take for granted that watching a bunch of vampire slayer support group members could be riveting, unpredictable and even touching, but before “Buffy,” making a fictional TV version of the high school office warren look romantic seemed almost unthinkable. Whedon has a unique style, voice and vision; on almost every show, there’s an innovative plot device or a revelatory moment that maximizes the drama of an otherwise dry subject.
Now for a free beer, what TV show was this piece written about originally, and for bonus points, where?
How much have you switched? If it was a Joss Whedon show, I would probably guess Felicity, a show I never actually watched. But with references not just to the show title, but to “vampires” and “Whedon” and “vampire slayer” and so on, it’s hard to know how much you’ve changed.
Reading it again, it seems you’ve changed quite a bit. Clues include “for the current generation” (so it’s probably an older show), “bizarre twists and turns of policymaking” (so political, perhaps?), and “office warren”, not usually a term applied to high schools, and certainly not to Buffy’s.
I get your point on criticism universality, sure, but when you change so much to make the point, it weakens the argument.
But I give up on the show. Picket Fences? Hill Street Blues? I’m way off, I’m sure.
The West Wing.
That’s so generic as to be unidentifiable. HSB or St. Elsewhere is as good a guess as any, since both had “warrens” as an important part of the show.
You gonna tell us or leave us hanging??????
It’s an article on “The West Wing” in Salon, written by a noted Marxist-feminist critic.
And we’re still waiting for proof of Richard’s claim that she’s Marxist and/or feminist.